Went to Capitola/Santa Cruz for the weekend, and my friend and I stayed at Jeannie's place overnight. Here's my breakdown of the review.
Pros:
1) The place is beautiful, spacious, and clean
2) Jeannie made us feel right at home. I can honestly say that I feel like I made a friend.
3) Communication was very clear and prompt
4) It was a breeze to commute to and from.
5) Jeannie was also super helpful and gracious when my friend had car trouble. Her son even helped with a boost.
6) Jeannie had great recommendations on beaches and the eateries.
Cons:
None.
Special Notes:
1) Just FYI when it gets dark outside, it gets black. No street lights. If you are not used to driving around the back woods in the darkness, you may want to get everything done before the sun goes down.
2) Jeannie's house is on a long-winding road that forks. The road itself can be easy to miss. Luckily I grew up in the country so I am familiar with how roads like this work. If you are not from around the area, and you are unfamiliar, it's in your best interest to get there before dark.
3) Cellphone service out there is spotty at best. I had Verizon, and my friend had T-Mobile. Our phones did not work well.
4) The road to Jeannie's house is unpaved, and is really meant for only one car to be driving on it at a time. So basically 2 cars can't be going different directions on the road.
5) There is a rooster that crows at dawn. I personally loved it because it reminded me of home. But my friend got scared.
6) It can get hot/stuffy up in the room because of the wooded/vaulted ceilings. Keep this in mind if you are scheduling during the hotter times of the year - I do not believe Jeannie has air conditioning.
7) The beach is a little bit of a trek away.
Bottom line- I loved everything about the stay, and will absolutely be back. I absolutely want to do more exploring and hiking. Jeannie was a fabulous host.