Elegant Country French Beach House
- Minimum stay:Contact owner
- Internet:Yes
- Pets allowed:No
- Wheel chair accessible:No
Our French Country charming beach house is within walking distance to the beach. Just want to relax? Take in the ocean view from the decks. Sleep to the sound of the ocean waves. Our home is red stucco, trimmed in Mediterranean Blue with wrought iron railings inside and out. It indulges the senses with custom upholstery and window coverings from Paris and New York with touches of Ralph Lauren. Easy on allergies and cleanup we've used tile and wood floors throughout. . Three out of four sleeping rooms have glass doors that open out to decks giving an outside-in feel. The kitchen is a gourmets delight with French Blue Viking Stove, Bosch Dishwasher, French Door Refrigerator, Granite Counter tops, built in pantry, Bay Window with a peak of the ocean. The kitchen is fully equipped for gourmet cooking. There is a Weber Gas BBQ if you prefer to cook outside. The living room has sage green and rust leather seating as you sink in and enjoy stereo, DVD, flat screen TV or curl up to the fireplace with remote. Three out of four sleeping rooms have queen size beds the fourth with an Eastern King Tempurpedic type bed. Down comforters and high thread count linens throughout. Our home is filled with original photography (some by owner Judi) and oil paintings from Paris, Nice, San Francisco as well as a few done by owner, Walt. Come and enjoy Friday night sailing regattas, excursions on the bay, harbor seals, dolphins and watch the surfers. See the otters with their babies at Moss Landing, take a whale watching excursion or walk to Seascape Resort, take the kids to Hidden Beach Park or just slither down and enjoy the house. Getting bored? It's just a short drive to Carmel by the Sea or the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the outlets. The outlets in Gilroy are just about a half hour away as well.
Keywords: Elegant Country French Beach House Walk to Beach
Property Type
- House
Accommodation Type
- Vacation Rental
Suitability
- Non Smoking Only
- Minimum Age Limit For Renters
- Pets Not Allowed
Bedrooms: 4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8, Beds for 8
Kitchen & Dining
- Ice Maker
Amenities
Entertainment
- VCR
- CD Player
- Stereo
- DVD Player
Communications
- Wireless Internet
Outdoor Features
- Outdoor Grill
Location & View
Activities
- Wind-Surfing
- Cycling
- Sailing
- Rafting
- Tennis
- Mountain Biking
- Kayaking
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Golf
- Fitness Center
- Museums
- Theme Parks
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Cinemas
- Restaurants
- Live Theater
- Antiquing
- Boating
- Wildlife Viewing
- Shelling
- Sight Seeing
- Horseback Riding
- Shopping
Other Activities
Reviews
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The farmer, the teacher and the sun loving saxophonist
The farmer, the teacher and the sun loving saxophonist
- Guest Kathy Harrell
- Date of stay 03/17/13
- Review Submitted 04/07/13
We spent the first minutes of our stay just exploring the house and all the personal touches. It was like unwrapping a gift!. The deck off the kitchen and bedroom was a wonderful outdoor space. The kitchen wouldn't fit in my luggage or I would have taken it with me. We never felt like we were in a 'for rent' setting, but in someone's well appointed and comfortable home. The house was a great hub for our day trips to Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Monterey (we recommend Bubba Gump's and the aquarium).Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.
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cakelady
cakelady
- Guest cakelady
- Date of stay 12/29/12
- Review Submitted 01/02/13
Wonderful, wonderful place to stay!! Loved the antiques and feel of the place! Looked just like the pictures on the web site! Beds were wonderful, so soft and comforting! Very Clean too!! Close enough to the beach if you want to walk and get exercise (10 min.) or drive (2 min) Did'nt get to use the patio much due to the cold, it froze every night! We would definately go back!! Thanks so much Walt and Judy, you were great to work with!Recommended for: Girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway.
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Wonderful, cozy home!
Wonderful, cozy home!
- Guest Jillery
- Date of stay 09/14/12
- Review Submitted 09/22/12
My husband and I, along with another couple, spent last weekend in Rio del Mar in this lovely house. The beds were comfortable, and the house is very nicely appointed. We ate lunch on the back deck, and spent time on the front deck enjoying the evenings. The kitchen has everything you could possibly need if you're cooking, and the living room is comfortably arranged for four people to hang out and talk or watch TV. We all went kayaking in Elkhorn Slough ~ LOVED it ~ and will definitely go back for a longer trip as there's so much to see. The seals were playing in the water and would pop up right next to the kayak ~ the otters were floating and feeding ~ and there were cormorants, egrets, pelicans and lots of other birds everywhere. If you have the time, it's well worth it! We had dinner at Bankok West ~ a Thai restaurant ~ if you go, definitely get the artichoke soup and pineapple fried rice. Judi is very pleasant and easy to work with, and our security deposit was promptly returned in full. It's apparent that Judi put a lot of thought into the remodeling of her lovely home ~ I love the kitchen cabinets! Thank you so much for letting us enjoy your lovely house, Judi!Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.
Owner response: Dear Jill, I am so happy you had such a great time. It sounds just wonderful. I very much appreciate your comments on the house as well as all the details about your kayaking experience as well as the restaurants. They are my favorites too. I do hope you return. Judi
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Beautiful beach house
Beautiful beach house
- Guest John
- Date of stay 08/31/12
- Review Submitted 09/18/12
We spent the Labor Day weekend here, and it is a great house, 10 minutes walk from the beach, with a very nice deck area at the back which catches the afternoon sun and is perfect for a bbq. It's a short drive from Santa Cruz for boardwalk fun, and also from Moss Landing from where we did a whale watching boat tour. The owner, Judi, was a pleasure to deal with and very helpful. I hope we get the chance to stay here again.Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.
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South of France in Rio Del Mar
South of France in Rio Del Mar
- Guest Enjoy the Weekend
- Date of stay 06/14/12
- Review Submitted 06/26/12
The family gathering to honor our UCSC graduate was so much more for this lovely property. We were very happy to share our time on the welcoming deck and enjoying delicious meals created in the well equipped kitchen. The home is ample in warmth, in style, in amenities, and in size. We would like to recommend that anyone visiting this property interested in hiking, running, and/or mountain biking to experience Nisene Marks State Park. This park provided us an outstanding mountain biking ride in a beautiful forest with a a tree lined canopy.Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.
Owner response: Dear Nancy, What a creative, interesting and different review. It's rare that anyone talks about what they did while staying in our home. I really like it! Thanks so much. You and Phil were great to work with. Judi
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Review for Rio Del Mar Property
Review for Rio Del Mar Property
- Guest Jessica
- Date of stay 05/25/12
- Review Submitted 06/11/12
I stayed here with my family during Memorial Day weekend. We all really enjoyed our stay and got some much needed rest. We spent a lot of time outside on the beautiful porch and at the beach which was only a few minutes away by driving. The property was clean and the owner was very helpful during the process of renting the home. Everything about it was great and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.
Owner response: Dear Jessica, Thanks for your great review! I had to laugh when I read..."only a few minutes drive to the beach". Didn't walk it, eh? Sometimes 6/10 of a mile downhill is just too much. I like the house the best myself....but once I'm at the beach I say to myself, "why don't you just walk down here more". I hope you return. You were great tenants. Judi
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Truly Someone's Home
Truly Someone's Home
- Guest Sisu
- Date of stay 04/10/12
- Review Submitted 04/24/12
There is no question that the Owner of this Country French Beach House had a great time decorating it. It truly has the personality of someone's well-loved home. We stayed for a week with our daughter, son-in-law and five year old grandson. We stayed on one floor and were able to give the other floor entirely over to them, so that each family had its private space. We were very comfortable in the well-equipped kitchen and ate many meals there. Because the weather was not great that week, we spent much more time inside than planned, and were very grateful to have such comfortable lodging. We have had good luck with many other VRBO properties but we were particularly appreciative of this Owner's interest in doing whatever she could (even the softest towels ever!) to provide us a good experience.Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway.
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Wonderful home, wonderful owners!
Wonderful home, wonderful owners!
- Guest Shearn L.
- Date of stay 09/02/11
- Review Submitted 10/02/11
We were 3 separate couples coming to town for a wedding. We wanted to hang out together since we've not met one another for a while. So the idea of sharing a home came to mind. Since we were working with a fairly tight budget, the choices were limited. However do not think this home was inadequate. This home is a great find and a fantastic value for what it offers. Great location to the beach, restaurants, a wonderful farmers market, and grocery store. It's in a quiet neighborhood and it's safe. The home is very welcoming, well maintained and it's a perfect setting for a reunion. And don't forget the wonderful, wonderful owners. Very nice people. I didn't get to see them in person, but I've corresponded over emails and spoken to them on the phone. They are friendly, helpful and very accommodating. If you want a great place to stay in Aptos/Rio del Mar, be sure to check this place out!Recommended for: Families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers.
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June 2011 stay.
June 2011 stay.
- Guest glen
- Date of stay 06/14/11
- Review Submitted 06/21/11
This was a wonderful place to stay for out group of six family members. Great kitchen amenities. Beautifully appointed. The owners are great to work with & stayed in touch via email & phone through the whole process when we had questions. We will recommend it to everyone we know & would love to stay here again.Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.
Owner response: Dear Glen and Family, What a great review, just what I like to hear. Also thanks for responding to my request to let me know if there was anything I needed to take care of. That kind of feedback gives me to opportunity to just keep making things better. We would LOVE to have you back. Judi
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Beach vacation
Beach vacation
- Guest Michael W
- Date of stay 03/19/11
- Review Submitted 04/03/11
Our family of 5 (parents, 2 young kids, and grandparent) recently stayed in this home and had a wonderful time. It rained the entire length of our stay so the comfort and amenities in the home became very important to us. The house is as it looks in the photos. It is immaculate in cleanliness and appearance. The kitchen had all the cooking equipment we needed and more. The rooms were good sized. The downstairs rooms were a bit cold at night, but the owners provided portable heaters which made it quite comfortable. Although we were only able to use the deck a few times, it was very nice and had a good distant view of the ocean. The beach was not accessible from the house as the road was very steep and there are no sidewalks. However the beach access is less than 5 minutes away. The only concern we had was making sure the numerous delicate decorations were out of reach from our young children. The owners were very friendly, easy to work with, and accessible to answer our questions.Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.
Owner response: Dear Michael, Thanks so much for your review. I'm so sorry that Portland Oregon weather followed you to California. Unfortunately it was the worse storm we had had here in 20 years. Thanks for taking charge of the baby proofing of the house. Your thoughtful care of the house and our "precious objects" is much appreciated. I think the comment about no beach access is a bit misleading, but I think you clarified it in your next sentence. So, you think it is a steep road down to the beach? Huh! I think its a steep walk back up! Sorry, you thought the space heaters were for you to heat the downstairs rather than the central heating. We just have those heaters there because when we are there we don't like to heat the entire house and the heat rises fast. You are welcome back any time and we'll try to keep the weather nice for you.
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Rates
Low Season September 15 through March 30. 2 night minimum @ $300 per night. 3 nights at $250 per night except 3 days holiday weekends @$300 per night. April 1 to Sept. 14 $300 per night 3 night minimum except holiday weekends @$350 $500 completely refundable deposit. $135 cleaning fee (non refundable) 10% transient occupancy tax(City tax) Extra chg. for credit card use. Save $, ASK ABOUT MID WEEK LOW SEASON SPECIALS Save $, do direct deposit or bank transfer
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
This owner accepts: Credit cards.
Call the owner directly to confirm reservation details and pay with an approved method (credit card, check, or bank transfer), to protect your payment up to $1,000.
Location
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Seacliff State Beach
- Attraction
- 1.1 miles to rental
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- Attraction
- 3.2 miles to rental
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Cafe Rio, Incorporated
"I only give it four stars because I haven't personally been there since the new revisions. When it was first sold, the service and quality went downhill fast. My friends have been there in the last 3 months and said it is greatly improved. Extensive wine list, but rather pricey. Its right on the water and lovely."
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- 0.5 miles to rental
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- Attraction
- 4.3 miles to rental
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Taqueria Sofia
- Restaurant
- 0.9 miles to rental
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Pacific Coffee Roasting Co
- Restaurant
- 1.1 miles to rental
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Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine
- Restaurant
- 1.2 miles to rental
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Café Bittersweet
- Restaurant
- 2.5 miles to rental
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Pixie Deli
- Restaurant
- 0.5 miles to rental
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- Restaurant
- 0.9 miles to rental
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- Restaurant
- 1.2 miles to rental
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- Restaurant
- 3.0 miles to rental
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- Attraction
- 5.9 miles to rental
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Cafe Sparrow
- Restaurant
- 0.8 miles to rental
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Palapas Restaurant Y Cantina
- Restaurant
- 2.1 miles to rental
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Safeway
- Restaurant
- 0.9 miles to rental
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Manuel's Mexican Restaurant
- Restaurant
- 1.0 miles to rental
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Au Midi
- Restaurant
- 0.7 miles to rental
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Full of Beans
- Restaurant
- 4.0 miles to rental
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- Restaurant
- 0.7 miles to rental
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Palapas Restaurant & Cantina
- Restaurant
- 2.1 miles to rental
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Seascape Foods
- Restaurant
- 2.1 miles to rental
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The Panda inn
- Restaurant
- 2.4 miles to rental
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Pacific Coast Hwy
"This is the road trip you want to make. Head south from the house and stop in at Moss Beach to the whole Enchilada, then continue south to the Artichoke Capital of the world in Castroville, then head to Monterey and Carmel, then up to Ventana, Big Sur and have lunch at Nepenthe. A great way to spend the day"
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- 17 miles to rental
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Attraction
- 9.9 miles to rental
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Bixby Creek Bridge
- Attraction
- 20 miles to rental
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Gilroy Premium Outlets
- Attraction
- 35 miles to rental
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Gizdich Ranch
- Attraction
- 14 miles to rental
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- Attraction
- 16 miles to rental
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- Restaurant
- 10 miles to rental
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The Crepe Place
"About 5 miles away but worth the drive. I love this place for lunch. Their salads are giant and fresh and wonderful as well as their fresh baked little bread loves. Oh yea, the crepes/ sweet or savory. Excellent. Eat outside in the garden with the little water fall down a wooden plank. Lovely umbrellas...just very nice!"
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- 7.2 miles to rental
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Elkhorn Slough Safari Nature
- Attraction
- 17 miles to rental
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Moss Landing State Wildlife Area
- Attraction
- 14 miles to rental
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Owner info
Year Purchased: 2003
About the owner: This is a photo of Walt in the Canary Islands. He always gets his picture taken because I am the photographer in the family. We are both psychotherapists and artists, Walt also teaches meditation. We have been married for 29 years and have travelled throughout the world. The interior design of our home reflects ideas we've gathered from our travels to France, Italy, Greece. . Memorabilia, photos, fabrics and ideas have been woven together creating a pallette that delights the senses. We want our guests to sit back and wonder where it all originated. Our past renters have said that they do just that.
Why the Owner Chose Rio del Mar:
We chose to buy and remodel in Rio Del Mar because it is within 30 minutes of our home in Los Gatos and fast access to the beach. We wanted a place that was close enough for us to enjoy it often. We liked that the house was in a quiet neighborhood . It is not so close to the beach that we have to worry about tourists looking in our windows or loud parties, but close enough to just walk down the hill to the beach. It has close proximity to whale and dolphin watching, surfing, beachcombing, hiking, theater and the Farmers Market on Saturdays. There is room here for us to entertain friends or have the whole family over for the weekend. The house is separated in such a way as to have two separate suites with separate and or common entrances. It works well.
The Unique Benefits at this House:
I appreciate the kitchen. I enjoy cooking here. The Viking Stove cooks so evenly. The set up is easy to clean and easy to entertain in. The French Doors that open out onto the decks expands the entertainment areas and brings the outside in. The neighborhood is quiet for reading and lounging. All of the sleeping areas have walls not shared with other bedrooms, so your privacy is insured. It's a great place for a couple's getaway. The elevated deck with increased ocean view has outdoor curtains to ensure privacy while sunning. There's a little firepit on the back deck for those cooler evenings. When the weather is cold I appreciate the gas fireplace. I don't have to lug in wood or clean up a mess. I just sit back and use the remote.
Contact us
- Primary: (408) 203-6369 (California, USA) After 8:30 am PST and before 10pm PST
- Secondary: (408) 354-1136 (California, USA) after 8:30 am PST and before 10pm PST
- Click Here to see All My Rental Listings
Photos
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Country French Living Room with gas fireplace, frnch doors, open to kitchen view
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Gas Fireplace with remote. No messy wood to carry or clean up after.
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Entre de Artiste
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Ups. Bedroom Custom Duvet Queen bed with Florentine linens. Private deck/Firepit
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Upstairs "Mexican Bath"
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Aside the Palm Tree on the Upper deck off living room
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Gourmet Kitchen- Viking Stove/ Bosch Dishwasher/Pantry/Bay Window
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King Bed with private patio and TV in armoire
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Downstairs bath with glass vessel sink, full bath, waterfall faucet
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French Dinner Party on Back Deck
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Ocean View from the back deck
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This listing was first published here in 2010.
Date last modified - Thursday, May 23, 2013
(408) 203-6369 (California, USA)
After 8:30 am PST and before 10pm PST