Raymond's Bakery - Gravenstein Cottage

I've lived in a tiny mountain town for years so I was looking forward to quiet and nature. Unfortunately that did not happen here. The bakery was not open during the week (not indicated on listing) although we were going to have pastry and coffee delivered in the morning. The property itself was not maintained. My husband thought it was deserted and not even operating. I know this is a different review than others have written because I read them all before we went and trusted them. If you are looking for solitude...a place to relax in a comfortable location...this is not for you. The cottage itself was fine and clean but not true to the photos in the listing. The owner seemed very nice and welcoming. The main issue was the condition of the property...it needs TLC...it could be such a lovely place....but currently it is not.

Will come again. Host friendly.

Nice quiet place to relax Friday night pizza and music was great .

Hospitality and Tranquility beneath the shadows of the Elim Redwood grove best describes our experience. Naturally, the fresh, warm French pastry served daily, the nearby rugged coastal beaches, and the iconic Cazzadaro grocery store deli call us back very soon. If you need detachment from the world, Raymond’s Bakery is the place. Enjoy! Thank you Mark and family.

The host is responsive and so helpful! He brought us fresh baked goodies and roasted coffee. The house quaint and clean and endearingly old fashioned. The property is well maintained and has so many hidden treasures. We would stay here again.

Wow! Mark's place was absolutley fantastic. Upon our arrival, our cottage had a beautiful fire inviting us in, along with a variety of cherished treasures inside the cottage. My wife and I sat near the fire, playing cards and listening to old LP's on the record player. What a great experience. Mark provided amazing fresh baked pastries and breads which were second to none, hot out of the oven!! We also got to sample his amazing fresh roasted coffee beans in our provided coffee maker. Absolute heaven! Spending time with Mark and the other guests at the campfire, we realized this was a unique experience. Thank you Mark for your wonderful hospitality and making our getaway unforgettable.

Mark and his family have created a peaceful and cozy spot off the beaten path and are very generous hosts. Mostly all you can hear is the wind in the trees and a soft tap at the door when he delivers his freshly baked treats and coffee in the morning.

We had a wonderful 3 night stay in the Gravenstein cabin, and Mark was an incredibly accommodating and kind host who went out of his way to make our first family get away since before pandemic extra special! The cabin, true to listing, is perfect for 2 adults, and for keeping an eye on our 1 yo and pup. While we spent the days hiking the local state parks and along the coast, we loved coming back to the cabin at the end of the day to curl up beside a fire in the new woodstove and put on the record player with an impressive selection of vinyl to pick from. Mark dropped off fresh out of the oven breads and pastries every morning - not to be missed! While the towering redwoods obscure much of the sky, where you can see through at night, the stars were stunningly bright, so worth stepping out from the cabin at night to appreciate the majesty of the location both in day and night.

We stayed at Raymond's Bakery & B&B for a week, Marc and his friends and family made us very comfortable and cozy in the Greenstein Cabin. Wood burning fireplace was a welcoming warm surprise each morning, along with Marc's pastries, bread & treats. Thank you all for the wonderful stay.

We enjoyed a lovely 2 night stay in the Gravenstein Cottage. Mark was an extremely gracious host and made it clear that he wanted to do whatever he could to make our stay as comfortable as possible. The cabin was quite small as expected, but very cozy, and we loved having the wood burning stove to keep warm. It was also fun to explore the property and enjoy the fun space that's been carved out there, and we interacted a bit with Mark and his family, all of whom couldn't have been nicer. The baked goodies that were provided were also outstanding!Our only complaint was with the difficulty of preparing and enjoying meals during our stay. Under normal circumstances, I would just say this is the kind of place where you should plan to have your meals out: there's no kitchen in the cabin and it's too tiny to add much else. But given the pandemic, we wanted to be able to cook for ourselves, and with restaurants doing take-out only, we'd still need a comfortable place to EAT the food if we went out. The Gravenstein Cottage didn't have a coffee table or anywhere very comfortable to sit down to a meal, and there were very limited plates, cups, and utensils available in the cabin. We made due, and Mark was really helpful in setting us up with a gas grill, access to an outdoor propane stovetop, and any supplies/utensils we asked for. It just would have been easier if there were a few more essentials already provided in the cabin (things like coffee filters, salt and pepper, extra plates...). Anything we asked for we received, but it felt a little awkward to have to contact Mark (who could be at a number of different places on the property) for everything. I also think the listing on VRBO could use more photos and some updated ones: the picture of the living room shows a little table in front of the couch that wasn't there, but would have been useful! Had we had a better idea of what would be available, we probably would have prepped a little better and brought more of our own stuff.With that said, we still had a great time and truly appreciated Mark and his family's hospitality. Would love to come back sometime in the warmer months when the pandemic is over, as I think we would have been able to enjoy things even more under better circumstances!

We enjoyed a lovely 2 night stay in the Gravenstein Cottage. Mark was an extremely gracious host and made it clear that he wanted to do whatever he could to make our stay as comfortable as possible. The cabin was quite small as expected, but very cozy, and we loved having the wood burning stove to keep warm. It was also fun to explore the property and enjoy the fun space that's been carved out there, and we interacted a bit with Mark and his family, all of whom couldn't have been nicer. The baked goodies that were provided were also outstanding! Our only complaint was with the difficulty of preparing and enjoying meals during our stay. Under normal circumstances, I would just say this is the kind of place where you should plan to have your meals out: there's no kitchen in the cabin and it's too tiny to add much else. But given the pandemic, we wanted to be able to cook for ourselves, and with restaurants doing take-out only, we'd still need a comfortable place to EAT the food if we went out. The Gravenstein Cottage didn't have a coffee table or anywhere very comfortable to sit down to a meal, and there were very limited plates, cups, and utensils available in the cabin. We made due, and Mark was really helpful in setting us up with a gas grill, access to an outdoor propane stovetop, and any supplies/utensils we asked for. It just would have been easier if there were a few more essentials already provided in the cabin (things like coffee filters, salt and pepper, extra plates...). Anything we asked for we received, but it felt a little awkward to have to contact Mark (who could be at a number of different places on the property) for everything. I also think the listing on VRBO could use more photos and some updated ones: the picture of the living room shows a little table in front of the couch that wasn't there, but would have been useful! Had we had a better idea of what would be available, we probably would have prepped a little better and brought more of our own stuff. With that said, we still had a great time and truly appreciated Mark and his family's hospitality. Would love to come back sometime in the warmer months when the pandemic is over, as I think we would have been able to enjoy things even more under better circumstances!

What a wonderful place a absolutely lovely host. The cottage was a perfect mini get away for me and my dog. Mark was a very thoughtful host and amazing baker.Oh the bread and the brownies! We will return again soon I hope!Loriana

What a wonderful place a absolutely lovely host. The cottage was a perfect mini get away for me and my dog. Mark was a very thoughtful host and amazing baker. Oh the bread and the brownies! 😋 We will return again soon I hope! Loriana

unique, cool and friendly

Property was great. Beautiful and relaxing. Very tucked away and so be prepared. Although there is WI-fi, you still get a lousy reception. So bring some good movies from home, bring some table games and some good music. Bottle of wine, crackers and cheese. Plus, bring a few meals so u don’t have to travel out to eat. Mark was very gracious and his baking skills are great!!! Loved every food item. Wat a hidden gem👌😊

It was a very easy process to rent this property through VRBO. We will be using it to plan our next getaway!

Mark and his kids were super welcoming and they are great people. Such a beautiful property too.

This cottage provides the perfect setting for a romantic getaway. The cottage sits among beautiful gardens, and a patio area that contains a cozy fire pit. There's tons to do nearby, or just cuddle up by the wood burning stove, and enjoy some delicious bread & pastries from Raymond's Bakery. Bonus: You couldn't ask for a better host!

Cabin was clean and we enjoyed the atmosphere on Friday with pizza and live music outdoors. Very fun!

Mark is an absolutely above and beyond host and an inspiration to be around. His place and family have such charm and authenticity. Thankful we had the chance to spend a night here and will certainly return.

Genuine hospitality surrounded by the splendor of huggable trees, rivers and eye opening scenes at every turn. We shall return. Thanks and kudos to Raymond‘s bakery staff - Mark and his lovely family . We are relaxed and renewed. Mission accomplished !

We only stayed for a night, and only had a limited chance for in-person interaction with Mark. However, he still managed to be an amazing and inviting host. He is extremely generous with his resources, including great breakfast at the bakery with many varieties of breads and pastries. The cottage itself was adorable, cozy, and great for an intimate getaway.

Will definitely return. A terrific quaint getaway. A great place to stay on a rainy night. Super friendly. The owner, Mark, provided great recommendations of things to do.

Raymond's Bakery is only officially open on Friday nights from 5 to 9 when they serve draft beer, made-to-order pizza and live music!

We loved the location under the redwood trees (and near a redwood state park and a larger community with several good restaurants). Mark was very welcoming. The pastries he made for breakfast were exceptionally fresh and delicious. Plus he shared fresh roasted coffee for us to make in our room and gave us treats for our flight home. The bed was firm and comfortable, and the shower was hot, pleasant, and soothing. We enjoyed reading in the sitting area of our room in the evening. This cabin was set back behind others, so it wasn't right on the road, which we liked, but there wasn't much traffic anyway. It was a quirky place and a good choice for us.

Great place for a quick escape. Wonderful on a rainy evening. Mark and his family are very gracious hosts. We loved it and plan to come again.

I only stayed one night; as the cabin had no stove-top or other means of cooking food.

I stayed in the Gravenstein cottage at Raymond's Bakery with my mom for a weekend away. The Gravenstein cottage is cute and the perfect size for two people. Even better is location amongst the redwood trees, close to great hiking spots and Russian River swimming. And even better than that -- Mark's baking (pizzas on Friday night and baked goods in the mornings) and the host family. They are wonderful, warm people and we really enjoyed staying with them.

Hiking in the redwoods, exploring the rugged Ocean coast beaches, tubing the Russian River, all this and more within a short drive. Enjoy the bakery breakfast, and the hospitality of your host, Mark. Definitely off the beaten trail, minimal cell service but WiFi available.

Mark’s Elim Grove compound is a labor of love, and you feel that when you stay with him at any of his cottages. Each cottage has its own unique special touches – a Wedgewood stove in one, or an antique Singer sewing machine, a classic manual typewriter in another. Beautiful natural finishes and textiles. Mark’s appreciation for rustic design and comfort, as well as the unmatched location of these cottages, in the heart of the redwoods, next to the burbling Austin Creek, makes this a truly memorable place to use as a home base for exploring the beauties of the West County in Sonoma. We reserved all of Mark’s rentals for our wedding which took place in the neighborhood. As it turned out, Mark, his family, the cottages and the amazing Raymond’s Bakery, were an unexpectedly significant part of the event. Everyone who stayed with Mark felt so welcome and felt such great energy from him. I heard it from many of my friends and family. Can’t recommend this place highly enough. Enjoy!

My wife and I were happy to experience Raymond's Bakery Gravenstein cottage for its uniqueness and quiet location. The family that runs this live on the property and they are extremely welcoming and helpful. We were met by the owner, Mark, with an offer of a fresh tap-drawn beer and a soft drink and a chance to sit out on the patio to chat. The kids are very well behaved and showed us their treehouse up the hill. The accomodations were fine, nothing fancy, with more of a rustic feel. In the morning we had fresh baked goods and Mark roasted some decaf coffee for us and gave us some wonderful choc chip cookies and sodas for the road. Overall a very kick-back vibe and location, with some nice walks along the creek.

It's hard not to feel rejuvenated when you're surrounded by the smell of fresh baked bread and enormous redwoods and Raymond's Bakery. Mark, the owner, goes above and beyond to make you feel like home, and it's amazing to witness the community he built around loving and feeding others. I can't wait to visit again, sitting over a campfire discussing life with the other guests in Cazadero.