From the outset of communications via Airbnb, Oren was an amazing host. His responsiveness and friendliness made us immediately feel welcome. We went back and forth a couple of times and at first, we were not going to stay at his property, but then plans changed and we ended up going there. Through the entire message exchange, Oren remained super positive and friendly. His listing disclosed that some of the bathrooms had not been updated but were functional and clean; I appreciated his transparency. What sold us was the amount of entertainment amenities at the property--the pool, the ping pong/pool table combo, the foosball table, the retro arcade game and the huge living room couch and tv. We were traveling with four teens, so this seemed to suit our needs.
Prior to our arrival, Oren provided us with short instructional videos that were incredibly helpful on how to use certain home features such as the smart thermostat, oven vent, bluetooth bathroom lights and speakers, the arcade game, and the washing machine/dryer. A lot of his amenities are high tech, so having this info ahead of time eliminated numerous questions.
Upon our arrival, we were pleasantly surprised with a nice little birthday gift for my wife, as we were celebrating her 50th. What a thoughtful touch. It's funny because the house from the outside doesn't appear to be much, but when you walk through the front door, WOW. The main room is so impressive--the pictures really don't do it justice. It's HUGE. And everything for entertaining is in there, minus the pool. The couch is massive and comfortable--it fit the eight of us with room to spare. We definitely made good use of both the ping pong table and pool table and the retro arcade game. There's also a gigantic book shelf full of books and every board game imaginable. The kitchen is expansive and comfortable as well. It was great having a view of the backyard and pool from all the windows in both the living room and kitchen.
One thing that gave us a little pause prior to booking was that the pool did not have a heater. However, our concerns were set aside once we used the pool. The outdoor temp while we stayed there was in the low 80sF, and the pool water was refreshing and comfortable. I was so relieved! We spent a number of hours enjoying the water! The pool is a great size and there is plenty of lounging area on the huge backyard! Note that most of the grass is dead but this didn't really affect us. It would've even more cool if the four tier fountain had been running in the backyard, but I'm sure water conservation was a factor.
Other things to note, the house is nestled away in the hills and very private feeling, but somehow is so conveniently close to so many restaurants! We ended up just using Yelp and getting takeout every day--tons of variety and yummy places to eat! The grocery store was a few minute drive down the hill as well.
Note that this home is lived in by the owners when it's not being rented out, so there are many personal items in it, but nothing of high value, just pictures and the like. The inside water didn't get very hot and the water pressure in the master bathroom could've been stronger, but overall we were incredibly comfortable, slept like babies, and thoroughly fell in love with the house and its location. We were honestly wishing we could've stayed longer. We also could not have asked for a more accommodating, friendly, hospitable and informative host than Oren. This home is perfect for families!! Don't pass it up!