Vacation Rentals by Owner

Breathtaking views, welcoming hospitatility, didn't want to leave!

Guest: Our whole family loved Beit Yam (La Jolla, California (San Diego))
Date of Stay: 07/04/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

We stayed at Beit Yam from July 4-6, 2011 during a road trip from San Diego up the California coast. Our only regret was that we couldn't stay longer! When we arrived, after a long drive, we were blown away by the views. The pictures on the website show the beauty, but it's nothing like seeing it in person. From each level, the views are breathtaking. The sunsets were especially beautiful. We had the best barbecues on the upper deck while watching the sunsets! We saw whales right in front of the house each night and also loved watching the deer on the cliffs right in front of the house. There was a really nice grocery store only minutes away where we were able to stock up on everything we needed and the owners of the house provided us with detailed directions and advice on all the essentials. From how to operate anything in the house to what to do in the area. Since we were there for such a short time, we were only able to do one activity which was horseback riding on the beach through Ross Ranch. The owner of the ranch took us down to the beach right below the house and our kids loved it. It was so pretty on the secluded beach. We also took walks around the neighborhood in the late afternoon and just sat and gazed at the beauty while drinking our coffee in the morning. The space was perfect for our family of 2 adults and 3 children (ages 9, 12 and 15). Our children were also in awe of the surrounding beauty and didn't want to leave which was pretty amazing in itself! We loved the home so much we hope to be able to go back. Thank you to the owners for making our stay so comfortable and welcoming! And thank you for renting your home out to others and sharing your peaceful retreat with us.

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

Thank you!

Guest: Shelley (Bakersfield, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/12/11

We spent two weeks at Biet Yam in June and it was exactly what the doctor ordered! The views are simply stunning, as were the sunsets. Many days we never left the house, choosing to relax on the deck and listen to the ocean or walk to Irish Beach. In fact, we let the kids have the master bedroom so we could sleep downstairs with the sliding glass door open, falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. Be sure and bring your telescope if you enjoy looking at the stars. There were many clear nights for stargazing and it's much better than you'll ever see in the city. The one and only issue I had was the rock flooring in the entryway and top of the stairs. It hurt my feet even with slippers on (which were provided by the owners!) but then I'm also known to be tenderfooted. We had a wonderful time visiting nearby lighthouses, horseback riding on the beach, exploring all the small towns up and down the coast, and catching a movie at the quaint Point Arena Theatre. We even tried our hand at fishing but had no luck. The weather was wonderful! We have summer temperatures of over 100 degrees at home, so never having a day warmer than 80 degrees at the most was perfect for us. It was one of the main reasons for choosing the Northern California coast for vacation. The owners have been wonderful to work with and have been responsive to any questions. I would recommend Biet Yam to anyone.

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

Thank you – we thoroughly enjoyed your home

Guest: Sam (Lake Oswego. OR)
Date of Stay: 01/20/11 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

We didn’t expect the view we got when we walked into the house: it’s amazing. We found ourselves staring out at the ocean both day and night. We saw several small boats and at least one was out there with lights on at night. We found out later when talking to someone walking on the beach that it is crab season and the boat with lights was out netting the crabs, And several times birds seemed soar in front of the windows seemly not moving but floating in place. The hot tub was great. We loved the changing colors and the little water feature. The temperature was perfect when we got in, Thanks for having it on in advance of our stay. The glass was a great idea as it seemed actually warm out, being behind that glass. We took several walks to the beach. We enjoyed just walking down your street till we got to the beach road and looking at all the houses and down at the ocean along the way. The walk is very pleasant and the walk up from the beach is just the right workout. And every time we walked we ran into several deer just wandering around. We loved the shower head in the bathroom, my wife wants one like it now for our house. And I was surprised in the morning with the heated bathroom floor. The other thing we liked was the pellet stove. I had never seen one before and its much like a wood burning stove in terms of its look when the fire is burning. It gives off an amazing amount of heat. The living room was toasty in no time. The kitchen was very nice and did have everything we needed. Another surprise was the market down the road. I was expecting a little over-priced market and instead found a large market with everything. All we kept wondering is where the people come from that shop there? One last note – we loved the stars. What a surprise that was. We would recommend this house to anyone. We’ve never been in a house with such a view. And in the house we really felt at home. They only bad thing we had to report is having to leave.- once there you want to stay forever.

Owner response:Thank you, Sam. We are glad you appreciated so many of the features of our home and the surrounding area. Thank you also for leaving our house so nicely. We hope you return soon.

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

Beautiful House, Stunning Location

Guest: Impressed (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/07/11 Review Submitted: 02/05/11

We went up to Beit Yam for a weekend and had a great time! The house itself is comfortable, spacious, and beautiful. It had everything we wanted from our vacation: a spa on the deck; a huge tiled tub, beautiful tiled shower, and heated floors in the master bath; a king bed in the master bedroom; a kids' room complete with lots of games and puzzles; and a well-equipped kitchen. The location of the house is also spectacular. It sits on a bluff over the water with nothing to obstruct the panoramic ocean views. We also particularly enjoyed being able to walk to a quiet beach. Finally, the owners were a pleasure to work with. They even leave a bottle of wine for the guests. Can't wait to return!

Owner response:Thank you for your review. You were a pleasure to work with, too. We are glad you had such a great time and appreciate all the things we love about the house. Please do return.

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

Two Thumbs Up For Beit Yam!

Guest: Sherri (AZ, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/01/10 Review Submitted: 10/19/10

My husband and I spent the month of September, 2010 at Beit Yam and thoroughly enjoyed our getaway. The house was clean and ready for us at the appointed hour. Being in a strange kitchen for 30 days was a concern for me but I was very pleasantly surprised at the amount of "gear" provided. Yes, I brought my own knives, favorite pots/pans but would not have needed everything I hauled 1000 miles. As others have mentioned, the hot water heater is a joy as is the brand new Bosch dishwasher. Beit Yam could not be situated in a prettier location, perched high above a cove on the Mendocino coast. We walked the (gated) beach daily and often were the sole occupants. We've stayed in Irish Beach several times previously and choose it for the beauty and isolation from "the big city". We were not looking for glittering restaurants and a nightlife; this would be the wrong place. As "tourists" we are a dead loss - no horseback rides on the beach, no winery tours, no nothing. Reading, watching the ocean and walking on the beach were what we wanted. This was our time to unwind and relax. Beit Yam provided this to a "T". Fresh, good food very important to us. In the past, I traveled the 25 or 30 miles to Gualala for provisions. This year, I decided to try the small store in Manchester about five miles away. What a pleasant surprise! Farm fresh produce from local farms, English beers, French wines were a special treat. Note: for anyone with a mobility issue, the house is on several levels and could be difficult to navigate. When problems arose, and there were a couple of g-flitches as one might expect, they were quickly handled by the owners and some local help. We appreciated the speedy assistance when a heavy rain resulted in a roof leak. The pellet stove was a challenge at the beginning of our stay, but with some assistance, we learned to happily co-exist and came to appreciate its efficiency on chilly mornings. For our month-long, stay the owners provided additional housekeeping services at no additional charge to us which was an unexpected and very nice touch. We truly enjoyed our month at Beit Yam and have already recommended this house to friends.

Owner response:Thank You Sherri, We are glad Beit Yam Vacation rental suited you so well. And, we look forward to accommodating your friends. Sincerely, Susan and Gary

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Whales

Guest: John and Deb (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/19/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

We must of lucked out. All week we watched the whales. We saw them from the living room, the deck, and a great bench on the hill below the house. The hosue was great. I loved the shower head and all of the hot water. I contacted the owners to find out what kind of hotwater heater they have and found out it was tankless. We've gone out and bought the same one. I never knew about them. Everyone must check out this house and hopefully you'll see whales right out of the window as we never expected. Thanks for allowing us to experience your home. We'll be back again and again.

Owner response:Thank You, John and Deb. The whale watching has been especially good this year. We are glad you took the opportunity to appreciated them. We look forward to your agains. Sincerely, Susan and Gary

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

NO HOT WATER!!

Guest: jennifer (Lakeport, California)
Date of Stay: 06/18/10 Review Submitted: 07/08/10

At first glance - this was the PERFECT house! Great view, etc. However... a few problems quickly arose. The most annoying - there was NO hot water. After calling the owner, a contractor was called and we were asked several questions about the hot water heater. The contractor said that he lived too far away and wouldn't be able to correct the problem during our stay! The owner never apoligized or even suggested any reimbursement or other compensation. We were left to spend the weekend in a house where we couldn't take hot showers or even do dishes efficiently. To add to the "heating" issues - the pellot stove did not work so the house became unbearably cold in the evening. We were VERY disappointed with our stay and would not recommend this house to anyone.

Owner response:We are always making improvements to Beit Yam Vacation Rental. We had just replaced our old hot water heater with a new efficient tankless hot water heater. Unfortunately the contractor who installed the new tankless hot water heater forgot to remove one of the caps. That is what caused the problem, but not immediately, when the contractor tested the new hot water heater. We apologize to Jennifer for the there being no hot water during her weekend stay. We have now refunded a portion of her rent, as we should have done before. We wish she had let us know how unhappy she was with Beit Yam at the start of her stay. We would have helped her find another rental (even if it was just for her second night) and refunded her rental amount. Jennifer also mentioned a problem with the pellet stove, when I talked with her by phone. I gave her a suggestion to "fix" the problem. The suggestion that usually works is for guests to give the stove five minutes of running (the pellets have to make their way down the auger) for it to light up. Since I did not hear back from her I assumed my suggestion worked. As it turns out (our housecleaner discovered the problem upon Jennifer's departure), the batteries in the remote control needed replacing. If Jennifer had called me back I would have tried additional trouble shooting until the stove worked and/or I would have suggested she use the Jotul stove to heat the downstairs; the wood stove in the kitchen to heat the upstairs common areas; the in-floor radiant heat to heat the master bathroom; and, we have an electric heater in the garage for heating in emergencies. We have found these sources of heat to be more than sufficient for the middle of June. We provide our toll free number for guests to reach us if there are any problems. We encourage guests to call us and let us know if the problems are not resolved.

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Guest: Rob A. (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/09/09 Review Submitted: 12/09/09

The photos don't do this home justice! The rooms are large and views expansive. We enjoyed the well-stocked kitchen with room for multiple cooks, huge great room with wonderful pellet stove, master bedroom and (huge & new) bathroom upstairs. The downstairs bedrooms and bath were quiet and warm with a beautiful gas heating stove. All along with the unobstructed views, new & large hot tub (squeaky clean!) and wrap around decks we didn't want to leave. The neighborhood community has a private road leading to the stunning walking beach which stretches miles down to the famous lighthouse. Another undersold aspect of this home is the fact that it is well of the Pacific Highway. Zero noise & traffic. Many houses along the north coast are within view or earshot of the highway. We could really enjoy the sounds of the ocean with privacy. We scouted out other rentals in the area and haven't found one we'd prefer. Thank you Susan and Gary. -Rob

Owner response:Thanks, Rob. We look forward to your return. Susan and Gary

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Wonderful Getaway

Guest: Ken (San Jose, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/04/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/10

We spend the month of October there this year. The owners (Susan and Gary) were a pleasure to deal with. They emailed us about local events and were very prompt to respond to questions. As others have said: the house is clean, well kept, and well furnished. The spa is new and *very* customizable to adjust lighting, air, and water flows. Susan and Gary have added many thoughtful touches to make your stay there as pleasant as possible: There are little signs here and there to help you do what you were trying to do. The light switches are labeled. There is a big binder with all the manuals for the household equipment, as well as sections of where to go and what to do. The kitchen is full of misc appliances from popcorn popper to blender. There is a even an electric heater built into the floor in the master bath which has left me spoiled and wondering how to retrofit something like that into my house.... There is a very nice local store with a great selection of groceries and fresh veggies about 10 minutes south in Manchester, and several good restaurants about 15 minutes north in Elk. You *ARE* out in the boonies at Irish Beach: it's about 45 minutes to Ft.Bragg, and 2 hours to Cloverdale no matter which "short cut" you take. I would avoid Mountain View Rd from Boonville. It looks way shorter but is so twisty and slow that it takes just as long as staying on 128 to 1 South. By all means, stop at Hendy Woods State park in Philo to walk through a virgin redwood forest and see the way things used to be prior to the logging...

Owner response:Thank you for your review, Ken. It was a pleasure to have you as a guest at Beit Yam Vacation Rental. Thank you also for the information you provide on shopping, resturants and ways to get to Beit Yam.

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

Great house in a stunning location

Guest: Holger1 (Pleasanton, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/11/09 Review Submitted: 09/23/09

We have stayed at Beit Yam with 6 people and enjoyed it. It was wonderful to sit in the spa and watch the waves come in. The house is very nicely decorated and clean. A big thumbs up for anyone looking for a nice retreat.

Owner response:Thank you for your review. We usually get complimentary communications in the form of emails or cards. Thank you for taking the time to also post your compliments. Sincerely, Susan and Gary

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Thank you - the time was GREAT

Guest: JIm/Pat (Richmond, VA)
Date of Stay: 07/07/08 Review Submitted: 08/05/08

Gary and Susan: Just a short note to say thanks. All in the house was in tip-top shape and the bottle of wine that first night was just what we needed after the drive. We took several walks to the beach and tied to make it all the way to the lighthouse one day but couldn't - it's much further than it looks. We'll be back. Next time we hope to bring our friends from Virginia who dropped out at the last minute. I know they would go as wild over your place as we did. Thanks again.

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

Wonderful stay

Guest: david745 (San Jose, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/18/08 Review Submitted: 07/14/08

We just wanted to write a short note and thank you so much for having such a wonderful house. The four of us found the house perfect. The view was magnificant from everywhere in the house but especailly from the hot tub at night. We liked the idea of the glass wind breaker by the tub, it really did keep us warm. A real surprise was the bench out on the bluff. We spent some time each of the three days viewing the soaring birds in front of us. Thanks so much for the nice touch of offering a bottle of wine. The wine was so good we drove by the tasting room at Navarro wines on our way home and bought a case, something we never do. We appreciated the kitchen as it had every kitchen gadget we needed. The store in the middle of nowhere was a real surprise, we were able to buy everything we needed. Normally you expect high prices and a little store. Instead we found a large store and reasonable prices. We even ended buying some hardware we could not seem to find in San Jose. We plan to come back as soon as we can find time for another vacation. I prefer we stay longer and do more exploring. Three nights simply was not enough time in such a fantatic place. Thanks again David, Sharon, Myron and Maria

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

My sub-par experience at Beit Yam:

Guest: Unsatisfied Customer (Kelseyville, California, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/11/08 Review Submitted: 06/16/08

I recently rented "Beit Yam" in Irish Beach, Ca, where I stayed for nearly a month, so I had plenty of time to see just how things were with the place. All in all, things were NOT very good, and I must therefore give a NEGATIVE review of the home itself, AND of my overall experience in dealing with the owners. If I had merely had to put up with one or two minor inconveniences during my stay at Beit Yam, this review would not have been written. Unfortunately, I had to put up with WAY TOO MANY THINGS which were IN UNACCEPTABLE CONDITION in this house during my stay; everything from a refrigerator which has seen better days and simply isn't cold enough (even when turned to the HIGHEST SETTING) and which quickly spoiled much of my food within a matter of days--to an incessantly noisy gas heater in one of the bedrooms which "pops" and "clicks" constantly, no matter whether it's heating up or cooling down. Family members of mine who (tried to) sleep in that room finally just shut the heater OFF and bundled up for warmth, and traded putting up with the chill rather than being kept awake all night by the noise of that heater. There were a variety of other inconveniences and annoyances awaiting me at Beit Yam--not the least of which was THE AMOUNT OF WORK REQUIRED BY ME JUST TO GET THE PLACE INTO SEMI-USEABLE CONDITION after I arrived there. That's right--I said WORK, and that's not what I signed on for when I booked this vacation and spent good money to do so! However, that's what I was in for once I got to BeitYam--to a SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE DEGREE! Upon my arrival, the outside of EVERY WINDOW in the house was VERY DIRTY, and they all needed to be hosed off and squee-geed just so the views could be enjoyed. It was a big job, and I was left to my own devices to deal with it. The two Weber grills which were supplied were in ATROCIOUS CONDITION when I arrived--so I also had a big ugly mess there to deal with just so I could Bar-B-Que. One of them was literally a pile of rickety and dilapidated garbage, and the other one was a huge mess of caked-on gunk and rust all over the grates (cooking surfaces) which YOURS TRULY had the task of cleaning just so it could be used. I could go on, but I'm out of room, so I'll just reiterate what's most important here: TOO MANY THINGS ABOUT BEIT YAM WERE UNUSEABLE OR NEGLECTED AND IN NEED OF SERIOUS ATTENTION!. I'm an intelligent person and I know what's acceptable and what isn't. Be warned: KEEP LOOKING!! STAY AWAY FROM BEIT YAM !!

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Coastal Cuties on Cosmos!!

Guest: Coast Cuties (Sacramento)
Date of Stay: 03/07/08 Review Submitted: 07/15/08

It's getting to be that time of year again where we will be coming together once again in this beautiful home. Our group has been coming to this house now for three years and I just can't say enough about this place and the breathtaking view it offers. Each time we have come we were blessed with sunshine and wonderful weather. You sleep with the windows open and listen to the ocean waves hit against the rocks. In the master bedroom, where I usually sleep, you turn out the lights and the stars are not only outside, but on your ceiling as well! I love it! Downstairs is even better! You can open either slider, feel the cool breeze and the sounds of the waves, turn on the woodstove that is offered in the room. What do you get?! The best nights sleep you've ever gotten. Prior to hitting the hay! You must step into the spa that sits outside on the deck. This is just the ultimate weekend getaway! Thank you Susan and Gary for allowing the "Coastal Cuties on Cosmos" come back year after year!

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

Great

Guest: j and e (Redding, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/27/07 Review Submitted: 07/28/08

Gary and Susan Your pictures on the website are real. What great views. It feels like your soaring over the ocean. It was great that your kitchen has two ovens - we used them both at once for our Thanksgiving dinner. And you had all the pots and pans and plates we needed to serve the feast. We love the master bath with the built in heater under the tile floor - it felt so good on our cold feet and really did warm the room. We loved the pellet stove so much we're thinking of getting our own to heat the house. It really throws out the heat and it looks almost like a wood stove only easier to start and take care of. In fact, you have to do almost nothing to have it running. We watched several shows on your TV. We do not get any extra movie stations at home so it was nice though in some ways I wish we could have done without the TV altogether considering the views and the walks on the beach. But a litle late movie can never hurt. Finally, thanks for the idea of horseback riding on the beach. Never did that before; think it was all of our highlight of the long weekend. Thanks so much again and we plan to be back again and again and again. Jason

Recommended for:Families with young children

Guest: Carla Haisler (Katy, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/13/07 Review Submitted: 06/13/07

Our stay was for 3 nights. The house was exactly as described and promised. The house is big and perfect for 2 couples; very private. We would highly recommend this house to anyone. Enjoy your stay!

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My Dream Home

Guest: Coastal QT (Sacramento)
Date of Stay: 01/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/15/08

Me and 5 of my Best Girlfriends come to this vacation home twice a year since 2006. We have rented other homes, but Nothing compares to this house. The beautiful views through the living room which is all glass from left to right. The downstairs bedroom has a gas stove, it sounds like a real fire stove. With the door cracked a bit, you can hear the waves washing up on shore and the sound of fire krackeling. I dream of this very noise every night and I wish I was vacationing there. The owners are lovely to deal with. They have a quick response with e-mails and their deposit is always returned to us in full within a couple of weeks. If I could purchase this home and retire I would. If you want a relaxing vacation I absolutely recommend Beit Yam as your home away from home. They have a room full of games and "Wheres Waldo" books which is fun for all ages. They have a hardware/grocery store right down the street. Mendocino is only 30 min North. Beit Yam and the neighbors have access to a gorgeous private beach. I wish I could publish all my pictures for you to see, but then you wouldn't have the pleasure of getting your own. No doubt you'll have a good vacation here.

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

Guest: Bruce
Date of Stay: 04/18/05 Review Submitted: 04/17/05

Susan,As you know, we got the key and had a great weekend. We did grill dinners on the deck, but Queenie’s worked out great for breakfast.Thanks for the Mazel, I hope we can make a visit to your beach home an annual outing as our grand daughter gets older.By the way, it’s such a pleasure to stay somewhere where everything works! Your home is beautiful and very comfortable.Best regards,Bruce

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