Places to stay in Big Sur

Absolutely incredible stay! I came solo and it was everything I needed to unwind—peaceful, private, and full of charm. The highlight? Showering outdoors with nothing but open sky and the view of cattle grazing nearby. Next level relaxation. It felt surreal and grounding at the same time. The whole setup was cozy, clean, and thoughtfully designed. Morning coffee with the breeze, stargazing at night—it was pure magic. If you’re looking to reset and reconnect with nature, you have to visit this place. It’s an unforgettable escape.

We were looking for a special place for our 40th wedding anniversary and this cottage far exceeded our expectations! it was simply beautiful! and our hosts were incredibly helpful. we hope to return again

Really beautiful land and cabin. A very special place. We walked for a few hours everyday around the land with our pup and spent afternoons swimming in the lake (20 min drive). The cabin is super well equipped for cooking, even for a birthday cake! We saw a bunch of wildlife, which was wonderful. Kept our pup on the leash when exploring since he'd probably get himself into trouble. Would absolutely recommend!

We had a very peaceful stay at Michael’s place in the mountains and Michael was friendly and helpful in checking us in and providing recommendations for good places nearby. It was nice to sit out on the property too and enjoy the beautiful views. Would stay there again!

Highly recommended! This house is located in a private and quiet area. Once you get past the entrance gate, there’s a private road leading to the home, which offers a beautiful view to a neighboring field of grapevines. From inside the home, there’s a beautiful view to the fields. If you are in town for the wine culture, consider planning a visit to Willow Creek Wine Co., who offers amazing chenin blancs, and Union Sacre for ecclectic wines. Overall, great experience.

Nice little cabin in the woods, big comfy bed, cozy. My dog and enjoyed walking the creek behind the cabin.

Came here to stay for Cal Poly graduation. Emma's place is a great! Comfortable, convenient, spacious and quiet. Loved being away from the crowds and close to Montaña de Oro State Park - we walked the Bluff trail. Loved the thoughtful welcome - wine, handwritten notes and gift card for coffee to Nautical Bean. My teens loved the spa bathrobes. We would definitely like to stay here again. Thank you, Emma!

Beautifully set cabin in the woods, removed from the bustle of Ocean Avenue while only a 5-minute drive away from it. Tom was an excellent host who made us feel at home and made himself available for recommendations or a friendly chat on our way out the door. Highly recommend!

Amazing views and a peaceful location—waking up to the ocean and wildlife was unforgettable. This was our hub for exploring Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur. A short 30-40 minute drive to Big Sur for hikes, and just 10 mins to downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea for great dinners. There’s also a handy general store at the bottom of the hill. A couple of notes: This is one of 4 units on the property. While listed as “entire home,” there’s a unit attached at the rear with a door that opens directly into your space through a hallway (for my wife’s peace of mind, we kept our bedroom door locked at night). Another unit is above, and one more is detached in front. That said, everyone keeps to themselves, and interaction is minimal besides maneuvering past their parked cars in the driveway. Also, screenshot the address and key code—cell service drops near the hill and the turnoff into the property is easy to miss in the dark the first time around. Thanks for hosting us, Emily & Mason! We loved it.

Ultimate GLAMPING!!! My wife and I came from Napa for our daughter's graduation from UCSC and stayed for 3 nights in Bethany's amazing tree house. Wise move!! Too many great details to cover but here are a few reasons it was one of the coolest Airbnb experiences ever: * Location: You are gazing out over a redwood forest from the deck so you feel like you're out in nature except you have tons of amenities like... *The kitchen: Everything you need - frig, grill/griddle, sink, knives and silverware, spices *Pavilion style tent: Heavy duty tent which can be closed with velcro to block out any wind so you will sleep soundly in a cozy bedroom *Gas firepit: Great for cool mornings/evenings. Our graduate came up for one night and had a great time hanging out around the flames up in the redwoods. *Hammock: Who doesn't need to relax in a hammock in a shady forest? Therapeutic. Bethany was responsive to questions and requests and couldn't have been a better host. 5 stars all the way!

The Santa Cruz A-frame was such a serene retreat into the mountains for us, and an antidote to our overly digital and urban lives. Things we appreciated: easy parking, both an upstairs and downstairs bathroom, full kitchen supplies, private balcony, gorgeous forest views, creek in the back, and easy access to Loch Lomond (peddle boating on the lake was so peaceful), the redwood state park (hiking in the largely shaded trail was great on an otherwise sunny day), and local groceries and food (enjoyed the cute outdoor patio in the back of The Grove cafe and bakery). We had a wonderful rest!

This was a great getaway in a beautiful countryside. If you're looking for something somewhat off-the-grid, I would wholeheartedly recommend this memorable little dome. Waking up to see and hear all the birds in the morning was lovely.

This was one of the best Airbnbs I’ve ever booked. In addition to everything they listed, they also added a lot of additional, small touches that made us feel cared for right from the start. Would definitely recommend.

This place is magical and difficult to describe how beautiful it is. It feels like you're in another country. It's a bit off grid, with a drive up a steep dirt hill to get to it, but once you're up there it's just an amazing experience that I can't recommend enough. There's lot of wildlife, so do keep the doors closed to keep critters out. We had an amazing stay here and we would love to do it again.

Stefano’s place is a beautiful mother-in-law type suite with everything you need for a get away. My sister and I spent a long weekend at Stefano’s place, and it was the perfect spot to start and end our day. We were on the go for most of the day, so we didn’t get to meet the owner OR the dog that must live at this property (due to the couple of dog toys we saw in the yard). We were sad we missed seeing the pup!! But this area is absolutely stunning. Carmel by the sea is spectacular- shopping, dining, wine tasting, beach, hidden nooks and crannies, gardens! Monterey is also a must see.. GREAT to bike ride in pebble beach area, good kayaking, great sea life, the aquarium and wonderful dining options. A drive to Big Sur is also a must… incredible views around every corner. Note that the property is technically within walking distance of downtown Carmel but there are no sidewalks and lots of hilly, curvy streets - not really conducive to walking to the downtown area. Thx Stefano!

We stayed at the little gem for two nights and loved every bit of it. This place has a magical sense of peace and calm to it that is hard to describe and has to be experienced! The hosts were very responsive and shared a lot of helpful info ahead of time. Highly recommended!