This is an incredible rental. I'm an architect so am naturally a little judgmental about houses, but this place had a fantastic location and beautiful neighborhood, and was very attractive, practical and very well-furnished.
The property is convenient to the airport and was also minutes away from a lot of the areas we wanted to visit (the zoo, Balboa Park, Little Italy, the harbor, etc.) It has easy access to highways to places like La Jolla as well. The neighborhood, however, felt like we were in an isolated small green town. It is very hilly (in a canyon area that has two hiking areas a few minutes walking distance from the door) and is covered with eucalyptus and palm trees, as well as all sorts of flowering plants and even some orange trees. There are hummingbirds flying around (yes, in December) and it feels almost like a botanical garden in the whole neighborhood.
The house itself is beautiful and quirky- with a sort of a 60s contemporary look with warm wood ceilings, lots of mirrors and tile. The kitchen is super practical for a large family like ours, with a large island, and eat bar, a nice sized adjacent dining area, a nice gas range and almost every kind of utensil and cooking gadget you could ask for. The living room has a soaring wood ceiling with a balcony bookshelf above, mirrors on the back walls, lots of seating, a large screen and, perhaps best, a hammock looking out to a tree-covered hilly view. All the bathrooms are nice, but the master bathroom is memorable, with a large jacuzzi and in a wood room with wood walls that have a sauna feel. Three of the four bedrooms are large, with very ample closets. The master bedroom has a view that looks like you are in a treehouse.
The place was not cheap, and we spent more than we intended, but it was a great rental for a family like ours. It was quirky but just right for us.