Imagine waking up to St. Michaels harbor and Miles River water views at the historic John Bruff House, a fully restored 2-bedroom cottage on the Town park and harbor. Take a short walk to explore museums, parks, restaurants, churches, and shops in St. Michaels.
Reviews
9.69.6 out of 10
Exceptional
Entire home
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 5130 sq m
Popular amenities
Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Air-conditioning
Add dates for prices
About this property
Entire place
You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!
The extraordinary fully restored historic John Bruff House, located on the Town park and harbor, has magnificent St. Michaels harbor and Miles River water views. The house is 2 bedroom cottage with plenty of living space and a rear screened porch. It is a short walk from all museums, parks, restaurants, churches and shops in St. Michaels. Rates vary by season, and whether stay is weeknight or weekend. Stays of a week or longer are discounted, as are "last minute" bookings.
The house was built around 1805 by wheelwright John Bruff who is believed to have constructed the magnificent mantel and paneled wall in the living room. The house was expanded, to include a family room and bedroom above it, and updated (including central HVAC, cable and wifi) in 2006.
The first floor of the original portion of the Bruff House includes a LIVING ROOM with original paneling, a DINING ROOM, and small DEN. To the rear of the original house on the first floor is a KITCHEN area connected to a large paneled FAMILY ROOM with a queen sleep sofa. To the rear of the kitchen is a screened PORCH facing a large backyard. There is a full bathroom on the first floor.
Up an original staircase (which is narrower and steeper than a modern staircase and which can create a mobility issue for some), on the second floor of the original portion of the Bruff House is a very large MASTER BEDROOM having a king size bed.
The second floor to the rear of the house (accessed via a separate modern code staircase) includes a SECOND BEDROOM with a queen size bed. There is a bathroom with sink and toilet in each bedroom.
Property amenities
Pool/Spa
Communal pool
Internet
Available in the cottage: Internet access
Parking and transport
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Hob
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Toaster
Bedrooms
2 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
2 bathrooms
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Towels provided
Living spaces
Fireplace
Living room
Entertainment
Games
TV with cable/satellite channels
Outdoor areas
Barbecue grill
Garden
Porch/lanai
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
Pet friendly
Welcoming dogs only
Up to 9 kg per pet
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoke-free property
Note from host: No smoking indoors
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
In a village
Near a health/beauty spa
Near a hospital
Near an outlet shopping centre
Near the marina
Things to do
Bicycles
Boat
Golf
Kayak
Tennis
Birdwatching nearby
Cycling nearby
Ecotours nearby
Fishing nearby
Golfing nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Horseback riding nearby
Hunting nearby
Kayaking nearby
Motor boating nearby
Rafting nearby
Sailing nearby
Swimming nearby
Wildlife walks nearby
Winery tours nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets are allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
2 total (up to 9 kg per pet)
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property on the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: Dog must be up to date on meds incl flea and tick.
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
No smoking indoors
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
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
About the area
Downtown St. Michaels, a neighbourhood in St. Michaels, is home to this cottage. Chesapeake Bay and Muskrat Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and Easton Cycle and Sport. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and rafting nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and hiking/biking trails. Visit our St. Michaels travel guide
Does John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! have a pool?
Yes, this property has a pool.
Is John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 9 kg per pet. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much is parking at John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! located?
Located in Downtown St. Michaels, this cottage is steps away from Muskrat Park, St. Michaels Marina and Higgins Yacht Yard and Marina. Saint Marys Square Museum and Saint Marys Square are also within 5 minutes.
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John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! Reviews
Reviews
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Checking in was easy & the host was kind and readily available if needed. The location and uniqueness of this historic house couldn’t be beat. Thank you!
We love staying at the John Bruff house in St. Michaels. The location is great, right in the heart of town! Our family has been staying here for the past few years and we can’t wait to go back!!
Our stay in St Michael's was wonderful. The location of this property could not be better. Close to marina, parks, restaurants, historic downtown and the maritime museum. We never needed to use our car! Tom is an excellent host.
The house is in a fantastic spot in town, close see to a park, the water, and the shops and restaurants. We love the old house. The stairs to the bedroom are steep and narrow but we were totally fine with them.
If you want old world charm, and possibly the best location in St., Michaels, this is where you would want to stay. If you want modern amenities, I would suggest someplace else. But we were here for a memorial and we were very happy with the historical location.
Thank you!!
As soon as we walked into this cottage we knew we had made the right choice. Rooms are tastefully decorated with period pieces and interesting artwork on the walls. We loved the narrow staircase up to the master because it reminded us of a cottage we had stayed in once in Wales. Even though parts of the cottage were historic in nature, its modern conveniences such as TV, wifi, dishwasher, microwave, and shower were easy to use and worked fine. What a great place!
You really could not pick a better location. A park is across the street and the harbor is next to that. Everything in Saint Michaels is within walking distance. The home itself is historic and cozy. The stairs are definitely steep! Both bedrooms are comfortable and the downstairs living area is spacious. Big thumbs up from us.
What a perfect spot to take in all that St. Michael's has to offer. We were a 10 minute walk or less from the winery, our Saturday night dinner reservation, all the quaint shops and our kayaking adventure. The house let's you take in the history of the town and region with all the modern comforts too. FYI- Be prepared to walk up some steps for either bedroom with the master being particularly steep and windy. No biggie for us, just thought I'd mention. This cottage was amazing!
We loved our stay here. The house was very nice, especially for it being a much older house. It had everything we needed for our 3 night stay. And we can't say enough how good of a location it is. Right across the small street is a small park located right on the water. Thursday nights they have live music in the park which was a welcome surprise. We just sat in the front yard and enjoyed the show! And after we arrived we didn't use our car once. You could walk to every great spot that St Michaels has to offer, from the museums, restaurants, shops, and everything else.
Gary G.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified
6/10 Okay
Dennis g.
23 Jun 2024
Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication
Nice location ! But!
Great location, food and drinks were awesome, centrally located , walking distance to everything . The negative part of our stay was the house is in need of updates , there was no hot water in the kitchen sink , drywall tape was peeling from the walls and especially the air conditioning in the bedrooms , it was not very cool , i could go on but i wont , and the money they charged i would expect alot nicer accommodations .
The location was wonderful - we could see the water from the house, and we were right next to a park. The home was quaint with a fascinating history.
Like others have noted, one of the staircases is very narrow.
We thought some updating would go a long way: fresh rugs, newer pans and dishes in the kitchen, matching towels, a few more lamps. The house smelled a little musty, and only some of the windows were able to be opened.
Still, the home was clean and comfortable, there was plenty of room, and we enjoyed our stay.
The location couldn't have been more ideal. We were able to walk everywhere...all around town. And there was a beautiful view of the town park and the bay from the house. We were there for Christmas, visiting family, and her house was overflowing, so this was a little home-away-from-home. There were some difficulties. The shower curtain and main bath downstairs needs updating and the kitchen could be better appointed. The stairs to the king bed bedroom are, as others and the owner noted, very steep. They are not easy to navigate. However, the place was clean and a very cool place to stay. It definitely had the feel of a historic maritime cottage on the bay. We had a great Christmas and a wonderful time there!
We once again enjoyed our stay here. Perfect location to every where you’d want to go in St. Michael’s! Loved sitting out front looking at the water and park and enjoying music from our front yard. Highly recommend this cottage.