Vacation Rentals by Owner

Parents visit from Paris, France

Guest: Michael M.
Date of Stay: 04/05/12 Review Submitted: 04/15/12

I was looking for the perfect place for my parents who were visiting from Paris, France when i found the house on McGee. I (neither my parents) were disappointed. the house on Mcgee is THE place you want to have for relatives you care about that are visiting the region. Thank you Mark! Michael Mrejen

Owner response:I do try to make the McGee House as comfortable and welcoming as possible. And I am glad that the extra effort put into providing extra amenities pays off with happy clients. FYI, detailed house features can be found on the Berkeley McGee House web site at: vitalita.com/rental

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We chose wisely!

Guest: Rajendra U. (Kingwood, Texas)
Date of Stay: 03/08/12 Review Submitted: 04/18/12

We spent a great week at this cozy vacation property. It is far enough from the busy main streets to be quiet and relaxing, but close enough not to be isolated. The house itself is exactly as advertised, clean and well-equipped with almost all the items we would have at home. Mark has provided a printed FAQ for everything - parking, instruction manuals, garbage/recycling, so I never needed to call him for any questions. Beds are comfy, more than enough pillows to suit us. The bathroom is a tight squeeze, but I guess that is typical of Berkeley; anyway, it was clean and we liked the shower. Kitchen was extremely well-equipped, and Mark was thoughtful enough to even leave basic groceries. On the infotainment front, Google TV with a Netflix/Amazon subscription was a godsend on the couple of rainy evenings during our stay. WiFi with DSL internet speed was accessible from anywhere in the house. In short, we are glad we chose this rental instead of a hotel. Our daughter is a freshman at UC Berkeley, so I foresee us staying here at least a few more times.

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Wonderful stay at the McGee House!

Guest: Alexis M.
Date of Stay: 01/03/12 Review Submitted: 01/08/12

We had a great stay this week at the McGee House! The house is comfortable and quaint, and had everything we needed for our stay! The kitchen was well stocked, the beds were comfortable and we loved having the washer/dryer for our use (especially with two young kids). The house is very centrally located, close to restaurants, UC Berkeley, etc. We even walked to Trader Joes! I would not hesitate to recommend the McGee House to anyone looking for a pleasant alternative to a hotel when visiting Berkeley.

Owner response:Glad you enjoyed the visit! And we are lucky to now have a Trader Joes just ~4 blocks away, making it another convenient location to pickup groceries or grab some take out foods. Would be our pleasure to welcome you back to the McGee house for any future visits to Berkeley.

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Christmas at McGee House

Guest: Lynne M. (Spring Hill, FL)
Date of Stay: 12/19/11 Review Submitted: 12/31/11

Absolutely top-notch rental. Very clean with nice furnishings, bed linens, 2 bedrooms with doors and super clean and modern bath with great shower head. Owner left instruction manual for everything in house including appliances (wish all owners did this) which makes settling in easier. Great walkable location for cafes, markets and safe at night. Small but immaculate backyard with patio and BBQ, perfect for warm weather. My husband and I felt at home and safe.

Owner response:So glad you enjoyed the house. We work hard to make it a comfortable and inviting space, and hope to welcome you back to the house for any followup visits to Berkeley.

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McGee House was just right!

Guest: Lora F.
Date of Stay: 06/30/11 Review Submitted: 07/06/11

Next time I'm in the Berkeley area I hope the McGee House will again be available. The house is clean and bright, convenient, on a quiet street, and just lovely. Mark, the owner, made sure we had everything we needed. My very favorite spot was the rocking chair on the front porch, where I read and watched the world early each morning, but there is also a cozy deck and garden area in back. The kitchen is well-stocked. Restaurants are just a few blocks away, and the walking is easy. McGee House is perfect!

Owner response:Lora, Very happy to welcome you to Berkeley, and so glad you enjoyed the house. I was very selective when choosing the house and location for my vacation rental, so very happy to hear that guests enjoy the location and amenities. Regards. Mark

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, pet owners, sightseeing.

A great place to stay in Berkeley

Guest: Grandmom (North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 12/16/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/11

I spent more than 2 weeks at the McGee house over the Christmas holidays and found it an excellent and comfortable place to stay while in the Bay Area. The location is convenient and quiet; it's easy walking distance to the BART station yet in a pleasant residential neighborhood. The house is very well kept and has everything you need for a short stay. The owner is responsive and helpful. I'll definitely be back!

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car.

Charming House in a Charming Neighborhood

Guest: stefan (switzerland)
Date of Stay: 07/08/10 Review Submitted: 11/12/10

We spent wonderful four months in the McGee House and it was the perfect place for us. Our two little kids could safely roam around in the garden. The tree-lined street is very quiet and we meet great people and other kids. BART is a 10 minutes walk and Berkeley is the perfect bicycle city. And don't miss Saturday's Farmers market close by. Mark was swift in answering the few requests. The house is in good shape and we had just enough space for the four of us, even accommodating some guests was still possible. We will keep the McGee House and the McGee Avenue in very good memories and definitely would recommend it also for longer stays over any boring corporate furnished soulless apartment.

Owner response:It was a pleasure to have you at the McGee house, and very glad you enjoyed the visit.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Great place to stay!

Guest: Carol (Westport, CT)
Date of Stay: 06/23/10 Review Submitted: 07/19/10

We spent 5 days at the McGee house in late June and the accomodations were perfect. The bedrooms were comfortable, the kitchen was well equipped, everything worked and it was especially great to have a washer and dryer available. We have family living in Berekely so the location was great. I hope we will be able to do this again in the near future. Mark Foy was a pleasure to deal with. Carol - Connecticut

Owner response:Always a pleasure to welcome visitors (especially those coming long distances) with a well stocked kitchen, and well equipped house.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/08/10

Our group of three stayed at the McGee House for 4 days. The house looks exactly like the photos,plus the neighborhood is quiet & great for walks. Comfortable beds. Free, legal parking just around the corner. We'd come back.

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Guest: Daniel34 (California)
Date of Stay: 01/12/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/10

My family (party of 4) comfortably stayed at the McGee house for one month during the Christmas holidays. The house is packed with everything you can ever need -furniture, washer/dryer, kitchen appliances, and even basic groceries (coffee, salt, cooking oil, etc.). Mark (homeowner) is the most accessible and responsive owner I have ever dealt with. He really goes the extra mile to accommodate your needs and help you with anything from parking advise to providing an air-bed to instructions on using an appliance. The house is very conveniently located because it is at walking distance to Berkeley's downtown attractions (4 blocks from busy Shattuck Ave), but also faraway enough to be in a very quiet and peaceful neighborhood. Overall a great experience with both the house and the homeowner. Fully recommend it if you're staying for a while in Berkeley or have family visiting.

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A pleasant and practical place to stay

Guest: Dan from Oz (Canberra, Australia)
Date of Stay: 10/17/09 Review Submitted: 11/02/09

We enjoyed staying in this clean, cosy, well located place. Loved seeing the hummingbirds in the front garden. The place is well set up with all the things you need to get on with your stay.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Guest: Ann
Date of Stay: 10/14/09 Review Submitted: 10/13/09

After four days at the McGee house, I wish I could just move in!  The house is cosy but spacious, the hardwood floors are lovely, all the equipment works very well, the neighborhood is pleasant and I felt very safe. I enjoyed the sound system, having a washer and dryer and the carefully equipped kitchen.  Mark Foy does a superb job of keeping in touch, he is easy to work with and his instruction booklet is more than complete.  The added perk of useful provisions in the kitchen made it easy to walk in and start living here without even having to go the the grocery store first.

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I wish I could just move in!

Guest: Boulder-Traveler (Boulder, CO, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/11/09 Review Submitted: 10/14/09

After four days at the McGee house, I wish I could just move in! The house is cosy but spacious, the hardwood floors are lovely, all the equiment works very well, the neighborhood is pleasant and I felt very safe. I enjoyed the sound system, having a washer and dryer and the carefully equipped kitchen. Mark the owner does a superb job of keeping in touch, he is easy to work with and his instruction booklet is more than complete. The added perk of useful provisions in the kitchen made it easy to walk in and start living here without even having to go the the grocery store first.

Owner response:I really do enjoy this neighborhood as well: close to everything, but not so close as to be busy/noisy. And I do try to stock the house with some basic provisions (especially some breakfast items, as well as laundry liquid, etc.) so that guests will not need to run out to the store immediately upon arrival. And from staying in other vacation rentals, I know how handy it is to have a "house guidebook" that one can reference when needed: giving not only info about the some the equipment in the house, but also some suggested destinations in the neighborhood (restaurants, coffee shops, theatres, etc.). - Mark, Owner

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Guest: Bill and Ellen
Date of Stay: 10/10/09 Review Submitted: 10/09/09

My wife and I recently completed a month's stay at the McGee House. We loved the house and the area. The bed, furniture, and TV/CD/Stereo system were all first class. The fenced back yard allowed us to leave our small dog safely unattended when we walked to the campus area or rode our bikes along the bike paths bordering the bay. We especially enjoyed the hummingbirds in the back yard and wonderful plants in both the rear and front of the house.

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McGee House

Guest: Billthewonderful (Northville, MI)
Date of Stay: 09/12/09 Review Submitted: 10/12/09

My wife and I recently completed a month's stay at the McGee House. We loved the house and the area. The bed, furniture, and TV/CD/Stereo system were all first class. The fenced back yard allowed us to leave our small dog safely unattended when we walked to the campus area or rode our bikes along the bike paths bordering the bay. We especially enjoyed the hummingbirds in the back yard and wonderful plants in both the rear and front of the house. Bill and Ellen, Northville Michigan

Owner response:I have tried to equip the house with fine furnishings and equipment, and am glad that my guests enjoy these amenities. Similarly, I have created an environment in the private back yard where guests can retreat for some quite time, enjoying the scents of the rosemary plants and flowers. - Mark, owner

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

Guest: William and Lilan
Date of Stay: 07/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/12/09

Clean, quiet, comfortable, classy, convenient, and well stocked: an ideal way to spend vacation or business time in Berkeley. It beat hotel or motel living by a long, long shot.If we get the chance we' ll certainly want to return.

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Guest: Roshan (Nijmegen, Netherlands)
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/01/09

This is now the second time that we've spent a few great days in this house at McGee. It's really got everything we needed including a nice little garden. I love being able to walk to campus and downtown!

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Guest: Daria and Fred
Date of Stay: 02/04/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

We spent 3 wonderful weeks in the McGee House. Absolutely fantastic accommodation: Comfortable beds, relaxing bath in very relaxed environment, plenty of natural light, well stocked kitchen and great little backyard. In one word: PERFECT! We had a lovely stay and wouldn't hesitate to stay again and again.

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Guest: David
Date of Stay: 02/04/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

We stayed at the Mcgee House and found it to be perfect for our needs. It was a great home base for our group while visiting SF and the owner was very accommodating and open to some of our special requests. The enclosed backyard is a really nice treat and house is just super cozy. Highly recommend.

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Guest: Ursula, Edwin and Fionn
Date of Stay: 02/04/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

Having spent a great month in the McGee house would not hesitate to recommend it as a place to stay. We very much appreciated arriving to a fridge stocked with staples and felt right at home from the beginning - cosy kitchen, comfortable bedrooms and relaxing living room and eating area made our stay a very easy one. We didn't need to bring anything. Our little boy Fionn - 22 months - loved the garden and nearby parks. The house is also close to shops and the University and in a very friendly neighbourhood. It is a great alternative to living in San Francisco (within easy reach for sightseeing) and perfect for those who need to be close to the University. Would definitely stay there again.

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Guest: Claire-Lise and Charles
Date of Stay: 02/04/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

The McGee house has been great for our two-week visit. The house was ideally located for us (close to the campus, easy access to the BART) in a quiet and pleasant street, with ample free parking around. The apartment is not just comfortable and perfectly well equipped, every item is good taste and top quality. Mark is as helpful as one can be, he even volunteered to bring an electric heater when the winter conditions challenged the regular heating system. Our main regret is not to have taken advantage of the lovely backyard, for lack of time and warmth. We recommend the house to the most demanding travelers for short and long stays.

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Guest: Terri and Craig
Date of Stay: 02/04/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

My husband, our 3 month old daughter and I visited Berkeley and stayed at the McGee house and it was wonderful. We saved lots of money that we would have spent on hotel rooms, and the house was much nicer, and more private. The accommodations are great, beds comfortable, and neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. There was plenty of stores within walking distance of the house for necessities, and BART was very close by which made it convenient to travel to and from San Fran.

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