This place is simply fantastic. The view and people watching is second to none. Hunker down with a good book, a cup of coffee and sit on the balcony listening to the waves and watching the comings and goings. Down the stairs you are a mere 20 feet from sand and the least crowded part of the beach. It's a 4 minute trek into Capitola village, and plenty places to shop, eat, and drink, or sit and watch the views.
Timothy and Stacey's place is totally beach charming and really well-appointed. Everything is easy to use and directions on the single page home sheet are simple and clear. (Don't you hate it when hosts leave a large booklet of instructions you need to digest to make sure you are following all the rules and check-out procedures??). The best thing was the communication. When we arrived, there was a little issue with parking. An unknown car had parked in our spot. Stacey got right on it and called the nearby property managers, hotels, and got it taken care of quickly. To top it off, she got us a round of drinks at a nearby restaurant for our inconvenience - it wasn't even a big inconvenience, but she insisted, and it made the stay even more memorable. You don't come across that kind of compassion every day! So sweet.
We were in town for a relative's big surprise birthday party. The next evening, we hosted our in-town and out-of-town relatives for drinks and pizza. Everyone was shocked by the perfect view and how lovely and comfortable the place was. It was nice to be able to provide something for the other relatives simply by virtue of our good luck in finding a wonderful spot with an impressive view. We got some great pictures on the balcony.
I read other reviews by people who said they would be returning. That's us, too. We would love to make this an annual journey. I'm actually missing it now as I write this. The visions of that beach view, waves crashing, cool salt air, kaleidoscope of beach umbrellas, and stream of local and international characters, grabbing their fishing gear, kayaks, teenagers with their boards, and the in-shape 70-year old surf couples with board carriers on their beach cruisers heading out for some surf time. It's just a joyful scene, and these memories will sustain me. I may have to check the calendar soon and book our next respite. Thanks Stacey and Tim for providing such a perfect canvas for wonderful family memories.