Vacation Rentals by Owner

Relaxing "winter" (can you call it that when it was 70 degrees?) vacation

Guest: Jane (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

We've just returned from 5 glorious days in Faro's wonderful home. Faro could not have been a more welcoming and generous host and our labradors enjoyed their playdates with his two chocolate labs Koko and Scarlett when they came to visit! The house is wonderfully quiet and Faro has thought of every comfort to make it a truly relaxing vacation. Our kids loved the hot tub and we will definitely be back in the summer to enjoy the swimming pool. Thanks Faro!

Owner response:Thanks folks, what a great family and I really enjoyed sitting the dogs. You fit in well and with the solar heat for pool going in soon it will be heated next winter. Hope to see you soon!!

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

What a great time

Guest: jcwaveslider (thousand oaks)
Date of Stay: 12/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

This house is perfect for relaxing with your family or hosting a big group retreat, we loved the casual atmosphere and the location is minutes away from downtown, walking trails and the Santa Barbara Mission. Highly recommend it.

Owner response:Thanks David. What a nice group, I look forward to hosting you again!

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

Overall a nice rental, but beware of a few things

Guest: pander01 (Carlsbad)
Date of Stay: 08/26/11 Review Submitted: 09/12/11

I rented the entire main house for 10 of my friends (early 30's) for our annual weekend trip. After reserving the unit I inquired about the pool house and if it was vacant. The owner informed us that he lives there with his 2 dogs. I've rented a vacation rentals a few times before and this was the first time the owner has been present during our stay and I would have liked to know that information prior to making the reservation as it was not mentioned anywhere. Second, he sent out a lengthy email a couple weeks before our stay revising the noise policy and how he's had issues with neighbors complaining about pool noise. I was concerned how sensitive the noise issue was, so I went so far as to call the owner just to let him know of our plans for the weekend. I believed we were on the same page. On the second night of our two night trip we went downtown and arrived home quite late around 1:30am. We decided to BBQ some food and I thought we were keeping the noise within acceptable limits, but the owner came down at 2am to inform us that we needed to keep it down. We respectfully complied. Sunday morning we cleaned up after ourselves and did all the dishes exactly as the rules specified. We left the rental with well wishes from the owner completely unaware of what was to come. The following week I inquired about the deposit and he let me know that he had only had to keep 2 deposits before and that he was considering keeping ours because he got up at 2am, but he said attitude is everything and we quieted down when asked. I was shocked because I couldn't believe he was thinking about keeping our deposit for giving us a warning, with which we complied. Nowhere in any of the agreements I signed did it state that our deposit could be kept for inconveniencing the owner. If we had been kicked out or evicted for any reason then he would clearly be entitled to keep the deposit according to the paperwork I was given. This was the exact situation I feared when I found out the owner would be present. This email really worried me and I tried to argue my case, but the owner still found it necessary to keep a small portion of our deposit. My feeling when we left the house and even in a follow up email was that everything was fine and he even said he hoped we would return sometime. So, buyer beware that regardless of the documents signed/presented the owner will exercise his own judgment when deciding how much of the deposit to refund.

Owner response:Thank you Paul for your review. Although it is not entirely accurate I hope this will help me to get the message out to future guests. This is a RETREAT, stated here, in the name, on my web site, on the contract, and in all communications including your tour on arrival. It is a very special place in a very quiet neighborhood and out of respect for the community I have to maintain noise restrictions and the tranquility of the neighborhood. Occasionally folks come and feel that these clearly stated rules don't apply to them. I cannot have groups coming here, drinking excessively, leaving noisily at 10PM and returning loudly at 2AM and BBQing loudly in the backyard at 2:30 AM and leaving beer cans at the entrance to the property. This is just not the place for that and, as stated clearly, one can lose their deposit, discounts, etc. Because of your appeal of financial hardships I returned 95% of your deposit. (This $45 kept didn't cover the cost of you leaving the hot tub on all night) I will not do this in the future and violations like this will lead to loss of deposit. If you wanted the whole Retreat, including the cottage, there is an option for that but as you can read from other reviews and the guest book on my web site that most folks appreciate that I am the only one here, maintaining the pool and hot tub in drinking water condition, dealing with trash and any maintenance when requested. As past guests know I do this quietly in the early AM and unless needed, I am gone. My goal is that you never see me. The "Pool House" actually the "Cottage" is physically further away from my neighbors house. All of this information is clear on my web site, in the contract, and on arrival. All guests have to go to my web site to be accepted here. For those of you that want a true "retreat" style experience in a tranquil environment, in a very special spot yet minutes away from everything with a host that enjoys attention to cleanliness and detail then this is the spot for you! But please don't come here with the intent of side stepping the rules or letting alcohol blur your good judgement.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners.

Family Reunion Leader

Guest: Linda (Fountain Valley, Ca)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 09/28/11

My family spent 5 days at Faro's Retreat and had a wonderful time. There were 30 of us, ages 2 months to 86 years old. The pool area was delightful and everyone loved being able to move around freely and still have plenty of room to spread out when needed. We enjoyed playing on the green grass in front of the house too. This is definitely a great place to stay whether you have a group as large as mine or just a few friends hanging out.

Owner response:Thanks folks for blending in so well to this quiet environment. I hope you all can come again!!

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

Reviewer held 80th birthday celebration with family

Guest: Johnny (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Date of Stay: 07/21/11 Review Submitted: 08/08/11

Faro went way out of his way to make us comfortable and to make our family reunion on my 80th birthday year a great one. It is not easy to house more than 30 people and have them in one house plus cottage, but Faro's place was outstanding. We had youngsters of all ages with us and they had an outstanding experience, especially with the swimming pool and jacusi. It was clean and available. Faro was available day and night to handle problems and was most friendly and pleasant. We had the advantage of my having lived in Montecito many years ago and my parents' house was just a good hike away. Our teenagers found the beach, swimming, and volleyball. The beauty of the surroundings was tremendous. Santa Barbara is the best with many museums, courthouse, imaginative city, university, and I could go on. In short, this was terrific for me and my family. We did all of our meals at the house and there was plenty of room to handle our large group. We would surely do it again.

Owner response:Thanks John, It was a great pleasure meeting you and your entire family. I look forward to hosting you again!

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

Location, Location, Location

Guest: Steve S (Visalia, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 06/21/11

Our group of 18 adults and 5 children had a great time. The house has plenty of space for a large group. We spent a week there. Kids loved the pool and hot tub. Nice lawn in front for games and running around. Very quite neighborhood. Great location, easy to get to Montecito or State street in a few minutes. Faro is a great host. Very helpful, he bought a pizza stone when we found out there wasn't one in the kitchen yet. Two friendly dogs come to visit throughout the day, which we all enjoyed. Lots of space around the pool for dinners and relaxing. Two kitchens was really a plus when preparing meals for such a large crowd. Plenty of bathrooms as well. We highly recommend.

Owner response:Thanks Steve! Your group fit well in the neighborhood and it was great hosting you all. I hope you can come again. Now I have to learn how to use a pizza stone!

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

Great place to relax

Guest: One of Five Ladies (Santa Rosa, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/13/11 Review Submitted: 05/22/11

Our group of 5 Ladies go away once a year together. We are always looking for a good place to visit and hang out together. Faro's home was one of the best we have found. It is very comfortable, relaxing, spacious, with a fully equipped kitchen and plenty of room to spread out. We enjoyed the hot tub very much. We love Santa Barbara and when we return we would definitely like to stay here again. Thank you for making us feel right at home.

Owner response:It was great to host you all and I hope to do it again! Thanks, Faro

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, sightseeing.

We will be back!

Guest: LL (Whittier)
Date of Stay: 04/06/11 Review Submitted: 04/18/11

Our large family had such a wonderful time in this generous Montecito property. Rooms are spacious and spread out. This allowed for both "together" time and private, relaxing time for all who stayed. Very well equipped home. Faro is a spectacular host. Our family gathers once a year in a rented vacation home, and all agreed this was our best experience. THANK YOU FARO

Owner response:Thank you, it was great hosting you and I look forward to seeing you all again!

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

Our favorite home away from home

Guest: Westmont Women (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 02/23/11 Review Submitted: 03/28/11

With such a warm, welcoming host, Faro, and his furry "better halves" Scarlett and Koko, we eagerly look forward to our visits. We have stayed 4 times in the past year and cherish our time there, as we visit nearby Westmont College. Peaceful relaxation by the pool and hot tub is the family's favorite past-time. We love the opportunity to use the sun soaked kitchen for family meals. And Faro's orchard always provides the most delicious treats. But Faro completely "outdid" himself this visit: he allowed us to welcome a small group of Westmont College freshmen, friends of our family, to share the pool and hot tub for an hour or two. We consider Faro a dear family friend and are already planning our next visit.

Owner response:Thank you, I and your furry friends look forward to your return soon!!

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

Outstanding

Guest: JP (Pasadena)
Date of Stay: 01/23/11 Review Submitted: 02/14/11

I have used Faro's Montecito Retreat twice now. Once for my 40th Bday party with friends and again for a company retreat. Both times were awesome. Faro takes great pride in his property and making sure your stay is exceptional. The master bedroom is amazing and the pool and hot tub area are a real treat. Faro's Montecito Retreat is dog friendly which makes it great for those of us who's dogs are part of the family.

Owner response:Thanks, JP. Great having you all here again and enjoy watching your "pup" grow! Hope to see you again!!

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

Fantastic New Years Weekend

Guest: Lisa (San Fernando Valley, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/30/10 Review Submitted: 01/15/11

Our New Years Weekend couldn't have been any better. The accomodations were perfect for my large family. Faro was wonderful to work with. He accomodated our desire to have a nice New Yars dinner and setup his Grand Room with a table for 20...including lovely dinnerware. The location is perfect. Felt secluded, yet just a couple of miles from State Street for a nice day of shopping. The bathroom in the Cielo Suite was the best with the heated tile floor and fantastic shower/sauna. Couldn't have had a better stay. Thank you Faro for allowing my family to stay at your retreat. We look forward to staying there during the summer to take advantage of the beautiful pool/jacuzzi, bbq, patio and complete outdoor area.

Owner response:Thank you folks! I was reluctant to rent over New Years because this retreat is in such a tranquil, peaceful neighborhood. Even with your large group you all respected the noise guidelines and respected the house and neighborhood. I look forward to having you all back again!!

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

Winter Retreat from 12/10/10-12/12/10

Guest: HGME (Los Angeles, California)
Date of Stay: 12/10/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/10

We just had a winter retreat for 2 nights and 3 days and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants a vacation of their life time. We rented whole place and Faro was very nice. He definitely went extra miles with this place. Teachers and kids love it so much that we'll definitely come back again in the future.

Owner response:Thank you folks, it was great having you here and I look forward to hosting you again!

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

Perfect for family gathering

Guest: Abhay (San Diego, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/02/10 Review Submitted: 07/06/10

Stayed at Faro’s retreat over the July 4th weekend. It’s a great place for large family gathering. Plenty of living and bedding space. Kids loved the pool and spa. Just a short drive from Santa Barbara beach and wharf. Faro is very hospitable and accommodating. Too bad we could not stay longer….

Owner response:Thank you Abhay for respecting the environment here and having a great time. The kitchen smelled so good, I regret not taking your offer of dinner. My goal though is to be invisible so you can enjoy your time together with family and friends. I hope you can return soon!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Fabulous Weekend!

Guest: Sacramento Mom (Sacramento, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/28/10 Review Submitted: 06/18/10

My husband and two boys (ages 2 and 7) stayed over Memorial Day weekend and had a blast. Faro himself was friendly and accomodating, and the place was huge. When we weren't at the beach or haniging out on State Street in SB, we were hanging out by the pool and in the hot tub! Would love to come back!!

Owner response:I hope you can come back! What a lovely family!!

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

The Perfect retreat!

Guest: Jennifer T (Valencia, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/07/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

I booked this property at the very last minute and after 3 nights...our only regret was that we couldn't stay longer!! We stayed in the upstairs retreat, which really does feel like a tree house with a beautiful ocean view. The owner couldn't have been more hospitable. The pool and spa were wonderful to come home to after a day at the beach. I would love to rent this house again for a large group (family reunion). Many thanks for a truly "perfect" weekend!

Owner response:Thanks Jennifer, I hope you all can return again. With the "West Wing" remodel complete the "Main House" can comfortably sleep 20+ for your family reunion.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/24/10 Review Submitted: 02/24/10

Huge home with wonderful spacious living areas. Hot tub was just what we needed after walking, shopping and dining. Property is so close to Montecito and minutes from State St. Owner was super accommodating and really made us feel right at home.

Recommended for:

Guest: Westmont Women (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 02/06/10 Review Submitted: 02/06/10

A perfect place of respite. With such a gracious host in an impeccable home tucked away in the gorgeous hills of Montecito, we can hardly wait to return.

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Guest: Josh32 (Pomona, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/08/10 Review Submitted: 01/08/10

We had an excellent stay in a beautiful area of Montecito. We found it a perfect fit for our leadership retreat for our church. The owner was extremely friendly and accommodating. I would definitely recommend this home for large groups.

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Guest: Cathy79 (Clovis, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/13/09 Review Submitted: 10/13/09

Our family had a very relaxing weekend staying here while visiting our daughter at UCSB. Comfortable house, friendly and helpful owner. Nice outdoor area with pool and hot tub.

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Guest: Angie 8 (Bell, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/07/09 Review Submitted: 09/07/09

Spectacular and comfortable house! Owner went the extra mile to accommodate our needs. Beautiful city. Coco and Scarlett were great company. Hope to return in the future.

Owner response:Thanks Angie, it was great having you and you're family!

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Guest: Erika
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/31/08

"As parents we are so grateful to you for providing a safe and secure home for our daughter".

Recommended for:

Guest: Alta
Date of Stay: 09/07/07 Review Submitted: 09/06/07

This property offers a time for healing and personal growth!

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