What a beautiful setting & home. This was our first (but not last) trip to Catalina & I can't imagine staying anywhere without this gorgeous view. The Big Blue is exactly as pictured and very comfortable. After we checked in (easiest process ever- the local cab drivers & guards at the gate know the routine), I took the golf cart back to the grocery store & loaded up for our 4 night stay. We'd planned to have breakfast out, but were thrilled to find that we could watch sunrise from the balcony! So, we ended up having coffee & breakfast out in the sun instead. The unit is high enough for an amazing, sweeping view but you can also hear the ocean.
The unit is very quiet; it seems as tho the neighbors above & below may be full time residents, so are careful & respectful about making noise. The bedroom window opens onto the main stairway, but I don't think a single person walked by while we were there to notice. Granted, it was a quiet week, but I suspect it is never a "high traffic" walkway. The balcony is also (technically) adjacent to the next door neighbor, but is set up to be completely private. People had furniture, planters, etc. separating the spaces & it is clear that no one walks onto someone else's patio. We had a couple of minor maintenance issues come up & I texted Jannessa around 7p one evening. Within a few minutes, she responded that someone would be by to check things out & by 8p, they were! Problems do happen, so I give more weight to how they get resolved. A++ in this case.
There are 2 caveats: first- the stairs. The unit is about 3.5 stories down. It was a little hard on my mildly arthritic knee. But if you are reasonably fit & can do stairs, it isn't a problem. Just don't buy heavy cases of bottled water or pack a bowling ball.
The other caveat is that the stairwell outside the bedroom window is very well lit & there are no black-out shades in that window. We threw beach towels over them to block the light.
Unless you have mobility/knee issues, this is a most excellent place to enjoy a most excellent vacation. Thank you to Jannessa & Helmut!