Sweeping Ocean Views...Steps from Sandy Beaches

• Wonderful weekend at the Sandcastle

  Wonderful weekend at the Sandcastle

  • Guest Snowbird
  • Date of stay 05/10/13
  • Review Submitted 05/15/13
  My husband and I with our two daughters and their families stayed at the Sandcastle for 3 nights while attending a wedding in Santa Cruz. When we came into the house we all remarked that the pictures online didn't do it justice. Everything was even better than we had anticipated. The house was very clean and comfortable. The rooms were large and the beds were comfortable. The kitchen was equipped with everything we needed as we cooked most of our meals. We enjoyed barbecuing one evening. The neighborhood was completely quiet at night. We took the chairs and towels down to the lovely beach several times. The owner was very kind to accommodate our early arrival and later departure. She answered all my emails promptly. We liked the house so much that we didn't feel like doing too much else! We did go to the wharf in Santa Cruz which is fun and to Capitola which is very close by and definitely worth visiting. Our group included two teenage boys and they had a good time with the basketball, ping pong and foosball. And we had a 4 month old granddaughter with us so we appreciated the crib and high chair. Really, this place has everything anyone could want. (For me, it was the double Jacuzzi soaking tub in the master bedroom!) We hope to come here again and would recommend it to anyone.

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

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• Bravo Sandcastle!

  Bravo Sandcastle!

  • Guest Nitpicker
  • Date of stay 05/03/13
  • Review Submitted 05/11/13
  This was a wonderful place to stay. The house is beautifully furnished, the kitchen is stocked better than my own, and there were more games and puzzles than we had time to experience. The little down time we had was spent in the Crow's nest enjoying the sun and the view. Two couples and two single adults stayed and we were all very comfortable. The bedrooms are great, and there's room for younger kids if you have them. Ours are all in college and they raved about the house when they visited! We were able to squeeze in some walks on the beach because it is so close, and the Farmer's Market 5 blocks away was a great place for healthy and tasty foods.. We loved it and all were sad to leave. Can't wait to plan another family reunion and stay here again.

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

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• Easter vacation in Santa Cruz was wonderful!

  Easter vacation in Santa Cruz was wonderful!

  • Guest Dan
  • Date of stay 04/01/13
  • Review Submitted 04/16/13
  Our family along with my sister's family recently vacationed at VRBO listing #401595 and had a wonderful time. The home was everything we could have asked for and more. The location to the beach was excellent. I awoke every morning and grabbed a cup of coffee and walked the lovely beach. The three kids in our group, ages 12 to 16, loved the game room and extra space the den provided. The home was well equipped, nicely decorated, and very comfortable. We came all the way from the East Coast and felt right at home. We really enjoyed the Santa Cruz area and found the people to be very nice. We went to the boardwalk, Big Basin State Park, and went surfing at Pleasure Point. Great dining and a beautiful area that we hope to visit again. Thanks for sharing your home with us, it was just what we needed for a relaxing vacation.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children.

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• Such a lovely place to stay

  Such a lovely place to stay

  • Guest Kate
  • Date of stay 03/22/13
  • Review Submitted 03/26/13
  I had the pleasure of staying at the sandcastle this past weekend, and it truly was a pleasure. The pictures on the website don't really do it justice - the house is spacious and sunny with all the proper accoutrements to make your stay as comfortable as possible - plenty of towels, shampoo/conditioner/bath gel, dishes, linens, pillows, foosball, ping pong, even a grill on the deck. There were 10 adults in my group - both couples and singles - and we each had a bed to sleep in. We loved relaxing in the gorgeously sunny front room, cooking in the amply stocked kitchen, and exploring the surrounding area - stand up paddleboarding in the harbor, driving to town to wander in the shops and enjoying a bonfire at the beach steps away from the house. The house is a block and a half from the beach and it takes less than 3 minutes to get from the door of the house to the sand. The owner, Carolyn, was friendly, full of great advice and very responsive. I'd highly recommend staying at this home and I hope I get to do so again!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

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• Valentine's Day Weekend Family Gathering

  Valentine's Day Weekend Family Gathering

  • Guest Proud Mom
  • Date of stay 02/14/13
  • Review Submitted 02/20/13
  We held a ladies (+ grandson) family gathering in Santa Cruz and stayed at this beautiful home to provide a Valentine's weekend away for my daughter-in-law and grandchildren due to my son's deployment. We gathered from California, Nebraska and Illinois. It was everything we expected! The pictures don't do justice as the location, comfort, and organization of the home was perfect. The welcome bucket filled with goodies was a nice, unexpected touch! It was easy to find grocery stores so we could purchase snack and breakfast items which allowed us to have slow, leisurely starts to the day. We enjoyed time at the beach (short walk to the steps) - too cold to swim but walking in the water while one of the grandkids braved it using a board while another played with the buckets on the beach creating a sand castle. We also explored Santa Cruz Boardwalk and wharf (enjoyed an incredible dinner at Fire Fish Grill), Monterey Aquarium and pier (delicious, fun birthday lunch at Sapporo Sushi & Steakhouse), and ate lunch at Betty Burgers on 41st Ave one day! We always came back to the house after dinner to play cards and Dominoes - the folding chairs helped us fit all the adults around the table for games. My daughter, living in Mexico, was unable to join us; however, she was able to have a special, personal delivery made by Bonny Doon Vineyard to the beach house! That personal touch by a local owner added to our incredible experience! The home was clean and so well organized that it was easy to find needed items and return them to the correct places. Every kitchen item we needed was available and there were plenty of towels and beds even though we had the maximum amount of people in the home. The crib and high chair were perfect for the youngest of our group. We were able to park 2 mini-vans and a car in the driveway without any problem, which was helpful. The owner contacted me the first day to be sure everything was going well and to see if we had any questions, which we didn't. We received a follow-up email after the stay, thanking us for leaving the home in such good condition and provided details related to our security deposit. All of us enjoyed the trip and our accommodations and would stay again at this home if given the chance to do so! This was our first rental through VRBO and couldn't have been happier with our choice! If you have the chance to stay at this home, do so, you won't be sorry! Thanks again to the owners for sharing your home!

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

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• Nice place for a nice price

  Nice place for a nice price

  • Guest Schmidt
  • Date of stay 12/21/12
  • Review Submitted 01/16/13
  We had a memorable family reunion at thís lovely home. Being so close to the beach was just what we needed and even though we had terrible weather during our stay (loads of rain) we were happy playing ping pong, watching movies and just enjoying the many possible activities available in Santa Cruz (we can totally recommend the Roaring Railroad train ride). The house was basically fine for us even though we had a person sleeping on the coach (presently, we would recommend the house for 11 people, however after a friendly talk with the owner, it was concurred that the loft bed should be changed from a super twin to a queen so that 2 people can sleep their). The owners of the home are very helpful, friendly and even provided xmas decorations as well as a wonderful gift basket upon arrival. We are thankful for their generosity. We would totally recommend this home.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

  Owner response: We are so glad that you enjoyed our beach house! Sorry the weather didn’t co-orporate but staying in by the fire, watching the ocean certainly makes it worthwhile. We appreciate the feedback about the bed space and will be sure to further clarify the layout of our unique home in the future. The bed in the loft was a full/double and was mostly intended for kids (although couples have stayed up there) since the loft is located above one of the king rooms accessible by a wall mounted ladder. Since your stay, we have replaced that bed with a queen to make it even more comfortable! In addition, we provide a new queen-sized Aerobed for use in the den/game room downstairs. Thanks again for helping us better accommodate our guests!

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• Thanksgiving week

  Guest comment entered by owner

  Thanksgiving week

  • Guest Betsy and Andy
  • Date of stay 11/17/12
  • Review Submitted 11/26/12
  Dear VRBO - My family stayed at Sandcastle property in Santa Cruz for the week of Thanksgiving 2012. We have two adult daughters and various significant others plus our son and his family who live in Santa Cruz. The Sandcastle house was perfect! Plenty of room for everyone to have their own space, plus wonderful space to all be together. The kitchen was equipped just about everything we needed to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for a large crowd. There are fun games (ping pong, foosball, basketball) for everyone to enjoy, plus lots of televisions, movies, games! All we could have asked for and more! The beach is a block and a half away, and we were fortunate to have spectacular weather. We will be back!

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• Wonderful Place

  Wonderful Place

  • Guest Jon
  • Date of stay 10/04/12
  • Review Submitted 11/25/12
  This rental is a must. This property had everything we were looking for and more. We arrived for a long weekend and found everything impeccable and exactly the way it had been advertised. All of the information they provided was perfect for us and honestly, we loved every moment of our time there. The owners were answered all of our questions in a timely manner and we really couldn't have asked for a more comfortable, beautiful setting for our weekend among friends and with our families. The rooms and amenities were superb, the location to die for, and the overall ambiance ideal. I highly recommend this rental. You will not be disappointed.

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

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• Great Family Style Beach House

  Great Family Style Beach House

  • Guest Prince's of Carnegie
  • Date of stay 08/16/12
  • Review Submitted 08/22/12
  We couldn't have asked for a better place to spend our time in Santa Cruz. The space was perfect for our large family. Everyone had enough room to be comfortable in separate areas, yet be able to hold everyone when we were gathered all together. The location was excellent, just a short walk from the private beach. We were just a few minutes away from our friends market Deke's, the boardwalk, and restaurants. The views from the balcony deck off the main living area and especially from the roof top perch were magnificent to say the least. The home was equipped with everything you would need in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room, It also included entertainment for the small and teen-aged kids with a ping-pong table, basketball arcade, foosball and huge TV's. The decor was warm, airy and cozy. We would definitely love to be able to come back and enjoy another week here with the family.

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

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• Highly Recommend

  Highly Recommend

  • Guest missinglenk
  • Date of stay 07/28/12
  • Review Submitted 08/13/12
  Our family had a great time at the Sandcastle Beach House. The house was perfect for the age groups ranging from five years old to 70. The description of the property was "right on". But, the ocean views from the house were beyond description. The house was very clean and provided many of the essentials such as laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. The outdoor shower was a treat and the kids loved it. The Crow's Nest was perfect for the adults to have some time together while the kids played foosball, ping pong, basketball or watched DVDs downstairs. It was an easy walk to the beach where the kids and some adults boogie boarded. Boogie boards and beach chairs were supplied by the owner, but you may want to bring your own wetsuits. We had our family picture taken on the beach to remember our time together. We also had a bonfire one evening with S'mores, and songs. The owner added a personal touch by being very helpful and prompt in her communication with us. The house comes with a notebook recommending places to eat. However, the kitchen is fully stocked with just about anything you might need. Needless to say, we've recommended Sandcastle to our friends!

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

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Memorial Day to Labor Day 4 night to 1 week min. $495/night $2,900/week   
Holiday Week and Weekends 4 night min.           $495/night $2,900/week   
September through May     3 night min.           $395/night $2,500/week 
Refundable Security Deposit $500 to hold reservation.
10% Santa Cruz Occupancy tax and $200 cleaning fee. Linens are included.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.