Eden’s home truly is an eden in and of itself. Eden was easy to communicate with, and she was there to show us around the property when we arrived. We were also welcomed by their dog who is the biggest softest sweetheart. Eden’s directions for arriving are very accurate and exact.
Our room came prepared with a carafe of water, a private wc, a radiator to protect from the cold nights, and body, hand, AND face towels which I thought was a thoughtful touch. Near the entrance, Eden keeps the tea and coffee right next to a little “visitor center” of informational booklets of nearby state parks and hikes, etc. We used her own written directions to visit a 1000 year old redwood about a mile from her house. Each morning, Eden also left us delicious little snacks she made herself: the first day was chocolate pudding and the next was a little chocolate chip loaf. My friend and I loved spending time on the deck: the first night we enjoyed some tea and watched the sun set, and on our last morning we went out with tea again to catch the morning rays and read a book. Hearing the birdsong is unmatched. They also welcomed us to use their plethora of instruments. I’m musically inept but loved hearing my friend play with their guitar. And at night, we actually gasped at the amount of stars.
The house is so welcoming and you can feel its history in each corner. It was a pleasure to be part of it. Though we loved going into the city explore Santa Cruz, we’re so glad we decided to book this place up in the mountains away from all the noise. It truly felt like a retreat, ending the day and unwinding somewhere beautiful and serene.