Vacation Rentals by Owner

Even better than the pictures!

Guest: Glenda (Palm Springs area)
Date of Stay: 05/10/12 Review Submitted: 05/22/12

I was looking for a 3 bdr place not too far from UC Berkeley and this place proved to be ideal!! It is roomy and very cozy - I loved all the original touches; the amazing Craftsman workmanship; carved wood, built ins, stained glass - it's lovely. Two big bedrooms; one smaller one. One of the big bedrooms even has a crib for babies! There were 5 of us and we were very comfortable. The bedrooms are on the quiet side of the house - but street traffic was fairly quiet! The kitchen was spacious and fully equipped. The only thing that I might suggest for Judy, the lovely owner, is to have some tourist brochures, maps, etc to help out visitors that are new to the San Francisco area. Thanks so much, Judy - we hope to come back again!!

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

grandbaby visitors

Guest: Sandi (Portland, Maine, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/15/12 Review Submitted: 05/01/12

We enjoyed our stay in this lovely arts and crafts style home. The neighborhood is very attractive on a quiet street with nice neighbors. Parking was no problem either. The owner was very kind and responsive to our needs. She had a thoughtful welcome basket in the fridge and the NY Times was delivered on Fri, Sat, Sun (a real treat). Some things that could be improved upon or replaced are the towels, some bed pillows and the shower curtain. The kitchen is reasonably well equipped and the washer/dryer works quite efficiently. I would stay there again.

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

Fascinating Home of Early Oakland

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/27/12 Review Submitted: 02/15/12

The home was clean and tidy and certainly well located. Walking distance to Trader Joe's (we love those stores!) College Avenue going up to Berkeley was fun. Real nice Indian Food restaurant close by, also. But the most fun for me was being able to stay in a home that was built just two years after the San Francisco earthquake. The home has the original doors, floors, millwork, fireplace ,kitchen counters and cabinets. The owner bought the home from the daughter of the original family who lived in the home. I loved driving around the area to look at other bungalow style homes built about in the same time period. The home is located in the Rock Ridge area of Oakland which is very close to Berkeley and the University.

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

A Great Refuge...

Guest: jam (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/02/12 Review Submitted: 01/13/12

Came home from a trip while my house was being worked on and my house was not ready -- this one was :-) It was a great place to be while my house was being fixed up - My sister was in town for a visit and the living and dining room space provided great places to have conversation - near enough to shopping to be able to buy what you need - a long walk to bart if that is what you are looking for -- if the need arises would stay here again -- the owner bent over backwards to make sure we were comfortable.

Owner response:Thank you Josh, I am glad it worked out for you!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Fabulous - we could not ask for more!

Guest: Lynsey (London, England)
Date of Stay: 07/28/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

We were coming to visit family in Rockridge & was after a 3 bed house - this exceeded our expectations. We have two children & they both had a bedroom to themselves & we had the back bedroom - which was bliss as we actually got some sleep. The living accomodation is large for 4 people to get lost, the girls particularly loved the fact they could run around & get into all the rooms through inter connecting doors. The kitchen is well equiped with microwave, coffee machine, dishwasher & best of all a washing machine & tumble dryer. It was a central location & an easy walk to the Rockridge Bart & also a very small walk to Piedmont. There is a swimming pool very near as well, a Safeway just down the road & lovely boutigue shops in both Rockridge & Piedmont. We were very happy & when we go back will definitly use it again

Owner response:Thank you Lyndsey! I look forward to seeing you again sometime!

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

Very Comfortable Stay

Guest: Betty (Maine)
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/13/12

We visited our children last June for two weeks, and the house perfectly suited our needs. We are from NE and like the comfortably shabby feel of a Craftsman Bungalow. The house was clean, the beds comfortable, the flowers, fresh. We enjoyed hanging out in the evening, cooking supper, sitting around the table. The living room and dining room areas are spacious and comfortable. There was a problem with the internet, which Judy dealt with immediately. We would have given five stars had the garden tables been ready for use. We would certainly stay here again. Judy was an excellent hostess.

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

LOVE IT!!

Guest: Claire (Eureka, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/06/11 Review Submitted: 07/13/11

I stayed here with 3 work colleagues and we all loved it! The house is lovely, clean and quiet. It is much larger and prettier than it is in the photos. The photos don't do it justice. The third bedroom is really tiny, so that is something to be aware of in advance if you are traveling with 3 adults. But the rest of the house is spacious, warm and comfortable. We even shot two interviews for a documentary and hosted a production meeting at the house. The owner did help us out with a few things and was fantastic to work with. The location is convenient too. We took a walk to the Oakland Cemetery and did some shopping across the street. It was a wonderful first experience with VRBO!

Owner response:Thanks Claire, yes Mountain View Cemetary is a beautiful place to walk. It was designed by Frederick Olmstead. the third bedroom has a double bed . I can't wait to see your documentary!

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

Great spot: cool house in a super location

Guest: jojodog (Saint Paul MN)
Date of Stay: 12/29/10 Review Submitted: 01/21/11

This craftsman is close to Rockridge Bart, which is walkable. So, too Piedmont, College and Grand Avenues. The house is full of light and really comfy. Awesome fireplace on chilly evenings. The patio in the back looked good, although we didn't get to use it because we were there on chilly days. I felt entirely safe. I would recommend to a friend or famliy member...and would stay there again. Go to Cole Coffee on College!

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

Great visit in Rockridge

Guest: Ozzy (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 12/01/10 Review Submitted: 12/10/10

What a delight to walk into the house and find music playing, flowers around, and yummy homemade bread, fruit and coffee in the enormous kitchen. The space is great, the bed was so delicious..lots of pillows and a deep comforter. Wish the weather were better so we could enjoy the gardens. Location is excellent..and so much room. Everything you need is provided. Highly recommend the house especially if you are visiting for an extended time..feels like home.

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

GREAT HOUSE

Guest: helene (Scarsdale, NY 19583)
Date of Stay: 11/18/10 Review Submitted: 12/01/10

Perfect house for 5 people. Beautiful typical bungalow in Oakland style of the 50th. Very very conveniently located. Also very spacious and handsome, w stunnning woodwork. We would rent it again without any qualms whatsoever. Great family house.

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

Long Term Happiness

Guest: Maddie (Kerrville, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/16/10 Review Submitted: 11/21/10

I just recently left Oakland after staying in Judy Belcher's studio apartment for 3 months and I have to say, I was very pleased. The place, though small, was very cozy and comfortable for just 1 person. All water heaters and amenities worked well and efficiently, and if it ever did get cold at night the radiator was an extremely beneficial best friend. Aside from the apartment being cozy and warm the herb garden and sitting area outside was very inviting and useful for cooking. I often read books in the garden or did work. Judy made the stay worth while. Always kind, helpful and welcoming I always enjoyed her company. I have have no reservations about this place and was so happy I was able to find such comfortable, safe and inviting accommodations for my stay in Oakland.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, pet owners, sightseeing.

weeklong stay

Guest: B (midwest)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/30/10

The house was beautiful! Gorgeous natural woodwork. Spacious, clean, comfortable, and quiet. Convenient location. Easy on-the-street parking. Judy was very accommodating and quick to respond to any questions or concerns. I would definitely recommend staying there.

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Not what we were expecting at all

Guest: Gretchen (Oakland)
Date of Stay: 07/28/10 Review Submitted: 08/21/10

We booked the studio for two weeks, but left after one night. It is very basement-y. Everything smelled musty. We couldn’t get any hot water in the kitchen or bathroom sinks. (We complained about this and the owner just said you had to let it run for a really long time but this never worked for us.) The metal grates on the windows were covered in cobwebs. The owner has since removed the picture of the studio that ran with the listing, which showed a very bright room but in reality it is very dark. AND a little while after we arrived, we had to call 911 to help a homeless man who was raving and throwing up right outside the window, inches away from where we were sitting having dinner.

Owner response:We had the plumber look at the hot water for the studio and he found that there were a few pebbles in the line which was making the water flow very slowly. He removed them and the hot water is good. The cleaning service was instructed to dust the windows when they are cleaning. They cleaned the cobwebs. We increased the wattage of the overhead lights bulbs. The studio leads directly into the patio/garden area which is lovely for sitting or a barbecue. The area is residential but still close enough to walk to Piedmont Ave or College Ave and a short walk to BART or AC Transit

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Cute!

Guest: ShortStay212 (Manhattan)
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

I stayed in this apartment for a two week work trip and it worked out perfectly! The location is literally about one minute walk from a large convenience store complex (Safeway, CVS, Jamba Juice) - with anything you could ever need, and about a 10 minute walk to the BART station, which takes you straight into San Fran. I ended up renting a car and there was always a place to park on the street right outside the house. The apartment itself is cute, not too many frills, but there's a nice kitchenette, well lit bathroom, very very cozy sleeping, and reliable internet (what else could you need?). The outdoor flower garden/patio space is also stunning! And the owner brought over extra toiletries and kitchen supplies during my stay. I didn't spend too much time in the apartment but it was nice for a short stay.

Owner response:She was a really lovely guest and I enjoyed having her in the studio

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