Elegant Country French Beach House [#305096] | View Property
Rio del Mar
House, 4 Bedrooms + Other (See Description), 2 Baths (Sleeps 8)
$250/$350/nt - $1800-$2000/wk
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Traveler Reviews (17)
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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, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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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: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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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: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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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: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.
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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: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, 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: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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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Great Aptos property
Great Aptos property
- Guest George
- Date of stay 02/18/11
- Review Submitted 03/08/11
Thi is a lovely home and reccomended for adults. The warmth of the home is immense and it is very tastefully decorated. Very accommodating and kind owner--very easy to work with - List of amenities is well worth reserving the place and you won't regret staying here! We will be back!Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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a very special Provence Villa with ocean
a very special Provence Villa with ocean
- Guest Barb
- Date of stay 09/26/10
- Review Submitted 10/06/10
Your Provence Villa was so special for me & my friends of 40+ years. We loved your beach home and had the gift of SUN! We loved your photos, art pieces, kitchen & Viking stove plus the outdoor patios, the Infant of Prague matches, an (empty) holy water font, great beds, and even leaping dolphins in the surf! Thank you !Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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A Warm and Wonderful Retreat
A Warm and Wonderful Retreat
- Guest Olivia
- Date of stay 08/27/10
- Review Submitted 08/30/10
Delightful colors and cozy furnishings made our weekend stay instantly relaxing. Being more of a homebody, I was at home in the warm and wonderful kitchen and comfy living room with fireplace. The owners have added special decorative touches everywhere so that exploring the house is a tour of its own. The house is located on a hillside surrounded by beautiful vegetation and trees, so that lunch on the deck with a view of the ocean met my needs for an "outdoor" experience. My husband, on the other hand, enjoyed the many photographic opportunities the neighborhood and Monterey Bay offered. The main floor has ample space for family activities with one bedroom and bath. The remaining bedrooms downstairs are roomy and quiet. It's a great arrangement for creating a little distance and privacy from rambunctious children or any one else you may choose to share your weekend with. We don't live very far away as the crow flies but this lovely home made it seem like we were a world away. We will come again!Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.
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Dale and Martha
Dale and Martha
- Guest Top Gato
- Date of stay 05/20/10
- Review Submitted 08/30/10
My wife and I stayed at this beatiful home in May 2010. It was one of the best get away vacations we've had in years. There isn't anything this home doesn't have to make your visit worthwhile....from the location, interior design, fully equiped gourmet kitchen and the comfortable bedrooms our stay was very enjoyable. The beach @ Rio Del Mar is convenient and walking distance from the home. Once you've enjoyed the beach and the accommodations the accessibility to restaurants and other fun things to do are only a short distance away. We look forward to our return visit when we'll bring other family members and friends to enjoy another fun and exciting vacation. We found that after only one visit this is the only vacation rental we will stay at for future vacations in the area.Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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Guest comment entered by owner
- Guest Suzanne, Susan, Martha, Margarita, Christine
- Date of stay 05/18/10
- Review Submitted 06/06/10
We had a girl's time/pajama party. How great to just get away and talk about whatever we wanted to. There were so many great restaurants around that we took 45 min. to decide which one to go to. No cooking for us despite the fabulous kitchen. For breakfast we , grabbed great croissants and fresh fruit at nearby Deluxe Foods, opened up the ktchn. doors and basked in the sun and talked and talked and talked. Everything was so colorful. Every little thing reminded one of us of past places we've been to and so we talked. Even though we were just there a few nights we all felt like we had been on vacation for a week. After breakfast, we jumped in the car and went "shopping" in nearby Capitola and then Gayles Bakery for lunch. Margarita had to run back to San Jose for a trial, but it only took 30 minutes, so she didn't have to miss much.....just the shopping part.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
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Joyful! Playful! Colorful!
Joyful! Playful! Colorful!
- Guest Ginger C.
- Date of stay 11/09/09
- Review Submitted 09/02/10
Joyful! Playful! Colorful! No need to ease in and out of your vacation – Jump right in to this wonderful Rio del Mar beach house! Delightful Color greets you as you drive up, Playful and whimsy join you at the front door and Joyful accompanies you as you uncover all of the little details at Judy and Walt’s delightful beach home. We enjoy the comfy beds, fully equipped chef’s kitchen and comfortable yet luxurious custom furnishings. There is lots of room to spread out with decks on front and in back, ocean views, fire pit, easy parking and a lovely gas fireplace in the living room!Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.
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Beautiful and welcoming - this house has charm, style and every amenity for a fabulous stay
Beautiful and welcoming - this house has charm, style and every amenity for a fabulous stay
- Guest Patricia
- Date of stay 07/17/09
- Review Submitted 09/01/10
We stayed in this home for a quick weekend while my daughter attended orientation at UCSC. It was a wonderful experience. There is plenty of parking in front of the house and it lives up to its description and photos. The property was impeccably clean and fresh. The home is fully equipped with everything you need including a kitchen stocked for anyone like me who loves to cook new and adventurous meals while away from home. Every room is decorated beautifully and no two are alike. So there's plenty to observe, ponder and enjoy. Some of the photographs in the house were shot by the owner and add artistic personality to every space. Beyond the sheer beauty of the home, it was extremely comfortable. The bedrooms have plenty of space and are private from each other. The beds are easy to sleep in. The bathrooms functioned and were worry free. The linens were fresh and comfortable. The beach was readily accessible from the house. And the walk is easy and enjoyable. There's a great grocery store right at the freeway exit where we stocked up for our stay. Restaurants are sprinkled throughout the area. With Watsonville just a few minutes to the south and Santa Cruz just a few minutes to the north, this location is perfect. Nothing seemed too far way. The art galleries in the region and the Santa Cruz boardwalk provided plenty of entertainment. Ending a day of exploring with a quick walk to the beach to watch the sunset was beyond description. I would highly recommend this house to anyone looking for a quick getaway or an extended vacation. The owner was great to work with and extremely helpful. We are hoping to return when we have more time to enjoy the house and the region more thoroughly.Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
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