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Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks

Photo gallery for Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks

A modern two-story house with a wooden deck and a garden.
A naturalistic garden with a small waterfall, rocks, and a Buddha statue.
A modern living room with a brown leather sofa, a glass coffee table, and a dining area with wooden chairs and a table.
A hot tub with a wooden deck and a view of a forested area.
A spacious living area with a sofa, coffee table, and dining table with chairs. There is a kitchen area with a refrigerator and stove. Large windows allow natural light to enter the room.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Your own private chef
    One of the few properties offering private chef services.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.

Popular amenities

  • Balcony
  • Spa pool on site
  • Limo or town car service available
  • Barbecue
  • Air-conditioning
  • Off-street parking available

Explore the area

View map
San Diego, CA
  • Place, Hotel Circle
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Balboa Park
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Rich's Nightclub
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.)
    ‪8 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

3rd bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

Second Bedroom

3 Single Bunk Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Master Bath

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

San Diego

Hillcrest, a neighbourhood in San Diego, is home to this holiday home. USS Midway Museum and Pechanga Arena are cultural highlights, and some of the area's popular attractions include San Diego Zoo and Waterfront Park. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Petco Park or Snapdragon Stadium.
View more Holiday homes in San DiegoOpens in a new window
Map
San Diego, CA

What's nearby

  • The Brass Rail - 14 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Hotel Circle - 4 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Balboa Park - 4 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Marston House - 4 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Rich's Nightclub - 4 min drive - 1.9 km

Getting around

  • Washington Street Station - 3 min drive
  • Old Town Transit Center - 10 min drive
  • San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.) - 10 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Urban Mo's - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Panda Express - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Crest Taco - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Tony’s Fresh Mexican Food - ‬8 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Buddha's Zen Retreat-a Lush Tropical Estate - Near Zoo, Beaches, Downtown, Parks located?

Located in Hillcrest, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of UC San Diego Health and Balboa Park. Marine Corps Recruit Depot and San Diego Zoo are also within 3 miles (5 km). Washington Street Station is 27 minutes by foot.

Reviews

9.8

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. 95 out of 106 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 106 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 106 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 106 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 106 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful home in a perfect location- close to everything we wanted to see and do in San Diego. Interesting architecture and a lovely garden. Kids loved the balcony and the plexiglass floor!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Excellent house in a great location.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very easy location to downtown and the airport, great privacy.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Lovely getaway for families

We had a great stay at this house. It was clean, quiet and the kids loved the hot tub. Highly recommended!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect Respite of a place

A great zen vibe, peaceful and quiet, and centrally located.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Lovely, quiet spot

Great getaway, with a fantastic host, comfy beds, and a hot tub with a view! What more could you want?
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Zoo trip

We loved staying here!.. it was so peaceful and a great location for old town, the zoo, MIDWAY Museum. Our host was quick to respond and made our stay flawless.. would definitely recommend this property.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great location

Wonderful location in a quiet neighborhood. Host was friendly and aimed to please. A great place to stay if you want to be close to everything in the San Diego/Del Mar area!
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Wonderful stay

The house is very beautiful, Zapher is a great host we met him as we was pulling up and he gave us a tour of the property, he was very communicative and got back to us promptly with whatever question we had, the property is beautiful with a Koi pond and waterfall and just a Seren relaxing vibe will definitely book again when I'm back in the area
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

San Diego

Great property that is very nice, and centrally located. Owner was attentive to our needs, and was very nice and helpful. Will stay here again
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful Property

Our only regret was that we couldn't stay longer to enjoy the home.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Peaceful

The property is quite beautiful and the area is peaceful. The host was wonderful! Will recommend to anyone heading that way.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Girls Weekend

The property is beautiful and has lots of great out door space. The owner was very friendly and showed us around the beautiful backyard. Its a nice, quiet neighbohood and a great place for a relaxing weekend.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Amazing oasis

This place is so calming. It's cure and functional. The hot tub was heaven Worked perfectly for our group Highly recommended
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Peaceful zen vibes

Enjoyed the privacy of being surrouned
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Friends Reunion

We had a great time. The accomodations and owner were wonderful. Thanks!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Zapher is an amazing host

The house was absolutely as beautiful as it looks in the pics, and zapher was an amazing host and made us feel like we were at home...a million stars if i could
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Amazing house and Owner!

We stayed here for 8days and it was wonderful! House and property are beautiful and clean. The owner was so nice and accommodating to our family! We will definitely be staying here on our next vacation to San Diego! Thank you for everything!!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Zapher

The stay was amazing, Zapher was fantastic and I loved the property! Abby was adorable and I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, can't wait to go and visit again and stay at his property.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Hidden treasure near SD Zoo

The property was very unique and nestled in the hills of San Diego. It was in close proximity to the zoo and in a nice, quiet neighborhood. The check-in process was easy. The owner was always very quick to reply to any questions. The house was clean and spacious, well stocked, and the beds were comfortable. We would recommend staying at this location when visiting San Diego.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Memorable and Special!This place was located in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in SD. The home is comfortable and super charming and has all the amenities. The property is very private and super special. Great for exploring and also hosting a quiet gathering of old friends. The owner is warm and inviting and available if one needs anything during their stay. We are definitely coming back soon, if nothing else, just to stay here again. Highly Recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Peaceful hideaway right in the middle

The Buddha House is calm and relaxing, with great outdoor spaces. So nice to read a book or have a beer on one of the decks hidden in the trees. At the same time just a couple blocks from Vons, coffee shops, restaurants, and perfect access to almost every neighborhood. Our host was super accommodating when we needed it!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Excellent stay, great host

Great and unique property, with lots of cool details indoor and outdoor. Lots of places to chill and take in the scenery, very comfortable sleeping in the bedrooms and cooking meals. Location allows for very easy access to most points of interest and beaches in the city. Overall just an excellent experience staying here with 3 kids. The host is fantastic. We hope to be back again soon!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
So many great features of this property and the host was above and beyond, amazing! The property is the most unique vrbo I've ever stayed in. The outdoor space is a dream, the landscaping top-notch, and from the words of my mother-in-law "something out of Swiss Family Robinson" . Tons of space indoors and outdoors - which can be rare for San Diego. We were visiting family in the area, so the location was perfect, and we all had our own room which was a treat Our 7 year old LOVED the walking paths, looking thru the glass "bridge" to the main bedroom, and making all sorts of discoveries in the "jungle" . Zapher was so helpful, prompt, and kind. Lots of core memories made, we will be back, truly remarkable!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A wonderful stay

Zapher's Zen retreat was everything promised and then some. Beautiful location with lovely grounds and amenities, convenient to Hillcrest and Balboa Park, plus a wonderful dog to pet. We are a family of four and the house offered plenty of room. Zapher is a kind, generous and considerate host who gave our family a tour of the grounds and had lots of useful recommendations for the area. San Diego is a favorite visiting spot. Staying in this magnificent home made our trip that much more special. We very much plan to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
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