Dining
Discover our best-kept recommendations for local eateries and grocers during your stay.
Menu
Menu
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the land around Mar Vista Farm + Cottages was part of the Pomo territory. We acknowledge and honor the indigenous people for their respectful treatment and preservation of this land they once inhabited.
Mar Vista is nestled on the site of the turn-of-the-century Fish Rock Village.
Our cottages were built by Louis Kovacs and Eschen Eriksen, immigrants from Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. The first six cottages were constructed in the mid-1930s before construction was stopped due to World War II. Six additional cottages were completed after the war ended in the mid-1940s.
The cottages were constructed with whatever materials and labor were at hand. Virgin redwood was used side-by-side with chicken coop material.
First popular as fishing cabins, the cottages quickly became a favorite yearly vacation tradition for young families.
After Kovacs and Eriksen, Mar Vista changed hands a few times before Renata and Tom Dorn bought the property in 2000—creating the agriturismo concept that exists today. We are honored and grateful to follow in their footsteps as stewards of this special place.
Mar Vista has a magical quality for our guests; it is an escape for families, friends, and couples where simple pleasures become lasting memories, beckoning them to return again and again as the years pass.
We hope Mar Vista will become a place of special memories for you, too.
Deanna & Christopher | The present stewards of Mar Vista
If you have a question that isn’t answered in this guide, please let us know so we can help—and update our book for future guests!
Red Welcome Cottage/Mar Vista Mercantile Hours
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Red Welcome Cottage serves as our office and also features the Mar Vista Mercantile, where you can purchase many of our sustainable products and other seasonal goodies. If you need assistance outside of these hours, please call us at 707-884-3522—we live here on-site and are very responsive.
Visitors of Registered Guests
Guest Only Text Requests
We can be reached for quick questions or needs between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. via our special Mar Vista Guest Text: 707-289-5605.
Cell Service
Verizon and ATT&T are the only mobile carriers with a reliable signal here at this time. Wi-Fi calling is recommended.
Check-Out
Check-out time is 11 a.m. If we do not need to prepare your cottage for incoming guests, we may be able to accommodate a late check-out. Please check with us in advance. For self-check-out, please leave the key in the door or on the table.
Internet
Wi-Fi is complimentary—the password is in your welcome text message. Note that the signal may be intermittent in Cottages 1, 2, 11 and 12. If your signal is weak, move higher on the property; the picnic table areas or the Red Welcome Cottage deck are good locations.
Our community of guests is made up of singles, couples, and families—many sharing a desire for quiet evenings and sleeping in until late morning. Please whisper before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m. (A request especially important for the children!)
We revel in the night sky at Mar Vista; it’s like a planetarium! Don’t worry about night critters—turn your porch light out at bedtime for the incredible stargazing.
Our secluded redwood soaking tub, for adults only, is located in a gazebo at the edge of the upper pond. Reservations are required. Seasonal closures are based on drought conditions.
For those who like to grill, we have several stone barbecues throughout the property. Included in the main gathering area are kindling along with barbecue and campfire utensils; trash and recycling bins are in the large cabinet. There are metal chimneys to start your fire—please do not use fire starters, chemicals or anything other than Mar Vista wood.
If you use our barbecues or fire pits, please note that you must be present from when you start the fire until it is extinguished. Adult supervision is required at all times. Usage may be prohibited for safety reasons during certain times of year.
Mar Vista is a fully non-smoking environment. Thank you for your cooperation. If you smoke, vape, or burn any substance in a room, a minimum damage charge of $500, and any consequential lost revenue, will be charged to the credit card on file.
You are the keeper of your cottage while in residence; daily service is not provided, although we will happily accommodate special requests. Please tidy up before you leave and wash any dishes you use. (Note: If you wash the cast iron skillet, dry it over the stovetop flame. If the skillet retains moisture it may crack.) You do not need to do any serious cleaning! We have our own sanitizing processes with natural products.
Most cottages are heated by a gas fireplace, controlled by the thermostat on the wall between the living room and the bedroom. Please do not touch the switches on the fireplace unit itself, and if your windows and doors are open, we request that you turn off the fireplace thermostat entirely to avoid wasting energy.
No, we did not forget to put a top sheet on your bed. We use duvets the European way (with covers laundered between guest stays), avoiding tangles and struggles. However, if you still prefer a top sheet, just ask; we are happy to provide one.
To open the “window hankies” on the bedroom and bathroom windows, simply take the middle or end loop off one peg and let the curtain fall to the side. To help us avoid unnecessary ironing, please do not tie the curtain in a knot, or scrunch it up over itself.
Only vegetable matter and coffee grounds should be placed in your compost bucket. No egg shells or seafood shells. When your bucket is full, text us or bring it to the Red Welcome Cottage to exchange for an empty one. Thanks for helping us reduce waste!
Place recyclables in the pail so marked. When it is full, simply place the pail on your porch and text us; we will empty it.
When your inside container is full, place the full bag in your cottage’s outside trash bin. There will be a new bag for the inside trash bin underneath the old one. Text us if you need any assistance.
Your cottage is served by a septic system. Please be very conservative with toilet paper use, and do not put anything else down the toilet. Also, please do not dispose of grease down the kitchen sink.
If you need extra towels, toilet paper, or soap, please come to the Red Welcome Cottage. We keep extra supplies self accessible for your convenience. We also have books, puzzles, and outdoor games for your use—please ask to peruse our collection.
Our bath soaps are made locally by Three Sisters Apothecary in Sonoma County. We provide both scented and unscented options. These and other soaps are also available for purchase in the Mar Vista Mercantile (located in the Red Welcome Cottage).
The two dispensers by your kitchen sink are dish soap (clear liquid) for washing your dishes (also ok for use on your hands), and hand lotion (white) to help keep your skin soft after washing.
For your convenience, we provide an All-Purpose Cleaning Spray made with vinegar, water & lemon essential oils. Please use this for quick clean ups and wiping down counters as needed.
All cottages include the following:
Discover our best-kept recommendations for local eateries and grocers during your stay.
We cultivate an organic vegetable garden and a flower garden for you to use during the duration of your stay!
A harvest basket is provided in your cottage, and harvesting tools are on the pedestal in the center of the garden. Green signs indicate produce is ready to harvest. Red signs mean it is not yet ready to pick. To ensure we have enough produce for all guests, we kindly ask that you do not harvest extra to take home.
Harvesting Tips
Clip the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, chard, etc. Leave the plant in the ground so it will continue to grow more leaves! When snapping off a berry, leaf, or pod, hold the stem with your other hand; do not yank off the fruit or vegetable, as this disturbs the roots and may kill the plant.
Please do not compact the soil by stepping or leaning in the beds—this can damage roots and newly planted seeds. If you have questions or need help with proper harvesting methods—just ask!
Children and Dogs
To safeguard the plants, please do not allow any children to harvest from the garden. They can reap significant damage in the blink of an eye! All children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times. Please keep dogs out of the garden as well.
Flower Garden
Located near Cottage 2, this garden offers flowers you are welcome to cut and take to decorate your cottage, surprise your partner, or simply enjoy however you like. Please follow the same policies as our vegetable garden regarding children and dogs.
Please do NOT harvest from any of the gardens on your way out. This is for guest enjoyment while on property only.
Daily Goat Gab
Meet our three Nubian goats and help feed them during our daily goat gab, which takes place everyday at 3:30 or 4 p.m. depending on the time of year.
Daily Egg Collection and Delivery
If you would like farm-fresh eggs to use when cooking breakfast in your cottage, we’ll deliver them to you! Just hang the provided basket outside your door in the evening.
You can help us collect the eggs each day as well—it’s one of our most beloved activities. The daily egg collection takes place in the late afternoon, usually at 4 or 5 p.m. depending on the time of year. Join us for this “chicken chat” and learn some fun hen and egg trivia.
Please note that your shoes will get soiled with hen droppings, so choose them wisely, and be prepared to clean them afterward.
Mar Vista Animals
You can visit with our animals on property anytime as long as you remain outside their fenced-in area – this includes the rabbits, goats, and chickens.
Please do not feed the animals anything from the gardens. The rabbits can only have nibbles of grass from the fence and the goats can only be given Timothy hay with our assistance.
Feel free to give our Aussie Shepard Nuttah (Noo-tah) plenty of love—but no treats, please!
Our free-roaming cats are very social and will enjoy your attention. Please do not pick them up or let them in your cottage.
Mar Vista’s location offers easy access to a variety of trails and beach access points. Explore some of our favorites—and a bit of guidance when warranted.
We love welcoming dogs at Mar Vista—but we need your help in order to continue hosting furry friends. Please follow these guidelines to ensure everyone, including our other guests, has a great experience.
Dogs are not permitted on the furniture and beds, even with draping. Failure to adhere to this may result in a fee.
Please do not leave your dog unattended in the cottage at any point. On property, they must be under your direct control—and leashed if they are not strictly obedient off-leash.
Dog towels are provided in a basket near the front door of your cottage. We have additional towels in the Red Welcome Cottage; just ask if you need more.
You must pick up after your dog: Cans for dog waste are located around the property, and there are additional doggie bags available outside the Red Welcome Cottage.
Dogs are not welcome on our neighbors’ property.
Your dog likely will be very fascinated with our cats, bunnies, hens, and goats—please do not let this turn into harassment.
Note that Mendocino County enforces a leash law on most beaches.
Thank you sincerely for your consideration and respect!
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