We chose to stay outside of the hustle and bustle of Sta Cruz, and found Michelle's home to be great for both easy access to the beach, and proximity to Moss Landing and Monterey/Pebble Beach, as well as Sta Cruz. Best features of this house are the beautiful afternoon sunlight, comfortable bed and cotton linens, location (walking distance to beach and local cafes) and Michelle's responsiveness. There are rules (no shoes inside, parking more than one car, stripping the beds and starting a load of towels at checkout), so make sure you are ok with that before signing up. Overall we enjoyed our stay and would recommend it.