A private backyard house in Seattle

Luxurious Laurelhurst House

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Seattle – Northeast
(Near UW, Lake Washington & Seattle Children’s Hospital)
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2 bedrooms, 3 beds

(Cal King in primary, 2 XL twins in second bedroom, ample closets, fine bedding)

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1 bathroom
(shower/tub, washer/dryer, toiletries, hair dryer, Frette towels)
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Starting at $187

(Rate varies, based on time of year and demand.          Two night minimum)

Sparkling new private backyard house on large Laurelhurst lot

Style and comfort in one of Seattle’s nicest residential neighborhoods. A custom built two bedroom, one bathroom house, architect designed to maximize views and livability of its 850 square feet. It is an entirely separate backyard house on a large and quiet Laurelhurst property, with its own entry path and plentiful parking. Stocked with high-end everything: quality furnishings, original art, Frette linens, two Samsung TVs with app loaded Rokus, deluxe kitchen (All-Clad, Heath, Global knives), extremely comfortable beds, marble, quartz, and hardwoods. Every guest comments on how clean it is.  Laurelhurst is one of Seattle’s nicest and safest residential neighborhoods. This is the perfect home for those who appreciate proximity to UW and Seattle Children’s, with easy access to what greater Seattle offers, while seeking a peaceful and tasteful haven for restful sleep.

Contemporary, original art throughout. Samsung TVs w/Roku, quality everything (Frette, All-Clad, Yves Delorme, Heath Ceramics, wool Dash & Albert carpets). Every tea & coffee option supplied. Peaceful Laurelhurst neighborhood, elegant house. Enjoy!
Samsung Roku TV with Hulu, HBO, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Peacock Premium. Polk soundbar. Board games. Architect designed to maximize light and views. Vaulted ceiling. Comfort and style.
Custom made marble table with leather chairs. Placemats, cloth & paper napkins, abundant tableware, flatware, glasses and mugs.
Everything you need. Completely (high-end) stocked kitchen, comfortable seating to enjoy Smart TV, WiFi. Territorial views (mountains, garden, sneak Lake peek), light, and clean, clean, clean!
Gas range, dishwasher, filtered & instant hot water faucet, microwave. Coffee & tea supplied, French press, coffee maker, tea pot. Stocked with All-Clad pans, salad spinner/bowl, Global knives, Heath Ceramics, bountiful table-, flat-, & glassware.
More than you need of dishes, glasses/mugs, serving ware, and flatware. All-Clad and high quality pot and pans, salad spinner and bowl. Sharp Global knives. Good cutting board. Every little kitchen gadget. Multiple coffee and tea options.
Split level house. Master bedroom with king bed, and bathroom with laundry (accessed via hallway) on lower level; second bedroom with two beds on main entry level; living, dining, and kitchen on upper level with vaulted ceiling for views and light.
Master bedroom with insanely comfortable organic California king mattress, with additional pillowtop. Frette and Yves Delorme linens. Synthetic and down pillows. Individual heat/AC climate control. Quiet and peaceful. Sleep well.
Large closet with shelves, three rods, luggage rack, plenty of hangers, lint roller. Full length mirror is behind foyer closet door. Peaceful.
Sweet dreams. Second bedroom with two extra-long twin beds, crisp percale bedding. Large closet with ironing board/iron, luggage rack, bountiful hangers. Samsung TV with Roku.
Main floor second bedroom with two extra-long Memory foam beds. Samsung Roku TV with Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, Peacock, and Hulu. In large closet is ironing board, iron, bountiful hangers, Pack ‘n Play crib. Individual climate control heat/AC.
Bathroom accessed via downstairs hallway with lots of plush Frette and Garnet Hill towels, bath tub, hair dryer, curling and flat irons, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, sanitizing wipes, soap, extra toiletries. Washing machine and dryer.
Washer and dryer in bathroom. House is meticulously cleaned and sanitized for you. Sanitizing wipes, bleach, fresh bar soap, liquid hand soap at both sinks, bountiful supplies, extra toiletries, vacuum, stacks of extra towels all available.
Your house is accessed via four stairs, with handrail, to the street (out of sight, on the right), with plenty of easy street parking. No roaming around looking for parking. Gardens. A bucolic backyard house on a gracious Laurelhurst lot.
One of Laurelhurst’s largest lots. Your backyard house was designed to maximize views and privacy. My family and I live in the adjacent 1927 yellow farm house, which we access via a different path on its large front yard. We respect your privacy.
Easy self check-in with keyless lock. Code changed between guests. There is easy, free street parking. No stressful driving around looking for a parking spot, or maneuvering tight parallel parking. A quiet, gracious neighborhood has its perks!
Regular & decaf good coffee beans, grinder, coffee maker, French press, tea pot, many tea options, sugar, half and half in fridge. We take morning coffee (and tea) seriously in Seattle!
Laurelhurst Park is a short walk from the house. Tennis courts, running/walking path, playground, fields.
University Village, an upscale outdoor shopping mall with many restaurants, Amazon Books, Apple, Microsoft, four Starbucks, many stores including some local ones.
Husky football stadium, UW Alaska Airlines Arena, and UW Nordstrom tennis center are all less than miles away. Kraken hockey arena is less than four miles away.
University of Washington is only 1 ½ miles away, accessible by bus and the paved Burke-Gilman trail.
What you get

Amenities

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Architect designed, 850sq foot three level, split-level stand-alone house. Custom built to optimize livability and spaciousness. Sweeping territorial views from vaulted upstairs.
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Deluxe, fully stocked kitchen with gas range, dishwasher, microwave, quartz countertop, sharp Global knives, All-Clad pans, copious serving and flatware and glasses, instant hot water & filtered water faucet, truly everything needed.
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Comfortable beds with Frette, Yves Delorme linens, feather & synthetic pillows. Organic California King mattress with topper in primary bedroom; and 2 extra-long Memory foam twin beds in second bedroom.
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Climate controlled with air conditioning, heat. Washer/dryer, WiFi, bountiful paper and other supplies.
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Free & convenient street parking. No tight parallel parking or searching for a spot. A Seattle rarity!
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Cuisinart coffeemaker, French Press, coffee grinder, regular and decaf coffee beans, half and half, tea options.
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Two Samsung TVs w/ Roku, one in living room and other in second bedroom (Hulu, Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, Apple TV).
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Bathroom with tub/shower, lots of Frette & Garnet Hill towels, great lighting, all toiletries, hair dryer, everything needed, plus some.
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Easy self check-in with a code unique to each guest.
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Custom marble dining table, high quality everything, original art throughout. The quality of appointments far exceeds most rentals at this price point.
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Board games, magazines, Frisbee, tennis rackets and tennis balls (tennis courts at Laurelhurst Park). A lovely neighborhood for walking.
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Ample closets and storage, lots of hangers, luggage racks, ironing board & iron.
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Pack N Play, children’s toilet seat, toddler dish & utensils. Children are welcome, but the house is not child-proofed.
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Clean, sanitized, fully ventilated between visits. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, 3 fire extinguishers, first aid kit.
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A host who created a vacation rental that goes above the norm in providing guest comfort, and who sincerely cares.
Reviews

Happy Guests

How to be a Great Guest

Important Considerations

(Please click tabs to be sure this is the right house for you.)
Occupancy

4 person occupancy limit: Though the house feels larger than its 850 square feet, this occupancy limit is strict, both for guest comfort as well as to moderate wear and tear on the house. There are two bedrooms, with two extra-long twin beds, and one California king bed. Living room and dining seating is for four. Infants and toddlers count toward the four person limit. Entertaining/hosting of friends or family in the house or on the property is not permitted for short-term guests. For visiting nurses/professionals staying one week or more, occupancy limit is 2. 

No pets
No pets: I love them, but not in this house. Not even small, well behaved ones.
Parties, Smoking, Noise
There is a zero tolerance policy for smoking (inside or out), vaping, parties, loud music, or disturbances. No commercial photography or video production. Laurelhurst is a quiet, venerable family neighborhood, so please choose this home only if you appreciate peace and quiet.
House Access
The front door has a coded lock, changed after each guest. There is easy, free street parking. Please note that the path to the house is accessed by 5 concrete stairs from the street, and the house itself is split level with some stairs. It is not a good choice for those with limited mobility. My family and I live in the adjacent, yet entirely separate, main house on the property, which we access via a different path, not visible from your house. I am accessible for questions, but leave you be to enjoy your stay.
Location
Please understand that Laurelhurst is a lovely, quiet residential neighborhood. There are basic amenities in walking distance: coffee shop, pharmacy, wine store, bus stop, the Burke Gilman paved biking/walking trail, a grocery store. There are beautiful parks (& playgrounds) and Lake Washington nearby. A mile away is University Village with many restaurants and great shopping, and additional restaurants in that vicinity. University of Washington is a couple miles away. If a boisterous, hopping urbane neighborhood and experience is what you desire, then this is not the appropriate rental. Downtown Seattle and those more happening neighborhoods are easily accessible by car and public transport, however.
Workspace
There is not a dedicated desk. The dining table is an excellent place to work though, and it has a lovely view. WiFi is robust. There is an additional lap desk in the second bedroom closet.
Check-in/out

Check-in time is as early as 3pm; check-out is by 11am.

Condition of House

This is a rental that goes above the norm in providing guest comfort. It is outfitted with high-end, all natural fiber rugs and linens, hardwood floors, and furniture and kitchenware of a quality not found in rentals at this price point. Thus, guests are asked to take care by removing shoes, removing makeup before sleep, not eating in bed, and so on. Should there be damage, host reserves the right to have the replacement and/or repair cost be the responsibility of the guest. Host checks on the house personally after every guest departure. Big thanks to all the absolutely awesome guests who have chosen to stay!

If having a quiet, tasteful place to stay and the above resonates, then welcome!

Visit Seattle in Style

Meet your Host

I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, have lived in Boston and the Bay Area, and am happy that Seattle has been home the last 20 years. I love hiking in the mountains, rowing in the early morning on Lake Union and Lake Washington, the farmers’ markets, and long urban walks through Seattle’s neighborhoods, often with a coffee in hand.

I worked with a fabulous architect and builder to create this house on the backyard of our large Laurelhurst lot. Guests appreciate the high-end finishes, furnishings, special touches, views, and privacy. It makes me feel good to have created a house that is appreciated by many, in a special and bucolic part of Seattle.

– Kristi

Things to do

Area Guide

This guide is focused on Northeast Seattle, the area where the house is located. There is so much more to do in Seattle beyond what’s here, so many fantastic restaurants, sites to see not listed here. Use the house as your retreat base from which to explore!
Coffee & Breakfast
Gretchen’s – Very short walk, neighborhood place. Coffee, basic baked goods.
General Porpoise – Incredible puffed doughnuts filled with seasonal fruit and cream jams/custards. Great coffee; hot pink La Marzocco espresso machine. Owned by Renee Erickson, James Beard award winning chef (of multiple Seattle restaurants including Whale Wins, Westward, The Walrus and the Carpenter). On Blakely, behind University Village.
Saint Bread – In a hidden location along Portage Bay, next to the University Hospital. Coffee, cooked breakfasts, baked goods. Serves lunch also. Order at inside counter, sit outside on covered picnic tables.
Bryant Corner Café – For sit down served breakfast. Omelettes, pancakes. Sidewalk seating, and a garage door opens up the interior.
Zoka Coffee – Another locally owned coffee spot, with baked goods. On Blakely, behind University Village.
Restaurants nearby
Jak’s Grill – Especially known for its steaks, reliable food, comfortable booths, full bar
Sand Point Grill – Close walk, right nearby. Pleasant, homey neighborhood restaurant with a small bar. Kids menu also.
Pagliacci Pizza – High quality ingredients. On Sand Point Way. Eat-in, pick up, or delivery. Also sells slices in the restaurant. Fabulous graphic designed pizza boxes.
Mioposto – Wood fired pizza, lasagna, salads, cocktails.
Frank’s Oyster HouseMy favorite restaurant and I don’t even eat shellfish. French, New Orleans style. Warm, comfortable atmosphere.

There are many restaurants at University Village. Please click on the University Village tab to see my recommendations.

University Village & nearby attractions
Large outdoor mall with big-name stores including Apple, Amazon Books, Microsoft, Restoration Hardware, four Starbucks, etc. Some of my favorite restaurants there: Haikkaido Ramen Santouka, Din Tai Fung, Ba Bar, Veggie Grill, Elemental wood-fired pizza.
Laurelhurst Park – Easy walk, has a great playground, fields for tossing a frisbee, tennis courts (rackets, balls, & Frisbee in the foyer closet), a dirt path circumnavigates it for walking/ running
Magnuson Park – Miles of walking trails along Lake Washington. Large playground. Small “beach” areas for swimming. Sports fields.
Burke Museum of Natural History at UW
Center for Urban Horticulture – Located nearby in Laurelhurst. There are lovely walking paths that begin here and go to the Union Bay Natural Area. Nice views of the stadium, Montlake Cut, Lake Washington. May spot some eagles.
Aqua Verde Café – great Mexican food, on Portage Bay, and the Paddle Club rents kayaks
Greenlake – Rent a paddle boat, kayak, or standup paddle board for the lake, walk around the lake, playground next to Greenlake Community Center, wading pool on the north side of the lake.
University District Farmers Market – Saturday 9 – 2.
Chihuly Garden and Glass – This is downtown next to the Space Needle, so the one exception to this neighborhood guide. Very worth a visit.
Watering Holes
Magnuson Café & Brewery – Hidden location in what was once an Army base along the lake, in Magnuson Park. Covered and heated outdoor deck seating with Lake Washington views.
Burke Gilman Brewing Company – Can walk there on the Burke Gilman trail. Outdoor seating. Beer only, though can bring food from nearby El Camion food truck.
Ravenna Brewing Company – Popular, all outdoor seating, rotating food truck. On 55th
Pub at Third Place – Underneath Third Place Books, a great used and new local bookstore. Can order food off the Café Arta menu – the casual Mediterranean restaurant upstairs.
Duchess Tavern – Classic dive bar, pool, shuffle board, TVs with sports, pitchers of beer and wings kind of place.
Frank’s Oyster House & Champagne Parlor – Lovely cocktails, and my favorite restaurant nearby. French, in a New Orleans way. Also serves brunch.
University Wines –  Close, short walk from the house. All French wines, many even budget priced. Free tastings Saturday afternoon, but the friendly owner often offers tastings of open bottles anytime.
Easy takeout
El Camion food truck – Can order ahead online, Sand Point truck. Los Gallos Rojos is my order.
Uncle Lee’s Kitchen – Chinese & Thai, very close
Krua Thai
Kidd Valley Burgers – the shakes are made with real ice cream & fruit. GF bun option
Keep the kids happy
Nearby playgrounds – Laurelhurst Park, Magnuson Park, Dahl Playfield, View Ridge Park
Arena Sports Inflatable FunZone at Magnuson Park
University Village – Nice outdoor shopping mall. There is a small playground. Lots of kid-friendly food options: Shake Shack, Chipotle, Menchie’s frozen yogurt, Din Tai Fung dim sum, Trophy cupcakes, The Confectionary (a Willy Wonka-esque candy store), Molly Moon ice cream
Top Pot Donuts
Grateful Bread – bread, bagels, quiche, sandwiches
Burke Museum of Natural History at UW – We took our kids here a lot when they were young
Seattle Children’s Museum and the Pacific Science Center, both downtown