We were greeted with assorted treats on the dining room table that immediately made us feel welcome. The house is exactly as described and has artwork in each room. It is very bright (especially the sun room off the main bedroom and the kitchen which has skylights). It was a pleasure just spending time inside the house and the backyard. There is a beautiful large tree in the backyard with an impressive canopy. We enjoyed walking around the neighborhood. There are many spectacular gardens and different styles of houses. The house is between UCSC (which we enjoyed visiting -- great views from up there) and the boardwalk. We enjoyed walking along a path (which we drove to but which wouldn't be too difficult to reach by foot from the house for those who don't mind a ~35 minute walk) just a bit north of the boardwalk on West Cliff Drive that offers fantastic ocean views. Although we didn't do any hiking or mountain biking, I know from past experience that this area has great options for both (I will definitely bring a mountain bike if I ever get to visit again).

All in all a wonderful experience and we highly recommended.