Captain's Castle

If the idea of watching the waves crash on the rocks just outside your door from a tower in a fantasy house that melds elements of a castle with Victorian charm, then this 3-story retreat in the delightful community of Pacific Grove has your name on it.

There is really no categorizing this one-of-a-kind historical home built in 1883 that sits just steps from Monterey Bay and a gorgeous walking and bicycling trail that starts at the nearby famed Monterey Bay Aquarium and meanders for 7 miles along the coastline through beautiful residential neighborhoods to Asilomar Beach. You're less than a 10 minute walk along this beautiful seaside trail to Cannery Row and the Aquarium.

The exterior of this whimsical 4-bedroom, 2-bath board-and-batten dwelling, called “Captain's Castle” comes complete with gargoyles, gables, battlements and stained glass windows. The predominant feature is the corner square tower, which offers a bird's-eye view of all the comings and goings on the bay, from soaring pelicans to seals lolling on the rocks. Across the street is a vest-pocket park with flowering succulents, native plants and a mound of boulders.

The interior combines nostalgic aspects not seen in newer houses -- like beautiful hardwood paneling on the walls and ceilings -- with modern updates.

As you enter the formal entry with its high coved ceilings and built-in cabinetry with insets in rich saturated colors of royal blue, topaz and wine that match the stained glass panels bordering virtually every window in the house, you will think you have arrived at your very own seaside inn. The entry leads to a cozy Victorian style living room with a high wood-paneled ceiling, a brass-faced gas fireplace, paneling with jewel-toned insets and an antique chandelier. The elegant furnishings include an ivory brocade sofa, two azure velvet chairs, round glass and metal coffee and end tables and a modern patterned area rug. Both rooms look out to the blue waters of the bay. All living spaces on the first story and most of the second have hardwood floors.

You will be greeted by complimentary hors d'oeuvres and wine or sparkling cider, passes to the famous Spa on the Plaza in Monterey, tickets for a Scheid Winery tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and a basket of local information. An assigned concierge vacation house manager is available to assist you during your stay. We have also provided spa amenities in the bathrooms, plush bathrobes and luxury towels.

Enjoy games or movie watching in a spacious family room with hardwood wainscoting, a comfortable cocoa-colored sectional with matching ottoman that serves as a coffee table and a 50” flat-screen TV. An open pass-through area with wooden stools connects the family room to the updated kitchen with its beautiful wooden cabinets and Corian countertops. It is fully equipped with Viking stainless steel gas range, side-by-side sub zero refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and all the dishware and tabletop accoutrement you could ever want for serving gourmet meals.

Enjoy breakfast or casual meals at a round table for four in a sunroom facing the back patio. Or curl up in the sunroom's comfy easy chair and read a book. If it's warm enough, enjoy an al fresco meal in the wrought-iron pergola equipped with two comfortable chairs as well as a green metal table, umbrella and chairs. The back yard, which is completely fenced, includes a section of grass. Pets are welcome.

More formal meals can be served in a separate dining room that features tri-toned wood paneling with vibrant royal blue insets, a vaulted paneled ceiling, a bay window that looks out to the park, and memorabilia from the owner's years in Germany. A wooden Queen Anne table and upholstered chairs can seat up to eight.


A full bathroom on this floor has a free-standing porcelain sink, an old-fashioned commode and a claw-foot bathtub and shower with a surround curtain. A separate laundry room has a stacking washer/dryer.

The second floor has 4 bedrooms, all with beautiful stained-glass windows. The first - featuring a king bed with luxury linens and a pristine white coverlet, tucked comforter and pillows with accents of blue, wine and turquoise -- has windows with views that include the park and the bay. A second bedroom that overlooks the back yard has a king bed with luxury linens, white-on-white coverlet and comforter, an antique bedside table and a rocking chair. A third smaller bedroom, with gorgeous ocean vistas, has a queen bed with white coverlet and butter cream yellow comforter and pillow shams.

You'll find it hard to resist having breakfast in the king bed in the master bedroom where you'll be mesmerized while you dine by the waves lapping against the shoreline. The bed is fitted with a white coverlet and ivory comforter with navy blue and yellow accents.

A large white-tiled bathroom on this floor features a white porcelain pedestal sink, a deep claw-foot soaking tub and an old-fashioned step-in basin shower with surround curtain that has the water pipes exposed as in days of yore (directions for operation provided). The plum colors with white are stunning.

The piece de resistence, however, is the third-floor paneled and carpeted tower room with its windows on three sides that allow panoramic views of the sparkling waters of the bay during daylight hours and the twinkling lights of adjacent cities at night. Two day-bed couches with accent pillows of tan, blue and yellow and a round coffee table provide a comfortable setting for coming together for morning coffee or happy hour. The versatile couches can be made into reclining chaises for naps, reading or writing, or become twin beds that can be joined to make a queen with Memory Foam topper. The tower is a fabulous perch for kids or the kid in every adult.

A single-car garage is available, stocked with everything you need for a day at the beach.
Up to three cars can be parked in the driveway.