Entire home

Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews!

On beach with water park, near Fashion Island

Photo gallery for Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews!

Casa la Piña
Casa la Piña
Looking south to Newport Harbor and across to Balboa Peninsula with ocean beyond
Looking south to Newport Harbor
Master bedroom deck

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 10232.3 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
Newport Beach, CA
  • Place, Fashion Island
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Balboa Pier
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Corona del Mar State Beach
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, Orange County, CA (SNA-John Wayne)
    ‪9 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 3

1 King Bed

Loft Bedroom

1 Single Bed and 2 Single Bunk Beds

Master

1 King Bed

Second Master

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 4

Toilet

Master Bath

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Second Master

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews!

Please read ANY of the more than 85 unanimous Five-Star reviews (almost twice our nearest competitor) that we have received in seven years on VRBO; or sort by "Guest Rating" that ranks Casa la Pina #1 out of approximately 250 rentals that VRBO erroneously aggregates into a search for “Balboa Island” including properties from Costa Mesa to Corona Del Mar and the Balboa Peninsula (NOT the island). RENTERS BEWARE: ONLY about 100 of these 250 properties are actually ON Balboa Island!

Either method above tells the story of this exceptional 4 bedroom / 3.5 bath custom home with water views, just 50 yards from the waterfront in three directions, on the southeast corner of "Little" Balboa Island. Designed by noted local architect Ian Harrison and built in 2004, our Cape Cod home offers the best of Balboa Island. Located less than a quarter mile (3 blocks) from Marine Avenue where blocks of lovely shops and restaurants have been providing retail amenities to the area for more than 100 years.

Our home is NOT your basic worn & torn "beach rental" and may not be the best house for families with lots of young children. The property includes high-end design, construction, appliances, finishes and furnishings. We offer wide plank hardwood flooring and tongue & groove ceilings on the ground level, nine foot ceilings or more throughout the house, a "state-of-the-art" 65” OLED high definition TV in living room with enhanced sound, as well as a FOUR zone Nest-controlled air conditioning system with variable air volume (air conditioning is rare among vacation rentals on Balboa Island). An ELEVATOR is available for senior citizens (upon request) and there is a fully equipped laundry room with granite counters and a sink INSIDE the house (NOT in garage as with many rentals on Balboa Island). We also provide a large parking space in our attached garage that comfortably accommodates a full size car (opposite our own car that we frequently leave covered in a very tidy two-car garage); AND there is abundant free parking on the streets of Little Balboa Island. As well, our home has a fully furnished rooftop deck on the third floor with an array of views of the water and Fashion Island on the mainland.

We call our home "Casa la Pina", or in English, “The Pineapple House”, and you will note the theme in our decorating. If curious, Google “pineapple meaning”, as the pineapple has been a sign of hospitality dating back to the days of the tall sailing ships when sea captains brought the tropical delicacy back to their northern homes and left them on their porch as a sign of their return and an open invitation for friends to visit. Pineapples were discovered by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean on his first trip to the "New World" and they remain a symbol of welcome throughout Western Civilization today.


LINENS & TOWELS: High quality sheets, pillows, comforters & duvets (The Ritz Carlton has nothing on us - all are professionally laundered) as well as bath towels & beach towels; ARE provided!!!


FIRST-TIME RENTERS: VRBO requires us to book through their website, so we only have 24 hours to review and approve first-time tenants that book online and use a credit card. If you book this way, please provide background information with your online inquiry (where from, purpose of visit to Balboa Island, age of each person in your group, acknowledgement that you have NO smokers or pets in your group, etc...).

Please understand that we take great pride in, and care of, our property. We encourage you to review our listing in detail. Read ANY of our 80 unanimous Five Star reviews. We promise you an exceptional rental experience, but want to know a bit about our first time clients, in advance, while hoping to build long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial.


AERIAL TOUR:

There WAS a link in our listing to a general video about Balboa Island, but VRBO has deleted it for some unexplained reason. It's less than two minutes long and gives you a quick overview of why Balboa Island is one of the best and most unique vacation spots in the world! I’m sure it, and many others like it, can still be found with a quick search on Google.


OTHER RENTAL PROPERTY:

We have another exceptional home located directly on Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida. This totally renovated 3 bedroom / 3 bath condominium (#9382289) is newly listed and requires a 90 day minimum stay due to HOA bylaws. This incredible condo enjoys the same high quality construction and furnishings as Casa la Piña. Check it out if ever in North Florida near Saint Augustine, the Sawgrass TPC golf course, (home of the PGA’s Players Championship); or the East Coast’s Mayo Clinic.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available

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House Rules

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

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Please supervise, particularly on rooftop deck.
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Events

No events allowed
Dinner guests, sure, but NO large loud parties.
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Please, NO smoking! Never, ever...
Our 10th bed is a rollaway that can be found in the master bedroom closet. Also, we can practically only provide an initial supply of paper products.
$2,500 refundable Damage Deposit required.

Important information

You need to know

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
Note from host: Dinner guests, sure, but NO large loud parties.
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 deadlock
Property Registration Number SLP11939

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Newport Beach

Located in Balboa Island, a neighbourhood in Newport Beach, this holiday home is near theme parks and on the beach. Newport Pier and Pelican Hill Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Crystal Cove State Park and Orange County Great Park. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's going on at Bren Events Center, or consider a night out at The Observatory. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Newport Beach, CA

What's nearby

  • Fashion Island - 2 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Balboa Pier - 3 min drive - 1.5 km
  • Balboa Beach - 3 min drive - 1.9 km
  • Corona del Mar State Beach - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Newport Pier - 6 min drive - 4.9 km

Getting around

  • Laguna Niguel Station - 20 min drive
  • Orange County, CA (SNA-John Wayne) - 24 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Tommy Bahama's Island Grille - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Peet's Coffee & Tea - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Harborside Restaurant & Grand - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Todos Santos | Kitchen De Mexico - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪The Galley Cafe - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Little Balboa Island, Custom Home & Water Views, 85+ Unanimous 5 Star Reviews! located?

Located in Balboa Island, this beachfront holiday home is in the city centre, 1.1 mi (1.7 km) from Newport Harbor Nautical Museum and 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Fashion Island. Newport Dune and Balboa Peninsula Beaches are also within 2 miles (3 km).

About the host

Hosted by Mark & Cindy

Host profile image
We both grew up back East, but have now lived in California for more than 35 years and both our children are natives. We always dreamt of living on Balboa Island, but only since semi-retirement could manage a home on the island. We've not been disappointed! The only difficult thing is leaving the Island from time to time...

Why they chose this property

You can decide for yourself, but "Little" Balboa is truly special. While part of what is commonly called Balboa Island, it is its own separate island across the "Grand Canal" and a second bridge. Originally planned to be a small island with casinos and hotels similar to Monaco; that concept did not prove feasible and more housing was added to Little Balboa Island in the 1920's instead. In fact, one of those charming houses, built in 1926, remains today just three doors down from us. Somewhere along the line, the residents of Little Balboa got together and agreed to bury utility lines and add miniature light houses, making the well-located island all the more beautiful. The main island can't seem to agree on how to do similarly, but we're rooting for them!

What makes this property unique

Casa la Piña is a custom home designed by a noted local architect and built with the finest of materials and craftsmanship in 2004. It incorporates the latest in technology including an elevator, four-zone air conditioning, and surround sound theatre system. This house was not built to be a "vacation rental"; it was built to be a primary residence. We have respected that philosophy by furnishing and maintaining our home with the same orientation to quality and good taste.

This is not your basic "beach house" rental; we like to think it is casual coastal living with a designer's approach. If you are looking for a beach house to trash for a week with an owner that won't mind, please look elsewhere. We were young once, and raised two great kids, so we completely understand the process. However, are now at a stage of life where we take care of and enjoy quality finishes that are well maintained, and we hope you do too!

With all that said, if you like the finer things in life, you will LOVE our home and its location. Short of being ON the water, it does not get any better anywhere on the island. We are a short walk to Marine Avenue’s retail amenities, with water views from all three floors, while on the nicest corner of the entire island - equi-distant and just steps to the water in three directions. One of those directions yields a public dock for fishing and/or boating.

Languages:

English