Vacation Rentals by Owner

Please hire a maintenance man and a cleaning person!

Guest: Lynnengeorge (Tennessee, USA)
Date of Stay: 11/03/11 Review Submitted: 02/20/12

We stayed here in November 2011, and possibly there is a new property manager now, but if not I would not recommend staying here. The home seemed to need a deep cleaning and a maintenance overhaul; cobwebs throughout, broken kitchen drawers, chirpping smoke detector, lights bulbs missing or not working and just overall needs TLC! The location is a short walk to Abbott Kinney, the layout is fine, but otherwise this is the worst vacation rental I have ever rented!

Owner response:We're sorry you encountered any problems while renting our house. We wish that you had alerted us about any issues as soon as they arose, because we would have taken care of them right away (we give all our guests 2 contact telephone numbers and an email address in case they ever need to reach us, but we didn’t hear about the problems you mentioned until just now, when we read your review). We have a wonderful housekeeper who has been with us for years, and as our other reviews indicate, she does a great job and generally keeps our home spic and span. Still, if our housekeeper missed anything when she cleaned for your arrival, she would have happily returned to make sure that you were satisfied. With regard to maintenance, we do a check for our guests before they arrive, and we didn't find any problems. Nor have any other guests who rented the house, either before or after you did, reported any problems. Of course, light bulbs and smoke detector batteries do occasionally burn out (we generally keep spares on the premises, and we promptly replace such things if any guest advises us of the need), and from time to time other maintenance issues arise. But we pride ourselves on responding immediately to questions and concerns, and doing all we can to ensure that our guests are comfortable and happy. In fact, as our other reviews indicate, our home generally exceeds our guests' expectations. We will continue to strive to keep it that way!

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A Perfect Vacation Home!

Guest: Margie, Bob and Family (Parker, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/19/11

We truly found nirvana on Nowita...early morning runs on the beach, flower-filled walks in the neighborhood, great restaurants and shops on Abbott Kinney, and a quiet and immaculate retreat with heavenly beds at the end of the day after exploring LA! We had an absolutely fabulous time at this wonderful home and can't wait to return! Thank you for your kindness and superb hospitality!!

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

Great Place!

Guest: ELK (Mill Valley, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/09/11 Review Submitted: 06/14/11

This great house in an amazing neighborhood was perfect for a long weekend in LA. Ideal home for young families as it is a short walk to Abbot Kinney only 15 minutes to the beach. Expect to stay here again and only wish we could have stayed longer.

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

This beautiful little home was everything we expected and more!

Guest: Jan, Mike and Sophie (Charleston, SC)
Date of Stay: 05/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

We wanted a relaxing place to stay while attending our daughter's graduation from USC. Nowita is an absolutely amazing oasis in Venice. The walk between lovely homes and gardens offered a very unique perspective of homes uninterrupted by traffic. Nowita Place was everything we expected and more. The photos provided a precise picture of the home and everything was really clean and well maintained. We highly recommend Nowita to anyone visiting Los Angeles and the nearby area.

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

Great Place To Relax

Guest: Kev (Marathon, Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 03/28/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Spent a week there with our family. Great location, close to everything. Could not have asked for a better place to stay. We went from Hermosa Beach to Malibu and did not have to spend much time in the car.

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

Wonderful home on the best walk street in Venice

Guest: Family of 3 - toddler, mom and dad (Walla Walla, WA)
Date of Stay: 01/06/11 Review Submitted: 01/12/11

This house was perfect for our 5-day vacation to Venice. Well-stocked, incredibly clean, very quiet, and so comfortable. Parking spot was a big plus. As previous reviews indicated, the beds were very comfortable. Had the deepest sleep we've had in a long time. A 20 minute walk to the beach, a 5 minute walk to Abbot Kinney and all its offerings. I would not hesitate to rent again - Elayne was a wonderful and prompt point person. Thanks so much!

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

Lovely Place

Guest: Kris (Apple Valley, MN)
Date of Stay: 12/21/10 Review Submitted: 01/13/11

We decided to have a family Christmas in LA with our son who attends UCLA. My husband, daughter, mother and I stayed at the house. It was very well equipped with everything we needed and very comfortable for all of us. My mother loved sitting on the porch and watching the path. Walking through the neighborhood was great and the house is close to shopping and the beach. We plan to be back soon.

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

Nirvana on Nowita

Guest: Tau (Phoenix)
Date of Stay: 12/17/10 Review Submitted: 12/29/10

Great stay as always! Adorable setting and the comfort of your own home. What a great way to get away.

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

Nowita home rental

Guest: Pamela (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 11/21/10 Review Submitted: 12/07/10

Everything about the property was lovely: excellent location, quiet, roomy, clean, very comfy beds. It was clear that the home is cared for. We were able to cook many meals in the fully supplied kitchen, which saved a lot on restaurant bills. Many great coffee shops are nearby, and the walk to the beach was about twenty minutes via Abbot Kinney. The feel of the neighborhood is European, with walkways between the homes and parking in the alleys.

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

Feels like home!

Guest: Lana (British Columbia)
Date of Stay: 11/14/10 Review Submitted: 12/07/10

We had a fabulous week in Venice! Loved,loved,loved the bungalow! It was exactly as represented, very clean and comfortable, and a perfect fit for our family of 5. It was very private,we felt safe in the neighbourhood and enjoyed lots of walks. One of our favorite vacations ever and would go again in a minute!All kinds of great shopping, miles of beautiful beaches, Lemonade was a favorite for healthy meals.

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Relaxing Wedding Week

Guest: Robert (Woodland)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 10/07/10

While in LA for our daughter's wedding, we spent 8 very nice days at the Venice Beach cottage house, and enjoyed it very much. The neighborhood could not be nicer, the house had everything we needed and the owner came right away when we called to get help with our wireless computer hookup on the first day we were in the house. The best foodie recommendation we could give is to go to Lemonade Restaurant on Abbott Kinney for great salads to bring back home for lunch. One of the best aspects to the house is sitting on the front porch in the morning, drinking coffee and saying hello to the friendly people who walk past. Very interesting way the neighborhood was built long ago, with a cozy and safe sidewalk in front of the house, instead of the usual street. The house was so peaceful and wonderful to come home to, after being out in LA traffic and stimulation. It has great beds, including the sofa bed, with plenty of nice linens. Beautiful stay, we highly recommend this house.

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

Nowita Place

Guest: Kp (Sacramento, California)
Date of Stay: 07/25/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

We loved our time at Nowita Place. The house was very clean and comfortable. The walking streets were beautiful and unique. The neighborhood was very quiet. We were close to restaurants and shopping. It was a longer walk to the beach but our girls walked down to the beach. Our favorite feature was the front porch, beautiful any time of day.

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

Staying in Venice CA in May

Guest: annzimg (Atlanta, GA USA)
Date of Stay: 05/19/10 Review Submitted: 06/08/10

We stayed in this home for a graduation occasion in Malibu. We had my 84 y/o mother with us and I was looking for something other than a hotel experience. It was also my first time using the VRBO website to book a rental. Things went very well and we enjoyed our stay at this lovely home, especially my mother who felt much relief at the quiet and beauty of the neighborhood. Thanks so much!

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

Perfect Venice Hideaway!

Guest: Sean M. (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 04/28/10 Review Submitted: 05/03/10

Great spot! We loved everything about it. Clean. Organized. Quiet. Comfortable. We have a vacation rental of our own in Palm Springs and really appreciate it when someone else has the same attention to detail. The beds and bed/bath linens were fantastic...white on white and VERY fresh smelling. Looking forward to our next visit.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/15/10

This was a lovely house and yard and we enjoyed our stay very much. We have never slept in such comfortable beds! The neighborhood is quiet and family friendly but with plenty to do and see. Thank you!

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We loved our week at Nowita Place

Guest: Annettee (Alpharetta (Atlanta), GA)
Date of Stay: 03/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/10

Our visit in March was for the LA Marathon. We prepped two runners over the weeekend and celebrated at Nowita Place on Sunday night. We have family and friends in the area and everyone just loved the house and the location. The rest of the week was spent relaxing, walking to Abbott-Kinney for eats and running to the beach and the bike path. The house was just perfect for us and we would stay again.

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

Good house, nice location

Guest: PCvististsLA (Park City, Utah)
Date of Stay: 02/12/10 Review Submitted: 03/08/10

We had a great visit to this house! Nice, well furnished, extremely comfortable beds! The yard is perfect if you have kids or just a quiet place to sip some wine. Parking is good, but the first time you get there it is a bit challenging to find. Once you find it you have no problems again!

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

Guest: Anne57 (Petaluma, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/10/10 Review Submitted: 01/10/10

We stayed at the house to celebrate our friend's birthday and had a great time. It's the perfect location to walk to Abbot Kinney for shopping, eating, drinking, going to the beach and just enjoying the West Side of LA and the house was darling! The best beds ever, even better than Shutters and much more conducive for a small group of ladies who like to live life to the fullest. Would definitely stay there again.

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Guest: Debbie G. (Chicago and Fort Worth)
Date of Stay: 11/02/09 Review Submitted: 11/02/09

We had a wonderful week at your home. It was probably one of the most relaxing places we ever stayed. The warm and cozyness of the house is unbelieveable. The beds were great as the other reviews had said, they were so dreamy. The street the house is on is so quiet and peaceful, and the fact that it is a walking street is so unique. We have traveled the world and never seen anything quite like it. You had all the electronic up to date options, yet you could fell the culture and history of the house. And it was so nice it was so clean, I am a clean freak and it was up to my standards. Thank you again for allowing us to stay at your home and we will definitely be back.

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So Relaxing

Guest: Debbie G. (Chicago and Fort Worth)
Date of Stay: 10/19/09 Review Submitted: 10/27/09

We had a wonderful week at your home. It was probably one of the most relaxing places we ever stayed. The warm and cozyness of the house is unbelieveable. The beds were great as the other reviews had said, they were so dreamy. The street the house is on is so quiet and peaceful, and the fact that it is a walking street is so unique. We have traveled the world and never seen anything quite like it. You had all the electronic up to date options, yet you could fell the culture and history of the house. And it was so nice it was so clean, I am a clean freak and it was up to my standards. Thank you again for allowing us to stay at your home and we will definitely be back. Roy, Debbie, and Phil Guthrie, Chicago, Fort Worth, and LA

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

Guest: Bob & Betsy King (Allison Park, PA)
Date of Stay: 09/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/09

A wonderful home. Clean and extremely well decorated with everything you need. Great patio for cocktails in the early evening or coffee in the morning. We had a great stay for the week. Will definitely return. Thanks to Elayne and Glenn.

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Guest: Deborah Matsuzaka (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 09/26/09 Review Submitted: 09/26/09

We had the best time in LA. The house was wonderful. We loved waking on the Nowita walk-ways. It was such a wonderful location . We can not wait to return. Thank you, Mac and Debbie Matsuzaka

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Guest: Kristina8 (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 08/06/09 Review Submitted: 08/06/09

We couldn't have been more pleased with house. It was so clean and inviting and tastefully decorated. It exceeded all expectations. We felt very much at home and hope to return again. Thank you Glenn for sharing your magnificent property with us!

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Guest: Lew and Geraldine (Sydney Australia)
Date of Stay: 07/25/09 Review Submitted: 07/25/09

We had a great time with our family at the house in Nowita Place. After booking two motel rooms in other towns it was great to have a house to ourselves and watch TV on the big screen together. The neighbourhood is very quiet, the house is provided with all the necessities you need and the two main beds were soft and comfy. Being able to park at the back door was also a bonus. The bathrooms and kitchens were new. In many ways it a peacefully tranquill contrast to the Venice Beach waterfront and the rest of LA. WE would happily stay there again.

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Guest: The Schectman Family (St Augustine, Florida)
Date of Stay: 05/29/09 Review Submitted: 05/29/09

What a wonderfull cottage, it was the icing on the cake to have such a great place to stay for our sons wedding. Perfect wk.The yard was perfect for our gr/children. This house was the best equipped place we have ever rented here or in Europe.Not to mention how charming Nowita walk street was.

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Guest: Janet Stephens (Denver, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 05/21/09 Review Submitted: 05/21/09

We had a wonderful four days at this beautiful house. The house itself is lovely, very comfortable with great beds and plenty of room. The neighborhood is very picturesque and everyone was very friendly. The beach is an easy walk and we enjoyed several restaurants along Abbott Kinney. We hope that we can come back soon.

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Guest: Wendy and Harvey Leiderman (Piedmont, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/01/09 Review Submitted: 05/01/09

"Nirvana on Nowita" lived up to its billing. We stayed for five glorious days in late April and could not have been more comfortable, inside and out. The spacious rooms were freshly painted and handsomely appointed, and the beds were nothing short of decadent. Sitting on the front porch, surrounded by fragrant flowers in the yard and beyond, and watching neighbors and their dogs stroll leisurely along the narrow Nowita path, one feels like the Stage Manager of "Our Town". It is hard to believe this little square of Shangri-la punctuates what otherwise is a world of beach-town bustle. The website presentation of this wonderful cottage is spot on -- it is not exaggerated. The home is beautifully and completely furnished, sparkling clean, and boasts state-of-the art entertainment and wi-fi technology. The owners are accessible and accomodating. We certainly intend to revisit this redoubt again...its the perfect place for two to six to relax, regenerate and revitalize.

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Guest: Denise 3 (Oakville, Ontario, CANADA)
Date of Stay: 04/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/13/09

Thank you for the use of your lovely home. As one is never quit sure what they will get from renting a place on-line we were very happy when we walked in. The room that was converted from a garage was so well done and the bathroom was amazing! Our whole family felt at home right away and we were very impressed by the careful thought that was taken to appoint the house with things you would have in your own house, little things like tape to wrap a present. The gardens were beautiful and that palm tree. WOW! The people of the community were so nice and friendly we all really enjoyed the whole experience. We did have a car but found that there were so many things within walking distance we did more walking than driving. I am sure that anyone who considering renting this house will be very, very pleased. We look forward to coming back. Thanks again from the Carr-Rollitt family.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/05/09

The house and location were great. Loved the master bath shower. We hope the house is available next time we are in LA.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/01/09

The house is beautiful. I could spend forever sitting in the front yard with a book (which I did a lot). Love the smell of flowers the minute you step outside. The beds are fantastic - I slept better than I had in weeks. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely home with my family.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/21/09

We absolutely loved the house. It's been beautifully renovated, and to our surprise, what we at first thought was a garage turned out to be an amazing master bedroom with an equally amazing shower! The house had first rate water pressure, a first rate kitchen, and terrific amenities such as wi-fi and widescreen tv. We shopped at a nearby Whole Foods and cooked often for the kids. The house is located in a terrific residential neighborhood... we jogged along the beach every morning & it took less than 10 minutes to reach the shore. The run through the neighborhood was memorable for the incredible architecture and craftsmanship we got to see. We highly recommend this house and enjoyed our stay, and hope to return for another visit! Mark & Missy & Family

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Sally G. (Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/04/09

What a wonderful home! We returned to LA for two weeks from our new life in Sydney and felt entirely at home. The Venice walk streets are magical, and the house is adorable. It is incredibly comfortable, great for entertaining or just lounging. The beds are fantastic. Thank you!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/02/08

"What a charming house! We had fun at Six Flags, Universal Studios, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood and Venice Beach, etc. and it was always a pleasure returning “home”. Thank you so much! MJ Calitz and family"

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Guest: Heather H. (-)
Date of Stay: 11/25/08 Review Submitted: 11/25/08

Your home is very lovely! We really enjoyed our stay here. We had a few friends stop by and they all want to buy your home and I can see why – if I lived in CA this is where I’d also like to reside. It’s been a fun week. Thank you for sharing your home with us! Heather Hall and Ajay Sood

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Heather H. (-)
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/24/08

Your home is very lovely! We really enjoyed our stay here. We had a few friends stop by and they all want to buy your home and I can see why – if I lived in CA this is where I’d also like to reside. It’s been a fun week. Thank you for sharing your home with us! Heather Hall and Ajay Sood

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/18/08

The house is fantastic. Beautiful, peaceful setting. House is equipped with anything, anyone would ever need. Beds are so soft and comfortable it was like sleeping on a cloud(I borrowed this comment from another guest as it is the only description that fits). Perfect location for everything we did in the LA area. Venice is so amazing. The people in the community are so friendly. We totally loved it, and can't wait for an opportunity to go back and stay in the house again.

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