Location: Berkeley, San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA (Two Blocks From Commuter Train To Berkeley and San Francisco)
Accommodations: House, 7 Bedrooms + No additional sleeping rooms avail, 3 Baths (Sleeps 14-18)
Keywords: House
Redwood House is actually in El Cerrito, 1.2 miles (2 km) from Berkeley. Berkeley is as close as the VRBO website could get.
Look at the pictures. Redwood House is a roomy, 100 year old, two-story house. Upstairs are 6 bedrooms with 6 closets, and a tiled full bathroom. There are lots of windows and sunshine. Most of the upstairs rooms have views of the hills. There is a built-in aquarium.
Downstairs there is a huge tiled sunny kitchen with large windows, a glorious view of sunsets over Mount Tamalpais, lots of cabinets, and an antique fully-functional gas stove. The downstairs rooms have ten-foot (3 m.) coved ceilings. There are a living room separated from a large foyer by pocket doors, another tiled bathroom, this one with a Jacuzzi, a laundry room with a washer and dryer, a tiled utility room, more closets, and more built-in storage.
On the other side of the foyer are a seventh bedroom, a third tiled bathroom, a smaller sitting room with one couch and a fireplace, a second smaller kitchen, and a separate entrance.
Outside there is a small private enclosed yard on one side of the building, shaded by pine trees. On the other side is a more open yard with a lawn, roses, ornamental trees, flowers and off-street parking for two cars. There is plenty of on-street parking as well. Diagonally across the street one way is a small park. Diagonally across the street the other way is the grassy playground of an elementary school. Most of all, in front of the house there is a handsome sixty foot (18 m) California Coast Redwood tree named Gus. The house is actually just an accessory to Gus.
It is a two block walk to the El Cerrito Plaza BART station (our commuter train system). From the station it is an 8 minute ride to downtown Berkeley and the UC campus, 28 minutes to downtown San Francisco, and 45 minutes to San Francisco International Airport. Also within near walking distance are Trader Joe’s, Starbuck’s, Barnes & Noble, two supermarkets, El Cerrito Natural Foods, the newly-restored Cerrito theater, and many good ethnic restaurants.
Redwood House is fun to live in.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer : Large washer is in the unit, not shared.
- Dryer : Large gas dryer is in the unit, not shared.
- Linens Provided : Cotton sheets, down comforters in duvet covers, king size feather pillows, bath towels, kitchen towels all provided.
- Off Street Parking : Two car off-street concrete parking pad. Plenty of on-street parking.
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer : Two car off-street concrete parking pad.
- Wood Fireplace
- Beds
- Double Bed (7)
- Convertible Bed (2) : two self-inflating double mattresses
- Crib : Pack 'n' Play, high chair, stroller, child safety gate on stairs, safety interlock on garbage disposal
- Entertainment
- Jetted Tub in Bath : Jacuzzi
- Cable/Satellite TV : Flat screen HD LCD television, Comcast cable
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library : A few titles
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library : Many CD's, mainly classical but many others as well.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen (2) : Enormous kitchen. Tile-and-granite floor, tile countertops, picture window with sunset view in front of sink and counters, dishwasher, inverter microwave, coffee bean grinder, coffee maker, dishes and flatware for 20, including large 'restaurant' bowls. Three folding tables (two 5', one 6') with tablecloths, candlesticks, and flower vases for sit-down dinners. Lots of storage space. Spices and condiments provided. Second smaller kitchen on other side of house with small deck behind it.
- Cooking Utensils Provided : Lots of high quality pots and frypans. Also high quality knife set with wood block
- Refrigerator : Large capacity fridge. No freezer compartment in fridge. Separate large upright freezer in back hall.
- Dishwasher : Small high-quality, low-noise dishwasher
- Microwave : Inverter model which reduces current load on circuit breakers when set to power levels '8' or lower.
- Catering Available : I can refer you to many good good local caterers.
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill : There is a large, four gas-element grill with a large grilling surface. Separate side burner for keeping things warm/heating sauces. Rotisserie feature on BBQ grill for olive oil-painted Portuguese chicken, or anything else.
- Deck/Patio : Small redwood deck for sitting, beer, grilling.
- View/Location
- Mountain View : Glorious sunset views of Mount Tamalpais from picture window in front of kitchen sink and counters. Chief cook and bottlewasher gets the best views. :o) View of Berkeley Hills from upstairs rooms.
- Communications
- Broadband Internet : Comcast broadband cable with hi-speed option.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet) : WiFi with b/g/n. Strong fast signal throughout house. No password required.
- Other Amenities
- handmade Persian rugs in every room. See pictures..
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Kid Friendly : There is a child-safety gate at the top of the stairs. A Pack 'n' Play playpen, a high chair, and a stroller are provided. There is a safety interlock on the garbage disposal. There is an elementary school playground diagonally across the street. There is a small park with a concrete tortoise to climb on diagonally across the street in the other direction.
- Smoking Not Allowed : No smoking indoors, none, nada, zip, don't do it. Outdoors on the porch or anywhere else outdoors is OK.
- Activities
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sailing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Snowboarding
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Racquetball
- Basketball Court
- Live Theatre
- Horseshoes
- Horseback Riding
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Zoo/Wildlife Park
- Restaurants
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- San Francisco has Chinese New Year Parade and Napa Valley has Wine Country Tours and winery visits and tastings. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the world's best travel destinations not only for its beauty, but also for its variety. As much as there is to see here, there is more to do here.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$2500/week plus $150 cleaning fee = $2650 total
$4750/month for 3 months or longer; $7500 one month
Fully refundable $500 reservation/security deposit
three nights - $1428 plus $150 cleaning fee = $1578 total
four nights - $1785 plus $150 cleaning fee = $1935 total
five nights - $2142 plus $150 cleaning fee = $2292 total
six nights - $2500 plus $150 cleaning fee = $2650 total
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 1992
Retired old coot hoping to enjoy his senescence on your dime. :o)
Why the Owner Chose Berkeley
It wasn't a vacation rental when I bought it. It became one when I lost my butt in the 2008 stock market crash.
The Unique Benefits of this House
The stereo speakers in the bedroom at the top of the stairs were the best, most accurate and musical speakers available at any price -- in 1982. They are still outstanding.
Property Photos
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- Street View with Gus - Berkeley Vacation House near Hiking and Fishing
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- Foyer - Berkeley Vacation House near Hiking and Fishing
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- front room - Berkeley Vacation House near Hiking and Fishing
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- Kitchen
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- Library
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- Gold Room
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- Blue Room
Traveler Reviews (10)
wedding party
Guest: Eileen
(Akron, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 08/12/11
Review Submitted: 08/20/11
We had a great time staying at this house. My son was getting married in Berkeley, and it was great to have our family together. Beds were comfortable, there were a lot of chairs and tables to set up for the rehearsal dinner (20 guests). Lots of glasses, wine glasses and silverware. There were nice touches like fresh flowers for us to enjoy--didn't have to get any centerpieces. Location was good too, convenient to stores and BART. Only negative: yard was not well kept, and there were rakes etc in the yard. All in all, would recommend this house for large group.
Recommended for:Tourists without a car, families with young children.
Great place for a reunion
Guest: Tessa
(El Cerrito CA)
Date of Stay: 07/14/11
Review Submitted: 08/08/11
We rented this house for a reunion of old friends and had a great time. Lots of room, good beds, nice and abundant linens, well-equipped kitchen, and a great location near BART and shopping. The oven broke but the owner graciously let us use his and disaster was averted. My only quibbles are (a) one bedroom is not really a bedroom but a bed on the 2nd-floor landing; and (b) the garden is sort of a wreck--the house would be prettier if it were cleaned up a bit. But the house itself is lovely and very comfortable, and a great value. Thank you!
Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.
Wedding Week
Guest: bridal party
(Boston)
Date of Stay: 07/21/11
Review Submitted: 08/07/11
We had a wonderful stay with our extended family of 12 for our daughter's wedding in Oakland. The location was very convenient - close to the freeway and two blocks to BART. The house is old and, as any old house, has occasional blips - tripped fuses in the kitchen, interesting garbage disposal - but nevertheless we had a great time. The house was spotless and the owner was very accommodating. Would not mind returning again without the tripped fuses!!!
Owner response:Thanks, Naseem. I will replace the mini-breaker when I get back from Canada.
Recommended for:Tourists without a car.
Wonderful Stay with Extended Family for Berkeley Law School Graduation
Guest: Charlie
(Eugene, OR)
Date of Stay: 05/11/11
Review Submitted: 05/17/11
We had a terrific stay in this "Lovely Big Old House," which is as advertised. The occasion was an in-law's graduation from Berkeley Law School, and the location was very convenient. We walked the two blocks to the BART station, and in two stops we were in downtown Berkeley and able to pick up a free shuttle to The Greek for the commencement ceremonies. The house is old and, as any old house does, has its quirks (occasional tripped fuses in the kitchen, couldn't figure out how to use the garbage disposal, not the best water pressure in the upstairs bathroom), but that just made it feel like a big, welcoming home, and not a sterile, could-have-been-anywhere hotel environment. We had 13 people overnighting in the house, including a 5 year old and a 2 year old. We twice cooked dinner for the entire crew plus guests, and we had plenty of room. Upon arrival, I noticed a few things were missing or not working, and they were immediately taken care of. Help was always an easy phone call away. The owner and the person employed by the owner to clean and care for this vacation rental are amiable, easygoing, and fun-loving people. There are numerous shopping options within blocks of the house—Trader Joes, a large beverage shop, a pharmacy, grocery stores, etc.—as well as lots of restaurants. There's also a greenway path that runs under the elevated BART rail less than a block from the house. A little landscaping would go a long way to improve the small yard. But all in all, a great experience. Would gladly return should an occasion arise.
Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.
All the comforts of home!
Guest: Christian
(Santiago, Chile)
Date of Stay: 12/17/08
Review Submitted: 11/09/10
My family stayed here while visiting from Chile, and we loved this wonderful house and accommodations. The house was very large and comfortable; it felt like a home away from home. The linens for the bed were warm and clean. The library is particularly well stocked and is reason enough to come and stay again. We were easily able to explore San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland because the house is located close to public transportation (we saved considerable money because we did not rent a car). On site laundry made our long stay very convenient. We will come again as soon as we can!
Owner response:Thank you, Christian. I am glad you enjoyed your stay.
Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.
Wedding Week
Guest: Heather
(Syracuse, NY)
Date of Stay: 09/13/10
Review Submitted: 11/03/10
We stayed at the house for a week for our wedding at the Brazilian Room in Tilden Regional Park. The house was great! There was plenty of room for us and our bridal party, plus some of our college friends. The house was clean and everyone commented on how soft the towels were! Some of the rooms are a in slightly strange locations--you have to walk through one room to get to another and one of them is more of a loft area at the top of the stairs that you can section off with screens--but honestly this wasn't a problem for our guests. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is that the yard needs some major work. The addition of a nice outdoor space would have made our stay more pleasant, but we were told that the owner is planning on doing some landscaping. Overall it was a great experience and the house is in a convenient location! Thanks!
Owner response:Thank you Heather. I am glad you enjoyed your stay. You are right about the garden not yet being up to snuff yet. I will work on it.
Recommended for:
Not exactly as advertised
Guest: Thanksgiving visitor
(Reno, Nevada)
Date of Stay: 11/25/09
Review Submitted: 03/31/10
House was roomy, but not cleaned well before we arrived. The owner's apartment was just separated from the main house by a sliding door and sometimes we could hear conversations from that side. We had some financial issues. Be sure to request a contract.
Owner response:Uncle. Calli is right. I couldn't get hold of the cleaning lady and I tried to clean the whole house myself. It's harder than it looks to do it right. I won't do that again. She is also right about my apartment being separated from the main part of the house only by sliding redwood pocket doors. I am careful not to play music and I route my television's sound through headphones. As for conversations, now that I know it is an issue, I am going to try putting up a heavy curtain or quilt on my side of the doors to muffle the sound. The "financial issues" she referred to is that I got confused between her and someone else as to whether she had sent the full deposit. I wasn't sure which was which. Now I write down everything concerning money immediately immediately immediately and don't rely on memory which, for me, is fallible at best. This is my first year doing this. I lost my rear end in the stock market in 2008-9 and have had to rent out my house through VRBO. I am still learning how to do this. As for Calli, my only criticism is that she should have brought these things up at the time and I would have done my best to remedy them immediately. That would have been better for her and better for me. ADDENDUM 20 July 2010 Yesterday I put up a large curtain rod and hung as curtains two heavy quilts in front of the doors between the house and the apartment. These effectively muffle sounds between the two. One can no longer hear conversations on the other side of the heavy quilts.
Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.
Guest: The Ferrells
(Salem, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 02/10/10
Review Submitted: 02/10/10
We loved this house, a comfortable old UCB faculty dwelling moved long ago to this location. Twelve of us stayed there most comfortably, and held a birthday party with 40 guests...no problem. The beds are divine. So much like a European pension. Amenities are within walking distance. The owner is very gracious, and replies immediately by email.
Recommended for:
Guest: John245
(Ventura, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/18/09
Review Submitted: 09/18/09
Our week stay was very enjoyable. The home has everything you need for a large group. The access to transportation makes it ideal for visiting sites around the entire Bay Area. I highly recommend using this home for your vacation stay.
Recommended for:
Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/10/09
Review Submitted: 08/10/09
This is a great house because of it's proximity to all the amenities of Berkeley and San Francisco. We. and eight guests, stayed for our son's wedding in Berkeley. Comfortable beds and a well equipped kitchen. A virtual home form home for all involved. Grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and a wonderful meal at Chez Panisse! Couldn't ask for more.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #206270
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