Caren`s home and herself as a host greatly exceeded our expectations. We were particularly satisfied with the following:
1) The house is new (around 8 months old) outside and, more importantly, inside. All furniture and appliances are in a "new" shape, which was very important to us. Everything is very clean.
2) The house is very spacious - it has several large bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a very large living room/kitchen. Outside spaces are also generous (e.g. outside deck with table, chairs, etc.) We had children with us and they had a lot of space to run around and play.
3) The location is very convenient. It is literally 6-7 minutes walk to the beach (Zuma), within walking distance to the local supermarket (Vitage Grocers) with some other shops and cafes (e.g. Starbucks). Within walking distance are the trailheads to several interesting hikes/bike rides. Overall, the location is quiet and relaxed (not too congested like the Carbon beach area, for example).
4) Caren was a very welcoming host! She bought some additional appliances, kitchen ware, towels specifically for us. Caren was always on-line on the phone if we needed any assistance or had questions, and also gave us a lot of relevant local advice on where to go, what to see, etc.
We are definitely loking forward to our next stay at Caren`s home when we are back to this part of the US! We really liked our stay.