this is a great house which easily accomodated our family (4 kids). The garage turned into a playroom/toy room is a terrific bonus -- especially for kids who get up before their parents! We did not take advantage of the backyard or hiking behind the house but it looked lovely. The house was very well situated for exploring different parts of the city. We went to and from Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Universal Studios very easily. The house is very close to the Skirball center and Getty museum.
I would definitely choose to stay here again for any future trips to the Los Angeles area.