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FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located

Photo gallery for FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located

back deck with view
View from deck/dining
San Diego Bay
Back deck
Kitchen/deck

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 61500 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Parking available
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
San Diego, CA
  • Marine Corps Recruit Depot
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Hotel Circle
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • San Diego Zoo
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.)
    ‪14 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Dining area

About this property

FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located

Note: This home is situated on a quiet canyon rim. It is not a party house. If your plans don't coincide with our policies, please do not book with us. Please see our Rental Agreement for more details.

Nestled in a quiet, old-styled neighborhood just above Downtown and Balboa Park is a comfortable Craftsman-style home from 1913 that was completely renovated during the past year. The neighborhood of Mission Hills is close to everything and has a nice variety of its own unique restaurants and shops that are a pleasant walk away. Bustling Hillcrest, the Gaslamp District, and Little Italy are just minutes away by car. The World Famous Zoo and Sea World are just a few minutes away. Or stay home and enjoy a quiet restful time, with a fully renovated house that includes a large deck in the back with a view of the lovely wooded canyon and view to San Diego Bay. There is a large barbecue and outdoor dining table, as well as a fully equipped modern kitchen inside. You can prepare meals and enjoy a beautiful view of the canyon and bay. All three bedrooms are spacious with high quality mattresses and linens. The bathrooms are spacious and have been completely renovated. There is a wood-burning fireplace ready to go. There are two TVs with DVD players, hundreds of cable channels, complimentary DVDs on site for your convenience, and Wi-Fi service. Mark and Susan live nearby and are ready to help if you need something. Between the home itself, the neighborhood and great location, you will not be disappointed.

Property manager

Mark and Susan Brandon
Premier Host

Languages

English
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Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:30 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No parties, showers, receptions or wedding events.
Please read and agree to attached Rental Agreement.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
Property Registration Number STR-04033L, 620803

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

San Diego

Located in Mission Hills, a neighbourhood in San Diego, this holiday home is near theme parks and by the sea. Port of San Diego and B Street Cruise Ship Terminal are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Mission Bay and Old Town San Diego State Park. Travelling with kids? Don't miss Waterfront Park and San Diego Zoo. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
San Diego, CA

What's nearby

  • Old Town San Diego State Park - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Marine Corps Recruit Depot - 4 min drive - 2.8 km
  • Hotel Circle - 5 min drive - 5.2 km
  • University of San Diego - 6 min drive - 5.0 km
  • San Diego Zoo - 6 min drive - 5.2 km

Getting around

  • Washington Street Station - 2 min drive
  • Old Town Transit Center - 7 min drive
  • San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Wolf - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Shakespeare Pub & Grill - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Home & Away - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪El Indio Mexican Restaurant & Catering - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Lucha Libre Taco Shop - ‬19 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located ?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is FORT 1 Craftsman on the Woods - Quiet, Restful Hideaway Centrally Located located?

This family-friendly San Diego holiday home is located by the sea, within 2 mi (3 km) of Old Town San Diego State Park, UC San Diego Health and Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Hotel Circle and Mission Bay are also within 3 miles (5 km). Washington Street Station is 22 minutes by foot and Old Town Transit Center is 28 minutes.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 164 out of 166 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 166 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 166 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 166 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 166 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

maria n.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house

Overall awesome!!! Only thing missing was throw blankets. Would for sure come back
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect stay!

The perfect home away from home for us. Very comfortable. Great location!
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sandra R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Hated to Leave!

My husband and I enjoyed our stay here immensely and were very sorry to have to depart! Booked to return next year we enjoyed it so much! Host accommodated our every request!
Stayed 31 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michele R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Trip to San Diego

We had a great time staying in Mission Hills as always. House was nice and comfortable. Able to enjoy the weather on the back deck. Thank you for sharing your house with us.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Home-away-from-home

The house and its location works perfectly for my husband, our adult son, and myself. Beautiful vista to the canyon. We will be back!
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful place - our second time here

We love this place! This was our second time staying here. We lived in mission hills area many years ago and loved coming back to this wonderful neighborhood. It’s also wonderful to have such a great place to stay! Susan is a wonderful host! Very clean and location can’t be beat!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicole R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Place

We had a fabulous stay! The home is in great neighborhood walkable to restaurants and shops! The view and the back deck are amazing. The beds are comfortable and the place was very clean! I would stay here again in a heartbeat!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathy B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect cottage

The house was amazing, with beautiful woodwork, craftsman windows, and up-to-date kitchen. It was a perfect place for our group of four.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing Retreat!

The home is lovely and comfortable with a great view of the canyon and water in the distance. It is a beautiful quiet neighborhood conveniently located to many attractions, and nice to take walks around. We stayed over a holiday and the kitchen was wonderfully equiped for nice holiday dinner.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Paul L., Lakeville

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great property

We really enjoyed our stay The house in very comfortable. We loved the back deck overlooking the canyon. The location is amazingly convenient to the Zoo, Old Town and little Italy. We were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary and had a delightful time. We would love to stay here again
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sandra R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mission Hills Gem

Really enjoyed out time on the deck here, only thing that would make this home even MORE perfect is more comfortable seating for tv viewing in the evening
Stayed 31 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rick P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice visit to San Diego

Nice location. Very clean. Smooth check-in process. Very pleasant.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janet H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect house for family stay

From start to finish the booking of this property was perfect. Really good communication with Susan who replied promptly to any queries. Lovely house with deck overlooking San Diego airport (distant). Would highly recommend .
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Damon G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mission Hills Craftsman VRBO

It was great! Communication with Susan was easy and enjoyable. Loved the back deck and the feeling of spaciousness. Highly recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ann D., Yorkville, Illinois

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

San Diego Fun

Susan was available when needed and communication was above and beyond. The place had everything we needed including beach equipment and towels. The view was amazing and quiet from the noises from downtown. Everything was lovely!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lisa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful House & Host

We stayed at beautiful home last week while celebrating our daughter’s college graduation. The location was great and the local restaurants were so nice. Susan couldn’t be more accommodating and we highly recommend this rental. We hope to be back soon. If we ever moved to San Diego, I would definitely love living in this neighborhood.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

J. E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful house

We came to San Diego for a wedding. Susan met us at the house, showed us around and was super easy to communicate with. Great hose, really nicely appointed and had everything we needed for our stay. Couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay (or better weather). 5 Stars!!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rob S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A hidden treasure!

Had a wonderful visit and a lovely stay in this BEAUTIFUL home! It's such a warm and inviting setting and made for a joyous family gathering. Lots of special touches, even cut flowers from the yard. Beds were so comfy with luxury bedding. Deck was a favorite spot for morning coffee watching the butterflies flitter around the canyon. Susan's pride shines in this gem! Very clean and safe neighborhood and walkable to yummy eats - coffee, funky eateries and fantastic restaurants! And very centrally located to many San Diego attractions. It was such a pleasure to meet you, Susan. Thank you for sharing your lil treasure! Looking forward to many more stays!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kirsten M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clairemont 1960/61 High School Reunion

Wow! What can we say except our stay was perfect in every way! Susan was an amazing host. Her home was warm and inviting along with being luxurious. It made our trip which happened to be my Mothers 61st High School Reunion very special. We come often to San Diego and Susan's home will be our first choice each time. Thank you!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn N., Seattle

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great host, wonderful home.

Susan was a great host. Very responsive and helpful. Her house is lovely. Has everything you would want. It is a nice house, not your typical rental. Great neighborhood. If you are noise sensitive, San Diego in general has lots of airplane noise as the airport is right in the city. We are sensitive to noise which made outdoor restaurant dining and sleeping not as enjoyable.
Stayed 21 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Suzi D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect family vacation location

We loved this family unit and will definitely stay here again when we return to San Diego. The unit was well stocked with all things you would need for vacation. The owners thought of everything including beach towels and plenty of TP and paper towels, all cleaning supplies including laundry supplies. This makes a huge difference when you are busy vacationing. The neighborhood is beautiful and quiet like advertised. We loved the extended living area of the large back deck. It is an easy place to work if you must while on vacay. They even supplied fresh ground coffee to get your morning started! Thanks for a great stay.
Stayed 10 nights in May 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

robbie s., Franklin

Exceptional home with a view!

We recently came to San Diego to spend a few days with our grandson and his family and after much research, we found this beautiful home in Mission Hills. From the time I found Mark and Susan's rental, I was sold on staying there. Words cannot express the beauty and quality of their home from craftsmanship to the furnishings and mattresses and linens. It is a very spacious home with a beautiful balcony view which I took advantage of as much as possible. Mark and Susan are wonderful hosts and go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and your needs are met. If we return to San Diego, hopefully we will have the opportunity to stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2016

10/10 Excellent

John I., New York

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Home in Pristine Condition

My wife and I had never tried the neighborhood of Mission Hills, and this property was ideal for that. It is centrally located so that you can walk to shops, restaurants and grocery stores. And Mission Hills is an easy drive to many of San Diego’s main attractions. Susan is an excellent host. She has furnished this house with absolutely everything a guest could need. The property has high-quality finish and appliances. Absolutely no complaints; this is an easy place to like. Because everything is in perfect condition, this is the kind of place best suited for mature adults who will take great care for the property, as if it was their own.
Stayed 13 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ulana P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing San Diego getaway

The house and the location are just fantastic! Beautiful and spacious property, well appointed, great owners! We really enjoyed our stay
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Katy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

College move in….

A very nice and cozy home, centrally located to many areas and restaurants. We will be back. Thank you.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

About the host

Hosted by Mark and Susan Brandon

Host profile image
Native San Diegans. Together for 30 years, Susan and Mark are now your hosts for a vacation rental that provides all the modern amenities in the restful comfort of old Craftsman. Susan has worked as a chef at a local B & B and created sensational breakfasts for their guests. She has been trained locally and in France. Mark has worked as a professional in the immediate area for 30 years and is now retired. Mark and Susan have spent the last year renovating the house (down to the studs) to provide clean, tasteful, and high-quality accommodations.

Why they chose this property

San Diego is a favorite vacation spot and we are ideally located in an urban neighborhood that is walking distance to many fine restaurants. We are also close to three parks, including Balboa Park, which is one of the nation's largest intra-city parks (larger than Central Park in New York). The Park itself is quite an attraction, but it also contains the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Other destinations are within 5 to 15 minutes away. To the West are the Bay and airport (3 miles) and the beaches (7 miles), to the South are Petco Park and the Gaslamp Quarter (4 miles), the Convention Center (3 miles), and Downtown (1-2 miles), and to the North are La Jolla (12 miles), the Del Mar Fair and Racetrack (seasonal)(20 miles). Legoland is North of the City, about 30 minutes away. Temecula wineries and the Safari Park are farther North, about 45 minutes away. In the South Bay, there is Aquatica Waterpark (formerly Soak City) about 25 minutes away. There are thousands of hotel rooms available, but there is only one house like this one, quiet and relaxed with a lovely view of a wooded canyon. Yet we are accessible to everything. When you stay here, it will be your home away from home. Take a calming walk through an old-style neighborhood, or make it a purposeful walk to a fine restaurant. You are free to set your own schedule, no common areas or parking attendants, park your car and go out whenever you wish.

What makes this property unique

This is a one-of-a-kind house where you can spend the day to rest and relax, or it can serve as your base for exploring all that San Diego has to offer. If any special arrangements are desired, just let us know and we will be glad to help. With our optional B & B service, you will enjoy delicious breakfasts and other food items. We want to make your stay memorable and one you will want to repeat. We are here to help. If you prefer to book by telephone, or if you are just not sure and would like to ask questions, do not hesitate to call us at 619-957-4252 or send an email through this site.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

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