I don't think I've ever written a review without at least mentioning something I thought could be better or changed. Some suggestion my ego thought was important to leave for the next traveler. I have finally found myself at that crossroad. Words like Shangri-La, paradise and heaven all come to mind to describe this home and experience.
Once we booked, Deborah reached out to me quickly so we could establish dialogue and kept it up throughout the trip. I thought she did that to show she was a good host and on top of. When we arrived, we stepped out of our cars to face the Pacific ocean a block and a half away. Immediately, we were struck with the familiar smell of the ocean. What we didn't expect was a fireplace in the neighborhood. We were soon surprised to see the dialogue pay off. As Deborah escorted us in to this escape from the world, we were greeted with a roaring fire and ambience that I did not anticipate.
We stepped back into a world from another time. As we were given a tour of the house, I was struck by the attention to detail, every little item feeding the imagination. This is not so much a bungalow as it is an art gallery, museum crossed with a boutique hotel.
Everything here is wonderful. I cannot complain about a single thing. I was travelling with my wife and the 2 kids (11 & 13). We each found our rooms, which were uniquely decorated and accommodating. The beds were wonderful, topped with duvet covered heavy blankets, in which we slept like it was a final commitment to life.
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Both dining room and breakfast area we both good sized and comfortable, though we didn't use the dining room. The kitchen was fully stocked, which as the cook in the family, brought me a great deal of satisfaction. It was almost like being at home.
Deborah's home left nothing to be desired. We had it all. Kitchen, living room, fireplace, comfortable bedrooms, great bathrooms, great location. And the little things like fresh cut flowers, fresh ground coffee and ample linens made us feel like we weren't just visitors, but family.
The 2 things I'd like to point out are the size of the master bedroom and the garden. Holy smokes! A retreat within a retreat. One could easily spend hours in the garden admiring the enchanting landscaping and water fountain. In fact, if we had never left the house to do anything else, we all would have been happy.
BUT! The location was perfect. Close to the beach, blocks from the fine dining and shopping of the Hollywood Riviera! We spent our time riding bikes, hiking and and enjoying the surrounding area. We were gone most of the days and ecstatic to come back to a place that felt like home. I easily cooked 2 gourmet dinners in her kitchen, finding everything I needed to complete the task.
All this being said, as the valet, footman, concierge, chef and chauffeur of the family, I have seen and booked many places during our travels. Our tastes and budget have always increased because of our ability to grow in our business. We've stayed in boutique hotels outside of Mont. Saint Michel, Fr., wonderful apartments around Paris, townhouses on the eastern coast of England, and holiday homes just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. This has topped all of them.
We left feeling rejuvenated and well rested. We will definitely be visiting again. I highly recommend Deborah's 1920's Beach House to those travelers looking for something better than what's usually offered and different from all the rest.