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Entire home

John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!

Cottage in St. Michaels with kitchen and fireplace

Photo gallery for John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!

Property grounds
Property grounds
Exterior
TV, fireplace
Property grounds
Imagine waking up to St. Michaels harbor and Miles River water views at the historic John Bruff House, a fully restored 2-bedroom cottage on the Town park and harbor. Take a short walk to explore museums, parks, restaurants, churches, and shops in St. Michaels.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 5130 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Pet friendly
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Pool

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!

The extraordinary fully restored historic John Bruff House, located on the Town park and harbor, has magnificent St. Michaels harbor and Miles River water views. The house is 2 bedroom cottage with plenty of living space and a rear screened porch. It is a short walk from all museums, parks, restaurants, churches and shops in St. Michaels. Rates vary by season, and whether stay is weeknight or weekend. Stays of a week or longer are discounted, as are "last minute" bookings.

The house was built around 1805 by wheelwright John Bruff who is believed to have constructed the magnificent mantel and paneled wall in the living room. The house was expanded, to include a family room and bedroom above it, and updated (including central HVAC, cable and wifi) in 2006.

The first floor of the original portion of the Bruff House includes a LIVING ROOM with original paneling, a DINING ROOM, and small DEN. To the rear of the original house on the first floor is a KITCHEN area connected to a large paneled FAMILY ROOM with a queen sleep sofa. To the rear of the kitchen is a screened PORCH facing a large backyard. There is a full bathroom on the first floor.

Up an original staircase (which is narrower and steeper than a modern staircase and which can create a mobility issue for some), on the second floor of the original portion of the Bruff House is a very large MASTER BEDROOM having a king size bed.

The second floor to the rear of the house (accessed via a separate modern code staircase) includes a SECOND BEDROOM with a queen size bed. There is a bathroom with sink and toilet in each bedroom.

Property amenities

Pool/Spa

  • Communal pool

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Internet access

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Games
  • TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Porch/lanai

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • 2 pets total (up to 20 lbs per pet)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed
  • Note from host: No smoking indoors

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • In a village
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near an outlet shopping mall
  • Near the marina

Things to do

  • Bicycles
  • Boat
  • Golf
  • Kayak
  • Tennis
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Bicycles
  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,400 square feet

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 22

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
2 total (up to 20 lbs per pet)
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: Dog must be up to date on meds incl flea and tick.

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No smoking indoors

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

John Bruff Waterview Cottage Harbor Park Town St. Michaels
John Bruff Waterview Cottage Harbor Park Town St.
John Bruff Waterview Harbor Park Town St. Michaels
John Bruff Waterview Harbor Park Town St.
John Bruff Waterview Cottage Harbor Park Town St. Michaels
John Bruff Waterview Cottage Harbor Park Town St.
John Bruff Waterview Harbor Park Town St. Michaels
John Bruff Waterview Cottage Harbor Park Town St.
John Bruff Waterview Harbor Park Town St. Michaels
John Bruff Waterview Harbor Park Town St.

About the neighborhood

Map
MD, Saint Michaels

What's nearby

  • St. Michaels Marina - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • 1879 Hooper Straight Lighthouse - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • St. Michaels Winery - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Saint Michaels Village - 3 min drive - 2.1 km

Getting around

  • Cambridge Station - 34 min drive
  • Easton, MD (ESN-Easton - Newnam) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Stars - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Foxy's Harbor Grille - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Carpenter Street Saloon - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Purser's Pub - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪The Crab Claw - ‬5 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Does John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! have a pool?

Yes, this property has a pool.

Is John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 20 lbs per pet. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

What time is check-in at John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels!?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! located?

Situated in St. Michaels, this cottage is steps from Muskrat Park, St. Michaels Marina, and Higgins Yacht Yard and Marina. Saint Marys Square Museum and Saint Marys Square are also within 5 minutes.

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John Bruff Waterview Cottage - on Harbor and on Park - In Town St. Michaels! Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 97 out of 122 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 19 out of 122 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 122 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 122 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 122 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect location!

The house and location was perfect for a girls weekend with my mom and 2 daughters! The 1/2 bathrooms in each bedroom were nice to have upstairs!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Deborah W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect location

Loved this historic house! Perfect location, peaceful neighborhood and walking distance to entire town.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute cottage in walkable neighborhood

Quaint historic cottage close to downtown and waterfront park. Love St Michaels!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Happy repeat customers!

The house is in a fantastic spot in town, close see to a park, the water, and the shops and restaurants. We love the old house. The stairs to the bedroom are steep and narrow but we were totally fine with them.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Historic property in great location

The location couldn't have been more ideal. We were able to walk everywhere...all around town. And there was a beautiful view of the town park and the bay from the house. We were there for Christmas, visiting family, and her house was overflowing, so this was a little home-away-from-home. There were some difficulties. The shower curtain and main bath downstairs needs updating and the kitchen could be better appointed. The stairs to the king bed bedroom are, as others and the owner noted, very steep. They are not easy to navigate. However, the place was clean and a very cool place to stay. It definitely had the feel of a historic maritime cottage on the bay. We had a great Christmas and a wonderful time there!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meghan K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

St. Michael’s Charm

Always a great stay at the John Bruff house! Location is perfect, great view of the harbor and even saw a free concert in the park!!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristin A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

House with a view

We once again enjoyed our stay here. Perfect location to every where you’d want to go in St. Michael’s! Loved sitting out front looking at the water and park and enjoying music from our front yard. Highly recommend this cottage.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Susan B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet, relaxing

The house was perfect with water views and a park across the street. Just blocks away to amazing stores and restaurants. Walked the dog all over the place. Relaxed on the screened-in-porch. Just a wonderful, relaxing, and delicious vosit
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

michael p.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

great location

The house is quaint and very clean. It could use a refresh. Can't beat the location. You can walk to everything.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

ken k.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Location

Our stay in St Michael's was wonderful. The location of this property could not be better. Close to marina, parks, restaurants, historic downtown and the maritime museum. We never needed to use our car! Tom is an excellent host.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lizanne F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect spot

Perfect stay in a historic home in the heart of town.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Historic character cottage with modern comforts

As soon as we walked into this cottage we knew we had made the right choice. Rooms are tastefully decorated with period pieces and interesting artwork on the walls. We loved the narrow staircase up to the master because it reminded us of a cottage we had stayed in once in Wales. Even though parts of the cottage were historic in nature, its modern conveniences such as TV, wifi, dishwasher, microwave, and shower were easy to use and worked fine. What a great place!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Scott B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy, historical feel in a great location

What a perfect spot to take in all that St. Michael's has to offer. We were a 10 minute walk or less from the winery, our Saturday night dinner reservation, all the quaint shops and our kayaking adventure. The house let's you take in the history of the town and region with all the modern comforts too. FYI- Be prepared to walk up some steps for either bedroom with the master being particularly steep and windy. No biggie for us, just thought I'd mention. This cottage was amazing!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

6/10 Okay

Dennis g.

Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication

Nice location ! But!

Great location, food and drinks were awesome, centrally located , walking distance to everything . The negative part of our stay was the house is in need of updates , there was no hot water in the kitchen sink , drywall tape was peeling from the walls and especially the air conditioning in the bedrooms , it was not very cool , i could go on but i wont , and the money they charged i would expect alot nicer accommodations .
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meghan K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Always a great getaway

We love staying at the John Bruff house in St. Michaels. The location is great, right in the heart of town! Our family has been staying here for the past few years and we can’t wait to go back!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristin A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

This is our third visit. You can’t have a better location! We love St. Michael’s and this historical cottage.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patrick M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another great weekend @

Perfect location, turnkey and historic. Our go to for St Michael's.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jenny H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect as always

Great.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pleasant stay - could use some updating

The location was wonderful - we could see the water from the house, and we were right next to a park. The home was quaint with a fascinating history. Like others have noted, one of the staircases is very narrow. We thought some updating would go a long way: fresh rugs, newer pans and dishes in the kitchen, matching towels, a few more lamps. The house smelled a little musty, and only some of the windows were able to be opened. Still, the home was clean and comfortable, there was plenty of room, and we enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joshua B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful house and location

You really could not pick a better location. A park is across the street and the harbor is next to that. Everything in Saint Michaels is within walking distance. The home itself is historic and cozy. The stairs are definitely steep! Both bedrooms are comfortable and the downstairs living area is spacious. Big thumbs up from us.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jason A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice house

Great location
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Terrie W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful St. Michael’s

If you want old world charm, and possibly the best location in St., Michaels, this is where you would want to stay. If you want modern amenities, I would suggest someplace else. But we were here for a memorial and we were very happy with the historical location. Thank you!!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gary G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice house in a great location!

We loved our stay here. The house was very nice, especially for it being a much older house. It had everything we needed for our 3 night stay. And we can't say enough how good of a location it is. Right across the small street is a small park located right on the water. Thursday nights they have live music in the park which was a welcome surprise. We just sat in the front yard and enjoyed the show! And after we arrived we didn't use our car once. You could walk to every great spot that St Michaels has to offer, from the museums, restaurants, shops, and everything else.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

thomas l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anniversary

Well equipped and the location was spectacular. Only complaint was that it was hot on the second floor.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lauren T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing!

Our family of 5 stayed in the charming home for a couple of nights in early June. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay during our quick trip to Saint Michaels. We were walking distance to everything you want to see & do while visiting. The front yard overlooked the water and a little park where our kids played. There’s a great bar right across the street to grab a drink & watch the boats. The home was well equipped with everything we needed to enjoy our stay. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023