Perfect Santa Cruz Home!

Guest: Betsy16 (-)
Date of Stay: 02/19/11 Review Submitted: 12/23/11

A friend and I spent a "girl-time" week here, and we absolutely loved it. To me, this home is a perfect representation of Santa Cruz--a blend of so many different flavors. It is so well decorated and constructed, it could be in a magazine. Yet, it's so comfortable, you never want to leave. It's convenient and right by the ocean, but quiet and cozy. The owner allows pets (we didn't bring one), but there's none of the tell-tale "pet signs" like scratched floors. We loved our stay. The kitchen is well stocked, the furniture is comfortable, everything is hi-tech (very good wireless!), and if I could have stolen the master bathroom and taken it with me, I would have. Owner is very responsive (I was driving home, and my husband called to say our security deposit had already been refunded--I think that's some kind of world record!). I did have some concerns because a family member lives behind the house on the property--I was afraid there would be a loss of privacy. But that was absolutely not true at all--I don't think we ever even saw the other person! I'm only mentioning it if, like me, you read that in the description and thought it could be an issue... I would absolutely recommend this property to anyone looking for a home to rent in Santa Cruz. Thank you for the lovely stay!

Owner response:Thank you so much for sharing your review! We are so glad you appreciate the details of our home. We hope to see you again in the future.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Beautiful Decorated Home

Guest: Peeraya T.
Date of Stay: 11/12/11 Review Submitted: 11/26/11

My husband and I found the ad when we were looking for a place to celebrate our very first wedding anniversary and the all 5-star reviews really caught my attention. I contacted the owner, Shannon, and she was very friendly and sweet on the phone and via emails. When we arrived at the house, we (my husband, his parents, and me) were very impressed at how beautifully the house is decorated. We liked all the little details in it. The location was perfect because it was on a small street where people rode cruiser bikes around. Our parents took a walk down the street and went right on the beach across from the house! We will definitely go back here for more vacation trips.

Recommended for:

Beautiful!

Guest: Renee H. (Redwood City, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/09/11 Review Submitted: 10/13/11

We LOVED our 3-night stay at this property! The attention to detail and the amenities provided far surpassed any rental property we have previously stayed at. What a nice surprise to find fresh organic coffee beans, a selection of teas, and several pantry staples in the kitchen! Plus hair dryers in both bathrooms, beach towels, and even a few games and DVDs. And the property is amazingly clean and beautifully decorated. By the end of our first day, we were ready to move in permanently! We made our reservation at the very last minute, and Shannon was very nice to accomodate us at such short notice. Thank you, Shannon! The Hubert Family Redwood City, CA

Owner response:Thank you so much! We are so happy that you enjoyed our home!!

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Lived up to the promise!

Guest: Deborah
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/30/11

We were impressed with the service provided by Shannon when we booked this rental. The information provided in advance, such as what to bring, activities in the area, directions to get to the house, etc. were so complete. And then upon arrival, we were thrilled to find that the house lived up to the promise in the pictures. This home is well cared for and has everything you can imagine needing while on vacation. The beds are comfortable, the kitchen has everything and the hot tub was very relaxing. We will definitely be returning customers. Thank you Shannon for providing a perfect retreat for our vacation.

Owner response:Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We hope to see you again in the future!!

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high quality

Guest: jean-marc (Paris, France)
Date of Stay: 04/10/11 Review Submitted: 04/30/11

We spend just a few day in this house but we enjoyed our stay a lot. Everything is of high quality, the equipment, decoration, location (block from the beach, great for kids). Jut to notice that if you come at 6 people some of you will have to sleep in the living room on the sofa which contain a double bed.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

An exquisite property

Guest: Laurie Bernstein (Swarthmore, PA/USA)
Date of Stay: 01/04/11 Review Submitted: 01/13/11

I stayed in this house from January 4-11, 2011, and was delighted with every aspect of my experience. The location was perfect: we were one block from the beach and could hear the waves from the front porch. We were also as close to Capitola as we were Santa Cruz, and so had the benefit of both fantastic areas. The house itself was as advertised and, indeed, looked exactly like the pictures on the site. I slept in the master bedroom, which meant the always-ready hot tub was just outside my door and that the spacious, luxurious bathroom with the stall shower - all glass and stone - was all mine. Like the other bedroom, it had a flat-screen TV (which made three altogether). My son used the second bedroom and the other, equally opulent bathroom. The beds were comfortable and there was plenty of room in the closets and drawers for our things. As for the living room and kitchen, they were not only elegant but (if I can resort to a cliche) "user friendly." I was able to plug my iPod into the entertainment system, as well as watch TV (including HBO and Starz) and DVDs. I invited two local friends for dinner one night and found everything I could possibly need to entertain guests: wine goblets, kitchen tools, nice plates and silverware. We grilled salmon on the outdoor grill and used the six-burner Wolf stove for pasta and sauce. In other words, it was easy to feel at home here (albeit in a home eligible for a spread in "Architectural Digest"). I would go back in a minute.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Even Nicer Than The Pictures

Guest: Kel and Cos (Paradise, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/04/10

The home is absolutely beautiful and the owners keep everything in excellent condition. The location is perfect. We loved the local beach. It is only steps away and doesn't get too crowded. I think my favorite thing about this home is all the wonderful ammenities included. I really appreciated not only having plenty of dishes, bath towels, beach towels, pillows, blankets etc., but also that everything was very nice quality. Having extra ammenities included like the coffee and teas and the shower items is a really nice touch.

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Incredible house ... best rental ever!

Guest: SCDreamin (Davis, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/18/10 Review Submitted: 05/22/10

This house is breathtakingly beautiful, and the owners have put such thought and detail into making your stay wonderful. The kitchen was dreamy and came stocked with organic coffee and sugar, which we thought was a nice touch. The bathrooms were equally gorgeous and even had our favorite Aveda products! And the jacuzzi just put this over the top. The beach was steps away and was a lovely, uncrowded stretch of sand with some cliffs for tidepooling—my son's favorite activity. There were also sand toys waiting for him, and the house, while impeccable, was still quite kid-friendly. We came during the off season (IMO there is no bad time to come to Santa Cruz) and thought this house was a real value, considering everything you get. We can't wait to come back.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, families with young children.

Above All Expectations

Guest: NY_Beachlover (Endicott, NY USA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/09 Review Submitted: 07/09/09

My family was totally delighted! This beautiful home was was far above our expectations! The Demmas' have done an absolutely exquisite job with the layout and decorating! The kitchen and bathrooms really were gorgeous—it was like we were in a spa!! The kitchen was a gourmet chef's dream! It was well-equipped with everything we needed! Most of the non-perishable items needed were supplied, which was a great help! We spent mornings on the front patio, enjoying the sunshine and ocean views. The beach is only a few steps away, and was a pet-friendly and clean beach. We would recommend this beautiful home to anyone considering a stay in Santa Cruz!! Next time we're in town, we're definitely going to book it again!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Surpassed all expectations!!!

Guest: Toni and Vince (Reno, NV)
Date of Stay: 04/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/24/09

First of all, the pictures do not do it justice! The kitchen is a chef's dream with everything needed to whip up a gourmet meal. We went to the local Farmer's market and got fresh organic veggies and seafood that went great with the vegan wine that was graciously left for us by our wonderful hosts!! The beds were so comfy with the luxury linens and all of the spa quality bath products-it far surpassed all of our expectations! It is also equipped with a top of the line sound system so it is like your own personal movie theater. The Demmas have truly thought of everything! The location was ideal with ocean views from the front windows and a front porch to sit with morning coffee or reading a book in the afternoon. We could walk around the corner to a beautiful dog friendly beach and everyone we encountered was so genuine and nice. The outdoor hot shower was my husbands favorite for after the beach rinsing before hopping into the jacuzziIt is very convenient and centrally located between the Boardwalk and Capitola (such a quaint little village). We were there on a house hunting trip as well as a mini vacation and the Demmas were so helpful to us in their recommendations. WE could not have asked for a better experience!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.