It was everything we were looking for and more

Guest: DeronV (Twin Cities, MN)
Date of Stay: 01/14/10 Review Submitted: 01/21/10

We were originally looking at hotels for our trip to San Diego, but I randomly came across this property while checking other options....Our trip was so much better because of it! As soon as we walked in the door, we fell in love with the place. It was very clean and well kept, the kitchen was ready for all of our meal adventures (including some baking). Part of the fun of our trip was being able to make so many meals together...saved us a bunch of money, too. My wife really enjoyed the deck areas, great places to lounge around outside, and the neighborhood is quiet enough (except for the occasional plane overhead) that spending time outside isn't a problem. The location is amazing! Not only is it close to a beautiful beach, but it's also really easy to get to the interstate. Easy access to everything else in San Diego. But no need to go too far because there's plenty to do just in the neighborhood. Be sure to eat at Hodad's (2 blocks away) during your stay. The management is great, very easy to get a hold of and ready to answer any questions you might have. We highly recommend this place and hope it's available during our next visit.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Nice Place, Even Better Location

Guest: Kdog (Mesa, AZ)
Date of Stay: 07/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/06/11

This was a great place to stay; very close to the beach and stores all within walking distance. The major complaint i have, which is beyond the control of the owner, is that we were directly under the flight path of a major airport! As such, generally from the hours of 6am to 8am, there was nearly constant air noise - and its quite loud. The good news is that having to wake up early to the blast of airplanes allowed us to enjoy early morning walks on the beach. The house sleeps 4-6, but keep in mind if you bring 6, two of you will be sharing a rather small futon, so be sure you like your bunkmate..alot. The only other minor complaint i have is the laundry fee. Since you are given only 1 towel/person for a week, if you need to do laundry, its going to cost you. It could be cheaper to purchase cheap towels and throw them away rather than wash them. Its not expensive at about $6/load (wash and dry) but it feels a little like i was being nickle and dimed after paying so much for rental and cleaning. It would also be nice if there was an outdoor BBQ, and maybe some other beach toys for use. Other rentals in the area have more 'extra' amenities which are included in the rental fee. Other than that, the house is very nicely furnished, and in a great location.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great Beach Retreat! Perfect Hideaway! Easy Access to Everything in San Diego!

Guest: KP (Des Moines, IA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/05/11

Orca Cottage is exactly why we always go through VRBO! If you are looking for a well kept cozy cottage in Ocean Beach that has off-street parking and great amenities, this is it! The property is exactly as described, and Yasmin and Bill are great to work with! The pre-arrival package is thorough and detailed, and access to the property to check in was simple! Owners contact you after checkin to see if there are any additional needs and contact information was posted at the property for any need. Orca is a cottage, so don't expect a house in the suburbs! It's tastefully decorated, and includes wireless and cable. The decks on the front of the house and in the courtyard are great to relax and enjoy one of the last great beach cities! Make sure that you enjoy the beach a block away, as well as journey north on the coast to places like Del Mar for views of the coast! Hit up Coronado Island and the beach there for crowds as well as explore the Gas Lamp quarter and Balboa park!

Owner response:Thank you so much for the wonderful review. We do our best to ensure our guests have a wonderful time.

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

Things to be aware of before you rent this Cottage

Guest: kkcomeau (San Jose)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

This Cottage is directly under the flight plan of the Southwest Airlines planes that fly in every 15 minutes beginning at 6:45 am. The planes come very low to the house. They continuously frightened my 2 year old son. The house is not well stocked. For example, no dishwasher-machine fluid to clean the dishes. The Owner advertises that dish cleaner is provided. I called and left the owner a message. She never bothered to call back. Also, we were alloted 2 rolls of toilet paper for 4 adults. This was enough for 3 days. I used the last square of paper before heading out. The place was not cleaned well. The floors were dirty when we checked in. The cleaning crew at a problem gaining access to clean before we arrived, so they did a quick job. The Owner did not offer any break in the price. My sons feet were dirty from walking around the place. Bring house slippers. There are no beach toys provided other than a frisbee. There are no games. Wifi was not working. Many essential kitchen utensils were missing. Only 6 dishes / bowls are provided and some were chipped and broken. The low rate obviously reflects the above. I would not stay here again.

Owner response:We are very sorry to hear about the bad experience our guests had. Most of Ocean Beach is under the flight path as in San Diego, unlike other cities, the airport is located downtown. Dishwasher detergent powder is located under the kitchen sink and that was confirmed after the guests departed. Their phone call was not returned due to office phone problems. They had all our contact numbers, including cell phones, which they could have called as well, had it been a pressing issue. We make sure to inform all guests of the amenities provided, both in our ads and in an email sent to the guests: as in most vacation rentals, we provide a stater supply of paper products and toiletries (as opposed to a hotel, which is most likely what will work better for these guests). As to cleanliness, we were not informed of the poor job our cleaning crew has done. The guests knowingly arrived earlier than check-in time, which most likely put the cleaning crew under pressure. If we were made aware of the condition we would have definitely offered a discount. Neither were we aware that Internet was not working. A quick reset of the Internet equipment (which is located in the bedroom) would have most likely resolved the problem. As can be seen from other reviews left regarding the Orca Cottage the bad experience these guests had was due to a combination of circumstances beyond our control. We do strive to ensure all guests have the best experience possible.

Recommended for:

Charming and a great fit for us

Guest: _bob (Chicago, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/13/10

My wife and 7-year-old daughter spent out spring break at the Orca cottage and had an incredible time in no small part due to the following: 1. This is a fantastic location to get anywhere in the city easily. 2. It has very necessary, off-street parking in back. 3. You can see the ocean from the deck. :-) 4. It is nicely appointed, very charming and immaculate. 5. Ocean Beach is a kooky and original San Diego place. Thanks you!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children.

PERFECTION!

Guest: Seedles (Fair Oaks, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/23/10 Review Submitted: 01/28/10

Everything was perfect! Clean, quaint, and close to everything. Had a wonderful time and couldnt be more satisfied! Thank you for making our stay something to remember!

Recommended for:

Perfect Seaside Cottage!

Guest: moose1957 (Woodland, Ca U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 09/10/09 Review Submitted: 10/19/09

My 2 sisters and I had the perfect seashore holiday in the little yellow cottage by the ocean! It was exactly what we were looking for, to spend some fun, relaxing time together. Very close to the beach, shops, and restaurants, yet quiet and peaceful on the deck in the mornings and evenings. I would come back again, and would recommend it to friends and family. Loved the decor and landscape!

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

Leon, Linda and Family

Guest: Leon, Linda & Family (Scottsdale, Az)
Date of Stay: 07/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/09

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL is the only way to tell you about this super clean and very well remodeled cottage. The front deck was a favorite place morning ,noon and night for our 2 year old grandson. We could have not ask for better service from Bill & Jasmin, everything was there that was needed to make our stay very comfortable. We cooked all of our meals there and enjoyed the 2 minute walk to the beautiful beach and fantastic sunsets. I would recommend this cottage for anyone who would love the be close to everything. We are planning and looking forward to return trips to this cottage. Thanks again to Bill & Jasmin for making our stay so nice.

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

The pictures don't do it justice

Guest: histrionia (Susanville, CA)
Date of Stay: 02/08/09 Review Submitted: 02/16/09

This is a super cute and cozy cottage, remodeled and up to date yet keeping the right atmosphere. The landscape is beautifully done, it has a new kitchen and bathroom with a great claw foot tub. The queen bed was super comfortable. A new flat screen TV and a DVD player are there. It is blocks from the main drag in OB and a block from a quiet stretch of the beach. The neighborhood was quiet and the parking in back was awesome! We bought fresh fish at Point Loma Seafoods and fresh produce from the Wednesday farmers market and had some delicious meals at home. It is not handicapped accessible.

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

Privacy and Quiet close to Everything

Guest: derrickandscott (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 12/27/08 Review Submitted: 01/16/09

We had a wonderful holiday week here. Yasmin and Bill are excellent hosts and went out of their way to accomodate us and make our stay fantastic. Even though there was still some landscaping going on during our stay (which we had been told about), the set back of the cottage from the street lent itself to a quiet, relaxing time. That being said, we were a quick 2 block walk to the OB main drag and 1 block from the awesome beach. The off-street parking is also a huge deal that added to our enjoyment. The house is all new and we lacked nothing. We will definately be going back

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, age 55+.