Fantastic Family Getaway

Guest: Kat (St. Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 01/14/12 Review Submitted: 01/29/12

My family with two small children (ages 4 and 2) recently stayed here for a week. The description and pictures accurately reflected the house, its amenities and location. The house was very clean and well stocked. The owners were very responsive before and after our stay. It was perfect: off the beaten path (think Santa Cruz, Capitola, Monterey, Carmel, etc.) yet just a short drive to the more touristy places. The house is spacious and clean yet not pretentious. We relaxed while reading books, playing games, walking around the neighborhood, playing at the park just a few houses down, walking on the beach -- especially during sunset. There were sand toys for the kids. Though our kids were too young and the weather too cold to use them, there were boogie boards and skim boards. With very short drives, we had lunch in Moss Landing at Phil's, checked out the cement ship at Sea Cliff State Beach, had lunch on the Santa Cruz Wharf, road the rails at Roaring Camp Railroad, toured the Seymour Marine Discovery Center (a fraction of the cost of the Monterey Bay Aquarium!) and loved coming "home" to relax in the family friendly La Selva house. Being able to go grocery shopping and cook our own meals made this trip financially possible. I can't imagine staying at a hotel again. The house is very well stocked and has a wonderfully warm and comforting family vibe. We would recommend this house to our friends and family, and will definitely be returning -- hopefully soon!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Charming Beach Cottage!

Guest: CAHappy (East Bay, California)
Date of Stay: 08/24/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

My girlfriend and I brought our 4 kids and enjoyed this house for a 5-day vacation. The house has access to a private beach (5 min walk away), on a quiet winding road within walking distance to La Selva Beach's "downtown." This house has everything you need (other than perishables) to enjoy a quiet beach vacation. No wi-fi was a bonus since the kids remained engaged with us instead of their devices, and work could not find us on our vacation (LSB is surrounded by restaurants, stores, etc. all with free wi-fi if you are desperate to get connected during your stay). I was afraid the last person showering would have cold water, but the heat stayed hot and we were all happy. We took advantage of their boogie boards (we brought our own too), and brought our own as well. The house has a wonderful array of books to read and games to play. We enjoyed these immensely, especially when we were exhausted from playing in the water and on the beach. There are just enough beach towels & shower towels for their max number of guests, so if you think you might need more you should bring them. Kitchen is well stocked with all sorts of pots, pans, dishes, etc. Kitchen has no dishwasher or garbage disposal but even with 2 adults and 4 kids we had no problem with this. We all enjoyed our stay. Thank you very much!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Excellent base camp for family exploring the Monterey Bay area!

Guest: C. (Ann Arbor, MI)
Date of Stay: 08/02/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

The listing description is accurate, photos are not edited or embellished, property is clean and well-maintained, owner is very friendly and accommodating. We definitely recommend this property and would visit again. Laid-back, unpretentious coastal California community, with private beach, unspoiled from commercialization. The beach was amazing- vast and uncrowded. If you want to vacation and stay away from other tourists but far-enough-away from the attractions, this is a great place to be. Area points of interest: Capitola 15min north, Santa Cruz 20min north, Monterey 30min south, Carmel 35min south, 50min drive to Big Basin State Park to see big redwoods. At the house: Dining out requires driving somewhere as the community does not have a restaurant. Quality of food is leaps-and-bounds better near Monterey than Santa Cruz. We stocked up on breakfast and lunch groceries at Safeway and went out for dinner. Home has large back yard which makes a very challenging Bocce pitch. The rental rate is appropriate for the quality of furnishings within the home. Furnishings are as you would expect for a family vacation home- hand-me-downs from the primary residence. If the home was redecorated and had modern bedding and linens, the rental rate would be much higher. I recommend packing beach towels, wash cloths, and slippers. The beach towel supply was marginally sufficient for two adults and two small children. Only one bath washcloth was located. Slippers because it's a carpeted beach rental house. I would encourage the cleaners to proactively discard perishable refrigerated items between guest visits. Again, excellent location, large home, awesome beach, great value. My family very much enjoyed our getaway. We'd definitely rent this property again.

Owner response:Glad you enjoyed your visit! We'll be sure to provide additional beach towels and wash cloths, and we will remind the cleaning service to make sure that the refrigerator is definitely clean and clear of perishables between each visit. Thanks for letting us know!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.