My mom and I hadn't been to Los Angeles together in more than 30 years and I wanted to find a place that was safe, quiet, clean and relaxing. This guest home in Topanga was PERFECT for our four nights in Southern California. Paul and Ursula were incredibly gracious and accommodating. They stopped by to say hi, give us last-minute instructions and tips, and that's it. (Paul even came by to drop off a heater since it was unseasonably cold in the area while we were there.)

The guest house was spotless — you could eat off the floors — and equipped with wine, bottled water, Diet Coke and — best part! — a Keurig. There were beach towels, extra blankets, lots of towels and toiletries. It was truly a home away from home.

It's about a six-mile winding drive to the property from PCH and just a few minutes from Santa Monica and the beaches of Malibu. We enjoyed the rustic living, the coyotes howling at night, and the peacefulness of Topanga. If you're looking for a getaway in LA — and still have access to great restaurants and surf — this is it.

Just a head's up: no TV in the guest house. We watched videos on my laptop. There's wireless Internet but our cell service — AT&T and Verizon — didn't work. But it didn't matter. We didn't need it!