Vacation Rentals by Owner

Seal Beach getaway

Guest: Terry (Oregon)
Date of Stay: 04/23/12 Review Submitted: 05/10/12

A perfect location for a getaway. The guest house is close to the beach and has all the amenities needed for a restful vacation. Nearly everything is within walking distance (beach, surfing,shops,bars and restaurants) so hardly used the car after arrival. You would not think this was LA as the Town is so laid back and friendly. Seal Beach has many excellent restaurants covering all tastes. I liked Ruby's 50 style diner on the pier, Thai on Main, Pho and El Burrito. Particularly liked O'Malley's Irish bar. In fact there are 4 Irish bars to choose from. Our hosts gave us a comprehensive list of attractions (and some discount offers). The two things I enjoyed the most were a trip over to Catalina and a visit to San Diego Zoo. Also took a sailing lesson in Newport which was something I have always wanted to try. Once a month local astronomers set up telescopes on the lawn by the pier (weather permitting). Got to see Saturn's rings and some awesome close ups of the approaching full moon. Also enjoyed the Saturday market and stocked up on supplies and gifts. Many thanks for a restful vacation, good company and some fabulous memories. I'll be back.

Recommended for:

Highly Unrecommended

Guest: Bill E.
Date of Stay: 10/13/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

Our 10th anniversary vacation here was mostly good (Seal Beach is a VERY quaint and hospitable little community), but the Seal Beach Guest House is NOT the place to stay. While Kelly (the owner) is very personable, polite, helpful, and rather welcoming, the property and our three-day visit (Thursday thru Sunday) had the following gotcha's; 1) No WiFi. Sure, the owner has it listed, even spoke about it when we arrived, but later in the evening we tried BOTH our iPad s and even our two phones and just could not find their WiFi. It wasn't ever listed on "Available Networks" on any devices. We also tried to connect to it using the "How to connect to WiFi" instructions left in the room. Nothing! Resorted to using the free WiFi down at the local coffee shop each morning. 2) Owner "left the State" during our entire stay there. They departed EARLY Friday morning, and returned EARLY Sunday morning. Sure, we had a cell-phone number, but given the heartburn with #1, there was NOTHING that could have been done remotely. 3) Shower/tub does not drain well. A typical shower will find you standing in calf-high water. 4) The shower fixtures leak. When turned on, they leaked/sprayed around the fixtures. 5) The sliding shower door is not affixed to the bottom rail. Both panel (a slider, hung at the top) can swing INTO the tub area all the way to the wall. 6) The toilet does NOT have a formal tank-lid. A plank is used, with a Doyle covering to spruce it up. 7) The toilet tank sometimes does not refill (occurred twice during our stay). The tank empties fine, but would not refill itself. Had to remove the tank 'lid' (see #6), and jiggle the float lever (not the flapper). 8) NONE of the furniture matches! It has the appearance of a garage-sale decorating. 8) The TV is up on top of a dresser (in the living room), but over in the corner. 9) The couch is nice leather, but a sleeper sofa, which sags too much when sitting in it. Viewing the TV requires turning your head some 45 degrees and upward to watch it (see #8). 10) The "view from the deck" is actually misleading. Sure, you CAN see the ocean, but only between the houses AND the power-lines are NOT appealing for a romantic view. The photo (views of Catalina..) MUST have been taken from atop the roof itself (and I am 6'3"). 11) "Off-street-parking" only works IF your car is only 5' long (short driveway). 12) Our 'security refund' was "lost in the mail". It was sent immediately once the owner knew

Recommended for:

Home away from Home

Guest: Annette =) (Santa Fe Springs)
Date of Stay: 09/30/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

For long as I remember I loved visiting the historic town of Seal Beach, whether it was after work or on the weekend to stroll around Main Street and Pier to watch the amazing sunsets. So I wanted to share and surprise my cousin from Texas and found this lovely Guest House. And indeed it was a surprise to both of us. This charming place was more than what we expected! Just like the comforts of home it had everything we needed. From pots/pans to homemade bath oils! The owners were the most welcoming folks you could ever meet. We had an amazing time, and would definitely recommend this to everyone!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Stay & Dog Friendly

Guest: Greg/Debbie/Joey (Cypress)
Date of Stay: 09/13/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

We enjoyed our stay at the Seal Beach Guest house very much! As I searched VRBO for the right place to stay in Seal Beach, this house was the best deal in town. A big plus is it is dog-friendly. Taking our JRT on walks every day and being so close to the pier and Main Street was great! We liked the privacy of the beach house and the deck. The best part of our stay was RELAXATION! We had guests visit us and they were pleased with the comfort of the house and deck, and how close it was to the pier and Main Street. Kelly and Randy made us feel very welcomed. They provided us with a basket of fruit, cookies, and a bottle of wine. They also provided a complimentary can of dog food and a toy for our dog. We highly recommend the Seal Beach Guest House.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

lovely!

Guest: Louie (San Diego)
Date of Stay: 08/19/11 Review Submitted: 12/18/11

We had never been to Seal Beach and we were a bit skeptical as we drove through the night and could not see the town in daylight. But as soon as we arrived we rang the doorbell and we were greeted by Kelly the lovely owner who asked from far away,"is that a racoon"? and we got a positive feeling right away;-) Waking up in the morning and smelling the ocean breeze just a few feet away brought us magic right away as well,not to mention the cozyness of the town! everything is walking distance,down main street you find great restaurants,banks,laundry service,coffeshops and offcourse O'Malley's irish pub which turned us into regulars! not to mention the lovely surroundings from the peer,parks and offcourse the beach. The place has been fresh renovated and we had everything we needed,a fire grill would have been nice but their great gas grill made up for it. If you are into "pro cooking" like we are you though you might want to take some of your own cooking utensils,since the place is equipped with just standard ones. You might also want to take your own beach towels if you like really big ones,the one provided are regular size. Other than that we highly recommend it,the location is fantastic and very secure,we had a marvelous time and i hope we can come back someday!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Unexpected personal touches

Guest: Jessie & Jon (Glendora, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/18/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

Our stay was perfect! We didn't need to bring anything from home; you had every supply we could want. The location is great for Main Street and Pier access; and, of course, the beach. The deck accommodated our whole clan for a BBQ with a view. Thank you for a great weekend.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Family Vacation!!!!

Guest: Stacy A. (Tucson, AZ)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 11/18/11

We had the most AMAZING family vacation at the Seal Beach Guest House! The Beach House was the perfect location and size for the 4 of us! Everything was perfect - very clean and comfrotable. We loved the deck with the Patio furniture, grill, and all of the beach accessories! We can't wait to go back again next year!

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

Unforgettable in every way - What a memorable Memorial Day Weekend.

Guest: Daniel in PDX (Portland)
Date of Stay: 05/27/11 Review Submitted: 11/18/11

I had planned a romantic getaway for my girlfriend and I. I was looking for something cozy, comfortable, and clean. The apartment, and our hosts exceeded our expectations! Since, it was to be my first romantic rendez-vous with my girlfriend, I wanted to plan something very special and memorable for the two of us. I wanted to have a bottle of chilled champagne for us waiting for us when we arrived. I spoke w/ Kelly numerous times over the phone prior to our trip. She was very helpful and hospitable each time we spoke. She even found the specific bottle of champagne I was looking for (Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut) at a more affordable cost (a big plus in my book). Kelly was in fact my co-conspirator in planning a memorable weekend (suggesting multiple places to visit and things to do, as wells as vegetarian restaurants). The apartment is situated in a quiet and safe neighborhood, a row of houses back away from the beach. We were above our hosts home, that is actually over their garage which provided us w/ lots of privacy. Inside apartment was very clean, and did not lack for anything we needed. Kelly added many personal touches - fresh baked cookies, large basket of fresh fruit, and breakfast items upon our arrival. It is a smaller apartment. Which was a concern for me, as I was planning a BBQ with old friends from high school. Well my concerns were unfounded. We had enough space in the living room and the spacious deck to host a BBQ for my friends and their families (4 couples, 3 teens, not including my girlfriend and I). Our hosts were very gracious about hosting our additionals friends for the day and into the evening. We definitely did not lack for anything at all! The historic downtown area was a nice short stroll away, where we found many incredible locally owned family shops and restaurants to explore. One of which we fell in love with - local italian deli/ market (Their fresh made cannoli's are to die for!!). We didn't need to drive anywhere to have a remarkable and romantic time with each other. One suggestion - the Sofa Sleeper is comfortable to sit on, but sleeping on it is a bit uncomfortable for adults and older children. The only thing that could have made our rendez-vous any better was if we could have stayed a lot longer!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Had a great time!

Guest: Sue (Iowa)
Date of Stay: 09/03/10 Review Submitted: 09/14/10

We stayed at property over Labor Day weekend when we were down to run the Disneyland Half Marathon. The place is a bit cramped for 4 adults - but we knew that before we got there. Loved the deck, the proximity to the beach and old town is just a minute walk away. It is very convenient to LA and surrounding areas. We would come again.

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

Thank You SOOOO MUCH!!!

Guest: Teresa (Las Vegas)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 11/06/10

We stayed in August, it was our first time in Seal Beach and it won't be our last....our stay was everything we wanted it to be, relax,relax relax. Kelly made everything super nice for us and comfortable. The house was alittle small be worth it!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Fabulous relaxing break

Guest: CarolineR (Northern Ireland)
Date of Stay: 05/02/10 Review Submitted: 05/10/10

We are just back from a very relaxing break in the Seal Beach Cottage. The owners are very friendly and made the booking process very easy. We arrived to find fresh fruit, cookies and a bottle of wine had been left for us - a welcome change after eating out almost every night! The accommodation is cosy and 1 minute to the beach and a very short walk to the main street with all the restaurants and bars. They supplied beach chairs and other itmes which where great. I would not hesitate in recommending to stay here Thanks for a great relaxing break

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

a wonderful place to relax

Guest: Rhonda, Matt & Noah (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 03/17/10 Review Submitted: 04/12/10

Our stay was terrific. We stayed for 2 weeks and thoroughly enjoyed the guest house, the beautiful weather, and the warm hospitality of our hosts and merchants in town. It was convenient to be within walking distance to the beach and restaurants. The beach playground 3 blocks away was a favorite destination for our 5 year old. The house was a great "home away from home" for us. We would love to plan another trip to Seal Beach!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Thank you!

Guest: Ameez (Los Angeles, California)
Date of Stay: 02/10/10 Review Submitted: 03/30/10

Thank you so much for making us feel so welcome here once again; the goodies, the wine; it was the perfect spot for my birthday!

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

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 10/30/09 Review Submitted: 10/29/09

Great Stay! We felt so comfortable. It felt like we had our own private nest ... we can't wait to come back. Looking forward to seeing you soon! John and Liz

Recommended for:

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 10/22/09 Review Submitted: 10/21/09

Written inside a thank you card left inside the Beach Guest House: Your Irish hospitality was so very comforting. You're personal attention to detail was unbelievable. Thanks for the bubble bath supplies! My husband an I had a romantic bubble bath together after enjoying your uncrowded beach. Thanks again. We look forward to seeing you next year ... Best regards, Miranda and Mickey.

Recommended for:

Guest: Tom & Amy
Date of Stay: 09/21/09 Review Submitted: 09/20/09

Did you enjoy your stay at the Beach Guest House? YES Did you enjoy Old Town Seal Beach? Very much! What was the best part of your stay? Walking along the beach Any suggestions? The tips and information were very helpful! Would you recommend the accommodations? Yes

Recommended for:

Guest: Mary
Date of Stay: 08/30/09 Review Submitted: 08/29/09

Thanks for everything!

Recommended for:

Guest: Teri & Don
Date of Stay: 08/20/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

In a brief questionnaire left in the Beach Guest House, Teri wrote: Did you enjoy Seal Beach? Absolutely Was everything in the Beach Guest House as you expected? And more, great extras! Did you enjoy Old Town Seal Beach? adorable town, nice private beach What was the best part of your stay? plenty to see and do Was there anything you were disappointed with at the Beach Guest House, Old Town or while at the beach? No way. Very comfortable! Any suggestions? Screen door is getting a bit sticky - but salt water is tough on things. Would you recommend the accommodations? Of course!

Recommended for:

Guest: Lito & Norma
Date of Stay: 08/12/09 Review Submitted: 08/11/09

In a questionnaire left inside the Beach Guest House found after departure: Did you enjoy your stay at the Beach Guest House? -YES- Did you find everything in the Beach Guest House as you expected? -YES- Did you enjoy Seal Beach? -VERY MUCH- What was the best part of your stay in our quaint beach town? QUIET, QUIET, QUIET. OPEN DOOR 24/7 Was there anything that you were disappointed with at the Beach Guest House ... Old Town ... or while at the beach? -NOTHING- Would you recommend the accommodations of the Beach Guest House to a friend? -YES-

Recommended for:

Guest: Kim & Jan
Date of Stay: 07/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/12/09

In a questionnaire left inside the Beach Guest House: Did you enjoy your stay at the Beach Guest House? Yes! Kelly & Randy did a great job of getting familiar with Seal Beach's shopping & other areas that were of interest to us. Did you find everything in the Beach Guest House as you expected? Yes Did you enjoy Seal Beach? Yes. The people thoughout the community were so friendly. We also felt it is a very safe community with all the police around. What was the best part of your stay in our quaint community? Finding a number of dog friendly restaurants that had excellent food. Our rental house was within short walking distance to M&M Surfing School, the beach, Main Street and all the great places to eat. The rental house had a great PRIVATE deck to relax and enjoy throughout the day. Was there anything that you were disappointed with at the Beach Guest House, Old Town ... or while at the beach? A little disappointed with the no dogs on the beach rule. However, we used the dog beach down in Huntington Beach which was excellent. Could you please give us some suggestions on how we could have made your stay with us more enjoyable? Continue to provide the little extras for people with dogs (i.e. dog toy, water bowl, dish) plus the chocolate, mixed nuts & wine were greatly appreciated. Providing more clothes hangers would be nice. Thanks for everything!

Recommended for:

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 07/08/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

This lovely couple stayed with us for the 4th of July holiday weekend. It was their first visit to Seal Beach. They brought their dog, Barkley, and we provided gifts of a dog bowl, a self-filling water bowl, a can of food, treats, and a toy. Peter and Barbara were welcomed with a bottle of wine, fresh flowers, chocolates, nuts, coffee, chips and salsa, and a caramel apple pie. When they were departing, we asked them if they wouldn't mind filling out a brief questionnaire and here is what they said ... when asked: Did you enjoy your stay at the Beach Guest House? - Very much so Did you find everything in the Beach Guest House as you expected?- Everything & more Did you enjoy Seal Beach?- We absolutely loved the town, the atmosphere & the people What was the best part of your stay in our quaint beach community?- the uniqueness of the area which leads us to consider Seal Beach as a possible retirement site. Could you please give us some suggestions on how we could have made your stay with us more enjoyable?- You could have spent more time with us - Seriously, you guys were great. Thanks for everything! Peter & Barbara

Recommended for:

Guest: Rhonda23 (-)
Date of Stay: 06/30/09 Review Submitted: 06/30/09

We loved everything! Being so close to the beach, town and attractions! The only thing we regret was that it wasn't a longer visit! We'll be back!

Recommended for:

Guest: Deborah U. (-)
Date of Stay: 02/23/09 Review Submitted: 02/22/09

Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. The vacation rental business needs more caring owners like yourselves. Your thoughtfulness and attention to detail is very much appreciated. Highly recommended! Aloha, Deborah haleahakai. com

Recommended for: