more than I expected!

Guest: Dr.K (Oakland)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

we were delightfully surprised to find this unassuming cottage to have such a beautiful interior! great sound system, lovely artwork-especially for a rental(!)- and comfortable. It is clean, everything you need to stay in and cook and lounge, and truly just a short walk to some of the best restaurants in Napa. We went to a great spa about 2 blocks away, and rented bikes for a glorious ride on the trail near the house. I will stay here again. Also, the owner was super nice and easy to deal with.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Daughters Wedding

Guest: Betty (Sonora, California)
Date of Stay: 09/23/11 Review Submitted: 11/08/11

We stayed in this charming cottage for our daughters wedding on 9-24-11. We were in walking distance to the restaurant for the rehersal dinner and the hotels. The cottage was clean and had everything you would need to have a great stay. I would recommend this home to my friends .

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, adventure seekers, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Nice Location

Guest: PK (Carnelian Bay, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/16/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

We enjoyed our stay and the location is great. It is located in a quiet neighborhood but close to all the amenities of Yountville, a nice walking area. The house was very comfortable, lots of artwork and has a nice outdoor space with grass to enjoy. We are football fans, the TV/Sound System was great. We would stay again. The Owner was easy to work with and very accommodating.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, adventure seekers, sightseeing, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Great Little Getaway

Guest: Marleylove (San Rafael)
Date of Stay: 04/22/11 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

I have rented Lupe's house twice and have been very happy with his flexibility and generosity regarding the terms of the rental. The house has an open floorplan and feels surprisingly large! I brought two friends with me on my last trip and we had a wonderful time and we had plenty of room. It is an easy walk to everything and a perfect mix of access to town and the country. Thanks, Lupe!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Should have been a great experience, but turned into a disaster

Guest: Jason (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 09/17/10 Review Submitted: 12/17/10

I'm happy that others had a great experience with Lupe, but we did not. My fiance and I rented the place for three months (mid Sept 2010 to mid Dec 2010). We were very excited about the place given great location, although the rent was higher than most other places around. The one thing I didn't like was having to pay 100% up front. Lupe said "Check my VRBO reviews" in response to why we shouldn't worry. Just prior to moving in, Lupe attempted to change the move in date by three days (later) which would have been a disaster for us. After a few terse emails, he relented to keep the original agreement. But it only got worse. Rats took over the house and despite our pleas help, Lupe was mostly unresponsive. Although we begged for him to hire professionals to help the issue, he decided to lay poison around the house. Not only did it not help, but eventually the rats will die inside the walls. Professionals came later, but it was too late, as due to rat feces and food being eaten by the critters running throughout the house, we were forced to abandon the premise. We were stuck without a place to live while Lupe refused to pay for a hotel and then nickel and dimes us all the way to a lease termination agreement. It was really bad form, in my opinion. He wasn't responsiveness to fix the problem, tried to do it the cheap way, then had the nerve to "negotiate" with us a payment than was smaller than we deserved. Life is too short to sue for a couple hundred dollars. It's not too short to take time out to write this review.

Owner response:My home was never rented to Jason. He is not on any agreement with me and to my knowledge did not stay in my home. All my reviews have been very positive. There are two sides to this story. Actually Ms Malan was allowed to move in 2 days earlier than the contract stated. Free of charge. Yes I had the dates wrong at first but this was a harmless mistake which she acknowledged. Most short term renters on VRBO get payment upfront. If Ms Malan did not like the terms she should have looked elsewhere and not entered into the agreement as she did. Yountville is a beautiful spot in the Napa Valley surrounded by vineyards. Rodentssmetimes but rarely come with the territory however my home had never had this problem. On a very cold day we encountered some rat infestation in the neighborhood. Ms Malan called me about the problem. She is right about my trying to deal with the situation myself before going to Terminex for assistance. There was one rat in the house attic which was killed in a trap. Upon Ms Malan's return from a brief holiday, she called me again to tell me she felt creepy staying there any longer. I immediately booked her in a Marriott hotel and paid for the room. We spoke the next day and she informed me that she had found an alternative home and wanted to be reimbursed on a pro rata basis. I agreed and that day mailed a check for the amount minus the standard cleaning fee of 150.00. Ms Malan had been in my home for about 10 weeks. The home did not appear to have been cleaned during that time. The kitchen was dirty and food had been left out. After a deep cleaning I moved back into my home. There was one rat total. Yes, that is one rat too many but this is the country. From what Ms Malan had expressed to me earlier, I got the idea that her work/intern situation in Yountville did not go well for her. Apparently not worth the money her fiance gave her to rent my home. I have only received glowing reviews about my Yountville home as it is a beautiful jewel of a place. I take great pride in it. My Carmel property gets similar reviews. I did everything a responsible owner would and could do given the situation. The review was written by her boyfriend who I never met or had any dealings with. I was always very accomodating with Ms. Malan as I am with all my guests.

Recommended for:

Guest: carrie pardy (venice, ca)
Date of Stay: 12/15/09 Review Submitted: 12/15/09

Wow!! What a perfect place to stay. Perfectly close to every excellent restaurant you'd want to eat at... the kitchen was wonderful and the surrounding area made for some beautiful walks. Cozy and charming!!

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Guest: June Barrient (Avery, California)
Date of Stay: 12/12/09 Review Submitted: 12/12/09

What a great place for a Napa Valley vacation! We went to Yountville to enjoy all the great restaurants and the location couldn't have been better. The house is perfect, very clean and everything in it is high quality. I would definitely rent this home again. Thank you, Lupe.

Recommended for:

Guest: Mark Richards (Danville, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/03/09 Review Submitted: 11/03/09

What a perfect location. Walking distance to the Bouchon for breakfast in the morning. Great backyard if you want to stay home and picnic or in our case, to let our dogs romp around. Clean, comfortable, even a sound system that plays throughout the house. The loft set up lets lots of light in and provides an airy feel. Well thought out design inside. And the shower has a "rain-shower" head - delightful on a cool morning or to take off the dust after a day of wine tasting. Thank you Lupe!

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