Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful place, great location

Guest: Mac (Alton, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/12/12 Review Submitted: 05/22/12

Thanks for all your generosity and help to make our stay a wonderful experience, James. The info notebook was a nice touch to make us feel extra special. And the use of the bikes was just what we wanted– a leisurely trip around town. Hats off to a terrific place and host!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Fantastic Home Base for Southern California Adventure

Guest: Kelsey (Minnesota, United States)
Date of Stay: 05/01/12 Review Submitted: 05/08/12

We stayed here for four nights, and couldn't have asked for better accommodations. The cottage had everything we needed, and more. It was easy to hop on the highway and explore Southern California. We covered ground from San Diego to Santa Barbara, and loved coming "home" to such a great place at the end of the day. We enjoyed the quiet and privacy that the cottage offered, and would recommend it to anyone.

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A Humble Abode

Guest: Alex (Melbourne)
Date of Stay: 04/16/12 Review Submitted: 04/22/12

This cottage is a fantastic place to setup amongst an LA trip. The location is close to everything, allows for effortless strolls to the beach and ready access to bus systems. For anyone who has ever visited LA, they know that this is a major plus! The owner was incredibly helpful and the cottage is just a comfortable and easy living arrangement.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The perfect destination

Guest: Joan S.
Date of Stay: 04/11/12 Review Submitted: 04/21/12

My daughter and I arrived in the Santa Monica area for the first time and stayed in this lovely cottage. We were greeted by the owner and given lots of helpful information to find our way around. The cottage was very clean with plenty of space for us. The bed was very comfortable all of the amenities that we needed were here! There is also a peaceful back yard with an incredible lemon tree to flavor our tea! We will definitely be back!

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Just as promised; quiet and charming.

Guest: Mom on Vaca (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 04/03/12 Review Submitted: 04/09/12

Spent a week there with my daughter on spring break. Cottage was clean, quiet, private, safe. All in good working order. Comfy bed and linens. Excellent internet, cable etc. A good home base. I'd reccomend!

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

Everything you need in a lovely location

Guest: Just_Nat (England)
Date of Stay: 02/19/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

I stayed 19/02 - 26/02/12. The studio was perfect for me; it felt safe, clean and had everything I needed in one lovely package. Nice to have a full kitchen with all pots and utensils as a cheaper option from eating out too. I particularly enjoyed grinding the coffee beans and using the coffee machine each morning! I was here on business so the internet connection was very important and it was very reliable, didn't cut off once and was fast. There is also a phoneline which gave me an option for free incoming calls. Overall, a lovely stay and I hope to return for a holiday in the near future and enjoy it properly. Have to say, James was a great too, very helpful and nothing too much trouble. Would highly recommend the cottage! Natalie (Manchester, England)

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Beethoven Cottage Review

Guest: J.T. (Las Vegas, NV)
Date of Stay: 02/10/12 Review Submitted: 02/14/12

Arrived at the cottage on Friday afternoon at 4:00pm to check in. The cottage was not ready as they had been doing quite a bit of remodeling in the days leading up to our arrival. James, the owner was apologetic and explained that he would need 30-45 minutes longer in order to ready the cottage. He suggested we go get something to drink and a bite to eat and to bring the receipt back so he could pay for it, which is what we did. The cottage was great - exactly as described. Very cozy and quaint. The bed was super comfortable and there is more than enough room for two, with a full kitchen, full size closet, and also a small sitting area. The outdoor space was very relaxing and beautiful. Only two small complaints really. First, there was a fine dust on most everything there because of the renovations and I believe that would not normally be the case. Second, the shower hot water did not stay hot for very long. My wife had to keep turning the water off while showering in order to have enough. All in all though, I would highly recommend this place. For the price, it can't be beat. We definitely plan to stay here in the future when we return to Southern California. Just one other thing, James, the owner was most gracious while we were there. Giving directions, telling the history of the house, and answering all questions. He was a real pleasure, as was the cottage.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Cozy place to rest your head!

Guest: Dan (Philadelphia)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

My wife and I just rented this adorable cottage during our stay in LA and could not have been happier with our choice. It is cozy, efficient and has everything you could need for a comfortable stay away from home. The Tempurpedic bed is heavenly and the back patio is blossoming with oranges and lemons. James is very attentive and even provides bicycles for a ride to the beach - where we spent alot of our time! We wish we were still there! Thanks James!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Sweet little well-appointed cottage.

Guest: Rekha (San Diego)
Date of Stay: 11/24/11 Review Submitted: 11/27/11

My husband and I, plus our four yr-old and 7 month old, spent two nights over Thanksgiving at the cottage. It was perfect for our needs, although definitely a tight fit with the air mattress inflated. For us, it was great because we really just needed a quiet place to sleep and get ready in the mornings. Stocked with all the basics, plus coffee and a bottle of wine (a sweet gesture from the owner), it was a perfect retreat from the otherwise hectic Thanksgiving celebration we were attending. The garden is lovely. We were a bit sad to not be able to park in the driveway (well-explained prior to rental, so it wasn't a surprise) because parking was a little tight the night of Thanksgiving. Otherwise it was perfect for our needs and we would definitely stay there again if the need and opportunity arose.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Cosy Cottage!

Guest: Jonathan (Sandwich, UK)
Date of Stay: 10/28/11 Review Submitted: 11/01/11

We arrived late to ‘Beethoven cottage’, but were welcomed by a very ‘cosy’ bed sit and a bottle of wine waiting for us on the table! Up to this point James had been very accommodating and extremely helpful in answering any questions we had. The booking process was quick and easy, which was a welcome break from some of the laborious systems that we have had to endure with other VRBO rentals. The cottage itself was very self-contained and had everything you need for a short stay. The garden area was nice and relaxing in the evening and the area was actually very quiet given its nearby location to the beach. We drove here and the only difficulty was finding parking on an evening (as the street side gets very busy). However, we did manage and there are always a few spots a couple of blocks away. We actually walked to Venice beach and then onto Santa Monica, but it is a long walk! I would recommend a short drive down and to check out some of the nice cafés on ‘Abbot Kinney’ road before walking along the promenade. James provides an extensive wealth of information in the cottage and we found his maps extremely useful. All in all, given the very reasonable cost we were very pleased with our two night stay here and would recommend to others…..Jonathan and Melissa

Recommended for:Sightseeing

UK traveler

Guest: Rob (Adelaide)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/06/11

The cottage was comfortable with everything one could want these days: WiFi, cable TV, kitchen etc. Slightly more cluttered than my taste and the narrow street outside for parking was a hassle especially on garbage nights.

Owner response:Thanks for your comments Rob! While certain people might prefer more blank space in the home, the vast majority of our guests LOVE the details and art objects that make it feel like a European cottage (which is what we love, too!) If one ever finds it difficult to park on Sunday evenings (the night before the city trash collection) we are more than happy for them to park in our driveway instead!

Recommended for:Age 55+

Charming Weekend Cottage

Guest: Nick (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 03/24/11 Review Submitted: 03/30/11

My girlfriend and I had a great romantic weekend at James's cottage. The place was cozy and had everything you could ask for, with Abbot Kinney just a short walk away.

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

Cozy and Convenient

Guest: Firefighter (Connecticut)
Date of Stay: 01/14/11 Review Submitted: 03/14/11

This cottage is clean, well maintained, and in a very nice quiet area close to the ocean, walking distance to restaurants and convenient to LAX, Santa Monica Pier and downtown LA.

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

Tranquil studio

Guest: Medic (london)
Date of Stay: 11/27/10 Review Submitted: 12/04/11

Peaceful, secluded well-equipped studio. Nice garden. Shops nearby, beach a few blocks (approx 1.5 mls), good access to coast road for beaches and airport. Owner v helpful Recommended

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Everything you need

Guest: Ginger (Cardiff, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/02/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

I stayed at this cottage with a friend for a couple of days and it was perfect for our needs. The cottage was clean, comfortable and in a central location that allows you to easily get to where you need to go in LA. The owner, James, is delightful and very helpful.

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

Fantastic Experience!

Guest: Nicolas (United Kingdom)
Date of Stay: 07/01/10 Review Submitted: 03/11/11

We spent two weeks last July and we had a great time! Wonderful location, great price, great facilities, high speed internet, cable tv, lovely garden, and very clean and cozy. I had to do some work while I was in L.A and the internet connection was perfect for my needs. We went to the beach in the mornings, did some cycling around santa monica, and had a great time. James recommended us great places to have breakfast and dinner, including what I think is the best pizza I ever had! James, many thanks for everything, we'll definitely be back some time!

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

We loved coming "home" to your cozy house

Guest: Kathrin Jedicke
Date of Stay: 06/14/10 Review Submitted: 06/30/10

Dear James, we just arrived at home a few days ago and really enjoyed our holiday trip. We had a truly pleasant stay at the Beethoven Bungalow and loved coming "home" into your cozy house after spending exciting days in Los Angeles. Thanks a lot - also for always having good answers to our questions. Whenever you are in Germany - you are welcome to Hannover!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/19/10

We stayed 4 nights in the Beethoven Cottage beginning 3/12/2010, and had a wonderful time. The studio and kitchen were perfect for what we wanted. Parking on the street was plentiful and we were centrally located to our destinations and had easy access to highways. James was very attentive to our minor needs, and spent quite a bit of his personal time providing guidance for the various activities we had planned. We particuliarly liked the fast WiFi connection and the HD TV. We would highly recommend this cottage and definitely plan to return as soon as we can. Wes and Frances from East TN.

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Guest: Gary Cox
Date of Stay: 01/02/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/10

Hello James, thank you for your kind email and more importantly, thank you for being such a great host!! We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the accommodations. The Bungalow worked perfectly for us. We have already spread the word among our friends and relatives, so who knows, you may get some referrals!!! Thanks again and hope to see you on the next visit. Have a great summer!!

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Guest: Gail Amerine
Date of Stay: 01/02/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/10

I recently had the opportunity to stay at both the Dacha in th Sky apartment as well as the Beethoven Bungalow cottage. They were both unique and very nice homes away from home. Thank you James for the wonderful retreat.

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Guest: Nona Upshaw (-)
Date of Stay: 12/23/09 Review Submitted: 12/23/09

The cottage was immaculate and well decorated. The owner was great to deal with. 15 minutes from LAX and so convenient to Venice and Santa Monica. There is a great bakery right around the corner.

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Guest: Anni & Ralph Purpura
Date of Stay: 08/20/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

The Bungalow on Beethoven is just the right size for 2. It's homey, quaint and has a "feel" of old CA. We totally enjoyed our stay. Just minutes from Venice Beach, shopping, neighnborhood eateries and the Boardwalk. Don't miss this delightful escape for 2 in CA. Thanks, James, for a wonderful stay! Anni & Ralph Anne & Ralph Purpura, North Richland Hills, Texas 817-891-3676

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Guest: Hadley Ferguson (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 04/04/09 Review Submitted: 04/04/09

Beethoven's bungalow was perfect, exactly what we wanted. Unlike some places that I have rented online, the bungalow truly is captured in the photos - it is light and bright, full of cheer! Whether we stayed in an enjoyed the garden or went sight-seeing, it was a fabulous home base for our week in LA. James was a wonderful person to rent from, full of information on where to shop, eat and best of all, how to avoid the freeway traffic. I can't wait to stay there again.

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Guest: Geza and Silvia Bartucz
Date of Stay: 08/22/08 Review Submitted: 08/21/08

“We are a couple from Budapest who stayed at the Bungalow for one month and absolutely loved it. It is warm and cozy and secure and all the conveniences are there. Especially we liked the full kitchen and the patio that looks out onto the backyard and the fruit trees. We felt like we were staying in a French country cottage! Thank you, James. We are recommending this to our friends!” - Geza and Silvia Bartucz, Budapest, Hungary +36 (1) 237-1525

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Guest: Constance Pace
Date of Stay: 08/03/08 Review Submitted: 08/02/08

“It was delightful staying in the Bungalow -- I sure miss your comfy retreat. I absolutely feel refreshed -- if only I could have stayed longer!” -- Constance Pace Pacific Palisades, CA

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Guest: Paztricia Hamilton
Date of Stay: 07/05/08 Review Submitted: 07/04/08

“James has such a cute cottage. It’s large enough for two people to live comfortably, and cozy enough to feel warm and homey. I have rented other apartments from James in the past and this is one of my favorites. It was clean and neat and welcoming and also conveniently located to shops and restaurants and the beach. I especially enjoyed the the backyard garden and fruit trees and of course the patio, where I spent lots of time catching up on my reading in peace and quiet. What a lovely vacation hideaway.” - Patricia Hamilton, New York, NY

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