We enjoyed staying in Alex's home for our family vacation. Check in was easy- there is a key vs a door code. The house is set up very well for families and allows the back bedroom to have some privacy from the rest of the house. We did need to use a sleeping mask at night as the light from the backyard lights come in through the windows. The kitchen is fully stocked with everything you could ever need to cook, and we absolutely loved the nostalgic stove. TV's are equipped with Apple TV for all of your streaming favorites. Being able to wash and dry our clothes at the end of the day was very convenient.
The shared backyard is very peaceful. It was not the season for the garden but we imagine it must be nice when everything is in bloom. You share the backyard will a smaller dwelling in the backyard with other guests.
The housecleaner, Cecilia, was finishing up the backyard Airbnb when we arrived back home one night and came over to introduce herself. You can tell she takes great pride in the home and let us know that when we leave the home, to be sure to turn off all the lights as she had noticed a few of them on. We let her know that another guest was in the home today but would definitely make sure all lights were turned off when we were all out.
The house is within a quick drivable distance to Venice/Santa Monica Beaches. We were close to the highways to be able to go to our other destinations (Hollywood, Six Flags, Universal Studios, and Disneyland). It is located on a quiet street and has a driveway for parking.
For transparency, we received a message from Alex stating that our Airbnb was in significantly dirty condition and asked us to pay an extra $160 to cover this. After further breakdown of the concerns, Alex compromised with an extra $40 for Cecilia's additional time to clean. Alex was very professional throughout this conversation and we were more than happy to compensate for any extra time needed, as we were unaware of the issues that Cecilia found.
We would absolutely recommend staying in this home if you are looking for a cozy home for your family's vacation! Thank you to Alex and Cecilia for allowing us to make great memories in sunny California.