Vacation Rentals by Owner

Mission Bay Hideaway

Guest: Mike B. (Northern Ohio)
Date of Stay: 04/06/12 Review Submitted: 04/12/12

Never been to San Diego before and liked how centrally located we were. Everything we did was only 10-15 minute car ride. The beaches are much closer than I realized. Mission Bay is seconds away while the Pacific Ocean is only a few minutes. The furnishings were comfortable--the beds and pillows especially. Parking is premium and nice to have a spot. We have no reservations about recommending this place to anyone.

Owner response:We thank Mike for his kind comments about our Mission Bay Hideaway. He highlights some of the things in which we take great pride and are pleased to provide to our guests. Over the years, we have been fortunate to meet some wonderful families from all over the world, and several have returned year after year. We look forward to Mike and his family returning soon as well.

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Spring break San Diego/Mission Beach

Guest: Texas traveler (Fort Worth Texas)
Date of Stay: 03/17/12 Review Submitted: 03/22/12

Clean cozy property with owners on site. At first we only had one set of keys for 4 adults, but that was fixed. The WIFI was not very dependable although they tried to get it up and running. It was a little hard to figure out how to find the property initially, but easy after we found it the first time. Parking was extremely tight, but characteristic of the neighborhood in general and not this property alone. Great beach access to both the bay and the ocean. Just wish the weather had been warmer while we were there. Really don't recommend spring break in San Diego - next time we will have to plan a summer trip.

Owner response:We enjoyed having Maureen & her family. Unfortunately, the weather went cold & rainy for a couple of days. We always provide 2 sets of keys for visitors, with a Ralph's discount card on the key chain. Things got confused the night Maureen arrived and the second set was provided the next day. Both WiFi and High Def TV come from ATT Uverse, which is great normally, since 4 different TV channels can be watched or taped at the same time. Occasionally, the ATT Modem has to be rebooted to reacquire the WiFi or TV; however, this is few and far between. To assist first time visitors, we'll be updating the directions on our FAQ Flyer to make it easier to find our Mission Bay Hideaway.

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

Dennis & Carol (Iowa)

Guest: Dennis (cedar rapids, iowa 52402)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 02/24/12

We had the pleasure of staying here Jan & Feb of 2012. The only downside is the parking and I agree with the recomendation of a mid-sized car (MAX). That being said, after you park the car, you are within walking distance of (almost) everything. [starbucks, grocery store (the RALPHS cards save you TONS), Mission Beach walkway, the Boardwalk on the ocean and restaurants & bars too numerous to mention. The owners are friendly & prompt when needed but otherwise not noticeable. The accomodations were as advertised and everything was in good working order. We grilled out on numerous occasions. We like the location, because not a lot of people walking by (like on ocean or bay front) but near these activities. Owners supplied bed rails and stroller for our visiting grandson and we used the stroller at Sea World. I would definitely recommend this unit to anyone considering Mission Beach/Bay

Owner response:We loved having Dennis & Carol stay with us and eagerly await their next visit. We enjoy providing the extra items for children, and this has saved time and expense for many travellers with toddlers. As they have statetd, our Mission Bay Hideaway offers privacy and separation from traffic, while also being close to all of the amenities Mission Beach offers. Parking in the Beach area is a battle for everyone,and we've done our best to remove all obstacles, including moving the gas meters this past year. A midsize car is ideal; however,we've had large cars & pickups park here-It just takes extra care when backing into the spot. Sincerely, Bill & Calina

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

Very clean,there's nothing that we can say we didn't like

Guest: Fito (South Lake Tahoe CA)
Date of Stay: 11/29/11 Review Submitted: 12/13/11

Perfect for my wife and two kids, near all the spots that you want to go to in San Diego,and the price is the best. The owners are very acomodating,they are there to help you with all your needs,the parking wont be a problem,you'll get the hang of it. Mission bay is beautiful and fun to explore. This property has everything that you need and more.

Owner response:We enjoyed hosting Rodolfo & his family and hope they hurry back. We were able to provide them 2 car seats, a stroller, and high chair for their two little ones, and had a porta crib available if they chose to use it. They were also able to use these items for a side trip to Disneyland over a weekend. It gives us a warm feeling to be able to help our tenants save time & money by not having to transport these items.

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

Family vacation with little ones!

Guest: CelesteA (Woodland, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/10/11 Review Submitted: 09/21/11

We stayed here in mid September with our two kids ages 2 and 4. The location is outstanding because it is right next to Mission Bay and across the street from Mission Beach. It is also a great location for going to the zoo, SeaWorld and Legoland. The apartment itself was perfect for our little family. The owners are more than accommodating and welcoming to make the stay wonderful. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to spend time in San Diego and can't wait to go back and visit beautiful San Diego.

Owner response:We greatly appreciate these kind words and hope that Celeste & Family hurry back to our Mission Bay Hideaway. Over the years we have added several items for small children, such as portacrib, high chair, stroller, car seat, baby bjorn, & side rail for bed. We also have a small child's bike. These items come in handy for our young family visitors and save them some on airline fees.

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

Iowa Navy family

Guest: Chuck and Rosemary (Iowa)
Date of Stay: 03/21/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

This place worked out very good for us; five adults - mom and dad and 3 adult children. Bill is around to help if you need him, but he leaves you alone for your privacy. We will definitely come back if we need to go to San Diego again.

Owner response:We felt privileged to have Chuck, Rosemary & their family stay in our Mission Bay Hideaway. It was especially great for Bill, as an old Navy retiree, to meet and share experiences with their son, who was on leave from the aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, just back fom the Persian Gulf. It brought back memories of his days on the carrier, Shangri-La, during the Vietnam war. We look forward to having the whole family back sometime very soon. Sincerely, Bill & Calina

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great Location!!!

Guest: Colleen, Chris, Christian & Chase (Morinville, Alberta Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/18/10 Review Submitted: 05/06/10

Our family had a great time staying at the Mission Bay Hideaway, it was so close to everything and you pretty much had the ocean at your door. I'm so glad we also had access to the bay because the weather was not great, but we could still take the kids to the beach and out of the wind. It was pretty quiet and nice and clean. The only down side for our family was that it is not to appropriate for a baby who has just started crawling with all the ceramic tile and an updated high chair would have been better. The listing description is pretty accurate-the beds are very comfortable. One tip I would give anyone staying here make sure you get a mid to small size rental car, we got a 7 seater Jeep and it was a VERY tight squeeze.

Owner response:We truly enjoyed having Colleen and her family stay at our Mission Bay Hideaway. It's always great to see our visitors enjoy themselves in Mission Bay and take advantage of all the fun things to do in San Diego. Regarding the parking, a mid-size car is recommended; and if a larger car is needed, we have worked out an arrangement with our neighbor to use his large space in exchange for our side-of-the-house space.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Excellent

Guest: NJKate (Northern NJ)
Date of Stay: 12/25/09 Review Submitted: 01/04/10

When I first came across this rental I was slightly hesitant about owners residing upstairs, you would never even know they were there, but they were available if you had a problem. Gave us an over veiw of where things were, how to operate garbage disposal etc and were gone. Unit is very clean & neat, close to everything. The photos in listing are very accurate, no suprises. What you see in photos is what you get. Only downside is parking is very tight, my husband decided to upgrade his car rental to a Lincoln town car...very tight to park, so if you can make do with a full size car like the size of an Impala or smaller you will be fine. . After long days of sight seeing it was a pleasure to come back here, grill some dinner, throw some clothes in the washer & sit outside & relax with a glass of wine. Oh that was a huge plus not to come home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes. This unit is excellent and I would not hesitate to recommend to family & friends. I would not hesitate to rent again on my next visit.

Owner response:We loved having Rich & Kate stay at our Mission Bay Hideaway and hope that they hurry back really soon. Bill especially enjoyed reminiscing with Rich about their days in the Navy - both had been on aircraft carriers deployed to Vietnam in the late 60's. As for the parking - everyone in the beach areas in San Diego vie for each inch of parking space. The space on the side of our house for the rental is actually quite roomy when our neighbor remembers not to crowd us with his large van. This will automatically improve in the very near future since he's in the process of selling the van and moving back east. We also have an arrangement with our neighbor, Hank, 2 doors down, on the corner lot, to swap parking spaces with our tenants, and let them use his large parking space when they have a large vehicle that needs extra room.

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

Guest: David & Lois Walker (Chandler, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 08/07/09 Review Submitted: 08/07/09

We spent a week in July in Bill and Calina's Mission Bay Hideaway. What a perfect house for our family. We have 2 adults and 2 boys ages 15 and 10 who loved fishing on the bay and boogie boarding at the beach. Bill and Calina were so welcoming and made us feel like we were right at home. We loved everything about this place!! We have already made plans to return next year!!!

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Guest: Lana and Boris May (Baltimore, MD)
Date of Stay: 06/02/09 Review Submitted: 06/02/09

We spent ten fabulous days with our son, his wife, and their 16-month son at Mission Bay Hideaway at the end of May 2009. Everything was perfect - -Location - one minute away from the sand but very quiet -The beautifully decorated house spacious enough for 4 adults and a baby -Firm and very comfortable mattresses -Fully-equipped kitchen -Fast and stable wireless internet connection -TV channel selection beyond any imagination -Proximity to Sea World (which allowed us to take a break for a nap in the middle of the day and return back for evening shows) But most useful and impressive was the spectacular yard - while we were cooking, preparing for the beach or daily trips, our toddler was safe there enjoying the fountain, flowers, and lots of toys. We are looking forward to returning to Bill's and Calina's place soon.

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Ten Fabulous Days At Mission Bay Hideaway

Guest: Boris & Svetlana May and Family
Date of Stay: 05/21/09 Review Submitted: 01/14/10

We spent ten fabulous days with our son, his wife, and their 16-month son at Mission Bay Hideaway at the end of May 2009. Everything was perfect - -Location - one minute away from the sand but very quiet -The beautifully decorated house spacious enough for 4 adults and a baby -Firm and very comfortable mattresses -Fully-equipped kitchen -Fast and stable wireless internet connection -TV channel selection beyond any imagination -Proximity to Sea World (which allowed us to take a break for a nap in the middle of the day and return back for evening shows) But most useful and impressive was the spectacular yard - while we were cooking, preparing for the beach or daily trips, our toddler was safe there enjoying the fountain, flowers, and lots of toys. We are looking forward to returning to Bill's and Calina's place soon.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Bob L. (Vancouver, B.C.)
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/01/09

Our family which included 2 small boys aged 3 and 4 years stayed at the Mission Bay Hideway for one week in January, 2009. Bill and Calina were excellent hosts. They were very friendly and helpful. The aprtment is very well laid out, comfortable, and a great place to stay. It is steps in either direction to the Bay or the Ocean and very close to Sea World and the sights and sounds of San Diego. Our children did not want to leave when we had to go and refer to it as our San Diego home. Will will go back again and highly recommend the Mission Bay Hideaway for anyone looking to stay in the San Diego area. Bob, Catherine, Ben, and Graham

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Bob & Catherine and Their 2 Young Boys

Guest: Bob Lee & Catherine Crockett
Date of Stay: 01/18/09 Review Submitted: 01/14/10

Our family which included 2 small boys aged 3 and 4 years stayed at the Mission Bay Hideway for one week in January, 2009. Bill and Calina were excellent hosts. They were very friendly and helpful. The aprtment is very well laid out, comfortable, and a great place to stay. It is steps in either direction to the Bay or the Ocean and very close to Sea World and the sights and sounds of San Diego. Our children did not want to leave when we had to go and refer to it as our San Diego home. Will will go back again and highly recommend the Mission Bay Hideaway for anyone looking to stay in the San Diego area. Bob, Catherine, Ben, and Graham

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Guest: Patti Dubner & Family
Date of Stay: 08/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/18/08

Entering Guest Comment from October 2004 from earlier guest book. 10/09/04 N/A Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner: Dear Calina & Bill, Thank you for letting me have "a home away from home" due to the hurricane in Florida on such short notice! As always, I as well as my family enjoyed your beautiful apartment. My grandchildren said "they love Calina & Bill's house." While we enjoyed Sea World, Museums, Flea Market & La Jolla, I also looked for a new home. Thank you for the use of your fax machine & for the wonderful dinner at P.F. Changs. Once I'm settled in my new home in Poway I will give you both a call. Many thanks for your kindness & hospitality. I sincerely appreciate it. Warm regards. Patti, Rick, Amie, Shaun, Ericka & Kyle. Patti Dubner & Family Florida

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Guest: Raul Martinez & Family
Date of Stay: 08/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/18/08

Pasting Comments received in earlier year from old guestbook. 11/25/05 N/A Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner: “Bill & Calina - What a pleasant surprise! This was our first experience with renting over the internet, and we hit gold. Your home is just wonderful. We spent a great week .. Thanks for all your help, getting around, discount coupons and eating in San Diego - Hope to see you soon - Raul, Pat, Chris, Vicky & Melissa. Raul Martinez & FamilyVirgina

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Guest: Marci Malecosky
Date of Stay: 08/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/18/08

Entering Guest Comments from earlier Guest Book04/02/04 N/A Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner: “This place was ‘PERFECT’ for our Spring vacation! It was a lot nicer than we had imagined, from the outside to the comfortable furnishings inside. We loved the fireplace, grill, quality faucets, the compactor, and the most comfortable beds! … We went to Tijuana, Kobey’s Swap Meet, the Zoo, Sea World, Belmont Park, and lots of time on the Beach! There is still so much we want to do and see, so we will be visiting again and hope we can once again share your home. Marci, Charlene, Rachel & Chuck Illinois

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Guest: Alison & Geoff Brown & Family
Date of Stay: 08/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/18/08

04/09/04 N/A Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner: “Dear Calina & Bill, Thank you again for making our stay here so great. The guest house is just perfect, a home away from home. You have thought of everything. Your kindness & hospitality has been great. Being able to walk to the beach & the bay is so easy and convenient.” Alison,Geoff,Sarah,Caleb&RachelQueensland, Australia

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Guest: The Scotts
Date of Stay: 08/19/08 Review Submitted: 08/18/08

Entering Guest Comment from August '05 from earlier guestbook08/13/05 N/A Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner: “Calina and Bill, Many thanks for a wonderful stay at your ‘Mission Bay Hideaway’ – Very inviting and warm, just like home! We will definitely be back – hopefully for a 2 week stay in the future. Appreciate the use of the beach chairs & Boogie Boards - what fun the kids had in the waves w/those! Cheers! The Scotts - Diane, Don, Allyson, Jefferson, Carmichael, CA” The ScottsCarmichael, CA

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/14/08

We gave one on our employees a stay at Bill & Calina's Mission Bay Hideaway and what a treat for everyone. The the Hideaway perfect, convenient to lots of beach/bay activities,shopping, restaurants and entertainment. The Eckert's were great to work with - reservations, changing reservations, directions, early check-in,they were GREAT!! Tom & Ginger

Owner response:It was great working with Ginger to arrange the rental for her employees and even more enjoyable getting to meet and get to know them.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/12/08

We enjoyed a wonderful time in this comfortable and attractive condo. My son and I had our own separate bathrooms and bedrooms, and most important, our own TVs and VCRs. It could accomodate very different tastes in our viewing habits . Bill, the owner, was very helpful to us when we needed anything. He provided good information for where we could find our supplies for the week, and loaned us DVDs to watch. We were just a few steps from the bay where we went for nice walks each evening after our busy days at the local attractions like the zoo and Sea World, which were just minutes away. We felt very comfortable in this nicely secluded, but convenient, location. The kitchen had everything we needed for cooking and we could choose to eat outside on the patio or at the nice dining area inside. If we felt like going out there were good places to eat nearby. When friends came over there was plenty of room for all of us. We're planning on coming back here again soon. It was perfect for us.

Owner response:We loved having Lynda & Joe stay with us, and hope they return really soon. Sincerely, Bill & Calina

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/02/08

We had a delightful time during our stay in San Diego and the Mission By Hideaway was perfect! Great location and our hosts, Bill and Colena, could not have shown us more hospitality! We really did feel like we were at our own little "home away from home". Would stay here again in a heartbeat! Thank you for everything.

Owner response:Karen, Louis, Larry & Dee were great fun to visit with and share some wine. Can't wait for them to return. Sincerely, Bill & Calina

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/07 Review Submitted: 01/13/07

We enjoyed our stay at the Mission Bay Hideaway during the 2006 Christmas Holidays. It is a terrific location between the ocean and bay in a cute neighborhood. A quick walk took us to restaurants, shops and a grocery store. It was an easy drive to Seaworld, La Jolla, and downtown San Diego. The house was very comfortable and had everything we needed. We loved the bicycles for riding around the bay and on the boardwalk at Mission Beach. The fireplace was wonderful on the cool mornings in December. It was a pleasure to meet the owners who were delightful and accommodating. Wish we could have stayed longer!

Owner response:We loved having the Hoffman family here and want them to hurry back.

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