My sister and I decided to visit Tombstone and Bisbee Arizona which is a good 1.5 hours from home. We wanted to bring our dogs so thought it would be better to stay at an Airbnb rather than a hotel. We didn’t want to stay in touristy Tombstone, and Bisbee was further down the road, so we chose the “Country Cottage” in the town of Saint David. It was only about 20 minutes from Tombstone and 40 minutes from Bisbee.
Let’s talk about the house first.
The Vibe
The house was super cute and definitely lived up to its name. A white picket fence enclosed the front yard. There was a nice porch with a rocking bench, two chairs, and a small table – perfect size for a margarita and chips. The front yard was made of Astro turf, but the dogs didn’t care; they pooped and played to their heart’s content. The back yard was also fenced, and more natural, but it was a bit, well, I guess the best word would be unmanicured. No worries though, we just spent our outside time in the front.
The inside was charming. A chalkboard sign with a personal message welcomed me. The furniture was a little dated, but that just added to that country cottage vibe for me. The living room and kitchen were both large with plenty of room to move around. The living room had a pull-out couch, a recliner, a game table, and country and desert decor.
The dining area had a table that sat six and French doors that opened to the back yard.
The bedrooms were ample size with a lot of closet space. One was very feminine and sweet, the other more rustic and rugged. Both had ceiling fans, dresser space, and large closets. I found the bed I slept in very comfortable.
The bathroom was cheery and light with a cute shower curtain.
Cleanliness
Everything smelled and looked clean. My sister found a washcloth that had a stain, but that was pretty much the only negative as far as the tidiness was concerned.
The Amenities
On point. Sheets and towels were provided and there were plenty of extra if needed. There was a small laundry room with detergents and cleaners, plus an ironing board and iron. Do people still iron?
The bathroom included showering gel, shampoo, and conditioner. There was also extra TP and Kleenex.
The kitchen was very well stocked. Plenty of dishes, pans, bowls, and utensils. There was also paper plates and plastic utensils if you don't want to do dishes. The cabinets were stocked with breakfast foods, snacks, and coffee. The kitchen had a coffee pot, toaster, and microwave as well. There was no ice machine, but ice cube trays were provided and full when we arrived and thank God for that as we were ready for margaritas after check in. Also, there was no dishwasher. It wasn’t a big deal for us, but if you don’t like hand washing dishes, just be aware.
The wi-fi worked well, which is always important for me when I travel since I work from home. The living room had a small smart TV. If you’re into watching TV while you travel then size could matter. It was sufficient for us. The air conditioning and ceiling fans worked well, which is Arizona essential.
There was space for one car under a covered car port. If you had more than one car, you could probably make it work either parking on the street or behind the car in the carport.
Entry
Super easy. There was a simple lock box with the keys inside. We were given the code to the box the day of our check in.
The Host
Our host was extremely responsive and always got back to me quickly. I asked for an early check in because of our Tombstone snafu - that’s a whole other story. She explained they had a large group the night before and she couldn’t promise us, but she still got us in an hour early which was nice.
Location
Saint David has an interesting history. It was founded by a member of the Mormon Battalion, the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service. They served from 1846 – 1847 during the Mexican American War. When Saint David became a Civilian Conservation Corps during the 30s, there was an influx of non-Mormon settlers, mainly from Texas and Oklahoma.
We didn’t have much time to spend in Saint David, but as far as I could tell, there wasn’t much there. Since we got there early, we thought we’d map a park and go walk the dogs. When Google said, “You have arrived,” we found ourselves in front of a locked chain link fence, nothing beyond it except dirt, sagebrush, and cacti. So, no park.
The closest stores, a Safeway and Walmart, were in Benson, about 20 minutes away. So, if you’re planning on cooking, you should bring everything with you, which is what we did. Or just know, you’re making a drive back to Benson for groceries.
We didn’t see any bars, cafes, coffee shops…no place to hang out and wait. The only thing we did find was a cool art shop called Gallery of Dreams. I spent a little time there. Several artists’ works were for sale including bronze statues, dream catchers, paintings, jewelry, and more. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a look. The owners are a husband and wife team. I’m not sure if she’s an artist, but he makes the bronze statues. He has a couple larger than life in Tombstone, one of Wyatt Earp and one of Tombstone’s founder Ed Schieffelin. She showed me where he makes the statues and the giant clay molds he uses. And there was a shop cat, so prrrrr.
There are places to visit close by, obviously, that’s why we were there. Tombstone, Bisbee, Lowell, and Kartchner Caverns State Park.
The Flaws
There weren’t many. However, it was on a busy street. Actually, it’s a highway, but a country highway so not as bad as an urban highway. Also, there was a loose board in the fence. We were afraid the dogs could get out, so we put a pot in front of it while we were there.
The Verdict
Like I said, not much to complain about. The “Country Cottage” suited our needs. It was clean with tons of amenities. According to my rating system, this cute and quaint Airbnb gets 9.3 keys out of 10, which is excellent!
If you’re ever in Saint David, consider staying at the Country Cottage. View the gallery below for more pics.
Thank you for reading.
Happy travels!
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