Awesome last-minute getaway into the wilds of Topanga....but only 35 minutes away from Santa Monica even on a Saturday afternoon with beach traffic!
David was the perfect host (never actually saw him, but his emails/texts etc. were timely, and spot on. any issues or questions i had were responded to immediately and competently and with empathy and intelligence. The space was "cute" and "rustic" and clean, but do not expect a millionaire's facsimile of "cottage" which is actually a luxury resort . This "cottage" experience it is real, reminded me of the small wooden structure we had in the wood son the 0lympic peninsula in Washington state. Very private (even though structure is physically attached to a larger structure which includes a communal kitchen and I believe another residential unit on the left of the "Mermaid Suite". It was dark and super quiet after 9pm and many stars and smells of the arid woods/canyon nature surrounding.
One downside might be that I think if one were to make noise in these structures ( music, loud conversation, etc.) i feel that the sound would carry over to the other neighbors in the attached structures....and vice versa. Fortunately everyone was very quiet the one night we stayed there. The bed was very comfortable, the bathroom had "cute" and functional sink, bathtub/shower (big , tiled bathtub but we were worried that it would take too much water to fill so we just used shower which was adequate and funky. Hot water was good, water pressure adequate. The way we thought about the Mermaid Suite was that it was a magical, peaceful room and bed and bathroom but not to expect super luxury....more like that it was a safe, secure, private and lovely appointed artful cabin with excellent running hot water, small refrigerator ( a cube, college room stylie version) and microwave.
Couldn't have loved this place more for a quick cabin in the bucolic woods getaway. Hope to go there many times in the near future if it isn't already booked!