Entire home

Private West Beach-front Home. New! Beach set-up included March - September!

your current months are February, 2025 and March, 2025.
February 2025
March 2025

Photo gallery for Private West Beach-front Home. New! Beach set-up included March - September!

Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Smart TV, DVD player, books
Outdoor dining
On the beach, sun-loungers
On the beach, sun-loungers

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 12167 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen
  • Dryer

Explore the area

Map
Gulf Shores, AL
  • West Beach
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Gulf Shores Beach
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Hangout Music Fest
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Gulf Shores, AL (GUF-Jack Edwards)
    ‪12 min drive‬

Room options

About the area

Gulf Shores

With a stay at this vacation home, you'll be centrally located in Gulf Shores, a 1-minute drive from Gulf Shores Beach and 7 minutes from Gulf State Park. .This beach vacation home is 8.9 mi (14.3 km) from The Wharf and 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from West Beach.

What's nearby

  • West Beach - 4 min walk
  • Gulf Shores Beach - 5 min walk
  • Hangout Music Fest - 6 min drive
  • Waterville USA - 7 min drive
  • Gulf Shores Golf Club - 11 min drive

Getting around

  • Pensacola Intl. Airport (PNS) - 73 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Hangout - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Sunliner Diner - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Pink Pony Pub - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪De Soto's Seafood Kitchen - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Burro Azul - ‬6 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Private West Beach-front Home. New! Beach set-up included March - September!

Update: At Marilyn's Cottage, we want to make your vacation the best it can be while you stay with us. Now included in all rentals in 2025 from March through September--- professional daily setup and takedown of 2 chairs and one umbrella. All you have to do is show up and relax (more chairs may be rented for additional fee) . Also, we have private dunes, with private beach access. And a volleyball net/area and your own path to the beach. Please see pictures. When deciding on a property, ask yourself -- Is it important to you to be on WEST beach, away from the condos, with your own private deck and back yard beach? If the answer is yes, then keep reading..... you have come to the right place.

Your favorite vacation memories await you at Marilyn’s Cottage. Imagine yourself right on the beach, away from the busy condos, in a private home all to yourself. Enjoy happy hour and dinners on the deck at sunset while you see and hear the waves of the blue ocean. Delight as you watch your family play in the sand and fish in the ocean, while you are sipping a drink on the balcony that’s all yours. If you stay at Marilyn’s Cottage, these are the memories you will make!!

Highlights: Marilyn's Cottage is a 3-bedroom, 3-bath Gulf-front single-family home on the beach (not a duplex) sleeps 10-12 on West beach Gulf Shores, a few houses past the lagoon bridge. The main living area boasts airy 20+ foot ceilings, and the second floor has generous 10 foot ceilings. Because of this, Marilynn’s Cottage is extra light and bright, and seems larger than most 3-bedroom spaces. The house is refreshed frequently by the owners. Some examples of recent replacements are: new kitchen cabinets, TV’s, dishwasher, stove, air conditioning unit, all new living room furniture, new mattresses, replaced bedding, replaced deck chairs, and a repaint out and inside.

Living: Marilyn's Cottage is perfect for multi-generational or family friends with kids. Each of the three bedrooms has its own bathroom, a seldom-seen feature for a 3-bedroom--- so you don’t have to share your bathroom with the kids while you’re on vacation! Upstairs in the master bedroom, there is an amazing view from its private balcony. This is our favorite sunset happy hour spot! In the upstairs bunk room, there are two sets of bunk beds - that sleep up to six people, along with an en-suite bath with tub. In the main level guest bedroom, there is easy access to the living space without having to climb any stairs. This is perfect for grandparents or little ones. There is one sleeper sofas in the living room, perfect those early risers or ones that make a lot of noise in the morning before you have had your first cup of coffee. There is plenty of furniture on the deck - along with a large picnic table for you and your family to enjoy. Finally, there is a convenient shower right off the beach - so you can wash the sand and salt water off before coming back inside to relax with your favorite beverage.

Appliances and Kid Stuff: course not everyone likes to cook when they’re on vacation, but the people who stay at MC are famous for cooking up meals in our well-stocked kitchen. There is one stove, microwave, dishwasher, blender, toaster, coffee maker/Keurig, and crock pot. There is a wet bar that is perfect for making iced drinks out of the way of the kitchen. The washer and dryer are large capacity - which is great when those laundry stacks start to pile up because you are relaxing. We also have a high chair, baby gate, and pack-and-play (for you to use your own linens). A special feature of the house is our toy closet, with trains, legos, books, games, and dolls.

Location: The real estate rule is location, location, location and this place has all three. MC is located on West Beach, right on the gulf, in walking distance past the lagoon bridge. There are private dunes right outside your door, with a private volleyball area.

Imagine the sound of waves gently lapping on the shore and the most gorgeous sunsets mother nature has to offer. This is the reason we bought this home. It is dedicated to the memory of our mother, Marilynn, who passed away in 2014. After her husband died at a young age, she raised 9 children on her own, giving them and everyone around her a happy, blessed life. She would have loved this house. Our home is your home, so sit back and soak in the panoramic views from Marilyn’s Cottage —there isn't a bad seat in the house!

Best Location. Beach Front. Private Beach. Big Deck. Value. Ocean Front. Ocean View. House. Beach Vacation
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned vacation home, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. There's a private balcony. A Smart television and a DVD player are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include a microwave and a coffee/tea maker.
Enjoy recreation amenities such as a water park or take in the view from a garden.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property manager

Denise Edwards

Languages

English

Property amenities

Beach

  • On the beach
  • Beach sunloungers

Internet

  • Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking
  • Car recommended

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Dishwasher
  • Toaster
  • Spices
  • Lobster/crab pot
  • Blender

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 3 bathrooms
  • Bath or shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room
  • Dining room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite service
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Books

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer
  • Near a laundromat

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Area rugs in public areas
  • Handrails in stairwells
  • No lifts
  • Thin carpet in public areas
  • Tile flooring in public areas
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near the ocean
  • Near the sea
  • On the waterfront
  • In the city centre
  • Near a health or beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near outlet shopping
  • Near a zoo

Things to do

  • Water park
  • Fitness facilities nearby
  • Kayaking on site
  • Golf on site
  • Winery tours nearby
  • Marina nearby
  • Power boating nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Golf nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Fishing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Recycling
  • Energy-saving switches
  • Unit size: 1800 sq ft (167 sq m)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Note from host: Children will love the bunk room.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Stunning Gulf Front Home Directly West Beach No Long Drives
Stunning Gulf Front Home Directly West Beach No Long Drives
Stunning Gulf Front Home Directly on West Beach No Long Drives
Stunning Gulf Front Home Directly on West Beach No Long Drives

Private West Beach-front Home. New! Beach set-up included March - September! Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 83 out of 101 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 101 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 101 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 101 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 101 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

John B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice Spot On West Beach
Property manager (not the owner) sent erroneous check-in information which was a bad way to start the vacation, but after getting that straightened out, all else was more than satisfactory. Property owner checked in during our stay to ensure all was okay. The beach house itself is laid out nicely, with one queen on the main level, one king upstairs and an upstairs bedroom with bunk beds. There is a large deck, with plenty of seating. The property matches description on the website. Its location on the beach is fantastic. Walk right out on to the sugar sand. Short drive or bike ride to restaurants, seafood vendors, shops, etc. Kitchen was well provisioned with pots/pans, dish ware, appliances, etc Two coffee makers one drip one Keurig. Washer dryer was nice. d As a small complaint, for a week’s stay we could have used more than the provided two garbage bags, and one dishwashing tablet…but, at least that was provided. Steep stairs leading from car port to main level (like most beach house designs). So if mobility is an issue, keep that in mind. A charcoal grill is provided, but bring your own charcoal. Via a third party vendor, we rented sturdy beach chairs and umbrellas. I heard the prop owner has cut a deal with this company for future guests. Check into it. Cheaper umbrellas just don’t stand up to the wind off the Gulf and you’ll need shade.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brittany D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect spot for relaxing!
We stayed a week at Marilyn’s Cottage and throughly enjoyed our stay! We normally stay in the heart of Gulf Shores in a condo, but wanted something more laid back this time. The beach here was never crowded which is what we loved most about it! Prime location right on the beach and just a short few minutes drive to most restaurants and shops. House itself could use some updating, but worked for what we needed it for. Bed was comfortable and no issues. Would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Oceanfront Oasis!
Perfect stay for our family vacation! Great communication with owners - Denise answered all of my questions in a timely manner and was quite hospitable. Loved the proximity to the beach - made it easier to run back and forth from beach to house with an infant and a toddler. We utilized the high chair - and while our littles didn't use the collection of toys, I would think it would be great for a family with children a little older than ours. The location is fantastic - just a short drive to shopping and restaurants. We will definitely keep this in our "favorites" when traveling to Gulf Shores!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rachel G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Late August Beach Trip
This was our third late August Gulf Shores trip. It's quiet, cheaper and still great weather. Best thing about the property is the beach access and large deck with new patio furniture that was not pictured which was a nice surprise. Very kid friendly for our three year old. Clean property and had most of what we needed for the week. Will need extra trash bags, dishwasher and laundry pods. No beach toys or chairs/umbrellas so bring your own or rent them on the beach which we did both. Property management doesn't clean the grill so use an onion and the grime will come right off. The coffee pot didn't work but management dropped off a new one same day. Owner checks in with you frequently to see if you need anything which was nice. We would stay again.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Billy O.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Spot
This our third timing renting Marylins Cottage. We love it, and we hope to be back again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jason L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family Vacation
Great Place to Stay, we went in off season and it was very peaceful. If you’re staying longer than two days you will need to bring your own trash bags and dish detergent. They only put two bags and enough detergent for two washes. I know this is not the Host fault but I’d have conversation with cleaning crew. VRBO is horrible, they sent me chechin instructions that were not true. Sent me to an abandoned building to get keys. Thank goodness the Host responded quickly and took care of everything. Was unnerving driving 12 hours and thinking you got scammed.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joey V.

Liked: Cleanliness
West Beach Vacation
We had a great vacation in Marilyn’s Cottage! It was very clean and very comfortable. Our favorite thing about the property is the short walk to the edge of the ocean with no elevators and no crowds. The house is in a quiet area that makes for a very relaxing vacation. We highly recommend Marilyn’s Cottage.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

John H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Family Vacation
We stayed a week at Marilyn’s cottage and had the best vacation ever! The house is located in a great area convenient to everything and we just loved staying on the beach and being able to walk to the ocean whenever you want without getting in a car or having to walk across a street or anything. It was Fantastic. Plenty of space for my family and we enjoyed all the amenities. Everything was clean and organized for our arrival. Communication with the host Denise was superb and she went above and beyond taking care of a few requests. Thank you so much Denise for letting us stay at your beautiful place and making our vacation the best ever! John
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eric H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place
Great property, location, and owner! We had a great week. We had a small confusion at check-in, but I was able to contact the owner Denise and she fixed it quickly. She had some recommendations for our stay and checked in periodically if we needed anything. The property was perfect for our family of 5, I’d recommend this property to anyone! Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicole S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great week!
We has great trip! The house was everything we needed! The owners were fabulous to work with!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brad M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great House and Location
House was perfect for our party of eight (4 Adults, 4 kids) Amazing access to the beach. Plenty of parking and house was in a great location. Home owner and management company both had amazing communication pre trip and during. Will book again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely home
Location of this home is wonderful! We had a great time.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lori T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent Beach Home
This location was perfect. The size of the house was perfect for our family to enjoy one another but still spread out and have our own space. The beach was right out the back door. We were still close enough to drive to eat and do activities. The kitchen was equipped with everything we needed. Very happy with our stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mila B., Strong, AR

Liked: Cleanliness
The Beach is our Happy Place!!
This property was wonderful!! It was so peaceful!! The beach was not crowded at all!! We commented on that point every day we were there. The house is beautiful and so well stocked inside and outside in the beach closet!! The host is most wonderful to work with if you have any problems!! I will say that Youngs Realty needs to update their welcome letter. It said checkin started at 3 but when we asked them they said no, it was 4. We waited at the house for 2 hours, with the house clean upstairs. It was after 5 before we got the codes to get in.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Abby B.

Beach house
House was great. Location is close to condos across the street so beach was pretty busy, had to go out early to mark our spots. Frustrating to pay more to stay right on the beach then be super crowded with everyone across the street also using it. But the house is great and the owners checked on us frequently and were super nice!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ken P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Loved it!
Right on the beach. Excellent service.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Amanda G.

Amazing location
Location was fantastic. House is older and in need of some work. Showers were tiny. My 6’4” husband had a hard time showering. Kitchen was severely disorganized and kitchenware needs an update. Lots of pots and pans but not much to bake with. Dining chairs were rusty. We had to put towels down to sit so our clothing didn’t get stained. However, everyone was great to work with and it was still a pleasant stay. We just had to be flexible.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Laura P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay
Home was amazing, location was great, overall everything was great. Would def stay again
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anna W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful beach stay
We stayed for a week in April and had a wonderful time. Right on the beach, clean home and very homey feel!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

John L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Spring Break 2024
We had the time of our lives!
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeff K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing views and location
The views were even better than the pictures. The deck was very spacious and we enjoyed the house immensely. Overall, an amazing place right on the gulf. Don't be afraid to let the host (Denise) know of any issues you might have, she was very responsive and helpful and appreciated my feedback on a few things (rust on a patio set, and a loose blind harness). She offered to fix them before we left, but we were fine just enjoying the rest of our time there. :)
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ryan M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Experience
We had a great stay. Everything was well stocked and very clean. The location was perfect. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Joe H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Cozy Place
We had a great time at the house. We had three of our teenage boys and one of their friends who stayed. The house was fairly clean when we arrived. There were some minor crumbs and gum wrappers on the floor in two of the rooms, which wasn’t a big deal. We saw no signs of any bugs or insects in the house. If you’re a bigger person the master shower and downstairs shower will be a tight fit for as they are on the small size. Overall, we liked the house, loved our stay, and would recommend it to others
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Walter D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beach Stay
Beautiful house and property. Was upset that the State was pumping/dredging in “sand” from the canal causing the ocean to literally be black and was not told this before hand.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jason W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Gulf Shores Vacation
Great house! Great beach! Great location! Will definitely stay here again!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023