Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beyond amazing

Guest: Rose (Sugar Land)
Date of Stay: 11/16/11 Review Submitted: 11/22/11

This house rocks! Not only it has everything one would want for a vacation house... it came with the best owner too. Bruce made it possible for us to feel right at home and everybody in our party felt the same way too. He was very accomodating. No one wanted to leave. I'm sure we will be coming back and hopefully we would be doing more of a real vacation to enjoy the facility as opposed to running around due to the event which brought us there.

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

Breath Taking

Guest: Matty (Dallas Area)
Date of Stay: 11/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/28/11

We stayed at this palace for a UT football weekend and the house was more than we anticipated. There are few views in central Texas better than this. We stayed in November so we didn't think we would be using the pool, only the hot tub, but in hind sight we wished we would have taken Bruce up on heating the pool for a nominal fee. We will be back in the summer and will certainly utilize the pool then. Everything about the house was immaculate with such stunning decor. The master bedroom was amazing and there is plenty of room for a work outing or family gathering. Minutes from the lake and minutes from restaurants (Oasis, Iguana grill) and shopping (Galleria at 620 and 71). The 25 minute drive to the UT campus was well worth it and for us was preferrable compared to hotel prices and hassle downtown. I would certainly recommend this property to family and friends and will be booking a summer trip here soon with both. Thanks Bruce!!

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

Family Reunion

Guest: Michelle R.
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/18/11

Beautiful lake front home with plenty of beds and space for our family reunion. The kids had a great time in the pool, jacuzzi and canoeing on the lake. The elevator was very convenient for our aging grandmother. Great view of sunrise and sunset. Everyone had a great time and Bruce was very accommodating and helpful. I would highly recommend this place, well worth our money.

Recommended for:

2 thumbs up

Guest: Mike (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/06/11 Review Submitted: 07/21/11

The view, infiniti pool, & rooftop hot-tub are guaranteed to make your stay amazing. The house is finished out very well & has everything you could ask for. It's great for a group getaway. Definitely staying here again!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Amazing property, outstanding value, great owner

Guest: Alan (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 10/14/10 Review Submitted: 10/23/10

Pictures do not do this property justice. This is an amazing rental and a fabulous location for a family get-together. Bruce, the ower, was very helpful and went out of his was to respond to questions and give us advice on a caterer for a family dinner. The house is gorgeous and well maintained. The amenities just go on and on. I would definitely go back to this property. My son and I had a great time taking out the canoe on the lake. My family also hired Bruce's boat for a few hours tour of Lake Travis and couldn't have asked for a better experience.

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

Beautiful Home

Guest: c&m (Dallas)
Date of Stay: 08/05/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

This was our 2nd time renting this gorgeous house. The house is beautifully designed with breathtaking views of Lake Austin & the Dam. The rooftop hot tub, gorgeous pool w/grill, well equipped kitchen, and access to the lake & canoe make it a lovely weekend getaway for a group of people.

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

Amazing Home

Guest: Lisa (Azle, Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10 Review Submitted: 07/09/10

Bruce has gone above and beyond with this home, the architecture and materials are just fabulous! Everyone in our group had wonderful beds, bedding and baths. The kitchen is so well equipped that you can bring in your food and feel like you are cooking at home - even a coffee grinder! I would highly recommend this place for a family gathering, a book club trip or 5 or 6 couples! It's just wonderful. The pool is on the second level overlooking the cliff but is fenced off and perfectly safe, we had a 3 and 6 year old and they were just fine. Walking the neighborhood with all the hills gives you a built in gym (what a workout!). We are already planning our next trip back! Thanks Bruce!

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

Great for girlfriends get-a-way

Guest: shirlgirl (Dallas)
Date of Stay: 06/09/10 Review Submitted: 06/24/10

With out a doubt the best VRBO experience I have had out of 5+. The view is spectacular, the home is luxurious, and the owner is extremely accomodating. 11 of us--women in our late 60's who went to junior/senior high together and do this every year--were very comfortable. We loved the pool and spent most of our time on the patio. Great inet connection. Easy access to Lake Travis for an outstanding boat charter, with the owner as the captain, in a 26 foot beauty of a boat. Great water for swimming. Just wish we could have stayed longer.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

An Interesting Experience!

Guest: FlyerMarine (Burke, VA)
Date of Stay: 04/21/10 Review Submitted: 05/29/10

In April, my family and I rented this property for 4 days to attend my son’s wedding. Within a short time after signing the rental agreement, the property owner followed with an egregious addendum to the contract that violated and eliminated renter’s rights, and gave the owner sole discretion to evict the renter at a moment’s notice, at any time without refunding rental payment or security deposit. The owner claimed bad experiences with previous renters required him to do so. I refused to sign the addendum and encouraged him to seek an attorney’s advice on Texas rental law to explain how to properly structure a lawful rental agreement, and why forcing a unilateral addendum to an already signed agreement was not binding and enforceable. After a late check-in the first night, we found no hot bathroom or shower water to the 3 bedrooms on the first floor, a terrible inconvenience for family members who wanted to wash-up or shower before retiring after a long trip, and upon awakening early the next morning. This was a major maintenance problem that the owner of a properly maintained house should have resolved prior to occupancy. Also, a convenient second key to the premises that the owner provided did not work in the lock. However, the most annoying issue was that the property, situated on a lake, has an infestation of bugs that swarm by the thousands, especially at night. Thousands of bugs cling to the exterior of the windows and doors each night. The owner has not provided screens for doors that are used to enter the house, the pool, or the balcony. As a result, many bugs fly into the house along with the occupants as they use the doors to enter or exit. At the end of the rental period, once the occupants depart, the owner deems it his prerogative to deduct a substantial portion of the security deposit to fumigate the house.

Owner response:If renters would have notified us of the hot water problem, we could have handled it that first evening. We didn't learn about it until after they left!! We have a very sophisticated solar system with backup On Demand hot water system, which is one of the best and most efficient. As for bugs, we can't control mother nature, but we definitely warned renters about the presence of these bugs and asked them not to leave doors or windows open at night. We only deducted a small amount to fumigate bugs and refunded balance.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers

An amazing house for my family reunion over Easter

Guest: Alex D. (Austin, Texas)
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 04/07/10

This house was simply an amazing deal for my family reunion. The house is essentially a mansion, and with 4 couples plus my 93 year old grandmother staying there we basically paid La Quinta prices for a 4 star stay. The house has 3 levels with beautiful views on each level, plus a rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi and 360 degree views of Lake Austin, Lake Travis over the dam and the hill country. The infinity edge pool is fantastic, and the house itself is very nice on the inside with a huge kitchen. Other pluses were a great grill for our cookout, a big front yard where my nieces went on their easter egg hunt, and a tram to take you down the cliff to the lake. 2 things to be aware of: While the house was a good place for my 8 and 1 year old nieces, I wouldn't recommend it if you had lots of little kids running around - the edge of the pool does hang over a cliff, after all. Also, there isn't access to closet space or dressers in the master bedroom (it's locked off for the owner) - not a big deal for us but something to be aware of. I look forward to staying here in the future, and in the meantime I've recommended the house to all my friends.

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

Paradise Close to Home

Guest: rubino003 (Houston)
Date of Stay: 10/02/09 Review Submitted: 01/05/10

My friends and I stayed in Bruce's house during ACL weekend. It was amazing. The house is absolutely gorgeous. We spent the first couple of hours going from room to room in awe. Every detail is well designed, from the fountains in the pool to the steam room in the upstairs bath to the hot tub on the roof. WOW! We spent the weekend relaxing in the open-air living room, eating nice meals we cooked in the well-equipped kitchen, and lounging in the hot tub. It was such a great weekend, and we all felt as though we were far away from home. What a treat!!!!!

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

An absolute gem of a home! Amazing experience!

Guest: aechetebu (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 10/02/09 Review Submitted: 10/10/09

A group of 11 friends and I rented Bruce's beautiful home over the Austin City Limits '09 weekend. We had the most incredible time owed in most part to the fact that we stayed at this beautiful and spacious home. We did not actually make it to the music festival due to all the rain that weekend but none of us cared. We were all in heaven staying at Bruce's home-- the breath-taking views, the pool, the hot tub, the well-equipped and stocked house, the steam room, the chef's dream kitchen, the EVERYTHING. None of us wanted to leave. We felt like we'd moved in and made his home ours... There are so many great surprises to the house that I won't list lest I ruin the magical feeling of first experiencing all of them. We are definitely going back when the weather warms up in 2010 and have already told all our friends (well not everyone.. we want to be able to get in on that booking calendar! Lol). Don't miss this!!!

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

Absolutely amazing

Guest: Bullett (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/23/09

I couldn't say enough good things about this house. It sits right above the lake Travis/Austin damn with an absolutely amazing view. Infinity pool with fountain and waterfall is amazing. Plasmas in every room in the house, they have spared no expense with the emenities within the house. The weekend we went was for a couples birthday party - and it couldn't have been in a better setting. If you want, you can take the tram down to the river, or go to the top of the house and enjoy the sunset while sitting in the hot tub. I will be renting again for certain.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/19/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

This home is a slice of HEAVEN! I spent a glorious Memorial Day weekend here and I did not want to leave. This palace has everything you could ever want and more. The steam shower in the master bedroom is to die for. The pool and waterfall is the ultimate in relaxation. I had planned to venture into Austin while staying here, but I never did because I felt like I was at my own private resort. I have told everyone about this gem and I cannot wait to return. Do NOT miss out on this paradise on the bluffs of Austin!

Recommended for:

Guest: Andy39 (Denver, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

I stayed here July 4th weekend; we had a 360º view from the rooftop hot tub of all the fireworks going off in the surrounding areas. It was unbelievable! The customer service from the homeowner was exceptional; they answered my calls & questions promptly. The location of the house was great, it was on Lake Austin, a 5 min. drive to Lake Travis & we made a day trip to Gruene, TX to float the river and visit Schlitterbahn. The accommodations were outstanding! We are already planning next years retreat!

Recommended for:

Guest: Brandy10 (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

We rented this Villa for a "girl's weekend." We had 10 ladies, all slept comfortably in posh decorated rooms. The pool and the views were awesome. We especially liked the hot tub on roof, the sunsets were beautiful and the stars were bright. The pool area was great for BBQ. If the pool wasn’t enough, we lounged by the lake. The Master Suite was like a Spa, it had a whirlpool, steam shower and a fireplace. VERY RELAXING! Also, if your interested in chartering a boat on Lake Travis, I recommend Capt. Bruce, he was our designated boat driver for the day and knew all the cool places to go (i.e.: Devils Cove for R rated fun and a nice quite beach for the PG/ family day.)

Recommended for: