Warm Family Holiday in the Stinson Sun

Guest: Family Affair (Scotland)
Date of Stay: 06/24/11 Review Submitted: 12/04/11

Coming back home to Marin from beautiful but damp and cold Scotland was made all the better by having this magnificent house by the beach to share with all the family. The 4 rooms were adequate to house all the various visiting family members and we still had room to hang out together and apart all around the house, from the TV den to watch bad movies and the Copa Del Oro final between USA and Mexico, to the large living room where we had our daily 'pre-bath' dance parties to Britney and Katy Perry, to the outdoor deck for as many barbecued meals as we could eat with its views of the sea and the crow's nest on the dunes for our nightly sundowner of California Chardonnay shared with the visiting seals who came to say hello every evening and the firepit for our late night reminiscences mostly now obscured by the gentle fog of a good single malt. 3 generations were able to enjoy the most out of this fabulous looking house set just back from the dunes with great views and a bit of privacy but also a warm sense of community on the private close we shared with all the neighbors over 4th of July weekend. A bit difficult to sort out the garbage situation with all of the various feasts we cooked, could of used another trash can, but we may have over-produced, besides that everything went swimmingly. The outdoor shower was a pleasure (and warm!) coming in from the beach every evening and helped keep the sand out of the house. The large tables were great for family meals both indoors and out and all of the various seating areas allowed the family to be together but also allowed for little enclaves of privacy as needed. The facilities were top notch, especially the kitchen and barbeque, and being right on the beach but behind the dune walk gave us easy access with the kids and all their stuff and frequent returns but relative safety from the open ocean as well. The distance from Stinson Town is perfect too, as it allowed us to walk easily along the beach to go to the shops but was far enough away from the maddening crowd. What more is there to say, we hope to come back soon, you will too!

Owner response:Happy to hear you enjoyed your vacation! Thanks for the feedback on the garbage cans, we now have a 64 gallon can-twice as large. Cheers!

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

"Fantabulous" stay in Stinson Beach

Guest: Peter (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 08/12/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

Yes folks, I did say fantabulous! It is my 8 year old daughter's favorite word....but it really does describe what a great home this is and the memorable family vacation we spent here. If you don't know Stinson Beach well, you might not realize that this is absolutely the best location. You are close enough for the kids to walk down the beach to get an ice cream but far enough away from the Public Beach to avoid the crowds. We spent our evenings sitting on the dune deck with a glass of wine, keeping an eye on our kids playing on the beach and watching the sky change colors as the sun went down. Great house, clean, comfortable and amenities that are several steps above the other houses we have rented in Stinson. This does not have the sterile feel of a 'rental', it feels like a home. Skim boarding, boogie boarding(don't forget the wetsuits), looking for starfish at low tide in Bolinas, collecting sand dollars, building huge sandcastles, throwing the ball for our dog, roasting marshmallows around the fire pit and just walking along the miles of pristine beach-it was a vacation we will all remember and one we fully intend to repeat this Summer!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

awesome home and backyard

Guest: Cathy T. (Moraga, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/27/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

My husband and I had a wonderful time at this artsy fun & funky home. The home was in a great location within walking distance to town for ice cream and dinners "downtown." The home boasts one of the few actual backyards in Stinson, firepit and comfortable chairs made for a terrific place for us to lounge, along with completely enclosed area for the pooch. Gourmet kitchen with monster stove and generous dining table were more than adequate for our large group. As first time renters we weren't disappointed - the photos online accurately depict the property. We found everything shiny and clean, really enjoyed dinner at the Sand Dollar down the street. Point Reyes Station is only about twenty minutes up scenic Highway One, definitely worth the trip for lunch, hiking and a pit stop at the Bovine Bakery. Also nearby Bolinas has its own counter culture charm. I would certainly recommend the place for large families or a group of adult couples - comfortable beds and multiple baths plus being dog friendly - without smelling like a dog friendly house.

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Back again!!

Guest: Amy164 (Novato, CA.)
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

We came last year for Dad's birthday-but this year we came for all of us! Loved the new firepit, sitting outside, listening to the sound of the waves under the stars-just so memorable. Sheila (our Golden Lab) was blissful-and the whole family relaxes and has so much fun. The owners were both professional and friendly, so easy to deal with! The house has every comfort I can imagine. Is there anything better than falling asleep to the sound of the waves?

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

Best place at Stinson

Guest: Fred (Reno)
Date of Stay: 08/31/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

We've rented many houses at Stinson over the years but this one is by far the best. Our family had a marvelous time and the house was well supplied with everything we needed-beach chairs, beach towels, down comforters, tons of movies and even firewood! Almost hate to leave this review but I guess the secret is out.....The owners were great-thanks for sharing your home!

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

Dream Vacation!

Guest: JC (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 09/02/11 Review Submitted: 10/27/11

This home is just lovely! The owners have thoughtfully provided all the niceties you might find in your real home-down pillows, comfortable beds, lots of hot water(!) and a kitchen where you can really cook-including cookbooks. As a family we have traveled all over the world, Stinson Beach is a magical place and this is the ideal location. The kids could walk into town for a softie cone while we enjoyed a glass of wine on the dune deck. You can bet we'll be back-wish we were coming back tomorrow!

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

Needed a little TLC

Guest: Jen in Colorado (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 11/12/10 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

I am a bit delayed in writing reviews for the properties! This home has a wonderful living area and kitchen, huge and sunny with views of the ocean and huge sliding doors that open up onto the deck - very unique. Our stay was wonderful overall, but our arrival, which we had confirmed would be 2pm, was not. After an 8 hour drive to get there, the house had not been cleaned. It was not in the condition I usually leave a property, somewhat gross to walk in on that. We waited almost two hours while the housekeepers came, not very happy since we were quite tired. However we noticed almost immediately that there were spiderwebs with bugs in them in many corners and wondered how the housekeepers didn't see those - again perhaps we are a bit cleaner than most folks. The coffee maker did not work (not a crisis), and the dvd/tv did not work despite 45 minutes attempting to get it to play. Disappointed 5 year olds are not fun to deal with.... But it is a wonderful property, with some nice upgrades in certain parts of the house. Beware those with disabilities, it has lots of stairs, including steep ones into the front door. One upside is that the master has a direct door to the outside - very nice for someone who has a dog. I find it odd, however, that when we directed our comments regarding the tv, coffee maker etc...which if I had a rental property, I would surely want to know about, the owner was not very interested in our comments and in fact made a snide remark when we went to rebook. Disappointed and surprised by the response, we decided we would rather not deal with someone like that. We booked elsewhere this year.

Owner response:Unfortunately the guests arrived before 12:00 not 2:00. The cleaners weren't done with the house since check-in wasn't for two more hours. The guests were given a gift certificate for a lovely nearby restaurant so they could have lunch while the cleaning was completed. I am sorry they didn't call our local manager about the other issues. Our manager is available 24/7 to take care of any problems our guests might encounter.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Wonderful Week at Stinson

Guest: CP (Berkeley, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/23/11 Review Submitted: 10/07/11

This house is extremely comfortable, extremely well equipped, and has a perfect location. My husband and I stayed for a week with friends and family joining us at different times. We loved the dune deck at sunset. The entertainment room was appreciated by football fans. The kitchen and the outdoor grill made cooking a pleasure. We boogie boarded and played in the surf right outside the back door. The indoor and deck dining tables were great. My dog was in dog heaven with a fully fenced yard and the beach just beyond. Thank you!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Wonderful week at the beach!

Guest: Barrie (Sonoma)
Date of Stay: 07/15/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

It was a perfect way to celebrate my 60th week. I had groups of friends come stay for a day or two and then the next group would arrive. Plenty of room for all of us. And I particularly like that there are several different sitting areas, so we could be together or gather in smaller groups or alone. Everybody loved the house and the grounds, and, of course, Stinson Beach is an all time favorite. The book store in town is a treasure, as well. We ate in the whole week this time and the kitchen isfully stocked of any equipment you might want, but, have loved The Sand Dollar in the past. Thanks for sharing your wonderful home with us.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

WONDERFILLED!

Guest: relaxed (Ross)
Date of Stay: 06/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/03/11

My family had an amazing time at this very special beach house. The decor is whimsical and inviting. The neighbors are lovely. The beach is right there! We could truly relax and take it all in. This is definitely a place to return to.

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