Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven.

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Entire home

Our cottage is nestled just off a quiet gravel road, among ample trees and sun.

The cottage is quiet with good car access to come and go as you please.

Enjoy the open floor plan with ample sun. The couch folds out into a queen bed.

Great room is equipped with a smart TV, library, white board, books, and games.

New and full size appliances, filtered water, coffee, kettle, and cookware.

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

2 bedroomsSleeps 4102.2 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available
Barbecue grill
Hot tub
Kitchen
Dryer
Washer

Explore the area

Indianola, IA

Simpson College
‪15 min drive‬
Des Moines Metro Opera
‪15 min drive‬
Blank Park Zoo
‪20 min drive‬
Des Moines, IA (DSM-Des Moines Intl.)
‪22 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Living Room

1 Queen Bed

Main Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Sleeper Sofa

1 Double Futon

Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Kitchenette

Separate dining area

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining area

About this property

Come stay in this lovely mid-century modern cottage located between Norwalk and Indianola and just 30 minutes south of Des Moines, 15 minutes south of the DSM airport. Enjoy a full kitchen with an open layout and large living space, private bedroom with a queen sized bed, large walk-in closet, and full bath. Coffee, tea, and breakfast pastries included. Beautiful views of the country, a peaceful retreat.

Sorry no pets and no smoking on the property or grounds.

For more information and images about the farm and cottage, check out our instagram page @olio_farm 😁

Property manager

Casey & Jenn

Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

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Similar properties

Breakfast included
Kitchen
Pet-friendly
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Strictly prohibited on our property.

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

Long-term renters welcome

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 indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Indianola

Located in Indianola, this holiday home is in a rural area. Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park and Lake Ahquabi State Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Warren County Fair and Blank Park Zoo.

Indianola, IA

What's nearby

Simpson College - 15 min drive - 13.3 km
Des Moines Metro Opera - 15 min drive - 13.2 km
Blank Park Zoo - 20 min drive - 18.5 km
Jordan Creek Town Center - 29 min drive - 32.7 km
Wells Fargo Arena - 30 min drive - 27.6 km

Getting around

Des Moines International Airport (DSM) - 22 min drive

Restaurants

‪Casey's General Store - ‬15 min drive
‪McDonald's - ‬16 min drive
‪Casey's General Store - ‬13 min drive
‪Dairy Queen - ‬15 min drive
‪Casey's General Store - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven. ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven. ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven. located?

Situated in a rural location, this holiday home is within 9 miles (15 km) of Warren County Fair, Des Moines Metro Opera and Simpson College. Norwalk Dog Park and National Balloon Museum are also within 12 miles (20 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

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Jason A.

30 March 2025

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

5 star accomodations & property

Recommend to all our friends

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Patrick D.

2 December 2024

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

Peaceful getaway for our little family

The cottage on the farm was perfect was for our little family (my wife, two year old and I). It exceeded our expectations in every way. Probably the cleanest vacation home I've ever stayed in and all the amenities we needed. The farm created a peacefulness and coziness you just can't get in the city and our daughter loved exploring the property and visiting the chickens! The owners were extremely responsive and even mailed us a couple of stuffed animals that we left behind. We loved it here and hope to go back in the near future. Thank you to Casey, Jenn and the animals!

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Becky L.

25 November 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sean D.

31 October 2024

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

3rd Year In A Row

2 years ago we stayed here after our wedding, last year we came for our anniversary, this year the same. Every year, the place seems to get more beautiful and peaceful. The cottage is always well taken care of, cozy, relaxing, I could wax on. We love it here. The property is also nice to walk around and even just look at. You have to look up at the stars from the parking spot. Surrounding towns are great to explore too if you want to get out. Another huge thing that shines for us is the owners. Wonderful people. Very kind, attentive, just all around nice to talk to, everything you'd want in a Vrbo owner and more. My wife and I highly recommend staying here when you need a getaway. We'll be coming back next year, of course.

Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deb E.

9 October 2024

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

Peaceful

Very quiet rural setting. No stones unturned. These hosts have thought of everything one would need for a getaway!! Highly recommend!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lucille O.

20 August 2024

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

Awesome little place in Indianola countryside

Stayed a few days after RAGBRAI - to get to a Festival. Weather didn’t cooperate- but loved our stay. Several friendly energetic dogs in the area- enjoyed 2 “visitors”. Great hosts!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca F.

25 July 2024

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

annual summer stay - always amazing

July 19-21, 2024 This was our fourth stay at The Cottage. It never fails to be a wonderful, relaxing and fun time "out in the country." The Cottage is clean and comfortable and has all the amenities you could need. We especially enjoy sitting on the porch, enjoying the sounds of the birds and being in the Iowa country "calm." The hosts are readily available and this time they reached out to us when we didn't respond to some welcoming messages - just to make sure all was well. We assured them we were fine - just recovering from a busy and stressful couple of weeks and were ignoring devices. But we felt the love and are grateful for such caring hosts. We look forward to future visits!!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jim S.

6 July 2024

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

Peaceful retreat!

Really cool property that is really well-appointed in all ways (books, kitchen, appliances, etc). Nicely decorated too! This nice couple makes a wonderful host and communicated well. While they live on the property (different house) we felt absolute privacy and had a delightful, peaceful time in the country! FYI, you will drive a mile or so on gravel to get to the cottage. It’s about equidistant to Norwalk or Indianola, so both towns are an option to go for city eats and shopping. My only complaint is the a/c was kind of hard to figure out, and the cottage was a little hot (but it WAS 100F that day! 😜). We will most definitely stay again when we are in the area. It’s reasonably priced, comparative to a hotel, so you can save on meals! Thanks for sharing your lovely area of respite!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth F.

21 June 2024

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

Getaway w Friends

We enjoyed a well-stocked, clean, well- appointed cottage. We cooked all our meals in the kitchen. The surroundings were restful and beautiful. A great rural getaway for us city folks. Lots of options for our entertainment: walks, games, puzzles, videos. The hosts were welcoming and answered all our questions. I am disabled and use a wheelchair. This was very accessible. I was able to get all my concerns addressed before we came--what a gift.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joshua M.

17 June 2024

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

Fun in the country!

Absolutely beautiful place to stay. Owners are incredibly helpful and responsive. We can’t wait to go again!

Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lorraine C.

12 June 2024

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

Stay During Ironman Race

I came to the Des Moines area to race in the Ironman 70.3 triathlon. I like quiet locations and found this home. While is is not very close to the race venue (downtown Des Moines), it was well worth the extra travel time. Home was spotless, extremely comfortable, and in such a lovely rural setting. The hosts (Casey and Jenn) were extremely responsive and very kind. Would definitely recommend this home.

Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lori R.

25 April 2024

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

Quiet and peaceful

This place is great! Spacious and relaxing. The design of the place is well thought out and I enjoyed watching the sunrise each morning. I used my time here to vision cast and business plan so the whiteboard was a just right bonus. There is a path to hike around the property, outdoor patio, porch swing, all the things you need to enjoy a bit of Iowa county. Definitely will be back!

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Veronica P.

17 March 2024

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

Peaceful, clean, excellent!

A peaceful and quiet mom & dad getaway. The place was very clean and comfortable. Lots of condements, teas/coffee, kitchen tools. Jenn & Casey let us check in early & check out a little later since there were no guests after us. They brought us some pasteries from a local cafe, Savor the Rise, which were wonderful. Great experience! Easy check in and check out. Quick communication. We would definitely stay again :)

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tyler D.

12 March 2024

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

Perfect Getaway

My wife and I stayed at the property for six nights, and we were both very happy with the rental. Everything is as it is pictured, and the rental is well stoked and very clean. Casey and Jenn are great hosts. They communicated with us throughout our stay and even left us a tasty treat. We have stayed in many rental properties and this has been one of our favorite places! We will definitely be back in the future.

Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jake B.

19 December 2023

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

Great Des Moines Area Getaway

We really enjoyed the space, communication, and location of this getaway. Being 20-30 from Des Moines, it’s a perfect weekend getaway. Definitely recommend.

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sean D.

5 November 2023

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

Perfect Anniversary Spot

This is my second review of this place, as we came here after our wedding and returned this time for our one-year anniversary. Just like before, we drove up to a beautiful property, walked into a cozy, immaculate cottage and loved every second of our stay. This time with sheep (ba-ba's)! We couldn't have asked for better. Our hosts checked in often, though not ridiculously so, and made sure we had everything we needed. My wife and I will definitely be returning, likely for anniversaries! I highly encourage people to consider here if you're wanting a cozy little retreat, with plenty of animals!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Daniel W.

25 October 2023

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

Monarch Country Cottage

Really enjoyed the well done, stylish and well supplied country get away. Great proximity to our friends and family. Peaceful setting!

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Diane H.

9 October 2023

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

Lovely Little Cottage

We used the cottage as home base for visiting the bridges of Madison County—about 25 minutes away. The cottage is on a peaceful little farm and has everything you need for a wonderful stay. Communication with the property owners was great throughout. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a restful getaway to farm country!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Becky O.

5 October 2023

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

Minimal and creative!

The cottage was beautiful and spacious with tons of natural light and a restful minimalist aesthetic that will appeal to anyone with a creative soul. The furnishings were all thoughtfully selected and felt a cut above the usual IKEA type chairs and tables you find in many VRBO’s. The shelves were filled with lots of classic picks in fiction, business, and design to spark ideas. Would be a great spot for writing, drawing, meetings, and other types of creative thinking. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t see any dogs/cats, but we did get to say hi to the chickens! (:

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bruce F.

25 September 2023

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

Great Getaway

Convenient to both Indianola and SW Des Moines, but definitely out in the country.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeremiah D.

26 August 2023

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

Awesome!

This was a great stay. We are so happy with the setting, the property and our hosts! It was very relaxing and wonderful. We will be coming back!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Becky A.

30 July 2023

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

Complete relaxation

The house is very tastefully decorated with everything you could need. Check in & communication with host was a breeze. Thoughtful host host left delicious treats for is . Property is relaxing and peaceful.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca F.

24 July 2023

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

delightful summer weekend getaway and opera

This is a beautiful and comfortable cottage in the country. A quiet and peaceful retreat not far from city amenities. It's great to 'get away' but also convenient to drive into Indianola (and Des Moines, too) to attend Des Moines Metro Opera events. We also spent time with family in the area. This was the third summer in a row to stay in the Monarch Cottage and it did not disappoint. Morning coffee on the porch - either in the porch swing or the patio chairs - was delightful. We even got to enjoy a morning 'garden variety' midwestern thunderstorm: short-lived pouring rain and wind. Delightful. Casey and Jenn are generous, helpful and attentive hosts.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

SONJA S., HAMPSHIRE

15 June 2023

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

Awesome!

This is by far the nicest property we have stayed at through VRBO! It was perfect for the two of us - clean, comfortable, modern, and a lovely quiet rural setting - but close to other towns and the "big" city for leisure activities. We will find a reason to stay again!

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tim L.

6 May 2023

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

Secluded, but not isolated!

My wife and I stayed as a midpoint for our four day trip; we live 3.5 hours away. We golfed, went to Kansas City for a baseball game (go Orioles), and went to Tulip Time in Pella. The cottage is in the country, but only 15 minutes from restaurants and shopping locations in Indianola. It was clean, quiet, and beautiful. Full moon while we were there and I think we could see every star in the universe. The owners live only a couple of hundred yards away, so easy to contact via the app or a short walk. Their farm is amazing. Highly recommend!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

About the host

Hosted by Casey & Jenn

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

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Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven.

Photo gallery for Cottage getaway perfect writer's retreat or a couple's haven.

Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Living Room

Main Bedroom

Sleeper Sofa

Bathroom

Spaces

About this property