Location: Berkeley, San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA (Berkeley is a University Town a Few Miles from San Francisco) View Map
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + No additional sleeping rooms avail, 1 Bath (Sleeps 4)
Our beautiful home is underutilized. We are a married couple with grown children and two homes, one in Berkeley, the other in Santa Cruz. We go back and forth. Both of us work full time. The wife, Margarita, is a business owner; The husband, Bob, is a physician in practice in Berkeley.
You are most welcome to stay in our home for 3 nights (minimum), three months (maximum). Our 1320 square ft Berkeley home has two bedrooms and one bath. We the owners, Margarita and Bob, have a cottage + studio home in the back of the property and we stay there when we are in Berkeley. The cottage / studio are not attached to the 1320 sq ft house you would be renting but the back of the studio is next to the rear deck of the main house. There is plenty of privacy. The cottage/studio is accessed by a different entrance than the entrance you would use.
Our house is meticulously maintained, clean, airy, and fully equipped. It is located in what is generally acknowledged as one of the most desirable areas of Berkeley, close to wonderful restaurants, shops, and walking streets.
Our place is perfect for visiting professors or scientists or for tourists who prefer the peace and quiet of this lovely East Bay city. There is easy and fast access to downtown San Francisco via public transportation; bus and BART stations are in easy walking distance from our house.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer : In the Home
- Dryer : In the Home
- Linens Provided
- Off Street Parking : Plenty of Places to Park
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Double Bed
- Convertible Bed : sofabed in living room
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV : Direct TV (satellite)
- DVD
- Video Library : small collection of DVD's
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library : lots of music CD's. Mostly rock, blues, country, world
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen : Just About Gadget and Appliance Everything You Could Want. Granite and Cherry Countertop. Lots of China and Glassware -- Lenox, Wedgewood, Mikasa. Dining Table Seats 8 Easily. Breakfast Nook Seats 4. Professional Garland 30" gas range, 4 burners.
- Cooking Utensils Provided : Everything you'll need.
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill : Gas grill (propane)
- Deck/Patio : Deck with Dining Table.
- Communications
- Telephone : Your own telephone number with answering machine; you may customize message during your stay.
- Free Long Distance : domestic only
- Computer : Older Dell Desktop and Printer with DSL
- Broadband Internet : DSL
- WiFi (Wireless Internet) : wifi throughout the house
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations) : ramp to the back of the home is not specially equipped for handicapped individuals. The ramp is not up to ADA specifications but is usable. Bathroom is a regular bathroom with no special features for the handicapped.
- Wheelchair Accessible (may have limitations)
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters : 25 unless they are your children.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sailing
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Horseback Riding
- Zoo/Wildlife Park
- Restaurants
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Beaches Are an Hour's Drive Away, the High Sierra Mountains, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe Are 3 1/2 Hours Drive Away, Muir Woods (Redwoods, the World's Tallest Trees) Are an Hour Away. San Francisco is 25' away by car except during rush hour when it is 1 hour away! Take BART (our rapid transit rail system). You can walk to the BART station in 20 - 25 minutes or you can take the bus to the city; the bus stop is a block away.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$200/night .. $1200/week.Higher during Thanksgiving, Xmas/New Years, UC grad
$100 one time non-refundable cleaning fee.
prefer 5 nite minimum 1 wk minimum major holidays, UC Graduation week
Availability varies - please contact us.
Pay by check in advance. Paypal okay. Booking not final until payment received.
50% of your money will be returned if you cancel 15 days or more in advance.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Map & Owner's Profile
Year Purchased: 2005
Why the Owner Chose Berkeley
We didn't buy it as a vacation rental. It is our home. You will have full use of the appliances, dishes, etc. and you can even use the staples and spices you find in the pantry and the refrigerator.
The Unique Benefits at this House
Great location. Walk to UC Berkeley. Solano Avenue with its shops and restaurants is just 3 blocks away. Express bus to San Francisco is one block away. You can walk to the North Berkeley BART station. If you don't know about the climate in our area let us tell you -- it seldom gets very hot in the summer (almost no one has air conditioning) or too cold in the winter (no frost or snow). Winters can be rainy and cool, it almost never rains all summer long but it can be foggy and cool. Our usual summer weather features fog or clouds in the morning clearing by Noon, then bright sunshine all afternoon, and then fog in the evening. In the summer we can have spells when it is overcast for days at a time. September and October are frequently our hottest months. In the winter it can by drizzly for days at at time or warm and sunny for days at a time or bright sunny and warm for days at a time.
The neighborhood is fabulous. Tree-lined streets, homes with beautiful landscaping, lots of flowers even in the winter. Shopping streets a few blocks away are lined with boutiques, bakeries, restaurants of all kinds, specialty food stores, bookstores, cafes, etc. You'll have fun just walking around.
Mile-long street, great for walking. Just three blocks from our home. Shops, cafes, cinema, grocery stores, great new and used book store, post office, video rental. Specialty food, delis, and rest
Owner's Map of Berkeley
Husband: physician. Wife: businesswoman. We have 5 grown children and a grandson 2 1/2 years old. Yes, cute! Most of the year we don't need our 1320 sq foot house; we are very happy in our cottage and studio. We'll give you as much privacy as you want but if you want It would also be fun to tell you all about our town and neighborhood. We know you'll enjoy the area and our home.
Property Photos
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- this is our home - Berkeley, California Vacation Home Near Shopping and Restaurants
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- Living room looking west - Berkeley, California Vacation Home Near Shopping and Restaurants
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- living room looking South - Berkeley, California Vacation Home Near Shopping and Restaurants
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- view from front porch
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- Entrance hall
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- dining room
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- dining room cupboard
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- kitchen, partial view. Professional Garland range
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- kitchen cupboard
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- front bedroom - different bed now..
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- back bedroom, partial view
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- breakfast nook
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- back of house
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- back deck off kitchen
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- West side of home; roses next to bedroom window.
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- dining on the deck
Traveler Reviews (13)
Ideal North Berkeley Rental
Guest: Aussie Traveller
(Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 10/06/11
Review Submitted: 10/22/11
This house lives up to it's rave reviews. We stayed in October with my father, so it was perfect for an extended family as we had plenty of room with different spaces. The kitchen was stocked with everything you could possibly need. We were able to cater for a big family formal dinner and have plenty of dishes and glassware. The house is beautifully decorated and maintained. The area is quiet but still only a short walk to Solano Ave.
Owner response:We are glad you enjoyed our home and we hope you'll come again! bob + margarita
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+.
Perfect Rental in Every Way
Guest: Anna
(Kensington, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/07/11
Review Submitted: 10/06/11
Robert, Thank you for the wonderful rental experience my family had while they were visiting. They enjoyed your home so much that I almost think they would rather stay at your home than ours! They all, especially my father, really appreciated the extra touches, such as the wine and snacks. And my mother, who has exceptionally high standards, gushed about the neatness of your home, the neatly folded towels in the closet, and the beautiful bedding. Thank you again. We'll definitely touch base with you in the future should we have another opportunity to rent a home in the Berkeley area.
Owner response:We are glad your family enjoyed their stay in our home and we hope they return! Margarita and Bob
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+.
May 2011 Graduation week
Guest: Barbara
(Hillsdale NJ)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11
Review Submitted: 07/05/11
We had a wonderful time staying here during a graduation week in May. The house was clean, airy and so comfortable. Hospitality was great -- from the welcoming bottle of wine, bread and cheese to the offers of information on local attractions! A very convenient location as we walked to local stores to buy our dinner each day. Wonderful neighborhood -- we'll be back (I hope.) The Dunns
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, girls getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.
Overall excellence
Guest: Hank
(Key Biscayne, FL)
Date of Stay: 04/20/11
Review Submitted: 04/28/11
My wife and I stayed in the house for a glorious week in April 2011, and we fell in love with the place. We felt truly at home and super comfortable. The owners have thought about everything a guest might want or need, right down to multiple outlets where you need them and a desk in each bedroom. The house was immaculate and clearly is a place the owners love and care for. We had guests to dinner several nights, and all of them raved about the house. We hope to return to this house again and again. Note: Guests are asked to remove their shoes while in the house. The beautiful hardwood floors show why this is a good idea.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway, age 55+.
Loved it.
Guest: Coco
(Santa Cruz)
Date of Stay: 01/09/11
Review Submitted: 02/19/11
Dear Patti, We wanted to thank you for the fantastic time we had during the month we spent in your wonderful guest house. It was so much fun being able to walk to all the shops and restaurants on Solano Avenue, and then relax in our sanctuary. The french bakery around the corner - sublime! I especially loved lounging on the sectional sofa on the deck, and my husband raved about the island kitchen. And we loved the princess bed - so comfortable. I'm a travel writer, and have visited a lot of places, and this house is special and may be featured in one of my articles - thank you again for the very comfortable - and romantic - time we enjoyed in your home. Sincerely, Colette
Owner response:Colette did not stay at our house. We were not renting it out during that time period. Our home is located close to Solano Avenue also and everything she says about the neighborhood is correct... Anyway please correct this. I'm sure Patti will be happy with this review!
Recommended for:
A truly lovely home
Guest: Christine from New York
(Berkeley CA (previously New York))
Date of Stay: 01/01/10
Review Submitted: 06/07/10
I had the good fortune to rent Bob and Margarita's home for three months as my family was transitioning from New York to Berkeley. It provided a wonderful entree into a great North Berkeley neighborhood, where we now live. The house is comfortable and very nicely appointed. It really is conveniently located to a great deal of what Berkeley offers, especially if you happen to have kids. And the terrific hospitality of Bob and Margarita make it feel like home away from home.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, girls getaway, age 55+.
Guest: Kevin Bundy
(Berkeley, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/09/09
Review Submitted: 11/09/09
We had a wonderful time in this lovely North Berkeley house. My girlfriend and I were waiting to move into a new apartment and my parents were coming to town for a visit. On short notice, Bob and his family went out of their way to make the house available and we were delighted to find every amenity including an electric keyboard, a very nice stove, and an extra bicycle that my father used to get around town. We know Berkeley well, and highly recommend Bob's rental as a great way to experience Berkeley at its best.
Recommended for:
Guest: Sam23
(Simsbury, CT)
Date of Stay: 10/15/09
Review Submitted: 10/15/09
My wife and I were in Berkeley to visit our son who is in grad school at UC. Your lovely home was an ideal place to stay because of its great location but mostly because your friendly hospitality. Surely we'll coming back on our next trip to Berkeley.
Recommended for:
Guest: Matthew McCusker
(Dublin, Ireland)
Date of Stay: 10/06/09
Review Submitted: 10/06/09
As the first comment put it, "a real home away from home". Everything you need is there. You're only a short walk away from shops and some lovely restaurants. The BART is also very close so it's a great base for seeing the city. Bob was wonderful throughout with helpful advice and tips. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and I think you will too.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #254170
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