Peaceful Getaway in Nature

We managed to get a real taste of desert living during our two weeks there this past December/January. Peccaries, road runners, and all sorts of birds frequented the back yard. The house is spacious and quite nice inside. The weather was perfect, averaging around a high of 75 degrees (I wouldn't come in the summer unless you like it 100 degrees +). But keep in mind that the house is at best a 50 minute drive to central Tucson. Kitt Peak is just 20 minutes and the Museum of the Desert and Saguaro National Park are about 35 minutes.

In December of 2017, we spent 19 days in this pleasant, comfortably furnished property on the Diamond Bell Ranch estate west of Tucson, AZ. The kitchen is well-equipped. The caretaker, Ben, was helpful upon our arrival and responsive to any questions or concerns that we had during our stay. A spacious office with two desks was a definite bonus for us. The photos and description on the website are accurate.

The highlight of our residence was undoubtedly the proximity to life in the Sonoran Desert. Every morning, we sat in the garden, sipped our coffee and watched the plethora of birdlife - Northern Cardinals, Pyrrhuloxias, Curved- Bill Thrashers, Gambel's Quail, Mourning Doves, Gila Woodpeckers, Canyon Towhees - that came to feed at the huge block of birdseed that was provided by Ben. Hummingbirds would often zip in to suck the nectar from flowers thoughtfully planted by the owners. A curious Greater Roadrunner would run, halt and change direction as it inspected the yard. Javelina would sometimes chase each other through the bushes and even "play" in the unfenced yard. In the late afternoon, cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits often put in an appearance. Once, a coyote came dashing into the garden and then stopped in disbelief when he suddenly saw us. He quickly darted off. Occasionally, white-tailed deer would tentatively investigate who was currently staying at the house.

La Palomita, as this property is known, is a very special place.

The only disadvantage to this property is the flip side of its location out in the desert. Depending on the time of day and the amount of traffic, it can easily take 50 minutes or more to drive into downtown Tucson. It is not convenient for exploring areas of Tucson that are on the north, east, and southeast sides of the city. While it is relatively quick to visit the Kitt Peak Observatory, Saguaro National Park West and the Arizona - Senora Desert Museum, the travel times to some attractions - such as Biosphere 2, Mount Lemmon, Saguaro National Park East and Catalina State Park - usually involve a 3-hour round trip. In view of the fact that Tucson suffers from an appalling case of urban sprawl, however, this problem would likely arise no matter where you are located.

This was a family reunion. People came from around the United States. Everyone loved it. Bird watchers-happy. Butterfly and Hummingbird fans-loved it. Wildlife fans saw havalinas, coyotes, rabbits, deer, and even a roadrunner. The house was super comfortable and everything we needed was there if you look long enough. It is remote, but that is why we had all the beautiful nature. Many thanks for sharing your wonderful home.

The house had everything we needed to be comfortable for a month outside of Tucson. It gave us space that we could entertain friends and family that were passing through the area as well as a very comfortable place to go after being tourists and seeing the sites in and around the Tucson area. The wildlife was amazing, javelina, deer, coyote, quail, cardinals and many other birds that we have never seen before. The house is a ways out from Tucson but if you like being away from the hustle and bustle of the city it is the place for you. Ben the caretaker and Robyn the contact person were great to work with and very helpful. In a nutshell, it felt like home!

A little far to drive if you want to go downtown everyday, but that is part of the appeal.

The house is very well equipped (we had thanksgiving dinner there and didn't miss anything)