This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.
10/10 Excellent
Lauren M.
4 Jan 2016
Home away from Home perfect for family holiday reunion
After our parents passed away and our childhood home was sold a couple years ago, my two sisters and I had nowhere big enough for our families to all meet up for the holidays, so we decided to gather this year in Monterey. This cozy, comfy home, with a large kitchen, and windows offering a view of Monterey Bay was perfect for the nine of us (6 adults and 3 kids). The four bedrooms and two bathrooms, divided by two hallways, provided enough space and sound barriers that we didn't go crazy spending six nights together under one roof. With two queens, three twins, plus a queen hide-a-bed in the living room, the size is perfect for two families, or three with young children. (We moved the queen mattress from the hide-a-bed in the living room into a bedroom with a twin, so that the parents could be near their 4 year old, and the couch could stay a couch.) The kitchen is well appointed, and the friendly owner was always available by text message whenever questions came up (such as "where do I find the toaster?"). When we asked if we could put up a small Christmas tree, the owner was delighted and sent us photos of the large fireplace mantle where it could go. The house has all the amenities you might need to make your vacation comfortable, whether high tech or low tech, from wi fi that worked in every room (though a bit slow in the trundle bed room) to a basket of sand toys. The location is convenient, a pleasant walking distance from the Monterey Aquarium and Cannery Row, and there is plenty of on-street parking. I thought we might run out of things to do with 5 days in Monterey, but we didn't! There's the Aquarium, monarch butterflies, fantastic beaches, 17 mile drive (and great beaches to stop off along the way), shops in Carmel, Fisherman's wharf, the Dennis the Menace Playground for the 4 year old, and a hike in Big Sur for the older kids. We could have used an extra day to fit in horseback riding at Pebble Beach or a bike ride along the waterfront.
When we first arrived on December 23, I had a moment of doubt, wondering why we had rushed to pack and open the bulky presents before leaving home, only to come make a big holiday feast in some strange kitchen, where I couldn't even find a carrot peeler (it was there; I just had to look). But once everyone arrived, and the kitchen was stocked, and the little tree up and decorated on the mantle, we were at home!
Lauren M.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2015
