Attention to Detail Needed

Guest: fishear (Central Valley)
Date of Stay: 11/10/11 Review Submitted: 01/19/12

I stayed at this house with 2 friends in November 2011. We were told we could get in early but when we arrived the housekeeper was there so we called the owner and she suggested we go out to lunch and come back. The first things we noticed upon our entrance was a body odor smell so we opened all the doors and windows to air it out. The second thing we noticed was that many pictures were missing from the walls and MANY closets were locked. We knew that pictures were missing because they left the nails on the walls. I can understand a couple closets being locked for the owners to keep their stuff in but there were so many locked doors! We loved being on the back porch. It is very nice and comfortable. The lights were pretty when we figured out how to turn them all on out there. They were in many outlets. I agree with another past reviewer that there should be a kyack or paddle boat to use while visiting. When were were able to get in, we picked our rooms. We each got one which was nice. The room near the front door is the darkest. Great for sleeping. There is a bedside table but no lamp. I had to move a lamp from the living room to read at night and not hurt myself getting out of bed just to turn off the ceiling light. The bathroom near the family room is VERY dark and dangerous when trying to get out of the shower. The toilet in there continually run and got very annoying that we just tried to remember to keep that door shut. The bedroom near the laundry room is too bright. The shades are too light. They keep no products in this house to help you out. They expect you to bring EVERYTHING. We had to run out for toilet paper, napkins and paper towels, dish and laundry detergent. There were cobwebs everywhere! This was mentioned in another review and since we actually saw the housecleaner there when we arrived, we were shocked as to how many cobwebs there were. The oven was wierd! We had to call the owner to ask how to open it. It is European and opens side but it was SO stuck from grease in the inners that it took 2 of us to pull it open. We were so afraid that we would break it. We wanted to use the fireplace. There were no notes as not to or if it was OK but the gas key was hidden behind a planter so we left it alone but it would have been nice to know if we could have. There is an "instruction binder" but really nothing in it that helps with the house. Mostly just menus and a few manuals for appliances. Patio heater is down 2 steps. Cant move.

Recommended for:

Nice House, poor communication

Guest: Dave (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 11/17/10

Let me start off with the compliments of the property: The house is very nice. Discovery Bay is a cute community not too far from the San Francisco Bay Area. We chose this property because it was close to the Central Valley and close to San Francisco and it was on the water. We were there during the World Cup and the 60" TV and BBQ were wonderful. The beds were all clean and very comfortable. The house layout was great for having the whole group together for meals and preparation. The game table was a fun bonus. Additionally, the doggie door came in handy! The "would have like to haves": A boat or kayak on the property so that would could have taken advantage of being right on the water. The house was sparsely stocked with some necessities e.g. dishwasher detergent, paper towels, it only had the toilet-paper that was on the dispensers when we arrived so we had to run to the store (which is very close by) for more. Also, the house had quite a bit of cobwebs inside and out - the house was very clean it just wasn't immaculate. Communications and Deposit: I had excellent communications with the property owner as I was shopping around. However once she had my money, it was much harder to get her to answer emails. When the responses did come, they were short and often uninformative. The lease agreement states that they had 6 weeks to return the deposit and it took every last day (and then some). I set a reminder in my calendar to notify me when 6 weeks was up because I had a feeling I would have to be proactive in reminding the owner to give me back the deposit. (I wonder how many forget - it just didn't feel like I was dealing with an honest business owner) Conclusion: If you follow my precautions on communication and supplies, I would definitely stay at this property. Remember to bring your own watercraft or rafts!

Owner response:We're sorry your experience was less than perfect. We take great pride in our home and do our best to make every tenant happy and comfortable. When you come back this summer we will make sure these issues are addressed.

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

Great Place, Thanks

Guest: Bill San Jose (San Jose)
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/19/10

My family and I had a wonderful time at this home. Everything we needed was there. Beautiful home as pictured, and quiet location. We will be back.

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

Guest: Carrie M. (Palo Alto, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/30/09 Review Submitted: 03/30/09

Beautiful home on a pretty, quiet cove. Kids loved the pac-man machine. We loved the nice kitchen, comfortable living and bedrooms and plenty of room for everyone. Dock and deck are first rate. House is close to restaurants and shopping. Fast water is a bit of trip, but worth it for the wonderful, east facing location and terrific house. Try the Steakhouse and Sports Bar down the street, you won't be disappointed.

Recommended for:

Guest: Califfolk (Nipomo, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/23/08 Review Submitted: 09/23/08

A wonderful home in a beautiful setting. We stayed for 5 days in Sept 08 and found everything just perfect. The home is in a great location.The only change I would make is having blinds on a couple windows. One bedroom needed a curtain that was not see through, and we would install drop down blinds over some windows on the East side (water side)because the sun makes it extremely bright in the early morning. Afternoon shade is excellent and the views were great. The huge entertainment set up was great for the evenings too. The owner was extremely helpful and we would certainly rent this home again.

Recommended for: