This is a great base from which to discover San Diego and area. It was near enough to all the activities we'd planned, from surfing at Pacific Beach, Old Town, Gaslamp, the zoo, aquarium, La Jolla, and all the museums - everything is 10 to 15 minutes away in a city that is very easy to navigate. Desert hiking spots like Anza Borrego are a scenic two hour drive away, while Point Loma is just down the street.

The local neighbourhood is laid back, with the house just a five minute walk to Ocean Beach and a great pier to watch hard core surfers. It offered a peaceful oasis after some of the busier tourists spots. Some very good independent restaurants, micro-pubs and wine bars are an easy amble, as are small food shops and liquor stores. Standard homeless issues on California's pricey coast, but we always felt safe.

The house is compact, and we thought it might be a bit too tight for us plus our three college-age kids. Yet even after eight days it was never an issue. It's ideal for a family of four, but worked fine for us with a family of five. It's well equipped, very neat, and while we only used the cooler and beach chairs, the shed is loaded with toys. There are also welcome board games.

The owner was easy to deal with, so what more could we say? We had a fantastic stay with no issues.