Just a few steps down from the Cottage is our small, private beach!

Gwynn’s Island Cottage is a charmed waterfront cottage with panoramic views of the water and its own private beach on the Chesapeake Bay. Located in quaint Mathews County, Virginia, our modest Cottage sleeps 4 guests in 2 bedrooms. With expansive views of the water from inside the Cottage, the deck, lawn or beach, guests have easy access to the water, bird life, boating activity, and best of all, sunsets over the water.

Just a few steps down from the Cottage is our small, private beach: it is entirely on our property (not shared or community). Guests can swim, fish, crab, paddle board, kayak, float on a raft, lounge or just enjoy an adult beverage. We have beach chairs, kayaks, a stand up paddleboard, crab nets and pot, floats and rafts, and more free for our guests. Hills Bay is clean, shallow, sandy-bottomed, with little current or tow like the ocean, so it’s perfect for children and explorers alike. Guests can fish from the beach or from kayaks and catch drum, trout, rockfish, croaker, spot and flounder. The crab pot or the long handled nets allow guests to catch crabs when they are in season. After a quick rinse in the outdoor shower after your day on the beach, guests can use the charcoal grill for cooking up the day’s catch or fresh seafood from the nearby market. And then to enjoy that sunset…

In our Shed for our guests to use: 2 kayaks (single and double), stand up paddleboard, paddles, life preservers of all sizes, beach chairs, rafts and noodles, a crab pot and 3 nets, Weber grill, grilling utensils and charcoal, Solo stove, croquet set, camp chairs and table, a pup tent, and a tree hammock. There is also 3 bikes, a bike pump, bike helmet and combo lock so guests can explore Gwynn’s Island on bikes.

Gwynn’s Island is not only quaint and historic, but a nature refuge. Guests spot dolphins, blue herons, bald eagles, white tundra swans, marsh hawks, ducks including buffleheads, loons, osprey, seagulls, sandpipers and more, depending on the season.

We are a pet-friendly! Our pup guests enjoy the beach with its shallow, clean water. Our outdoor shower and the hose help them to rinse off after some water play; we also provide doggie towels. We own the small woods next door where our four legged guests can be walked and “get their sniffs on.”

Beautiful, rural Mathews County is located on the Middle Peninsula of Virginia, on the west side of the Chesapeake Bay. An hour east of Richmond, the Cottage is also near idyllic and historic water villages of Deltaville, Gloucester, Irvington, and Kilmarnock. Historic Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Jamestown are less than a hour away.

We use self check-in with a keypad on the door, so you don’t need to meet anyone or coordinate schedules for access.

The Cottage kitchen is fully equipped. A full size washer and dryer are available for use. There is a basic outdoor shower. The Cottage has TV and wifi.

Between the week before Memorial Day through September, we rent by the week only, from Sunday to Sunday.

We have a 2 night minimum the rest of the year.

If you plan to bring four legged guests, please send a message to the Manager describing your pet (age, breed, gender, weight) for pre-approval. A pet fee of $150 is charged for all pets, not each (more affordable than kennels and pet sitters).

Smoking is not permitted.

The Cottage welcomes many repeat guests. The terrific reviews from guests reflect the guest-centered experience that we try to provide to all who visit. Please read our reviews to learn more directly from our guests.

ALL GOD’S PEOPLE WELCOME HERE!! GWYNN’S ISLAND COTTAGE IS AVAILABLE TO ALL PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER ORIENTATION, ETHNICITY, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.