Vacation Rentals by Owner

spring 2012 renter

Guest: Kaye (Sonoma Ca)
Date of Stay: 03/25/12 Review Submitted: 03/30/12

Casa Lucia has been a long time favorite rental of ours, primarily because of it's location. Freezeout Road is set off the Russian River by maybe 40 feet and the windows in Casa Lucia afford a perfect riverscape view. We especially enjoy this home in the colder weather because it is so cozy and comfortable. The recent upgrades and cleanliness of the home have made it a premier Russian River rental, we feel. The local shops and restaurants, i.e. Cape Fear and Blue Heron, are wonderful and all within walking distance. We ventured up the coast to Ft. Ross, which is an interesting piece of California history. The 11 miles on scenic (and winding!!!) US Hwy 1, is about as much as we wanted to drive, so it's perfect. Watch out for cows, often on or crossing the highway and oblivious to traffic. Timber Cove Inn is a nice lunch spot, just another mile or so up the road. Also, the owner is very thorough and helpful in the renting process.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful Place, Lots to do, Wonderful People

Guest: Larry (Nevada City)
Date of Stay: 10/17/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

We loved staying at Casa Lucia. The house itself is very comfortable and cozy and the kitchen is very well equipped. We especially enjoyed being in the sun room with its view of the river and hillside across from us. The location is fantastic, being right on the river but just a few minutes from Goat Rock. Goat Rock is part of the Sonoma Coast State Park and there is a colony of seals at the mouth of the river. We were very happy with the bikes and kayaks for nearby adventures. There is great mountain biking just up Freezeout Rd. at the Austin Creek Park. On the river we saw lots of wildlife, including egrets, blue herons and seals! The hot tub and outdoor shower were wonderful. We also walked among the redwoods at Armstrong Woods and saw almost no other people while we were there. You will love staying here, too.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

An amazing honeymoon in Cali

Guest: colleen m. (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/11 Review Submitted: 06/05/11

I stayed at this Russian river vacation rental for 4 days for my honeymoon. My husband and I are from the east coast so we decided to break up the long flight to Hawaii by staying here for a couple of nights. Honestly I don't where to start because this property was just perfect and there is so much to do! We flew into San Franciso and rented a vehicle, we drove up in less than 2 hours. When you look at the house from the outside it looks like a tiny cottage in the middle of the woods. Boy was I wrong. It is spacious and situated on a lovely river with a beautiful green hillside accross the river. There is so much to do at the house with bikes, kayaks etc. We saw deer in the morning in the yard :) It was just breathtaking. The hottub was also a great addition. There is a little grocery store maybe 10 mins away where we stocked up on goodies. We rode the bikes to the little tavern/resteraunt that is 1.5/2 miles away. A great atmosphere and a great group of people. Everyone was soo nice! A women in there showed us a map and told us all the great things to do in the area! Where to see the seals, the champagne tasting, goat rock breach, armstrong redwoods etc. (all of this info is at the house too) I strongly recommends going to Korbel, the champagne tasting. Its short, sweet, free and a beautiful area! Driving along the pacific coast is a must! Goat rock beach is amazing, we even adventured as far as point reyes to see the elephant seals. Lots of cute seaside towns to visit. Its amazing because this rental does a great job making you feel that your are in the middle of no where when you are 10 mins away from the ocean, 20 mins away from the redwoods and 15mins away from the wineries! You really get to see everything. One of our favorite things was taking the kayak out on the river, I never seen so much wildlife in such a short period of time! The sunroom is great too, so warm and relaxing. Honestly, I didn't want to leave and it was better than Hawaii!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful serene environment!

Guest: shell (Los Angeles, California)
Date of Stay: 11/22/10 Review Submitted: 12/18/10

Spent Thanksgiving week along the Russian River. The weather was chilly, but Casa Lucia was toasty warm. The views in the early morning were spectacular, steam floated above the river. Great area to take walks. A delicious bakery with the best pastries is a short walk away. Easy access to the Sonoma and Napa wineries. Also short jaunt to the Pacific Ocean. Our grandchildren enjoyed romping on the large expanse of grass along the river. They also enjoyed the "new toys" at the Casa. We will certainly vacation at the Casa Lucia AGAIN!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

nice location

Guest: TravelIsReq (Lutz, Florida)
Date of Stay: 11/04/10 Review Submitted: 11/28/10

The location cannot be beat, however this house needs updated, especially the shower. For the amount charged,it could have been more modern in amenities. Nice owners.

Owner response:Surprise! New bathroom in January.

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Perfect place for a short or long vacation

Guest: Ansar (South Bay Area)
Date of Stay: 10/29/10 Review Submitted: 01/30/11

This is a perfect place for a "get-away-from-it-all" weekend and longer vacations. My wife and I have stayed at the Casa Lucia on several occassions over the past few years, last time being in October 2010, and infact, we planned to go there again this last weekend in January for her birthday. However, due to the owners renovating the bathroom, it was not available. The description, layout and ameneties described in the listing are totally on the mark. The house is very warm and welcoming, quiant, and has lots of personal touches. The place is clean, well-maintained, and has everything you need, and best of all, the view from the back porch is priceless. Sitting in the hottub under the stars was a blessing we'll always remember. There's a lot to do: hiking, kayaking, biking, eating, kickin it at the beach and more. This place is one of our favorite Northern California spots! We've recommended Casa Lucia to numerous friends and family members and some of them have succumbed to the bliss. Who will be next?

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Truly special

Guest: RogR (Oakland)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 07/13/10

I’ve traveled the world and this is one of my favorite places to relax, go for walks, play in the river, and enjoy the lovely views. The rooms are artistically appointed and the entire experience has been inspiring. I will surely return... and soon I hope.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfectly Relaxing Getaway for Young Family

Guest: Busy Mom (Pasadena, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/23/10

We have stayed at Casa Lucia two times and will definately try to go back again. The vista from the back patio across the Russian River is one of my favorite vacation memories, ever. We first visited three years ago when our twins were three years old. They loved splashing in the river and lolling about on the expansive lawn. This time, the six year olds enjoyed venturing out for a picnic in in the beautiful kayak provided by the house. The owners are very nice and helpful. The property is very charmingly decorated and the kitchen is well appointed for cooking, which we did almost every night we were there. My husband and I enjoyed soaking in the hot tub and watching the stars at night, and sitting on the porch and watching the mist floating just above the surface of the river in the early morning. We also enjoyed hiking from right out the front door to the Willow Creek trails through the redwoods to a great view of the Sonoma coast (too strenuous for young children). Our favorite family activities in the area are visiting Armstrong Redwoods State Park in Guerneville, any of the beaches in Sonoma Coast State Park, especialy Goat Beach, and driving up to Fort Ross. My husband and I have such fond memories of our two stays at Casa Lucia that we want to try to visit again every year.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A charming house in a stunning setting.

Guest: Will (Bay Area)
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 12/14/10

We received a weekend at Casa Lucia as a wedding present. It took us a while to finally get up there, but once we did, we couldn't believe it took us so long. The setting is absolutely stunning. The back deck with the hot tub is the perfect place to relax and soak in the gorgeous views. The house itself is full of charm and personal touches. The owners obviously put a lot of love into the place. We can't wait to go back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A beautiful place

Guest: DebbieA (Stockton, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 04/07/10

We stayed in this beautiful home over Easter and enjoyed the wonderful views and atmosphere. A peaceful and tranquil place with much to do nearby. Even though the weather didn't always cooperate with our plans, we were able to enjoy the beauty of the river and redwoods, and the home itself is just lovely. The owners made sure we had everything we needed and were very cooperative and helpful. Hope to return in the summer to enjoy the river and grounds to the fullest! P.S. the hot tub on the deck and gorgeous sun room were my favorite things!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Russian River retreat

Guest: Wazzup (Vancouver, WA)
Date of Stay: 10/17/08 Review Submitted: 10/28/08

The house was very nice, with a great view of the Russian River. It is very close to the coast, which was very beautiful, and the little towns along the river were quaint. It was a little ways north of San Francisco, and very close to Hiway 101. There were a number of wineries within a relatively short drive, and the Napa and Sonoma valleys were close by. We enjoyed ourselves very much.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/30/08

Dear Casa Lucia, I have stayed in various ocations under different circumstances. Your physical, and geographical beauty has always touched my heart.Such serenity, scenery,rolling hills, wild birds, grassy flat areas, the river.The house decor is so beautiful jet homey and inviting to just relax. This past fall I took my father who had come to visit from Colombia, when we open the front door he exclaimed in awe ," Of all the places we have visited,Sylvia...I would live in this one . I feel such peace that is hard to retun to South America". Thank you for such a cozy and conforting place. Sylvia and Enrique Salgado.

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Guest: anthea, ben, anastasia, mark
Date of Stay: 07/26/07 Review Submitted: 07/25/07

A brief note of thanks and gratitute. We truly enjoyed our stay here. From early monring coffee and bird watching to wonderfully peaceful hours catching no fish what so-ever, every moment was fantastic! Thank you for your hospitality

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Guest: tom,greg,westin,frank and ken
Date of Stay: 06/07/05 Review Submitted: 06/06/05

Greeetings to You, Your home provided us with a wonderful sanctuary from our usual trials and travails during our work week. ...a fantastic view of the river and adjacent hills..nearby redwoods are quite serene..The hot tub soothed our weary bodies. We slept comfortably at night..Quiet and peaceful here..thank you

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Guest: bruce, jaime, ian elias
Date of Stay: 09/24/03 Review Submitted: 09/23/03

Thank you "Casa Lucia" for a most fun, sweet and lovely week..your home was so comfortable, warm, open, airy and amazing view from any room. ..Took a moment to unwind from our hectic lives, but when we finally took a breath and embraced the riches of the river ...it felt divine. We loved spending time in the river room with the binoculars, music, deck and ofcourse the delicious hot tub..what more could one ask for...The lawn so beautiful and a fun to play on..our children played non-stop football, frisbee and tag. One even got stung by a bee on his foot (all was fine). The birds are amazing to watch..Every morning, 13 white American cranes would swim by as if to wish us a beautiful day..the herons, cormorants, turkey vultures, hawks and seagulls..the cute merganzers..all so fun! And the river--kayaks and canoing up and down the river..what a blast! From morning til night we enjoyed every moment and thank you for sharing your home. We also took day trips all around and even rode bikes to Duncans Mills farmer's market and bakery. We have made some wonderful memories here at Casa Lucia and hope to visit you again soon...and the Stars at night are spectacular! thank you

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Guest: debby, terrry, michael,nicole
Date of Stay: 11/10/02 Review Submitted: 11/09/02

Thank you so much for allowing us to enjoy your home. It has been a well needed weekend for our family. Relaxation, family time, beautiful river side scenery, a bit of hot tub time and most of all warmth and the feeling of comfort. Your open arms to us, allowing us to use your personal space has been special. We have made memories that will keep your home warm as well as our hearts and souls.

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