Vacation Rentals by Owner

VERY disappointing

Guest: Emer (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 04/07/12 Review Submitted: 04/13/12

I was very disappointed with this vacation rental. I expected that it would be luxurious and would have all the amenities from its description and it's high price. Instead, it was not clean, it was cluttered and did not contain everything promised. The owner needs to carry out some maintenance, for example, the sliding doors do not lock, the master shower has no door or curtain and so "floods" the bathroom, the knobs on the toaster oven were broken. and numerous other things that show that the home is not cared for properly. The kitchen was dirty, the floor had not even been swept and I found an empty beer bottle under the master bed. The fresh fruit bowl promised consisted of 2 bruised apples, the promised robes and toiletries were not there at all. I believe that it had not been cleaned properly after the previous guests, if at all. This was not my idea of a luxurious, relaxing vacation home and I would not return,

Owner response:I am so sorry these guests had this experience. We have a new cleaning crew and it sounds like they did not do a good job. As to the things mentioned, I have to say that we have bars for the tracks on the sliding doors (even though the only way anyone could get in would be to swim in or by boat). The master shower is not designed to have a curtain and no one has every complained before. I know the robes and toiletries were there because I put them there myself so I don't know what this means. We have had 25 five star reviews and two bad ones. Why the two found it to be completely different I can't say. In this case however, I am sorry the crew didn't do a good job. We will replace any broken items right away.

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A perfect Christmas vacation!

Guest: Jo L.
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

My family from 88 yrs old to 5 yrs old had a wonderful Christmas in this unique home. My grandkids being greeted by the giant Santa on the deck was a memory they will never forget. This houseboat was better than a regular house in Sausalito because we didnt have steep hills for my father to deal with. My adult children road bikes up to Muir woods, across the bridge to San Fran, and took the kids out on the boat each morning. Day trip to Sonoma was so much fun & convenient. Cooking dinner at home & easy seating for 8 saved us lots of money & offered more quality family time than we have had in years. The best Christmas gift I could have ever given to my family.

Owner response:I am so happy that this group had a wonderful family Christmas and that our work in decorating the house for Christmas for their stay was such a hit.

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Great relaxing locale!

Guest: ladydoc (Lafayette, LA)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/24/11

We really enjoyed this floating home. We used it as a home base to visit both SF and points north of Sausalito--Muir Woods, Jelly Belly Factory and the Wine Country. I think what I enjoyed most was being able to come in at the end of the day, prepare dinner, and just be in such a relaxing setting. We enjoyed the rowboat as well. The massage chair was great! Susan was very responsive to our needs, and we were contacted after arriving to make sure that everything was well.

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

Fantastic experience!

Guest: Karyn (Chesapeake, VA)
Date of Stay: 06/03/11 Review Submitted: 06/24/11

My husband and I along with 3 other couples stayed here for 3 wonderful nights. It was a unique and fabulous experience. We did not want stay in a hotel because we wanted to be able to spend the evenings together and not crowd in one person's room. The houseboat was the perfect solution. The houseboat met our expectations and was everything your property listing said it was. The home was extremely clean; the comfort of the beds was excellent as were all the linens, etc. The kitchen was stocked with what we needed. The electronics and appliances were great and we had no trouble using them. We would definitely consider staying here again and will recommend it to our friends.

Owner response:Thanks to Karyn for this lovely review. We are always happy to hear that our guests have had a good time and found everything to their liking. We work very hard to make it all it can be and happy guests make it all worthwhile.

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

I would pass on this place

Guest: Rachel (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 04/22/11 Review Submitted: 05/06/11

The pictures look fantastic, but upon arrival you see that you are literally across the street from the highway. In fact, you can hear the hum of the highway and see the strip malls across the street. There's a giant "Best Buy" the peers at you fron the front window. The photo doesn't really show the highway or the mini malls but boy are they there. Once you get in, there's a strong smell of what we thought was cat urine. Apparently there have never been cats in the house, and the scent was chalked up to be a boat smell. You can't really smell it upstairs, but once you get downstairs, it's pretty bad. Although the pictures show flowing water, that wasn't the case for us. The tide comes in around 3pm and is fully filled by night, but in the mornings the water is drained. The house itself was confortable and the massage chair was great. There is a lot of clutter, but we moved stuff in closets. We were greeted by the house owner, who was wonderful, and the fresh flowers were a lovely touch. All and all, I would say find a house farther from the highway and one that doesn't smell like cat pee.

Owner response:I can't say what I would like to about this renter. Her review contains untrue statements that should be apparent if you go on to read our 20 or so five star ratings from unsolicited reviews from our renters. This renter sent us 20 emails before arrival; her credit card was declined 3 times for the deposit and twice for the balance. We may have to take legal action against this renter for intentional destruction of expensive equipment on the houseboat. There may be a revenge element in the writing and publishing of her statement. Our response to her comments: 1. As to the location, all the houseboats in Sausalito are near the highway, in fact, almost every building in Sausalito is too since the highway runs right through town.. Most of our guests consider the mall across the street a great convenience and despite this renter’s statement, it is clearly pictured on vrbo.com in a photo from the houseboat deck (please see photo #10 with the buildings shown above). Note that all of the houseboats are near this store/restaurant. 2. As to the cat smell, that must be a delusion. No cats have been anywhere near the houseboat, we shampoo the carpets twice a month and there is no smell nor has there ever been a complaint from anyone about any smells. 3. As to the tide - all the houseboats are in tidal water. It comes in and goes out twice a day at different times each day. It is also mentioned on our website for those who don't know there are tides in the Bay. Most people consider that a plus as the wildlife changes with the tide. 4. The house is not cluttered and looks exactly like the photos. There is a closet that is blocked and not for public use, (why she was looking in there is questionable) One of the bedrooms has a reading library recessed into the closet for our guests. I hope all reasonable people can see that some people can be dishonest and irresponsible.

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Great place for a womens getaway

Guest: Rad (Sunnyvale Ca)
Date of Stay: 04/08/11 Review Submitted: 04/14/11

We had a wonderful womens getaway on this beautiful houseboat. I would particularly like to acknowledge Martin who was willing to come over within seconds and help with whatever we needed, and always with a smile. We enjoyed everything from the fireplace, to the bread machine. The massage chair was heavenly! The location was very convenient. It is close to Muir woods and minutes from San Francisco. Thank you Susan for sharing your home with us.

Owner response:A review like this makes our day! Martin and Amarilin are our wonderful staff. We want our guests to have the kind of service they would expect in a four star hotel or resort - actually even better service. We are so happy Rad and her friends had a great time. We are very popular with girls getaways!

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

Pick this one!

Guest: Buffy (Jacksonville, FL)
Date of Stay: 07/15/10 Review Submitted: 07/23/10

You will not be disappointed if you choose to rent this beautiful houseboat. I celebrated my 50th birthday there with my sister, my friend (who was also celebrating her 50th) and her husband. We all were extremely impressed with the home. Jeff even wanted to marry the massage chair!

Owner response:It's people like Buffy that really make me feel like everything I have done to make it comfortable is worth it. To hear that people had a great time and loved the place really make me feel good. We keep someone on staff who is on call to help guests with any questions or needs they have, but every once in a while you get a review like "some plants on the deck were dead", or be suprised that a tidal bay is tidal etc and wonder why someone would let that spoil their vacation and post it in a review rather than contacting us or the staff. You can't please everyone, but the overwhelming amount of good reviews we have received are really appreciated.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Mixed Review

Guest: John (Denver)
Date of Stay: 07/06/10 Review Submitted: 07/21/10

We stayed here for 6 days in July. On the plus side, it's a great location for day trips to the city, Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, and Sonoma. The pictures are lovely, but the water is very shallow and when the tide goes out the houseboat is surrounded by mud! The outdoor deck/barbeque area was cluttered and half the outdoor plants were dead. The aquarium in the living room (no fish) is badly in need of cleaning.

Owner response:We would like to thank GRL, for his suggestions on how we can improve our accomodations. We try very hard to make sure everything is just right. I think this is reflected in all the other 15 extremely positive reviews. It is true that some of the plants on one of the decks had died. One of the guests, perhaps someone just previous to these guests, shut off the automatic drip system, so the plants suffered. They have now been replaced. I'm sorry she thought the deck was cluttered. It is very clean, but we have put out tables and many chairs so that when we have multiple guests, they all have somewhere to sit. Re the aquarium, the fish had just died so we emptied it and have not had a chance to remove it since we have been booked back to back. His only other negative comment was that sometimes the tide goes out and there is only mud. Most of the houseboats have the same situation. We are in a tidal area and the tide goes in, the tide goes out. Actually, many people enjoy this because when the tide is out, the giant egrets, seagulls and other birds put on a show. Again, thanks for the suggestions.

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Not somewhere that I would go back too, even if it's free.

Guest: wade and donna (San Ramon, Ca)
Date of Stay: 06/18/10 Review Submitted: 08/27/11

We use VRBO twice a year for family vacations and have always stayed at great places, I can not say the same about this place. The house boat is very cluttered and not safe for children. The kitchen is not clean, the pots and pans were so dirty we did not want to use them. The BBQ was out of propaine and was dirty, so in order to use it we had to go get propaine and clean it. Not what we expected to do on vacation. There was a fish tank not working with green water in the living room. The locations is bad, it's in shallow water so you sit in mud part of the day and the freeway is very close so sitting on the balcony was not enjoyable. Right across the parking lot is a area with very run down house boats. One of the nieghbors told us the owner lives in the house and stays in a office across the water and watches everything that goes on. We found this to be true when we got home and the owner wanted to bill us for coming before check in time. We had gotten there early, walked up and looked in the window, then went to a nearby resturant for lunch until check-time. We came back at check-in time and the house keeper was not done yet so we offer to wait outside but she said she was almost done and to come on in. When dealing with the owner on the phone she was very rude and made me feel so uncomfortable that I did not want to write this review until I changed my credit card number.

Owner response:Boy! When I read this review I was sure it must be a mistake and about another property. It is shocking to me since we have over 25 Five Star reviews from other past guests. Then I saw that this woman stayed with us more than a year ago. Who waits over a year to write a bad review? I can only guess that some people get angry or upset about something and vent by writing a bad review (we've had only two negative reviews out of hundreds of stays in the last 3 years.- all the others are 5 star;please read them to get the typical renters opinions) In response I can only say that it isn't cluttered. It looks exactly like the photos (see other reviews that confirm this) It is safe for children - we have literally had hundreds of children over the years and never one problem or complaint. The kids usually have a ball. There are no dangerous conditions other than, like all houseboats, it is on the water! I am sorry if the pots weren't clean. Perhaps the previous guests put them away dirty. Our cleaning service would have had no way to know. Sometimes previous guests forget to turn off the propane on the barbeque and it runs out overnight. We have a full time staff and when something is needed, not working, etc. Martin takes care of it immediately. All they had to do was call. That is one of the advantages of our nearby management office - service is as good or better than a hotel - not typical of most rentals. As to location, all the houseboats in the marina get shallow water twice a day when the tide goes out. San Francisco Bay is tidal. All houseboats here, all of Sausalito in fact, is near the freeway.This woman was offered an $80 discount to check in at 6pm instead of 3pm, however she arrived at 3pm and our housekeeper charged us extra for having to do the laundry off premises. Nevertheless, we gave this renter the $80 discount anyway. I am sorry she felt the need after a year and a half to say these things, but please look at our 25 Five Star Reviews and I think you will see that some people are just not happy about anything.It's just too bad that they are allowed to write untrue statements and get published for the world to see, damaging innocent people. I hope no one takes this one seriously.

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Fun for the Whole Family

Guest: GRL (Reno NV)
Date of Stay: 05/20/10 Review Submitted: 05/29/10

My sister, my son and his wife and little 2 year old and my other daughter and her boyfriend all enjoyed our wonderful Sausalito week-end. Our stay at the Houseboat was a highlight for sure! We all raved about the comfortable living room with its amazing massage chair and nice big TV! The kitchen was perfect size and had every gadget imaginable! We prepared a barbeque dinner and all sat around the nice big dining table and enjoyed each others' company! I would do it again for sure!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

lovely stay

Guest: AussieMichael (Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 04/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/08/10

Lovely environment - all the attributes of a lux hotel - very well setup - very luxious and comfortable. I really enjoyed my time at the houseboat - it is very comfortable and is a joy to stay in.

Owner response:We try very hard to make the environment a happy and memorable one. When we get unsolicited compliments like this one it makes it all worthwhile.

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

Guest: Calum
Date of Stay: 04/09/10 Review Submitted: 04/21/10

Dear Susan: We have had a lovely time staying in your houseboat and very much hope to return again at some time in the future. Thank you! Kind Regards, Calum

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FUN for the WHOLE FAMILY!!

Guest: Grace (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/01/11

What a wonderful place for a getaway!! It was pouring down rain when we arrived and the houseboat was such a unique and cozy haven to stay warm and dry. There was plenty of space for everyone: to cook, eat, play, relax and catch-up with one another. The fresh flowers and white wine on ice was a lovely touch and so appreciated. On the last day, the sun came out and we were able let the kids paddle around in the kyaks, plus take the kick boat out for a short ride. We all tried out the massage chair which was quite the luxury experience! Since we live in different cities, one north and one south, we don't get as much time as we'd like to spend together. This was the perfect plan to come together in a beautiful home to make lasting and fond memories together. We enjoyed Sausalito with its spectacular view of San Francisco which is just a short drive over the Golden Gate bridge. Thank you, Susan, Marty & Amarilin, for your kindness, hospitality and joyful spirit. We had a GREAT time!!

Owner response:We love renters like this family. We especially like the fact that they enjoyed the kitchen. We have set up the houseboat with a gourmet kitchen - everything we could think of to make a great family or friends dinner/get together. We have everything from an electric ice cream machine, bread machine - and even an electric potato peeler! We also provide fine china and crystal. We appreciate that guest like our staff so much. Marty is the go to guy. Anything that a guest needs answers or help with - Marty's number is right there with the answers and he is there in a flash if need be.. Amarilin runs the cleaning and supplies end. We want to make sure that guests have help at their fingertips so that they don't have to worry that they may be bothering the owner.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/06/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/10

Our stay in Sausalito was great. We had quick access to the coast and the Marin Farmer's Market. The house was terrific. We all enjoyed the massage chair and WII (first time!). The kitchen was well equipped and very functional. Highly recommend the house boat.

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It's a great location

Guest: Wendy
Date of Stay: 12/08/09 Review Submitted: 12/08/09

I would highly recommend staying here. It's a great location. The house is beautiful and comfortable with a really nice size kitchen. Everything you could need during your stay is here for you. The owner was so nice to work with and very responsive to my questions. Thank you for sharing your home with us

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Can't wait to return

Guest: Kasandra Jiminez
Date of Stay: 12/08/09 Review Submitted: 12/08/09

This was the perfect get-away for my family and my 2 sons' friends. Breakfast on the kitchen deck and fresh air blowing through the house from the marina was so relaxing. Loved the massage chair and jetted tub! Thanks for offering your home as a vacation rental. Can't wait to return!!

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Guest: Michael Corbitt (Livermore, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/05/09 Review Submitted: 10/05/09

I want to take a moment and thank Susan for the stay on her houseboat.This was one of the most unique and satisfying stays in my lifetime.I was with 4 of my brothers from around different parts of the country and we enjoyed every moment.From the incredible massage chair to the dock side motor boat you would be hard pressed to find a more comfortable , well designed and decorated overnight stay anywhere.Throw in world class spots to sight see and dine with in minutes of the house boat and you can see why we were so happy with the stay. Can't wait to bring my wife and another couple to stay again. Thanks again, Mike

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Guest: Loretta8 (Sacramento, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/01/09 Review Submitted: 09/01/09

WOW! What a wonderful experience! We stayed in this fabulous place for a 'girls weekend' to celebrate a friend's 40th bday and everyone had a blast! Took the boat out for a sunset cruise around the Sausalito Bay, used the BBQ for dinner one night, and were very impressed with all the special amenities and touches. Thanks Susan, this place is a class act!

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Guest: Kasandra Jimenez (Fresno, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

This was the perfect get-away for my family and my 2 sons' friends. Breakfast on the kitchen deck and fresh air blowing through the house from the marina was so relaxing. Loved the massage chair and jetted tub! Thanks for offering your home as a vacation rental. Can't wait to return!!

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Best Memory!

Guest: jessi (Oakland)
Date of Stay: 05/23/09 Review Submitted: 04/07/11

I got married two years ago at this property - and I will spend the rest of my life saving up to stay here again! It was a beautiful spot - beautiful home - and a perfect experience.

Owner response:The only thing even better than having nice guests is knowing that they liked it so much to post unsolicited reviews like this. I know that when I rent a vacation property, the reviews are the only way I feel confident that I am making a good choice!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Linda156 (Modesto, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/19/09 Review Submitted: 05/19/09

We had a great time visiting Sausalito and staying in your houseboat. What a luxurious place to stay. Everyone enjoyed the massage chair which relieved everyone's stress. Sleeping in the bed in the master bedroom was the best sleep I have ever had away from home. I highly recommend this place. Thank you for accomodating us.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/16/09

I would highly recommend staying here. It's a great location. The house is beautiful and comfortable with a really nice size kitchen. Everything you could need during your stay is here for you. The owner was so nice to work with and very responsive to my questions. Thank you for sharing your home with us.

Owner response:It is always nice to receive such good comments. We'd just like to add how great most of our guests are too!

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Guest: Perley
Date of Stay: 01/27/09 Review Submitted: 01/26/09

Guest comment was: "Everything was absolutely perfect; we had a wonderful time."

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Guest: S. Perry
Date of Stay: 11/12/08 Review Submitted: 11/11/08

Cool house; we enjoyed staying there. Also, we had great dinners at Sushi Ran and Fish. S. Perry(Note from Owner:)Per the guest opinion questionaire, the following (all catagories)were marked "Excellent", the highest ratingThe location The décor & furnishingsOverall comfortSupplies and amenities providedCleanlinessInformation providedHandling of you reservationThe Price/Value for the moneyComfort of the bedsCloset and drawer space

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Guest: Lance Hershman
Date of Stay: 10/12/08 Review Submitted: 10/11/08

I just wanted to thank you again for letting us stay at your houseboat this weekend. We enjoyed the champagne and basket of fruit. Our wedding was beautiful, especially with all the activity from Fleet Week happening. We took some pictures on the wooden pier with all the beautiful flowers. All of your neighbors walking by were very nice and congratulated us. We didn't have any problems with the parking at the marina...no one was towed or ticketed. Thank you again for accommodating us with the early check in and late checkout. Everything was perfect. Best Regards, Lance Hershman

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Guest: A. Smith
Date of Stay: 09/12/08 Review Submitted: 09/11/08

It is a great location and made me want to move there forever. As just one couple, the price is a bit high for a weekend but great nonetheless. Also, there is quite a bit of privacy on this dock as compared to others. Everything is first-rate from the bed to the television and stereo system. Susan, the owner was very generous – thank you for the delicious fruit and wine. It was the perfect way to kick-off a weekend. We’ll be back soon! A. Smith

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