Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path

See all properties

Entire home

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 685.9 sq m

Popular amenities

Dryer
Fireplace
Washer
Kitchen
Barbecue grill
Parking available

Explore the area

Loves Park, IL

Anderson Japanese Gardens
‪3 min drive‬
Coronado Performing Arts Center
‪5 min drive‬
BMO Harris Bank Center
‪5 min drive‬
Rockford, IL (RFD-Greater Rockford)
‪14 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Garden

Dining area

About this property

Welcome to Storybook Cottage. This sweet little stone home is nearly 100 years old, yet updated to keep the charm of yesteryear, yet provide all the comfortable modern amenities. We have set up the cottage to function for the needs of families, as well as be peaceful and quiet respite for our traveling professionals who enjoy some tranquility after a long day or night of work. All bedrooms have blinds and blackout curtains for our medical professions working the night shift. This home is nestled in a quiet neighborhood near the Bike Path along the river and while it feels tucked away, you are less than 15 minutes to all of our local hospitals and only 4 minutes to the UIC School of Medicine. For our working professionals, there are two dedicated work spaces as well as high speed internet. A Roku TV is provided and ready for you to log into your favorite apps. Enjoy morning coffee in the three season porch or make your home cooked meal memorable by dining at the table on the paved outdoor patio. The kitchen is well equipped with full size appliances and plenty of pots/pans, bakeware, and utensils to make all the home cooked meals you want. Although we provide plenty of linens and extra blankets, there is a washer/dryer provided for your convenience. Given that this is nearly a century old home, it is not handicapped accessible and the ability to climb stairs into and around in the house is necessary. Please note there are two exterior doorbell cameras pointing away from the house which includes any space of guest enjoyment.

Property manager

Molly

Premier Host

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Have a question?

Beta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Ask a question

Similar properties

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

2 bedrooms are upstairs. Baby gates NOT PROVIDED.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 1 total)

Big dogs welcome! $100 pet fee per stay

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Absolutely no smoking/vaping on in or on property

No smoking in or on property

Out of respect for other guests, no animals may be on furniture, including beds.

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

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Note from host: No events allowed

Long-term renters welcome

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Loves Park

Loves Park is home to this cottage. Rockford Art Museum and Burpee Museum of Natural History are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Discovery Center Museum and Boylan Tennis Center. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at BMO Harris Bank Center or Marinelli Field. Take the opportunity to explore the area for water adventures such as power boating.

Loves Park, IL

What's nearby

Anderson Japanese Gardens - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
Coronado Performing Arts Center - 5 min drive - 5.2 km
BMO Harris Bank Center - 5 min drive - 5.2 km
Mercyhealth - 7 min drive - 5.6 km
OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center - 10 min drive - 9.1 km

Getting around

Rockford, IL (RFD-Greater Rockford) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

‪McDonald's - ‬3 min drive
‪McDonald's - ‬5 min drive
‪Spring Garden Family Restaurant - ‬5 min walk
‪Olympic Tavern - ‬4 min drive
‪Souse's Lounge - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total).

What time is check-in at Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path located?

Situated in Loves Park, this cottage is 1.2 mi (2 km) from Anderson Japanese Gardens and within 3 miles (5 km) of Burpee Museum of Natural History and Rockford Art Museum. Discovery Center Museum and Boylan Tennis Center are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Boni A.

2 Jan 2025

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

Grandneices double the fun!

Quickie fam visit to meet my 2 new grandneices. Lovely old home with great updates. Couldn't use fireplace, but that's ok b/c i improvised and brought orange & red led string lites and put on logs, lol. This will be home base in future visits!

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Salina L.

15 Sept 2024

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

Getaway

This was a cute house on a nice property! Very clean and cozy! I would definitely stay there again.

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Chris F.

30 June 2023

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

Thank You!

We enjoyed our stay. It was a quiet and peaceful neighborhood with great restaurants nearby. The inside was clean and comfortable. The outside of the house could use some updated landscaping, yet we loved being able to walk the dogs on the bike path along the river. Thank you for allowing us a safe and cozy place to stay while visiting family and friends.

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

5 June 2023

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

Perfect Cottage

Molly is kind and immediately responds to any questions i may have. The kitchen is perfectly supplied with all kinds of cookware and necessities The beds are comfy, linens are nice, and the front room is cozy. The location is lovely, close to the river and walking path! I have seen lots of ducks, geese, bald eagles, and a muskrat! :) I have stayed here several times when i travel to Rockford for work! Storybook Cottage is a perfect home away from home!

Stayed 8 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

17 Apr 2023

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

Perfect in Every Way

Quiet, clean, cozy, comfortable! Close to groceries, restaurants, and walking path along the river! Could not be better in any way!! Molly responds to questions immediately!

Stayed 19 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bob (Patti) A.

31 Jan 2023

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

Perfect

I was looking for a small, comfortable place to spend a few days outside of my regular hectic life. Enough going on outside, with neighbors enjoying the outdoors to keep it interesting, even in the snow! Beautiful carpentry and amazing architecture kept me walking from room to room just to see the unique spaces. It was just what I was looking for!

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

David L.

3 Jan 2023

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

Cozy cottage that is well apportioned

This was a nice place for our small family to hang out, play games, and relax. Very neat and clean. Well decorated for the holidays. Well apportioned for the supplies etc. we needed. (You might need a few extra blankets in the upstairs bedrooms during the winter nights...)

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Theresa P.

27 Dec 2022

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

A perfect place to stay for the holidays

The house is beautiful! Spotlessly clean, beautifully updated, with lovely decor. The communication with the owner was quick, pleasant, and helpful. Cozy and warm, there are blankets to cuddle with in each room. Her Christmas decorations were professionally done! Gorgeous! Great coffee selection and fully appointed kitchen. Beds are of the highest quality. This is one of the nicest VRBOs we have rented.

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Petronella G.

10 Nov 2022

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

Storybook cottage

Well kept and decorated. Conveniently located

Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lucas F.

9 Nov 2022

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

Wedding Stay

This was a perfectly cozy place to stay while in the area for a wedding. The owners were helpful and quick with responses to any questions we had and were great to work with.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brian K.

25 Oct 2022

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

Quant Place

We really enjoyed our extended weekend. Loved the new kitchen remodel and it was a very clean and pleasant stay. Thanks again

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jill H.

10 Oct 2022

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

Excellent Stay

We had excellent stay with cottage property, it was everything we expected and communication with owners was excellent. Recommend this property HIghly

Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lindsay S.

5 Oct 2022

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

Great

Great cozy house! Owner was very friendly and accommodating with checkin/out times, and responsive to questions. Cute welcome basket and fun coffee options to choose from.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Sherri G., Joliet, IL

5 Sept 2022

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

Quaint cozy cottage

It was a beautiful house with so much charm and character. Our stay was amazing, the hosts are amazing. We would definitely stay their again! Thank u

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Paul L.

29 Aug 2022

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Spot

We rented this house for the month of July. It is small, but has so many places and nooks for storage, etc.. The upstairs bedroom is perfect for two kids, and probably has room for a 3rd blow-up bed/cot. The second upstairs room is a small office with a small bed. It was everything we needed. The downstairs bedroom, where my wife and I slept, is a little cramped. There's no closet. So you'll need to store everything in the drawers under the bed or the wardrobe dresser. As for the neighborhood, it's close to the water, so there are lots of bikers/runners. I never felt unsafe. You can actually see the Rock River from the shower window. Overall - we would definitely stay here again and really appreciated the owner's quick and prompt responsiveness. Some random notes: - The stairs are glossy and VERY slippery. Be careful. I think we all slipped at least once. - The basement, which we didn't use except to store bikes and suitcases, had some water issues due to some rainstorms. - There were lots of cobwebs in and out of the house when we arrived.

Stayed 26 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dominic M., Wentzville MO

25 Aug 2022

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

Cute Cottage Oasis

This is a well-maintained property where this century-old cottage provides all of the charms and comforts you would want for a getaway. In a quiet sub-division, there is activity with joggers, walkers and cyclists passing by throughout the day. The hosts are very communicative and accommodating as well. We highly recommend this property for your next visit to this area.

Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Carla P.

19 Aug 2022

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

Relaxing and Peaceful

This is a beautiful, clean, charming, relaxing and peaceful cottage. Arrived exhausted from a week of crazy traveling and was able to relax and rejuvenate before my next adventure. The place was more than expected. Excellent communication with the owner. I highly recommend a stay at the cottage.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cathy K.

7 July 2022

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

Pure bliss

After 36 hours without sleep, what bliss to fall asleep on a comfortable bed and wake to enjoy scampering squirrels and soft sunshine from the cozy screened porch of Storybook Cottage. Well named...and impeccably presented. Molly seemed never far from the phone as texts were answered so quickly and warmly. Walks around the beautiful neighborhood as we got over our jet lag and being honored one evening by an extended visit from a bald eagle are just two highlights of a truly lovely, relaxing, and memorable - but all too short - stay. Thank you so much Molly. We're going to do our best to stay again - here or in TN. You've set an exceptionally high standard. Cathy and Alistair

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Vance K.

5 July 2022

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

Cozy cottage

This was a really nice place to stay. Clean and comfortable. They host was really nice and informative. I would definitely stay here again.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

sheli s.

25 June 2022

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

Quint neighborhood with access to beautiful riverside trail!

The property was exactly as described and very comfortable for our family of 4. We enjoyed the nearby walking trail and easy access to downtown Rockford and WestRock Wake Park! We will definitely stay here again!

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Martin A., Kerman, California

13 June 2022

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

Cozy Cottage

Our stay was great. Great cottage in a nice quiet area. Great central location. Everything you need is Inckuded for a great stay!

Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Karen C., Tucson

28 May 2022

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

Awesome cottage, fabulous location

This is a great little cottage in a superb location near the river and a walking trail in a park. It was perfect for our stay in the Rockford area to attend our 50th class reunion. We will definitely stay there again whenever we travel to Rockford.

Stayed 5 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lisa W.

18 May 2022

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

Great cottage

Great cottage in a great location - quick walk to the river and super close to everything. Molly was quick to reply and everything was just wonderful. Would definitely stay again!

Stayed 6 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Samantha H.

19 Apr 2022

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

We love this adorable cottage!!!

My family stayed at the cottage for several months while we were looking for a house in the area. We very much enjoyed our stay! The property is close beautiful parks and walking path by the river. Great for children and pets! The cottage was clean and well equipped. The host, Molly, was an absolute joy. We highly recommend!

Stayed 44 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca F.

17 Jan 2022

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

Christmas cottage

We had a magical stay here over Christmas break! The kids loved how nicely it was decorated and we all loved the proximity to the river walk! Even in the winter we were able to get out and enjoy the scenery.

Stayed 13 nights in Dec 2021

About the host

Hosted by Molly

Howdy! I'm Molly, and am a Northern IL native, but traded the corn fields of IL for the mountains of East TN where I live with my husband, 4 kids, floofy German shepherd and an ever growing populous of chickens on our homestead. Being a host is truly a dream come true. Being the steward of this darling little cottage is the icing on the cake of life! It's an honor to host you here at Storybook and at Copper Ridge in beautiful Johnson City, TN.

Why they chose this property

This cozy little home is nestled near the river and Bike Path in a quiet, residential neighborhood full of adorable well kept bungalow homes. There is a family and friendly vibe among the neighborhood. We like that it's a great central location for getting around the area.

What makes this property unique

History! In the early 1930's a Swedish stone mason and his family emigrated from Sweden and settled in Northern IL. As the story goes, he lovingly built this home for his family using the natural stone he found along the river. His workmanship was revered in his time, and is still cherished today. Under that beautiful stone exterior is a small house that lives large. Not only does this cottage have a fabulous modern kitchen and bath, but the house itself is naturally bright and airy. The evergreens, private driveway, quiet neighborhood, and yet close to everything make this a peaceful and relaxing place to stay when in the area. We call it "Storybook" because its natural charm lends itself to be something out of a storybook.

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path

Photo gallery for Storybook Cottage: An Adorable Stone Home Nestled Near the River & Bike Path

Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

About this property