The back of the Cottage with deck and lawn
On Hills Bay, in Mathews County, Virginia
Where the Piankatank meets the Chesapeake Bay
This charming waterfront Cottage offers panoramic views of Hills Bay and the Chesapeake Bay beyond. The Cottage is comfortably furnished with 2 bedrooms (1 queen and 2 twin beds), an updated full bath, a fully equipped kitchen, and washer and dryer for guest use. The great room is surrounded by windows on two sides for expansive water views. A sliding glass door opens to the large deck. From the great room, deck, lawn or beach, guests can watch the sun set over the water.
Just a couple of steps down from the backyard is a private sand beach where guests can swim, fish, stand up paddleboard, launch a kayak, or just lounge lazily in the sun. Kayaks are available to explore Hills Bay, a shallow sandy-bottomed body of water, and to paddle out to the Chesapeake Bay. After a quick rinse in the Cottage’s outdoor shower after a day on the beach or on the water, guests can use the charcoal grill for cooking up the day’s catch or locally bought seafood. The Cottage has Dish TV and wifi. Gas logs in the great room provide a little extra warmth on chilly nights.
Gwynn’s Island is rich in history and natural beauty. Legend says that a Native American princess (possibly Pocahontas) almost drowned in the waters off the Island and was saved by Hugh Gwin, the island’s namesake. Her father the chief gave the island in thanks to Gwin. The Battle of Cricket Hill, an important Revolutionary War battle, took place on the Island in 1776.
A public marina for boats is located 1/4 mile from the Cottage and next to a new restaurant. Hills Bay Market is located 200 yards away, supplying basic groceries, a deli, fishing supplies and bait, and hand dipped ice cream. Island Seafood is located about a mile from the Cottage, selling fresh fish, crabs, and oysters.
The Shed at the Cottage offers guests the use of bikes, a double kayak, a stand up paddleboard, rafts, a croquet set, a crab pot and fishing net.
The Cottage is 3 miles from “downtown” Mathews with numerous restaurants, interesting shops, historic structures, grocery stores, a library, and a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings 7 months a year. Nearby destinations include New Point Comfort Lighthouse, the 3rd oldest lighthouse on the Chesapeake designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the idyllic waterside towns of Deltaville, Kilmarnock, and Urbanna, and historic Gloucester. Yorktown Battlefield, where our nation secured its independence, and Colonial Williamsburg, home to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, are within an hour’s drive.
Please, no smoking on the property.
Pets with prior arrangement with the manager.