Point Ruston Cozy Cottage

I had to move out of my condo in Tacoma before heading back to Tucson, so I emptied it out and rented an Airbnb for my last few days here. I found this "Cozy Cottage" in Tacoma near Point Ruston. Let me tell you about it.

The Vibe

From the outside it looks very plain and small, but looks are deceiving. The inside was decorated so nicely - cute, classy, but not ostentatious. And so welcoming and comfortable! The first thing I noticed was the smell, not in a bad way. There was some kind of essential oil wafting through the house. Very pleasant. A chalkboard greeted me with the key code, wifi password, and check out time. There were also local restaurant menus on the desk right inside the door. If you've stayed in Airbnbs before, you know that some of them are pieced together with thrift store finds, which is fine. I have no problem with that. However, this cottage was meticulously designed. The furniture, art, and decor in whites, greys, and blues all blended together beautifully. The kitchen was state of the art. There was a small dining table with room for four. I can't say enough about the vibe. In fact, as soon as I got here I messaged the host and told her this place is heaven.

The living room had a futon, a couple chairs, designated workspace, a couple tables, and a good sized Roku TV. There was also a PS4 gaming system, and a few games. There was also a dog bed, which I thought was a nice touch. There are USB ports and outlets everywhere, great for charging all the things. In fact, the desk and the couch has outlets/USB ports set in them for convenience.

The bedroom was also tasteful and comfortable - queen bed, dresser, nightstand, Roku television, ample closet space. The one bathroom is inside the bedroom, small but satisfactory with light filtering in through a sky light.

The front wasn't much to look at, but I appreciated the long driveway up to the house where I could park my car and keep it off the street. The backyard was big and fenced with two adirondack chairs waiting for a sit. Unfortunately for me, my dog has a way of finding the smallest of holes in fences and escaping. Which she did because she's a menace. Luckily she came right back (she doesn't always) because I could not figure out how to get the back gate open to chase her.

This cottage really had some nice, small, but significant touches that I really appreciated.

Cleanliness

Immaculate. There is really nothing more to say about that.

The Amenities

Lots of amenities. Sheets and towels were provided and there were plenty of extra if needed. The large laundry room offered detergents and cleaners, an ironing board and iron, vacuum, and other cleaning supplies.

The bathroom included showering bath gel, shampoo, and conditioner. And they were really nice and smelled good. There was also extra TP, toothbrushes with toothpaste, just in case.

The kitchen was pretty well stocked. Plenty of dishes, pans, bowls, cups, and utensils. A couple snacks sat on the counter with doggie poop bags and treats. The basics, olive oil, salt and pepper were provided. In the cupboard was a blender and toaster. One "extra" was an espresso machine, which was awesome once I figured out how to use it. The freezer made ice and there was a filtered water pitcher in the fridge. There was also a microwave and dishwasher. Doggie dishes sat in a corner on a cute mat. Another nice touch.

The wi-fi worked really well, which of course is important for traveling professionals. The house had a nice air system which offered both heat and cooling. This is good for me because while I like staying warm during the day, at night for some reason I prefer it arctic.

The host has games to play, both indoor and outdoor, Jenga, trivia, bunco, chess, lawn darts, and a soccer ball.

I already mentioned the long driveway, which could easily fit three cars. There was also ample street parking as well in the quiet and safe neighborhood.

Entry

Code was given to me before check in. It was LONG. No remembering it, though by the time I checked out I almost had it down. I took a screen shot of it so I could get to it easily. It's nice to have shorter codes, but I also know longer ones are better for safety.

The Host

Kind and responsive. She let me check in early; I assume no one was there right before me. I felt very welcomed to her Cozy Cottage.

Location

This place is in an excellent location. I'm not sure if the address is Tacoma, or the smaller adjacent city of Ruston. Ruston has an interesting history as a company town. Industrialist W.R. Rust established the town for his Tacoma Smelting & Refining Company and its employees. The smelter was eventually torn down, and Ruston has become a beautiful and thriving town. The cottage is walking distance from restaurants, shops, and Point Defiance Park, Aquarium, and Zoo. It is right up the hill from Point Ruston which boasts waterfront dining, shopping, a public market, bars, bike rentals, a movie theater, summer concert series and MORE! There are grocery stores right down the street. It's also a short drive to the Proctor District or down town where there are even more shops, restaurants, and bars. There are walking paths along Commencement Bay down to Old Town and Point Defiance. Really, there is so much to do right here within blocks. If you want to take a day trip to Seattle, you're only 40 miles away.

The Flaws

I can't point out many. One would be the gaps in the fence where small dogs can get out. They had chicken wire on the gaps in the side fence, but not in the back. Another, is lack of a large frying pan. I was going to make burgers and the largest pan could barely fit two. The fire alarm is VERY sensitive. It pretty much went off every time I opened the oven door, though I'm not sure there's much you can do about that. The stairs leading up to the front could use a hand rail. These are mostly nitpicky things though. I LOVED my stay in this quaint and lovely cottage.

The Verdict

Not much to complain about. Definitely an Airbnb worth the stay. According to my rating system, this cute and quaint Airbnb gets 9.3 keys out of 10!