Hidden Garden Cottage in Historic North Hill.

"In a simple and peaceful cottage with a beautiful view, you will not be dreaming about the palaces or the heaven, because you already have a perfect thing."
__Mehmet Murat Ildan
The space
The cottage is a studio guesthouse just right for one or two. Located behind a 1930's era duplex, it can be used as a retreat and/or home base for discovering Pensacola and Florida's Northwest Gulf Coast.

Opening to the back for privacy a bamboo garden patio is a secluded sanctuary and the entrance to the cottage. This is your private space, great for morning coffee or a glass of wine in the evening.

The living area feels spacious and airy with an open ceiling, beams, and a wall of French doors looking out to the garden. There is a futon that can make a double bed when needed.

Off the living area is the kitchen with a full refrigerator, microwave, one burner induction cooktop, oven, blender, and toaster, as well as everything you will need for morning coffee and tea. WiFi and a Roku TV are provided, and for rainy days or nights in, there are game boards with game pieces, Netflix and Amazon Prime for movies, and plenty of reading material on the bookshelves.

On the other side of the bookshelf/room divider the "bedroom" has a cozy, yet king size platform bed accessed by steps (see photos), a wardrobe closet, and chest-of-drawers. For more privacy or sleeping in, the bed can be closed off to the living room by curtains.

Off the bedroom is the bath with shower. The countertop was made from old beams that came out of a building on Palafox Street when it was refurbished after Hurricane Ivan.

"Say the word 'cottage' and it evokes a modest, charmingly imperfect, whimsical home tucked among raucously blooming flowers." __Ann Zimmeran

This cottage was built out of old heart pine from the abundant virgin forests that existed in this area around the turn of the 19th century. Timber was a major industry and provided handsome incomes for the timber barons to build their grand houses, still seen in the neighborhood today. There are indications the wood used to build this structure might have been salvaged from another older building. To honor its history the inner wall's heart pine was left exposed.
Guest access
While the private patio behind the cottage is exclusively for guests, they may also use the patio to the side of the cottage at any time and, upon request, the shared yard space with the BBQ grill.
Other things to note
An electronic lock allows guests to check themselves in with the four digit code that will be provided before arrival.

As well as the sheets and towels, the bed covers are washed and sanitized between every guest.

For longer stays or special situations a washer and dryer can be made available.

"(A cottage is) a magical, almost mysterious, place that holds us closely within its lovely boundaries, warming and soothing our work and world-weary souls." __Jim Tolpin