Christmas Break in Manhattan Beach

Guest: FamilyVacation (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 12/25/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

This was the second time our family of 5 stayed in this house. On both trips we have had an unbelievable time (summer and winter) - we all agree that the time spent here has been some of our best vacation time. The place is perfect for a family (we have 3 teenage daughters). Between hanging at the beach, riding/biking on the Strand, or walking into town, there was never a shortage of fun. The added bonus of having bikes and surf boards to use made it even better! Do not hesitate to rent this house! (Plus the owners are great too!)

Owner response:We enjoy having families here. Phil has even given SUP lessons (stand up paddling) to a few of our guests who were interested in trying this new and very popular ocean sport.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+.

The best value in Manhattan Beach!

Guest: Outdoor Vacationeer (North Dakota)
Date of Stay: 10/18/11 Review Submitted: 10/30/11

We stayed at this property from October 18-25, 2011 and it met all our expectations and more. The location is great - easy enough to walk to both the Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach Pier and only a few houses from the beach. We loved having a garage and utilized the laundry facilities as well. The grill was great for cooking up some of the great selections at Manhattan Meats, which is only a few blocks away. The house is very large and we found everything clean and in working order. Kitchen is fully stocked as are the bathrooms. Internet was included and we found it reliable and fast. For me, the best thing about the property is the access to the bikes and boards. Phil even took us out stand up paddle surfing to get our bearings on the first morning. As I am very tall and uncoordinated I found it difficult at first but got the hand of it by the second day. The rest of the week we alternated between the surf boards, boogie boards and stand up paddle boards. It was so convenient to grab a board and walk straight down to the beach, then come back up and rinse off with the hose by the garage. Another thing to keep in mind is that this property is centrally located between the big tourist draws around Los Angeles. It only takes about 45 minutes to get to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, Hollywood etc. As far as local recommendations other than the previously mentioned Manhattan Meats, Bill's Pancakes has a great selection and is very reasonably prices for the area. Also loved the pizza at Manhattan Pizzaria off the pier (you might see the owner's 150 pound dog Champ hanging out on the sidewalk). When you arrive stop at a nearby Ralph's grocery to stock up, the Von's is a little spendy. Our family loved this property and hope to stay there again. I researched dozens of similar properties and am confident you won't find a better value. Don't even THINK about staying at a hotel in the area which after parking and internet fees will cost you more for far less space and amenities.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

Boston visiters loved Manhattan Beach stay

Guest: Margaret (Boston)
Date of Stay: 04/15/11 Review Submitted: 05/23/11

We had a wonderful stay at this Manhattan Beach property. Phil was always available to answer questions and to let us in when we accidentally locked ourselves out. The apartment is clean, comfortable and provided for every need (beach chairs and towels, bikes for rides along the Strand). We loved the town of Manhattan Beach and the actual beach/ocean (1 block away with great ocean views from the apartment!) We would love to come back to this property.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, girls getaway.

USC grad

Guest: USC grad (Wilmington, DE)
Date of Stay: 05/11/11 Review Submitted: 05/21/11

Fantastic place, spacious, comfortable, and awesome views. Location to beach and shops ... great! Phil and Mica, warm, friendly owners...helped make our stay sooooo enjoyable!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, families with teenagers, sightseeing, girls getaway.

Business stay was relaxing

Guest: TP (Milwaukee, WI )
Date of Stay: 01/10/11 Review Submitted: 03/06/11

A business friend and I rented this house for 2 weeks while we were working in Manhattan Beach. The location was perfect, less than 5 minutes from our office. We were also able to walk to downtown Manhattan Beach when we had dinners. The owners also furnished us with bikes so we rode several times to Hermosa for exercise and breakfast. We were a very short walk (about 6 houses) to the strand where we would run every day and you can go miles in either direction. A real bonus to this property is the parking which a lot of similar places dont have. Street parking can be tough in this area so having a driveway to park in is HUGE. The house itself has a great layout and was very clean. We loved having two decks to sit on so we could watch the sunset at night. The kitchen was very big and the family room was just right for watching TV or the stereo. We also had great luck with the WI-FI as we have had struggles at other rentals in the area with consistent service. Would love to rent again as we come here 2 to 4 times a year.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

Fantastic Family Gathering at the Beach

Guest: Sandy (Cleveland ,Ohio)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

I highly recommend this vacation rental. It was the perfect place for our family to gather for the holidays. The pictures are very accurate for this beautiful, spacious unit, and everything we needed was included to accommodate our needs for six adults. The kitchen is well-stocked with essentials and extras to make it easy to cook for eating in. We found the Whole Foods Grocery Store to be rather easy to get to and a good place to get groceries or prepared foods. We also liked being able to walk into town to the shops and restaurants. We enjoyed the Brew Pub one evening and Hennessey's restaurant another night. Other restaurants we liked for lunch were the Counter and The Islands in El Segundo. We also enjoyed just walking on the Strand and the beautiful sunsets from the deck. A visit to Santa Monica Pier is always fun and the Getty Museum and the Griffith Observatory are great day trips. Thanks to Phil and Mica for having everything in order for us. We hope to return in the future.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+.

Guest: Jen, Christie and Alex (Australia) (-)
Date of Stay: 09/17/10 Review Submitted: 11/06/10

Thanks so much for a lovely stay, the apartment was fabulous. It was huge really, so comfortable for the three of us and delightful for entertaining, too. 1) There were so many little things left that made me feel really welcome. Like the coffee in the fridge, the sunscreen, the paper towels, the cooking oil, the shampoo. It’s a hard line to know what is ‘junk’ and what people will need, but those things really helped. I rented an apartment last year that had one toilet paper roll and no coffee, and it was hard to get off a plane and have to go shopping for absolutely everything. 2) Loved the roses in the yard, I picked them and put them inside all the time. 3) Thanks for getting the Internet working from long distance. I still had to work so that was vital for me. (*note from owner: we were out of town and the Internet went down due to rainy weather, and we arranged to get it up and running again from across the country). 4) The bikes and boards were great. Well, we didn’t use the boards but we did use the bikes (first time I’ve ridden one in 10 years) and that was very useful indeed. Thank you, Mica and Phil!

Recommended for:

Best Vacation

Guest: Erin (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 06/24/10

I highly recommend this property. The property was wonderful and very clean but just as important it was a great location with beautiful views and easy access to the beach and the airport. The owners were very helpful and easy to work with before arriving and provided everything we needed. We really enjoyed seeing all the touristy sites, shopping, the beach and bike riding as well as doing scenic drives.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

Wonderful Beach Retreat

Guest: Family from Potomac, MD (Washington DC area)
Date of Stay: 06/02/10 Review Submitted: 06/14/10

My family had a fantastic vacation and the location was perfect for us. My daughters loved walking to the nearby shops and boutiques and we all walked to the coffee shops each morning. An added bonus was the availability of bikes so all of us were able to ride into Hermosa and Redondo Beach - lots of fun! I certainly recommend this condo because it was spacious and our family had ample room to spread out and not feel on top of one another. Phil and Mica were lovely and helpful with our questions.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers.

The Perfect Beach Experience

Guest: K and P from NYC (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 05/21/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

We stayed for 11 days and didn't want to leave. Mica and Phil have set up the house so that you walk in and immediately feel at home -- every convenience, including wifi and well equipped kitchen. It is a great location. Just close enough to the beach (and with a beautiful ocean view) but a few blocks away so that you have a sense of privacy. Walk into town for restaurants, shops and yoga. Another important feature, two parking spaces -- one in the garage and one outside. Street parking is impossible in Manhattan Beach. We enjoyed bike rides up and down the Strand and up to Palos Verdes. Luckily we have family in the area so we have an excuse to come back.

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