People ask us all the time how Sea Esta came to be. Usually it’s a guest sitting on the deck, glass of wine in hand, looking out at the ocean, saying something like: “How did you guys find this place?” The honest answer is that we didn’t find it — we built it. Not from the ground up, but from something that needed a lot of love into something we’re genuinely proud of.
This is that story.
Finding Dillon Beach
We’d been visiting the Marin and Sonoma coast for years before we ever thought about owning property here. There’s a stretch of Northern California coastline — from Point Reyes up through Bodega Bay — that feels completely different from the rest of the state. It’s not the manicured beach towns of Southern California. It’s not the tourist crush of Monterey or Santa Cruz. It’s wild, quiet, and a little bit raw. The kind of place where you can walk a mile of beach and not see another person.
Dillon Beach, specifically, grabbed us because it felt authentic. No chain restaurants. No boardwalk. No t-shirt shops. Just a small residential community perched above the Pacific, with one general store and the kind of neighbors who wave when you drive by. The beach itself is wide and dramatic — big waves, tide pools, and driftwood scattered everywhere. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Point Reyes headlands.
When a cottage came available on a quiet residential street with ocean views, we knew. This was the spot.
The Vision
The cottage we bought was livable, but it was dated. It had the bones of something great — the location was perfect, the views were already there, and the layout had potential. But the finishes, the fixtures, the overall feel — it was stuck somewhere in the early 1990s. Dark carpet, fluorescent lighting, a kitchen that functioned but didn’t inspire, and bathrooms that needed everything.
We had a clear vision from day one: create a modern, comfortable beach cottage that feels like home. Not a hotel. Not a showpiece. A place where you walk in, take a breath, and feel your shoulders drop. We wanted guests to feel the way we feel when we arrive at the coast — like the stress of the week is already leaving.
That meant warm, not cold. Clean, not sterile. Coastal-modern, not kitschy. We were very intentional about avoiding the typical vacation rental traps — no seashell-themed everything, no “BEACH” signs made from driftwood, no anchors on the towels. The ocean is right outside. It doesn’t need to be on the walls too.
The Renovations
We touched almost everything. Some of it was practical. Some of it was about creating specific moments we wanted guests to experience. Here’s what went into the transformation:
Heated Floors
This was the single best decision we made, and it’s the thing returning guests mention first. Dillon Beach mornings are cool — often in the low 50s, even in summer. The old cottage had carpet that felt cold and tired. We ripped it all out and installed radiant heated flooring throughout the upstairs living areas.
The difference is transformative. You step out of bed on a foggy morning and the floor is warm under your feet. You pad into the kitchen to make coffee and you’re comfortable in bare feet. It sounds small, but it completely changes the experience of being in a coastal cottage. More than a few guests have told us they went home and researched heated flooring for their own houses.
The Kitchen
We’re food people. We believe that cooking is one of the great pleasures of a beach vacation — especially when the nearest restaurant is a short drive away. So we built a kitchen that makes you want to cook.
The centerpiece is a suite of SMEG appliances in a clean, retro-modern style that fits the coastal aesthetic without trying too hard. We added solid countertops, a proper coffee setup (SMEG coffee pot, Keurig with Peet’s pods, a YETI French press, and Peet’s ground coffee), quality knives, good pots and pans, and all the tools you’d find in a well-stocked home kitchen. We keep basics on hand — olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, cream — so you can start cooking the moment you unpack your groceries from Petaluma.
The kitchen has ocean views through the main windows. Chopping vegetables while watching the sunset is a real thing that happens here, and it never feels ordinary.
Ocean-View Windows
The original cottage had windows, but they were small and placed in a way that didn’t take full advantage of the views. We opened things up. The main living area now has large windows that frame the Pacific like a painting. The light that comes through in the late afternoon is extraordinary — golden and warm, filling the entire space.
We positioned the seating so the first thing you see when you sit down is ocean. Not a wall, not a TV, not the kitchen counter. Ocean. That was deliberate.
The Fire Pit Deck
The ocean-side deck was always there, but it was underutilized. We added a gas fire pit, comfortable seating, and wind protection to create what has become the heart of the Sea Esta experience. Guests spend more time on this deck than anywhere else in the house. The fire pit, the sound of waves, the sunset views — it’s the combination that makes people book their second stay before they’ve finished their first.
Two Thoughtful Bedrooms
We invested in quality bedding — the kind you sink into and don’t want to leave. Both bedrooms have comfortable mattresses, premium linens, and extra-soft blankets. The primary bedroom has ocean views. We also created a cozy kids’ nook we call The Raccoon Hideout, which families with young children absolutely love.
Sleep matters on vacation. We’ve stayed in too many rentals where the beds were an afterthought. At Sea Esta, the beds are a feature.
Bathrooms and Details
Both bathrooms were gutted and rebuilt with modern fixtures, clean tile, good lighting, and natural soaps and body products. We added outdoor hot water showers near the door so guests can rinse off sand and salt before coming inside. There’s also a full indoor laundry, which is a game-changer for longer stays.
The Name
“Sea Esta” came from a moment of wordplay that just stuck. It’s a mashup of “siesta” — a rest, a pause, a break from the everyday — and the sea. That’s exactly what this place is meant to be: a sea-side siesta. A place to slow down, breathe salt air, and remember what it feels like to not be in a hurry.
We considered other names. None of them captured the feeling as well. Sea Esta is the cottage, and the cottage is Sea Esta. It couldn’t be called anything else.
The Challenges of Coastal Construction
Renovating a house at the coast is not the same as renovating a house inland. The elements here are relentless.
Salt air corrodes metal, degrades finishes, and accelerates wear on everything. Every material choice had to account for salt exposure. We selected fixtures and hardware specifically rated for coastal environments, and we use coatings and treatments designed for marine conditions.
Wind is a constant factor. Dillon Beach gets persistent winds off the Pacific, particularly in the afternoon. The deck, the windows, the exterior finishes — everything needed to be designed to handle sustained wind. The fire pit is gas rather than wood partly for this reason; wood fires in coastal wind are unpredictable and unpleasant.
Moisture is everywhere. The marine layer rolls in most evenings and mornings, coating everything in a fine mist. Materials that would be fine in Sacramento or the East Bay will deteriorate quickly here. We learned this early and adjusted every specification accordingly.
Working with local contractors who understand coastal construction was essential. There’s a knowledge base that comes from building and maintaining homes in this environment for decades, and we leaned on that expertise heavily. Permitting in a coastal community also has its own rhythm — it takes longer, requires more documentation, and demands materials and methods that meet specific environmental standards.
What Guests Love Most
After 172+ five-star reviews, we have a pretty clear picture of what resonates. Three things come up again and again:
- The ocean views. Guests describe them as “breathtaking,” “unreal,” and “worth the trip alone.” The views were always here — we just made sure the house was designed to showcase them from every angle.
- The heated floors. This surprises us every time, but it’s consistently mentioned. That moment on a cool morning when you step onto a warm floor — it makes an impression.
- The fire pit. Evening after evening, guests gravitate to the deck. The fire pit is the catalyst. It creates a gathering point, a reason to sit outside and take in the setting instead of retreating to the couch.
The Neighborhood
Sea Esta sits on a quiet residential street in Dillon Beach. It’s about a five-minute walk to the beach — close enough to hear the waves from the deck, far enough that you’re not in the parking lot. The neighbors are friendly, the street is quiet, and there’s a sense of community here that we genuinely value.
This isn’t a resort or a hotel district. It’s a neighborhood. Kids ride bikes. People walk their dogs. You’ll see the same faces at the general store. That’s exactly the atmosphere we wanted for our guests — to feel like they belong here, even if only for a few days.
Why Dillon Beach
We chose Dillon Beach because it offers the authentic coastal experience we wanted to share. There are more famous beach towns in California. There are easier places to get to. But there is nowhere else quite like this — the uncrowded beach, the wild coastline, the small-town character that hasn’t been polished away by tourism.
When guests tell us they “didn’t even know this place existed,” we take that as a compliment. Dillon Beach is one of Northern California’s best-kept secrets, and we’re happy to share it — one guest at a time.
Always Improving
Sea Esta isn’t finished. A house at the coast is never really finished. We’re always refining, upgrading, and responding to what guests tell us. Every stay teaches us something, and we fold that into the next improvement. The cottage today is meaningfully better than it was a year ago, and it’ll be better still a year from now.
That’s the commitment we made when we started this project: not just to create a great place, but to keep making it better. For our guests, for our neighborhood, and honestly, for ourselves. Sea Esta is our favorite place on earth, and we want it to be yours too.
Come see what we built. Sea Esta is a modern coastal cottage in Dillon Beach with ocean views, heated floors, a fire pit deck, and the kind of comfort that makes you want to stay an extra night.