I have never been so sad to leave a destination. And folks, the Tiny house is a destination!!!! Yes, you are in a neighborhood and in someone’s yard essentially. Also, depending on the day that you have booked you may hear the trash service or even see a gardener. However, because of the thoughtfulness put into this property, you feel secluded in this paradise-like ambiance.
Things to know to decide whether this is a good fit for you—
You do have to drive up winding uphill roads to get here. The house itself is on a flatter street and easy to drive through & park. You will be making 3 point turns. It is easy to miss the street marking, but just follow the directions given by Tom. You’ll see a sign for the street name that the house is on BUT that is NOT the street leading to Tom’s house, and you’ll know this because none of the numbers written on the sign coincide with the Tiny House number…keep driving down. You’ll see another sign with the street name again. You’ll see a big construction site (July 2021) on the right and that’s where you need to drive toward. The street curves and the house is on the left hand side.
Once there, you will go down many steps to get to the property. I counted more than 80 steps. We had to make two trips to get all of our stuff down there. Just be aware and pack accordingly. Not a big deal for us but others may have a harder time. Also, as seen in the pictures, the bed is in a loft style space so you do climb up & down. We loved it! I would say pack as light as you can. Be prepared to lounge around. No frills.
There are several restaurants about 5-10 minutes from the house. We tried The Inn of the Seventh Ray (reservation recommended) & Topanga Living Cafe. Both excellent. I would however recommend that you stay at the house as much as possible and limit your time away. You’ll want to experience as many areas of this gem as much as possible without rushing off to a reservation or long hike.
The grounds of the house and all it has to offer are the destination—the outdoor shower (pack shower slippers & a robe if you have it) and bath tub (bring some Eco friendly bubble bath solution!), the exposed (if you want) restroom that overlooks the mountains, the tree hanging swing, the comfy cushioned chair suitable for napping, reading, or writing, the dipping water feature, the yoga deck (a floor mat is housed inside), the balcony deck, & the small eating space for two.
You will have all of the essentials to cook a simple meal. There is also a tea kettle and a Chemex coffee maker. Coffee, sugar, & honey provided as well as a few tea bag options. There are also plenty of outlets inside, FYI.
A word on the temperature inside—there is a ceiling fan & a plug in fan provided for upstairs use. I brought several portable fans and did not use any not once. The inside of the house stays cool and comfortable!
A word on bugs—I always get bitten by mosquitoes and I was surprised that I was only bitten 3 times. I’m not scared of bugs at all and actually didn’t notice that many of them. The bees came out when we were cooking, but they weren’t a bother to us. This is their rightful home after all. Bring your insect repellent kit just in case.
Now that you have all of this information, book this place if you can find open slots!! Tom & The people that have stayed here so far, have taken very good care of everything. Everything is in working order, clean and well kept. I hope to make several more visits in the near future. You will no be disappointed!!