Sea Glass' is a hidden gem! Secluded behind wrought iron gates, it is minutes' walk to beaches, shops & ferry. You'll find the flat spotless, light and airy, artist-decorated, and well equipped for both work and relaxation. 'Sea Glass' offers great value and elegance for guests who appreciate standout design, and who won't party loudly and annoy our neighbours. But it's not for everyone: there are 40 steps up to the flat, no A/C, limited parking, and we cannot host animals or children.
The space
LOCATION:
The apartment is 150m from Manly Cove, 400m from Manly Beach, 400m from Manly Wharf, and 450m from a supermarket, bakery, and multiple cafes and restaurants. From Manly Wharf it is a 20-minute ferry ride to downtown Sydney.
(P.S. For some reason, Airbnb's AI has decided to list this place as being "9-min walk" to Little Manly Beach, but there are actually 2 beaches much closer than Little Manly. I don't like to list things in terms of minutes to walk, because everyone walks or rolls at a different pace, but for comparison, Little Manly is a 750m walk from our apartment, whereas Manly Cove is only 150m away.)
NEIGHBOURHOOD:
Manly was the first beach in the world to host an international surfing competition, and it still draws world class (and beginner) surfers every day. It's both beachy and urban, full of shops, restaurants and pubs, with lively nightlife and a bustling farmer's market on weekends.
THE BUILDING:
The renovated 1920s apartment building is hidden away behind wrought iron gates and up a long, fig tree-lined walkway, so despite the fact that it's close to the heart of Manly, it also very secluded, safe, and quiet.
WILDLIFE:
It is a natural paradise. Brush turkeys wander through the courtyard under the towering palm tree and currawongs call to each other at dusk. Striped marsh frogs in the courtyard call at night, and flying foxes (fruit bats) visit when the fig tree is fruiting. (In case you don't fancy sleeping to the soundtrack of chattering bats and frogs, or laughing kookaburras at dawn, we provide ear plugs.)
AMENITIES HIGHLIGHTS:
• 1 Queen bed with pristine mattress and topper
• Cotton bedding, high thread count
• Smart TV, flat-screen 42”
• Netflix guest account
• Fully stocked kitchen with induction stove, oven, microwave, kettle, stick blender, French press, wine and champagne glasses, and basic cooking supplies
• Washing machine and vented dryer in flat
• 2 Ceiling fans in bedroom and living room
• Sunny office space, long desk, surrounded by windows
• 2 Ergonomic office chairs
• Wifi: unlimited, high-speed (tests at 20-40Mbps depending on time of day)
• Leather sofa
• Cosy velvet wingback armchair
• Books, games, reading lamps
For FULL DETAILS OF ROOMS and AMENITIES, keep scrolling down.
SAFETY:
• The apartment has a digital smart lock deadbolt.
• Each guest receives a unique access code that is exclusive to them for the duration of their stay, so you never have to worry about anyone else having access to the apartment, or about forgetting your keys.
GHOSTS:
We don’t believe it, but some guests report greetings from friendly ghosts in this century-old apartment building, with the bedroom lights flickering here and there. Quirk of the electrical wiring or supernatural visitation? You decide!
(Okay actually we talked to an electrician about it who said it's the result of off-peak water heaters in the building interfering with electrical signals. LED lights, because they are so energy efficient, are more responsive to this than incandescent bulbs. So, there may still be ghosts, but you can be assured that this isn't a result of old wiring that will result in an electrical fire. Also, while our neighbours may use off-peak water heaters, ours heats all the time so you can always enjoy a hot shower.)
ELEMENTS OF STYLE
The apartment is stylishly and eccentrically furnished, featuring gems of mid century modern design (some replicas, some authentic), nautical accents, and original art made of beach-found objects:
• Tulip table (David crafted the tabletop himself out of recycled hardwood fence posts!)
• Planet K desk lamp
• Louis Poulson PH5 pendant lamp
• George Nelson spike sunburst wall clock
• Eames Hang-It-Alls in laundry and bedroom
• brightly coloured Persian carpets
• blond herringbone oak parquet flooring
• a gallery's worth of original flat lay art made from found objects, sea glass and sea plastic
LOCAL ACTIVITIES:
• KAYAKING: In Manly Cove, you can rent kayaks to explore multiple beaches from the water. For the love of all that's holy, don't kayak in the path of the ferry.
• SURFING: You can rent surfboards, wetsuits, and take surfing lessons at Manly Beach. The local surf culture is friendly and tolerant of outsiders as well as newcomers!
• PEOPLE WATCHING: Relax on the beach, watch surfers catch waves, and watch social media influencers make duck face at their phones.
• SNORKELLING AND DIVING: Cabbage Tree Bay is a marine preserve with the best snorkelling and diving in all Sydney. Swimmers regularly spot eagle rays, sea turtles, giant cuttlefish, wobbegongs, sea lions, Port Jackson sharks and grey nurse sharks, and friendly blue groper (the golden retrievers of the sea -- if you hold still, they'll come right up to you to investigate!).
• HIKING: You can hike around the headland and hope to spot little penguins (Manly has the only breeding colony of penguins on mainland Australia), bandicoots, and echidnas. (If you don't know what echidnas are, look it up and prepare to be startled. If you do know what echidnas are, look up information about their reproductive parts and prepare to be startled.)
• SHOPPING, GALLERIES, and MUSEUMS: Hop on a ferry to Circular Quay and visit the Opera House and all Sydney’s famous shops, restaurants, galleries and museums, saunas, clubs, and more. Manly also has an outstanding crafts market on the Corso every Saturday.
• FOODIES: Manly has a farmer’s market every Sunday, and world-class restaurants. Ask us for recommendations, but bear in mind, we're mostly vegetarian, so we won't be able to tell you where to get the best steak.
• NIGHTLIFE: Manly has a lively restaurant, bar, and pub scene, from the glittering wharf bars looking out over Manly Cove (great for people watching and celebrity spotting) to the pubs and hotels on the Corso (great for watching drunk people doing silly dances).
• HISTORY AND THE PARANORMAL: Q Station, Sydney’s former Quarantine Station on North Head, is reputed to be one of Australia’s most haunted sites and they offer nighttime ghost tours, if you have a taste for the macabre. (Did you know "macabre" derives from the Arabic word "maqaber" meaning graves?) There’s a free public shuttle bus that runs between downtown Manly and Q Station. Or you can just stay at home in the bedroom and watch the lights flicker and feel like you're in a scene from Stranger Things.
MANIFESTO OF LOW EXPECTATIONS:
• No car access, and lots of stairs!
You have to walk up a 90m driveway and 40 steps, so the location is unfortunately not suitable for people with limited mobility.
• No dedicated parking, and street parking is extremely limited!
Fortunately, Manly's public transport options are excellent. If you are planning to come in a car, an on-the-street visitor parking permit may be available with the property, but it costs $230 to replace so it's literally worth more than its weight in gold! We would therefore have to be utterly confident that you'll treat it like a precious treasure and replace it if you lose it. Please message the host before reserving to inquire about its availability during your stay.
• This apartment does not have air conditioning or central heating.
However, we provide space heaters and plush blankets in winter, fans in summer (there are ceiling fan in the living area and bedroom), and insulating blinds on the north-facing windows. Almost all the windows have fly screens to let in the breezes and keep out the mosquitoes. Also, the apartment is half a block from the water, which moderates temperature extremes. But if you like your life climate-controlled, this place may not be for you.
• Wildlife can be noisy.
In other countries, people refer to the sounds birds make as 'song.' This word doesn't really apply to Australian birds (with the exception of magpies and butcher birds). Here, birds scream. Loudly. (In the case of cockatoos, at up to 135 decibels.) Also, flying foxes (fruit bats) screech at each other. There's a palm tree and a fig tree in our courtyard and when they are fruiting, the bats will hang out there all night long. So please keep in mind that nature is not quiet, and even though we live at a remove from the noises of drunkards' antics in the centre of Manly, no city regulations can stop the noise of the animals' antics. We do provide ear plugs (in the bathroom cabinets).
FULL LIST OF AMENITIES and ROOMS:
KITCHEN:
• fridge
• oven
• microwave
• induction stove
• pots and pans
• dinnerware
• rice cooker
• stick blender
• wine glasses and champagne flutes
• French press
• cooking basics: oil, spices, tea, coffee, salt, pepper, sugar, flour, rice, oats
• combo radio/bluetooth speaker so you can enjoy tunes while cooking
LIVING/DINING AREA
• features a leather sofa with velour throw pillows (pillow covers and throw blanket washed in between each and every guest -- we are really serious about cleanliness at this apartment!)
• cosy velvet wingback armchair -- perfect for snuggling up with a book in the evening
• large ceiling fans (D/C motors which make them very quiet) to keep you cool in summer and to push down warm air from the high ceilings in winter
• floating bookshelves stocked with books in a variety of genres plus cookbooks, games, and that vacation essential: Spirograph.
OFFICE/WORKSPACE
• sunny office space (separate area but no doors)
• 2 ergonomic chairs
• long desk surrounded by windows
• unlimited, high-speed Wi-fi (tests between 30-40Mbps depending on time of day)
• fly screens
• insulating blinds
BEDROOM:
• queen bed
• pristine mattress and mattress topper
• high thread-count cotton bedding
• flat-screen 42” smart TV
• guest Netflix account
• blackout curtains
• ceiling fan (multi speed and D/C which means it's very quiet)
• full closet and dresser for unpacking
• wall of mirrors so you can watch yourself... sleep
BATHROOM
• newly renovated
• shower (no bath)
• sparkling white tiles
• stylish brass fixtures and sea glass art
• high end hair products
• first aid kit and essential medicines
FOR LONGER STAYS:
This flat is available at discount for longer stays of 21-35 days for guests who have an impeccable track record on Airbnb (an overall 5-star rating and at least 5 stays). If you're interested in this option, you'll find the listing on Airbnb at /h/seaglassmanly-longstay .
CHECK-OUT INFORMATION:
Checking out is simple:
• Wash your dishes (no need to dry them, just leave in drying rack)
• Turn out lights
• Close windows
• Lock door behind you
• Travel safely!
Guest access
• This is our little beach home-away-from-home that we regularly use when guests aren't here, so the owners keep personal belongings locked away in part of the closet and two cabinets. Outside of those marked spaces, you are most welcome to use the cooking supplies in the kitchen, the first aid supplies and toiletries in the bathroom, and so on.
• There is access to a shared back patio that has clothes lines where you can hang drippy swim gear
Other things to note
NOT PERMITTED:
• Parties
• Animals
• Children under 12
We're very sorry, we adore animals and children, but our condo (strata) association does not allow us to welcome younger guests or animals.
The hosts regularly use this apartment and unfortunately, Lisa has severe allergies to dogs and cats (and is very sad about that), so this our property is strictly an animal-free zone.
FOR LONGER STAYS:
This flat is available at discount for longer stays of 21-35 days for guests who have an impeccable track record on Airbnb (an overall 5-star rating and at least 5 stays). If you're interested in this option, you'll find the listing on Airbnb at /h/seaglassmanly-longstay .
Registration Details
PID-STRA-35713
