Vacation Rentals by Owner

5 star rating restored

Guest: jess (London)
Date of Stay: 03/16/12 Review Submitted: 03/24/12

We have just spent 5 nights at the Castro apartment and have found that it has been restored to it's previous, and long standing, 5 star rating. After reading the reviews we decided that the owners were likely to have taken the first negative comments on board and resolved the issues mentioned - and this was certainly the case. We found it to be VERY clean - the bathroom was particularly spotless. The kitchen had a brand new microwave, coffee maker and toaster. We had a very restful stay there, the apartment and garden has a calming, peaceful feel to it and the parking facilities helped to make life very easy for us. There are plenty of city guides and maps plus info on the area all of which helped make our stay more enjoyable. The location is great for Castra and mission areas. We were staying there with a 2 year old and found plenty of children's playgrounds and a children's museum in walking distance. We found the owner Gary to be very helpful and friendly. At one point the internet went down due to a problem with the server and this was fixed in less than 24 hours (on a sunday) with updates on the situation from Gary - all greatly appreciated. We will certainly stay there again if visiting san francisco and would definitely recommend it to others. I would really recommend this property to people with small children. A cot and high chair were available plus it's all on one floor making it very easy.

Recommended for:

Great Location But Encountered Several Problems With Apartment

Guest: boomerbabe (Mays Landing, NJ)
Date of Stay: 01/13/12 Review Submitted: 01/24/12

I stayed here from January 13 - 21, 2012. My initial impression was that the kitchen & bathrooms were not clean. That was also the thoughts of my traveling companion and a relative who both came inside the apartment upon our initial check-in. There is no picture of the tub & shower on any of the websites and now I know why. I thought it strange that only the sink & mirrored vanity area were shown in pictures. The tub area is very dark & hidden behind the bathroom door. The house containing the apartment was built in 1886 so the structure including the apartment is 126 years old. The bathtub is old and dingy and the fixtures are loose and wobble in the wall. The hot water faucet in the tub drips and is very hard to turn off to stop the dripping. The shower head vibrates when the water flows out of it. The bathtub does not look clean. The light in the tub went out towards the end of my stay and I told the manager about that so he could replace it. The sink area is funky looking since the caulking between the vanity & large mirror on the wall has not been cleaned or recaulked for some time by the brown gunky appearance of this area. The kitchen area was not clean either. The toaster oven was very filthy and I would never use it. The citrus juicer was dirty so one would not want to put any oranges in there to make juice! The kitchen sink was not clean. The garbage can in the kitchen was very dirty and looked as if it had not been cleaned in a long time. We were going to make tea by boiling water in one of the saucepans and noticed the entire bottom of the pan was eaten away and all that remained were large black patches where the aluminum surface had been. There were some major water & plumbing problems that I encountered during my stay. The toilet leaked on 3 occasions...a plumber was not initially called. Human waste bubbled up outside the front door when the toilet and tub backed up later on after the first rain in San Francisco in 32 days. A rug and towels were soaking wet on the floor of the bathroom that I had put down. I was asked to use the bathroom at Starbucks at 18th & Castro because the toilet was not to be flushed until someone could look at it. The toilet moved away from the wall & leaked for 3 days onto the floor. The tub backed up after that and I was unable to take a shower for 2 days. Finally a plumber or handyman came to repair the backed up sewer line. The main bedroom is too dark...more lighting is needed.

Owner response:We love our Castro Garden Apartment and take great pleasure in our guests’ enjoyment of it as well. So we greatly appreciate reasonable suggestions for improvements, and are understandably concerned when a review rivals the Amityville Horror. But in spite of constant upkeep, problems can happen, and if they do we are then on hand to fix them day or night. In this case, when the toilet backed up during our first serious rainstorm in many months, we were on hand within minutes at 6 a.m. with tools and buckets, and an hour and a half later the plumber had finished the job and the bathroom was clean and dry. The unusual situation was the result of a post-drought deluge which crippled the city sewer system and proved too much even for the powerful siphon jet of our high-end TOTO® toilet. Grateful for the constructive feedback, we have also replaced the washers in the bathtub faucets as well as under the toilet floor in order to re-secure it, and the caulking has been cleaned with a little spraying of bleach and water. We are happy to say that our adorable bathroom is now back in top-notch condition! We are also very proud of our well-equipped kitchen which makes food preparation so much more enjoyable for guests. I have since gone through all of the appliances and found the charred pan in question: a guest had apparently burnt some soup in it and put it straight into the dishwasher, which was not powerful enough to fully scour it. But after a few minutes of steel wool and a little elbow grease, it is now as good as new, aluminum surface perfectly intact. Yet apologies are indeed in order for not having caught it sooner. As this is our first negative review in five years of operation, we encourage readers to check out our other reviews in order to put this one in perspective. We also welcome any questions or concerns, and we will gladly provide other pictures besides those on the websites on request. We will continue to do our best to replace worn-out items and make other improvements to keep the Castro Garden Apartment one of the most enjoyable pied-à-terres and one of the best deals in San Francisco. –Gary and Rob

Recommended for:

Great time and Great Place

Guest: J.Hilroy (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

Our vacation was great, and the location of the apartment was also great. Close to the Muni(city transit system), 1/2 a block from the Castro main pedestrian traffic area. There was a couple of street festivals there too, but I was glad the apartment was just outside of the party zone. The place was good to relax in and it was awesome that there were some supplies, condiments and spreads, that you would normally have had to buy a bottle to only use a little. I have already recommended it to friends. There was only one negative, the wifi isn't fast or have a strong signal, and that is by far not a major item, however our travel plans included the instant access to maps ect for planning out our excursions. Overall it was fantastic, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Really Nice place - Friendly Host

Guest: BILLECOQ (Toulouse, France)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/30/11

We highly recommend this adress. The apartment is beautiful, with lots of info about the area, the city, guides, music. The place is very peaceful, and the patio and garden are really resting after day walking. The area is worth visiting : Castro (don't miss Castro Theater), Mission, Haight are about five to 15 mn by walk, and they are among the most interesting part of the city : restaurants, bars, bookshops, music, beautiful murals. Many buses, metro and trams around And to go downtown, the Fline is a wonderful experience with those astounding old trams I 'd never seen anywhere else. Last but not least, the host , while being outside San Francisco was really kind and helpful when we had to call him to find some help about a serious health issue;

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Just perfect!

Guest: Mauricio (Mexico)
Date of Stay: 12/29/10 Review Submitted: 01/16/11

What you see is not what you have... is so much more indeed! The apartment is so nice, clean, and big enough to feel free and move in there, really feels like home. The location is perfect: you'll stay in a very beautiful and quite neighborhood, and just steps away from many transportation options to move easyly everywhere you want. Also many walking distance options to lunch, dinner, have a drink or cofee. If you like nightlife, there's a lot of options to party just 2 or 3 blocks away (even that, the apartment and neighborhood is always quite and peaceful). Totally recommended. The only thing you will need: more time to enjoy it!

Recommended for:

Comfortable, peaceful and very conveniently located.

Guest: Karen (Nashua, NH)
Date of Stay: 10/12/10 Review Submitted: 10/31/10

We really enjoyed our stay and loved the peace and quiet of the deck and garden with it's soothing fountain sounds. Our kids live in the Mission and Inner Sunset so this is so central to both. Everything was as described both in relation to the rental and the location. The property made it comfortable and easy to cook and have everyone to "our place" for dinner several nights during our week long stay. We were so comfortable that we didn't want to go out. Mornings found me walking to 18th St and down to Guerrero for breakfast at Tartine. You must check this French bakery/eatery out! Awesome! Market St. and Castro is hub of public transportation. Walk up Castro to right on 15th and down to Noe (St.) where you'll find shops and cafes. Take a left and walk to the top of the street where you can catch the N train. This will take you directly west to Ocean Beach. Stop into the Java Beach cafe for good food and coffee before walking across to spend some time gazing upon the Pacific Ocean. We had lots of fun and delicious wine and nibbles at The Press Club downtown in a plaza off Market St. between 3rd and 4th (or 4th and 5th?). Around the corner from the apt. on Market is a nice restaurant called "Catch"-we had a great meal there. All in all we loved the experience of having our "own place" in the city. Only suggestions are to have some games on hand as there was only a pack or two of cards, and to update the tile in the bathroom. It was all very clean and comfy but the tiles need a good regrouting. I will definitely recommend this to all friends and relatives and anyone who wants easy access to city life but with the feeling of being at a cozy retreat.

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

Toller Aufenthalt im September 2010

Guest: Bochum (Bochum, Deutschland)
Date of Stay: 09/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

Die Ferienwohnung ist wunderschön. Man fühlt sich sofort zu Hause, wenn man die Wohnung betritt. Die Lage ist optimal. Mit der Muni ist man in 15 Min. in Downtown und in 25 Min. am Fisherman`s Wharf. In der Wohnung findet man alles, was man zum Leben braucht. In den zwei Schlafzimmern gibt es jeweils einen Fernseher. Dazu gibt es eine beeindruckende DVD-Sammlung. Die Küche ist gut ausgestattet. Das Castro Viertel ist wunderschön und hat viel zu bieten. Der nächste große Supermarkt ist zu Fuß in 10 Min. zu erreichen. Wer mit dem Auto anreist, sollte die Garage mit zu der Ferienwohnung buchen. Die Parkplatzsituation in Amerika ist schwierig/teuer. Wir fanden es sehr angenehm und praktisch, dass wir den Wagen jederzeit sicher abstellen konnten. Sollten wir mal wieder nach San Francisco fahren, ist das Castro Garden Appartement unsere erste Wahl. Vielen Dank Garry für die schöne Zeit in Deiner Ferienwohnung.

Recommended for:

Shammy Dab

Guest: Somer (Ayrshire, Scotland)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10 Review Submitted: 07/13/10

This is great wee apartment in the just up from Market and has easy transportation to anywhere in the city. The area has a massive variety of restaurants and drinking establishments and has a very safe feeling around nighttime when walking back and forth to the apartment. The apartment itself is very peaceful and quiet and the private deck at the rear of the property is fabulous to sit out in after a day walking around in the sun. The description, layout and amenities available were all as described in our original booking, although we would have to add that the beds are very hard which is only a personal preference. We didn't have any contact with the owners although the property was clean and well presented when we arrived with lovely orange lilies on the dining table. The Castro Theatre is a wonderful venue and has a great organ which provides some pre-movie entertainment before each performance. We can highly recommend La Mediterannee and the Woodhouse Fish Co and the Bagdad Cafe for places to eat around the area. And if ordering chinese takeaway, the Red Jade is excellent and definitely order the onion pancake and potsticker dumplings. If you want a slice of pizza after a movie then go to Marcelo's on Castro. Tasty pizza. The highlight of the week was observing the locals at their best, including two single spottings the of the greater naked man, followed by a final spotting of the wilder ice cream eating naken men trio sitting on the bench outside the whole food store on Market street. So if you're a family, maybe avoid this area, but great if you're a single man about town, or a couple of friends (like us) looking for something a wee bit different.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best choice :)

Guest: Tatrix (Saarbrücken, Germany)
Date of Stay: 05/10/10 Review Submitted: 05/28/10

If you wanna go to San Francisco this apartment is your place to sleep! We just spent a week there and had a really good time! After exploring the city during the day it was nice to come back to this place that felt immediatly like home away from home! It's quiet in a really nice neighbourhood but at the same time it is (on foot) just minutes away from the beautiful little shops and nightlife at the castro district! The rest of the city is also easy gettable by public transportation. Right around the corner you will find stops for streetcar, busses and the metro!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Dawna Daniel (Avondale Estates, GA)
Date of Stay: 09/30/09 Review Submitted: 09/30/09

What a wonderful apartment! It is centrally located in action packed Castro with easy access to Muni transportation to reach other neighborhoods! Only a block walk to the catch the F line to chinatown or all the way down to the ferry building - the 33 will get you to mission (brunch at Los Jarritos on 20th & Van Ness is yummy!) The option to rent a garage parking spot was a luxury and let us not worry about finding a spot after a long day in wine country (Viansa is a red wine lovers dream!) San Francisco offers so much to see & do and each day when we ran out of steam it was a joy to come home to this apartment and sit out in the private garden and read or use the wi-fi to plan the next day's adventures. If you are reading this review you must be planning a trip to San Francisco - stop what you are doing, check the calendar and if available, reserve your time here - you will not regret it!

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/13/09 Review Submitted: 05/13/09

Lovely garden apartment, private and quiet, yet a block from the lively Castro district and public transportation to anywhere in the city day and night. Walking everywhere was easy but, if you have a car, it is also easy to get out of the city to places North. The kitchen is so well equipped it was hard to decide whether to eat out at all the delicious neighborhood restaurants or go to the market and bring home all the fresh ingredients for dinners at home. Stayed up way too late watching DVD's from his collection from the comfort of our bed. Clean and bright thanks to the sky light and backyard garden. We were two but it felt spacious enough for 4. Having rented apartments both here and abroad for years as a comfortable way to spend a week or two in a city I would highly recommend Rob's apartment as the place to stay in San Francisco. Everything was as described in his listing with no unpleasant surprises and lots of extras. For us it was like staying at a friend's home Thanks Rob

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: vickiandjim (Melbourne, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 12/31/08

I would highly recommend a stay at the Garden Apartment. Location was perfect with travel options to downtown aplenty and walking distance to Haight Asbury, the Castro itself has a number of fantastic eateries, amazing coffee shops and lovely shops. The Apartment was very well presented - modern and clean and very comfortable and welcoming. Of particular note is the dvd collection of the academy award winner owner Rob, we watched some great films during our 1 month stay. We were a family of 4 and my daughter loved the garden and the fountain. Kitchen was well fitted out and we had some lovely meals at the long dining table. Thanks for a great stay Rob. Regards Vicki, Jim, Daisy and Rocky

Recommended for:

A real treasure

Guest: vickiandjim (Melbourne, Australia)
Date of Stay: 08/29/08 Review Submitted: 01/01/09

I would highly recommend a stay at the Garden Apartment. Location was perfect with travel options to downtown aplenty and walking distance to Haight Asbury, the Castro itself has a number of fantastic eateries, amazing coffee shops and lovely shops. The Apartment was very well presented - modern and clean and very comfortable and welcoming. Of particular note is the dvd collection of the academy award winner owner Rob, we watched some great films during our 1 month stay. We were a family of 4 and my daughter loved the garden and the fountain. Kitchen was well fitted out and we had some lovely meals at the long dining table. Thanks for a great stay Rob. Regards Vicki, Jim, Daisy and Rocky

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/23/08

Just got back from a fantastic stay at the Castro Garden Apartment. There were 4 of us and we fit just fine in this lovely modern apartment. Its all it says and more! The deck is beautiful, the furnishing are perfect, amazing movie collection - all the comforts of home (and then some). The location was great with to many to count fantastic restaurants a block or 2 away. The public transportation was a breeze down to the wharf. Loved it!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Lynn & Bill Woods_HAC117586 (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/20/07

Three of us had a great time in this quiet, comfortable, smartly designed little apartment. Terrific neighborhood w/ the giant rainbow flag flying overhead. Our 10-year-old loved leading her stuffed dog on rollerskates all over the village day & night -- lotsa dogs to meet and kind people. Oh, & the DVD collection is nonpareil; best we've ever had in a vacation rental!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Christiane_HAC113325 (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/05/07

Spent a wonderful "Marathon" weekend with two little ones and found the place just perfect - Loved the interior, great patio and peacefulness of the appartment - Very much appreciated the thoughtfulness of leaving guide books and maps for a first orientation out.. We'll be back!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Kim & Larry (Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/30/07

We just spent a delightful three weeks in the Castro Garden Apartment and we loved it. The location is ideal, the apartment is well-appointed and very well stocked, and the use of space is so smart. And the added "extras" (the DVD collection and the garden deck,to name a couple) were a really nice surprise. It can sometimes feel chaotic when staying in San Francisco but not this time. We'll be back!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Kim and Jerry Kaplan (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 09/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/04/07

What a delightful treat. While visiting our children we made this our home away from home. The location makes it easy to get aound the city. Rob has made his home so welcoming, right down to the wine glasses, music and videos. We had family over and enjoyed the garden. We will return again soon. Many Thanks!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Debi Britton (Dallas, Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/15/07

This was our first time to San Francisco and wanted something special. This apartment lived up to that and more! The apartment itself was great, espcially the deck and garden area, but the best thing (for us) was the location. It was so easy to get around the city since we were minutes away from the transit system. Total positive experience. Thank you!!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Shirley Ching (Ventura, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/16/07

I'm a frequent visitor to San Francisco and was delighted to find Castro Garden Apartment. My daughter and I stayed there for three weeks and loved having a peaceful retreat during our hectic stay. Tristan was a guest teacher at a summer intensive and could easily and safely get to all her studios on BART or the MUNI. I was minutes away from all my favorite neighborhoods and loved having a private patio, a luxury in SF. The two flat screen TVs were a real plus. The apartment was thoughtfully equipped with everything one would need for a work -related or carefree vacation and reflects the care and consideration of Rob, the owner. This place is a gem. I hope it'll always be available when I return, but I'm afraid the secret is out.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/07 Review Submitted: 04/22/07

We have just returned from a week at the Castro Garden Apartment. It was a completely positive experience. We loved having room to spread out with our two teenagers. The location is superb. The Castro neighborhood was a delight. The restaurants and shops were so quaint and provided us with anything we needed. We did lots of sightseeing and were appreciative of the maps, tour guides and metro schedules which were provided in the apartment. Thank you so much for the extra effort put into making the apartment so comfortable. Even the pillows were of high quality. The DVD collection was unbelievable. We could have easily stayed a month and been happy.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Spencers (bethany beach de)
Date of Stay: 01/01/07 Review Submitted: 01/26/07

for over 20 years we have been frequent visitors to the Bay area. For our extended stay in January we went to the internet with very happy results. Hard to improve on the comments already made and we concur on all. it is great to stay in a neighborhood and to be able to walk to so many others. an ideal "home" for our kids to stop by for a visit and so comfortable and easy to live in. The dvd collection is an unexpected and wonderful plus--ran out of days before movies. highly recommend this excellent SF flat--spacious and well equipped with gorgeous skyline view from lanai.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Greg and Anka Allen (Goulburn Australia)
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/08/06

This was our first trip to the United States and we couldn't imagine a better introduction than staying in Castro Garden Apartment. San Francisco was great, and easily accesible from our apartment. Our only problem was dragging ourselves away from our beautiful apartment for long enough to actually see the many attractions in the City.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Debbie and John (Brisbane - Australia)
Date of Stay: 10/01/06 Review Submitted: 10/29/06

We have been to San Francisco numerous times, and chose this apartment because of the decor, open areas, office, deck and gardens - and we were more than delighted with everything. Castro turned out to be interesting and in a fantastic central position, making it easy to walk or use public transport. Surrounding parks, streets, deli/markets, sights, and houses all enhanced the atmosphere. Our host(s) were efficient, friendly, helpful and a pleasure to do business with.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/06 Review Submitted: 10/01/06

Charming with thoughtful details in decor and supplies, the apartment was perfect to explore the city and provide the coming-back home feeling in between the excursions. We had the best time that we had in San Francisco, and feel lucky to have found this place. The owner was accomodating, pleasant and professional -- thanks again! Candace from L.A.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Dave & Vicki DiRito (Southern Colorado)
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/19/06

We had a fabulous stay in SF and the Castro Garden Apartment played a large part in making it so wonderful. It is so comfortable, private, charming, clean, and quiet. There is a beautiful rear deck surrounded by foliage and a water fountain. The main bedroom is perfectly situated so that the head of the bed is right up against two windows that open out onto this garden and fountain. You can open the windows and hear the fountain, making it easy to feel like you’re sleeping in a lush tropical paradise. Then, when you awaken and look out the window, you’ll see that you really are in paradise. This alone is worth the stay.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/17/06

Wonderful space and magnificent deck and garden were all more beautiful than the photos on the web site depicited. As a former Bay Area resident, I couldn't have picked a more perfect spot. The amenities and the location were ideal for my 9 day holiday. I will be back.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Cyndy (Japan)
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/02/06

Fabulous location. Really. Convenient to restaurants, shops, transportation... The Squat and Gobble is definitely a "must try" for brunch and people watching. As for the apartment; very well equipped. I also respect that the owners handled everything in a professional manner when booking our stay.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anthony_HAC62578 (London)
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 08/30/06

We had a great week. We were delighted with the apartment and its brilliant location. Everything we needed was an interesting walk away. I will be recommending it strongly to anyone who asks me where to stay in SF Iin fact I already have).

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Cindy Montoya (Santa Fe, NM)
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/20/06

After spending a month here, we didn't want to leave! This charming apartment is well-equipped making an extended stay comfortable and pleasant. The garden, with its fountain and deck, are remarkable! The location is excellent because of its easy access to public transportation, and because of all of the wonderful markets and delis in the area. The nieghborhood is beautiful, and we spent many hours walking to various parks and enjoying the sunny days. We can't wait to find a reason to return!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 06/15/06

This place turned out to be a godsend for me when I had out-of-town guests. Clean, stylish, fully-equipped and well-maintained, the space impressed even my pickiest relative. The owners are professional and friendly, and the location is convenient to any number of locations in the city. You won't find anything better for the price!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Cheryl_HAC51756 (Duluth MN USA)
Date of Stay: 05/01/06 Review Submitted: 05/22/06

I spent a week in May in this wonderful complex. I could not have chosen a better location! Transportation was within easy reach, the tree-lined street was beautiful and the private deck and garden was phenomenal! No question I would stay here again! Cheryl Duluth MN

Recommended for: