Vacation Rentals by Owner

Truly amazing, idyllic vacation home!!

Guest: Kathie L.
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 07/29/11

We have come to Aptos every summer for many years, and this home was, by far, the best vacation rental we have ever had. The home and ocean views are more beautiful than the pictures. The interior is spacious and very comfortable. The ocean view from the master bedroom was stunning, and it was delightful to start the day enjoying such a view while still in bed sipping coffee and reading the newspaper so generously provided by the owner each day. The location couldn't be more perfect....centrally located for easy day trips to Carmel, Monterey, and Moss Landing, and lots of excellent restaurants. The highlight of each day was sitting on the deck and watching the sunset while enjoying a glass of wine. We spent each afternoon dozing on the deck swing or watching the pelicans, sea otters, and dolphins. It was incredibly serene and peaceful to fall asleep listening to the sounds of the ocean. Amy greeted us upon arrival, gave us a tour, and answered all of our questions. She has done a great job of clearly and simply typing out instructions on the use of the entertainment system which made using them so easy. Although we never had any issues, it was comforting to know that she was easily available by phone and that she lived on site. Many vacation rentals require a minimum stay of one week during summer months. We were only able to stay 5 nights, and Amy's flexibility with the schedule was greatly appreciated. We would HIGHLY recommend this beautiful vacation home and plan to return again!!

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

Amazing - a gift

Guest: steve (belmont, ma)
Date of Stay: 04/21/11 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

My family and I stayed for only three nights and we coulda stayed forever. The house is absolutely beautiful; so often we look at pictures online and can't believe they're real, but this house actually looks better than the photos, if that's possible. Location is perfect. Beach is amazing. House is the most up to date that we've rented. We'll be back very soon!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best View!

Guest: Debbie (Palo Alto)
Date of Stay: 04/04/11 Review Submitted: 04/08/11

We enjoyed 4 nights in April here. The weather was mostly sunny so we made great use of the deck to relax outside, read, and enjoy the fantastic view. Our dachshund felt right at home, zipping in and out through the little doggie door. We can't wait to return!

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

An Amazing Weekend

Guest: Karen H. (Roseville, CA)
Date of Stay: 02/25/11 Review Submitted: 03/02/11

The pictures do not do this home and view justice. Sitting on the back deck is just amazing! There are no visible houses on either side of you and it feels like you have the ocean view all to yourself. I don't think there was one time that I looked out and did not see an otter or seal. The front yard is equally beautiful with big trees, a very quaint brick pathway leading to a white picket fence and beautiful daffodils in bloom. The house is beautifully decorated and had everything we needed for our weekend. Between the view from a comfortable bed in the master bedroom and the soft sheets, I never wanted to get up. Coffee in bed was just perfect! The family room had plenty of seating and the games provided by the owners would certainly bring hours of fun. Marilee and Amy were so helpful as they greeted us upon our arrival. They had some wonderful suggestions for great restaurants and fun places to visit. The walk to the ocean was just as they said, 12 minutes to the pathway and only a couple of more to the sand. The pathway to the Ocean was green and lush and the walk to the pathway was through an adorable neighborhood with beautiful ocean front homes. We can't wait to come back again and share this gem of a home with friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The views are for real!!

Guest: David and Mary Lou (Williamsburg, VA)
Date of Stay: 11/15/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

My wife and I stayed here in November and had a wonderful stay. We have been fortunate in that we have done a great deal of traveling and this was one of our best experiences. It was a very relaxing enviornment with great views and easy driving distance to many sights. We will certainly return! David and Mary Lou

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

Nice Place

Guest: Ross (Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 10/18/10

The property is accurately described in the listing with beautiful views over the ocean. Marile welcomed us on arrival, explained a few things and left us to enjoy our stay. My wife, son and I rented the house for 12 days early October 2010 and thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Aptos. We found it to be a perfect base for day trips to San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey and surrounding area. We also spent a few days on the beach. Local facilities and restaurants are very good. I would not hesitate in recommending this property to friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Marvelous Location and Views

Guest: Mary&Doug (Albuquerque, NM)
Date of Stay: 09/15/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

We stayed here a week in September 2010 and loved it. Marile is very nice; she fills you in on all the details, etc., and then leaves you to enjoy. The house is clean and charming--has all you need. Listening to the waves at night, breakfast on the deck, sitting on the deck, wine on the deck, sunsets, moon shining on the water--all and more made our week here great. Spent hours walking on the beach below and found quite a lot of beach glass. Easy drives and fun shopping, eating towns are Moss Landing--quirky small town with a couple of galleries, food, and a Shakespeare museum; Capitola, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel. Its worth paying the money and doing the 17-mile drive at Pebble Beac--once.

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

Details

Guest: Summer Renter (Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/16/10 Review Submitted: 09/19/10

Renters should be aware that the owners are not in a separate location but live on the ground floor of the same house, so that you can hear them and their dogs at all hours of the day and night. The dog barks all day whenever the owners are absent. Late night conversations and phone calls can be overheard in the rental unit. The pictures look like the beach is close but if you want easy walking access to the beach you should check out the location to see if it meets your needs as the path to the beach is not direct.

Owner response:Please review the volume of overwhelmingly positive reviews posted about our home - and then we ask that you weigh the following when reading this renter's post. This renter clearly had another agenda - the renter actually did not pay the full rent as agreed to for her stay upon arrival - it seems to us she was simply trying to "get out of her contractual obligation". (We now adhere to our policy of payment in full upon arrival.) We pride ourselves on answering any and all questions of prospective renters beforehand because we want you to enjoy your stay and we want you to be kind to our home. Let me quote an email sent to this renter in advance of her stay: "There is a neighborhood private access path down to the beach...about a 15 minute walk. Or a 3 minute drive down to the beach and we provide a parking access pass to any State Park beach along the coast. The view is awesome. The street below is not visible from our view just Dolphins and Otters." Our post also clearly states: "Caretaker resides on property in private separate studio." The entrance is on the opposite site of the house and has a separate driveway. This renter also asked for a pre-visit inspection - which we fully accommodated and showed to her friend the entire home. Regarding the dogs, we're simply confused - we have two miniature dachshunds - one goes to the office every day and the other is with me. Regarding the late night conversations, we're further confused. The master suite where she stayed is on the opposite side of the house - there is no way to overhear conversations that far away. In addition, her application was supposedly for one renter, although she ended up having two people not on the application stay with her for part of her two weeks - we are the ones who feel deceived and lied to regarding this rental. We feel we have a little slice of heaven and it's our pleasure to share it with others – good, kind renters welcomed.

Recommended for:

Great base for the central coast

Guest: Emma and Jo (Lincoln, UK)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/06/10

Spent a week here in late March/ early April. House was clean and really well-equipped with everything you could possibly need. View is spectacular - could have sat looking at it all day. Great location for exploring the surrounding area including Capitola, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Monterey and Carmel, as well as all of the local parks and beaches. Plus we got to Hearst Castle (wow!) and back easily within a day. Local amenities include a largish supermarket only minutes away. The beach that the house overlooks is fantastic with a great little visitor centre containing information about the concrete ship and local wildlife. All in all a really peaceful, relaxing spot and one that we would love to visit again someday.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing.

Very clean and well-maintained home

Guest: Cindy NN (sacramento)
Date of Stay: 12/31/09 Review Submitted: 01/11/10

The home is very clean and well-maintained. We stayed here over the New Year Weekend. The weather was great. As we ate our breakfast on the deck outside we saw about six dolphins playing in the bay.The photos are a very accurate description. We would stay here again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Get-away

Guest: Steve & Lynne (Pollock Pines, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 10/15/09 Review Submitted: 10/19/09

We spent 3 nights at this house & had a wonderful time. The view of the ocean is spectacular, even saw a few sea lions swimming around. Slept with the windows/slider open, listening to the waves was so peaceful & relaxing. The location of this house made for an easy drive to Santa Cruz, Monterey & Carmel. The walk to the beach took about 20 mins, was easy & well worth it. Ask the locals about sea glass. Marile met with us after our arrival, answering our questions & gave us great info of the surrounding area, POI's & eateries. We could rent this house again, a great get-away!

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

Great Relaxing Getaway

Guest: Al C. (Connecticut)
Date of Stay: 09/08/09 Review Submitted: 10/01/09

We just spent 10 days in September and our stay was wonderful. The place was clean, spacious and perfectly laid out. The deck is sensational- super views of the ocean and with the relaxing sounds of waves in the background. Every day we had a wildlife alert- We saw dolphins and sea lions almost daily (including an occassional sea lion coming onto the sand). The neighborhood is quiet and residential. There is easy access to Capitola, Carmel, Big Sur, Redwoods. Our hosts were very welcoming and professional and made our arrival and departure very convenient. We highly recommend this rental.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/30/09 Review Submitted: 08/30/09

This is an exquisite vacation home. The ocean views are breathtaking. The sunsets are incredible. Was great fun watching the dolphins frolicking. The owners are wonderful. If you are looking for a serene, tranquil getaway in walking distance to the beaches, this vacation home is ideal.

Recommended for:

Guest: Christine48 (San Mateo, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/29/09 Review Submitted: 07/29/09

We spent July 4th weekend (2009) at this property and had an unbelievable time. The property was more than adequate -- plenty of room for all as well as our dog. Very comfortable and all the amenitites and comfort of home! Lots to do and the fireworks from the house were spectacular. We will definitely visit again. Thank you Marile -- you made our visit very easy!

Recommended for:

This IS The Beach Home You Are Looking For

Guest: Gregory and Shannon (Los Altos)
Date of Stay: 06/24/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

My expectations were pretty high based on the descriptions and photos...and being there far exceeded those expectations. Marile greeted us on our arrival to give us a tour and go over the entertainment systems, and was available if needed. The neighborhood is very quiet and peaceful, and the home is very much a private, restful retreat, with unbeatable views from the deck. Marile provides an annual state park pass which allows access to the by car to the state park below. The walk is nice, and having the pass makes the beach truly accessible. This is a great place for young kids as the deck is gated, and they allow pets. Pixie’s is a small eatery on the main beach advertised as a deli with great sandwiches. I was pleasantly surprised to find their seafood choices. The calamari steak sandwich was a popular selection in our group, and my wife’s open face shrimp sandwich was terrific also. My son says his roast beef on rye was equally good. This is a wonderful beach retreat which I highly recommend.

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

A bed with a view

Guest: Anja-Susann (Deutschland)
Date of Stay: 04/12/09 Review Submitted: 07/23/09

Dear Marile, Dear Amy: Thanks again for a wonderful vacation! We had terrific weather in April and spent every minute on the beautiful deck... The house itself is very gemütlich, the TV truly amazing (but after Amy's crash course easy to handle!) with more than two people however there might be a fight over the master bedroom - the view from the bed is just unbeatable... It's a very nice and peaceful neighbourhood and we enjoyed the daily newspaper, the fresh flowers, the "three ways to get to the beach", the shopping, the dining, the Redwoods - everything! And we'll be back, as soon as possible.. Lots of regards from rainy Germany, Anja & Markus

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Amazing Ocean Views

Guest: Chris and Suzanne T. (Danville, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/12/09 Review Submitted: 03/16/09

The views from this home are astounding! 180 degree views of the Ocean (and yes we did see sea otters and dolphins from the deck!). The amenities were great and extremely comfortable. Cal-King bed a huge plus for my wife and I. Extra bedroom on the other side of the house great for our little girl (just enough space for us to have some privacy). The walk to the beach is a bit long since you are situated on a bluff with an amazing view, you must work your way down to the shore, but if you enjoy 10-15 minute walks as part of your day anyway, then it's not a big deal. Overall an extremely relaxing and great getaway. We had the windows open all night to listen to the waves, and best of all no traffic noise of any kind so all you hear is nature !! Thanks for a GREAT stay !

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway.

Fabulous!

Guest: Doc and Ceci (Rio Rancho, NM)
Date of Stay: 11/28/08 Review Submitted: 09/02/09

We stayed in this beautiful home during our 25th Wedding Anniversary "honeymoon". It was fabulous! The pictures and description can't do it justice. Plus you can't hear the ocean by reading the reviews! We loved having coffee in the morning and listening to the ocean. We had never been to CA and staying here was experiencing CA at its best. We had a slight problem with the TV (which was a technical issue) and the owner fixed it within minutes. We were grateful they were on the premises (although we never saw them). Marile's tips for shopping and recreation/day trips were invaluable. We were close to San Francisco and spent a wonderful day touring the city. Being close to the Redwood Forest enabled us to have another great day trip. And it was always a treat to return to this wonderful home at the end of the day. Just perfect. We truly couldn't have asked for a better "homeaway".

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

Aptos Seacliff Rental Review

Guest: Billy Baroo (Redwood City)
Date of Stay: 10/18/08 Review Submitted: 11/05/08

We had a wonderful time here. It's a bit of a walk to the beach but the view is FANTASTIC!!. A very relaxing and well-appointed place. It's listed as 2 BR but the room on the bottom floor can be used as a 3rd. The TV and BBQ were very nice and we used them a lot! My wife and I really appreciated having a king size bed.

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway.

A Peaceful And Relaxing Week

Guest: AZ Travellers (Tempe, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 09/06/08 Review Submitted: 09/23/08

We spent a week here, and it was on of the most pleasant and relaxing times we've had in many years. The house was nice, clean, and exactly what we expected from the advertising. The view from the deck was all I had hoped for and more, we couldn't get enough of it. The master bedroom is as close as you can get to sleeping on the beach without waking up all sandy. We had a lot of fun roaming around the local small towns. The owners were very straightforward and accommodating. We hope to come back again!

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

Escaping th valley heat for a week

Guest: Escaping the heat (California)
Date of Stay: 08/25/08 Review Submitted: 09/07/08

We did. 107 degrees in the valley, 70 in Aptos. View spectacular. Master bedroom mattress wonderful with great view of the ocean. Caution for those with physical limitations as many steps to get to the house and steps inside. 2 stories. TV controls need simplifying, a nightmare. Awkward as owners we believe were living in a small apartment on the ground floor--accessing it from the outside. Drive way access difficult for large cars.

Owner response:Our house has a 50" Plasma TV hooked up with Bose speakers in the living room - Step-by-Step instructions are included on the Remotes as well as in our Guest book - in addition, we walk each guest through using the TV at check-in and we provide our number where people can call us if they have any problems - we use DirecTV and find that the vast majority of our guests highly enjoy the investments we've made in our home theater. Regarding the driveway - we used to own a Hummer (it was actually our IRS AMT protest) - but we now own more environmentally friendly vehicles - we had no problem parking it in our driveway - so you should have no problem either - as long as you follow the curve of the driveway as it is a half circle driveway. The house does have a separate apartment on the lower level with an outside entrance on the opposite side of the main house - with separate parking. Depending upon various commitments, we at times stay here while at other times we go to our cabin near Tahoe. We prefer the flexibility - while allowing our guests the opportunity to enjoy our little slice of heaven.

Recommended for:Age 55+

Had a Great Time!

Guest: Lisa & Derek (Trabuco Canyon, Ca. )
Date of Stay: 08/15/08 Review Submitted: 08/23/08

We had a great time at your property, wish we had more time to use all the amenities. We did fit in a 1/2 hour to play a video game in the game room. The house looks exactly like the pictures, very homey. Enjoyed watching the whales playing in the water from the deck "Incredible". Thanks for sharing your home. Hope to be able to come back next summer :)

Owner response:Dolphins, Seals, Otters and Birds are most typical - whales are rare - but if you keep your eye's on the ocean - you too might just be surprised with their appearance. There were three playing outside and showing their tails during this guest's visit.

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

Breathtaking Views - Enjoy the Privacy -

Guest: Becky & Steve (Milpitas, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/06/08 Review Submitted: 06/11/08

We fell in love with this beautiful romantic Getaway. The VIEWS are incredible. Loved watching the sea otters. The sounds of the ocean were so soothing and relaxing. We enjoyed walking through town, down scenic paths that led to the beach then walked to nearby restaurants. It was great to walk on the pier that led us to a historic ship that has a story of it's own. The house itself is beautiful and has unique architecture and a charming ambiance. The landscaping was delightful with all the variety of beautiful plants and flowers. We had lovely dinners and breakfast on the decks. It was beautifully decorated and well kept. The owners were fantastic to say the least. Very kind and gracious. We would definitely recommend this property to anyone looking for a private and relaxing setting with no crowds around you, although you have the shopping, restaurants and entertainment very close by. We can't wait to do this agan!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Beware of construction

Guest: bigfue (Santa Rosa, Ca)
Date of Stay: 04/20/08 Review Submitted: 05/10/08

There was construction going on next door of which we were not aware when we reserved the place. The noise was constant during the day, but the sound of the ocean drowned out most, but not all the noise. We had to ask the construction people to move their truck out of the driveway entrance to get out. The views from the balcony/deck were excellent, but because of the noise, we spent more time indoors than we wanted. The furniture was very comfortable, both indoors and out. The refrigerator had a lot of food in it - we barely had space for the food we brought. Cleanliness was fair. The owners did provide good customer service, going over the electronics carefully. The whole area was pretty. I would recommend this property to a friend provided there was no construction going on. I feel the construction ruined what otherwise would have been a nice quiet excellent getaway.

Owner response:The construction work next door was completly outside our control. We sincerely apologized to the renter. We have a professional cleaning service that services the property and have re-reviewed the criteria for level of service.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

This is Paradise!

Guest: Joyce and Milton (Dallas, TX, USA)
Date of Stay: 11/22/07 Review Submitted: 06/01/08

Renting this home in Aptos for a week was truly one of the best vacations we have ever had. Simply put, the home is fabulous and the surrounding area is so peaceful and relaxing that we came home totally rejuvenated. We would rent this home again in a New York minute! The cost is very reasonable considering all the amenities the house has. The furniture is very, very comfortable, the bathrooms sparkling clean and the kitchen is centrally located and a pleasure to cook in. There are no words to describe the million dollar view you get from the deck outside -- we spent much of our vacation week out there! It is conducive to reading, relaxing, conversing and enjoying dining al fresco as many times as you possibly can. The beach is just a 10 minute walk away if one should ever wish to leave this Shangri-La. We hope to return to this property again this year and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing getaway. Joyce and Milton

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