This place in Ben Lomond was an exceptionally good stay for our 3 nights in the Santa Cruz area. It is located about a 15 minute drive from Santa Cruz; but this drive passes so quickly since you are travelling down a beautiful mountainside highway.
The house and property itself are awesome! There is an abundance of wildlife to watch moving through the silent neighborhood, and plenty of room to wander around and enjoy nature. Backyard privacy is amazing, you truly feel that you are alone in nature while enjoying the variety of patios and seating areas.
The house is older, but updated, clean, and equipped with a well appointed kitchen. We arrived during a cold, rainy January storm and even though there is no central heat, the two gas fireplaces warmed the place to beyond cozy in short order. Our young son loved the heated kitchen floor and spent probably half the weekend lounging on the sparkling clean tiles. There is an A/C unit in the front part of the house that we did not need to use. There is a shared door between the 3rd bedroom (set up nicely with bunks for kids) and the master bedroom, so those two rooms are not completely private from each other, but are private from the front bedroom and the rest of the house. It's no big deal, just a slightly unusual arrangement; it didn't impact our stay at all. Comfortable seating in the living room, and great internet service.
The host communicated very well, and was sure to provide lots of local advice and offer any help if needed. We had no trouble at all during our stay, and this would be our absolute #1 choice if staying in the area again.