We had a wonderful time in Topanga, and this was a good place from which to explore the area. The outdoor spaces were nice, and afforded great views of the canyon; a great place to sit and enjoy with your morning coffee. The pool, though small, was perfect for a dip to cool down, and was clean and seemed well maintained.
As in the description, the roads can be quite narrow, and twisty, but we got used to them; slow and deliberate was the way to go! It's a quick trip down the canyon to Highway 1 and Topanga Beach. With just a little driving north you're in Malibu, where we ended up exploring a number of beaches, with no regrets; they were truly world class! For meals we mostly ate in Topanga, enjoying the Inn Of The Seventh Ray for a nice night out, and Endless Color for a great pizza another night.
The apartment itself was pretty clean, and the kitchen was well appointed with good cookware and plenty of dishes. There is a large TV with a Roku setup in the living room, so you can add your own streaming services. The bathroom has a compact shower, with excellent water pressure.
The layout is a little funky, and there were a few things that prevented it from being a 5-star experience. Mainly, our stay coincided with a major heat wave, and the apartment became too hot to want to spend time in. Cooking would have made it even worse, so we opted to eat out for all meals but breakfast. Thankfully, there was a portable AC unit in the bedroom; that coupled with a fan made it comfortable enough for sleeping. There were some other minor things that I believe could easily be addressed, and so not listing here.
All in all, this was a good stay, with a great location and some nice amenities, especially for the price. Julie was very helpful, responsive, and polite. With a few small adjustments and improvements, this would easily be a 5-star experience!