Santa Monica darling bungalow

Guest: Peggy (Burlingame, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/29/11

Our family of four stayed at this bungalow for three weeks in July 2011. It was clean, looked just like the photos, was well stocked and very comfortable. There are three units on the property. This one is in the front. Deirdre the owner lives in the property at the back of the lot. We had a few questions prior to arrival and upon arriving and she was always prompt about responding. Property is located on a side street off of a busy street called Lincoln but it was extremely quiet there. Lincoln connects with the freeway so it was very convenient to get around. Nice neighborhood, a few apartment buildings but we felt safe. Dog park nearby (we brought our dog). Really pleasant location and close to an excellent neighborhood called Main St. and also close to the beach. We loved it. It was our first time renting on VRBO and would definitely rent this property again.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car, pet owners, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Absolutely loved it!!

Guest: Tina (Mckinney, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/25/11

This home is beautiful and quaint. Very clean, on site amenities and the owner made us feel very welcome. The location is great to Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street Promenade. Photos reflected home's appearance. I loved this house and would recommend to family and friends.

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

Lovely Rental

Guest: Cathy (Columbus, OH)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

We recently enjoyed over a week at this cottage. Everything about it was great. The location couldn't be more convenient to the Promenade, the beach and Main Street. We easily walked to all three. There also was a grocery store about 3 blocks away, which was very convenient. The cottage was charming and very clean. The yard was lovely and provided a great extension of the living space. Initially the street seemed busy, but it was very quiet. I can recommend this rental without reservation.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Wonderful vacation rental in Santa Monica

Guest: Angella (Berkeley)
Date of Stay: 10/22/10 Review Submitted: 12/03/10

A beautiful well-maintained house in a quiet neighborhood - we had a really good experience here. The house is clean, welcoming, and the owner was very helpful in recommending restaurants & other nearby attractions. The beach is pretty close, and so is shopping, but the neighborhood is so quiet it's the perfect getaway. Highly recommended!!!

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

I loved it!

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/13/10 Review Submitted: 12/01/10

This house is completely charming. The landscaping is so peaceful, the decor is far and away better than anything you get from most rental places and the location is ideal. I would move in there if I could! The entire rental process was seamless, Deirdre was completely responsive and helpful and it was smooth from beginning to end. I will definitely tell anyone coming to LA to stay here if they can! We stayed while we had our house repainted and I didn't want to go home.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Restful and charming with all the comforts of home

Guest: Pam (Oakland)
Date of Stay: 10/25/10 Review Submitted: 12/01/10

I stayed here for a week in late October 2010 and it was delightful. The bed was comfortable with nice cozy comforters and nice linens, everything worked perfectly and was incredibly clean. It felt very homey without the work, clutter etc. of my own home. Really enjoyed the outside space - the grounds are lovely and it feels like a very restful oasis but convenient to all the urban amenities you want. Owner was really nice and took great care of us. Would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

a case of false advertising?

Guest: disappointed canuck (Calgary Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/28/10 Review Submitted: 11/21/10

We Canadians stayed in this home for one week in September 2010 with my 3 and 5 year old boys and husband while at a conference. The home was quaint and in a great location. Apart from this, we cannot say much positive about our stay. The home was dirty, and "smelled like pee" to quote my 5 year old. To cope, we burned febreze candles throughout our stay. Upon arrival, we had no internet, cable or telephone (land line) access, and it was 2 days before the owner had sorted this out. For more information, try googling "homeaway 190260" for a reveiw of the home next door (belongs to the same owner). The experience of this German family is almost exactly as ours: things were not as they seemed from the internet description.

Owner response:I am very surprised and disappointed to receive this review. I do remember there being an issue with the wireless and television but it was caused by a problem with the (phone company-supplied) modem and was fixed as soon as I was shipped a new one. The television worked but the "guide" was not available. I feel I dealt with everything in as timely a manner as possible considering that the issue was with the phone company. Once this situation was taken care of, I don't remember there being any other problems. The problem with the land line phone was that it wasn't plugged into the phone jack. This was obviously fixed immediately. And, in regards to the house "smelling like pee", I was never told this. Had it been brought to my attention, I would have done everything in my power to remedy the situation. We have never had this complaint before or since and and I find it hard to imagine. The houses are cleaned thoroughly after every guest moves out. These guests were clearly comfortable reporting a problem so I find it surprising that they didn't mention it during their stay and actually waited 3 months before submitting this review. I'm very sorry these guests felt their stay was unsatisfactory but I feel it is unfair to say that I have falsely advertised either of my houses.

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Fantastic little house, great location, very clean.

Guest: LindaT131 (Westwood, Massachusetts)
Date of Stay: 06/05/10 Review Submitted: 06/15/10

This little house was perfect for us, two couples visiting family in LA. The neighborhood is quiet, the yard is private and perfect for a late afternoon glass of wine. The bedrooms are comfortable, the kitchen is nicely equipped, and there are two bathrooms. Linens, towels, were provided. The place was really clean. A new washer/dryer was nice, you can bring half of what you planned and just do a little laundry (laundry detergent was provided). Off street parking is a plus. We walked to the Santa Monica pier, 3rd street promenade, Main street, and to Venice. Flake was our favorite breakfast place, about 15 minutes away (walking). I would return to this house. The owner lives on the property and it is obvious she takes good care of the rental units.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children.

Guest: language student (Luxembourg)
Date of Stay: 02/15/10 Review Submitted: 02/15/10

We stayed in Deirdre's cottage for a week with 4 persons - 2 adults and 2 teenage girls and we all loved it. Very cosy, feeling like home, and in walking distance to all the wonderful places in Santa Monica. Perfect location.

Recommended for:

Guest: Larry Chaset (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/08/10 Review Submitted: 01/08/10

We had a lot of fun staying in the Grant Street house. It is a charming cottage with a nice big kitchen and a great front yard. The amenities were all fine. The best part, though, was that we could walk both to Main Street and to the Third Street Promenade, two of the most appealing urban shopping streets in Southern Calfiornia . . . and don't forget the beach!!! We would definitely come back.

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