I can't say enough good things about this place. For us, it was perfect--there were two of us and our two pups.
First, in terms of location, I was skeptical about not being in Santa Cruz directly for our planned adventures in SC, Henry Cowell, and up the coast, but after adventuring all day, Monica and Mike's place was the perfect getaway where we could relax without the crowds and noise of a busy Santa Cruz summer day.
Second, the setup of the place was awesome. I was expecting it to be smaller but the pictures don't do justice to how open the space is with such high ceilings. The whole place felt fresh and clean, and was a great space to get away to in order to relax. Beyond the space itself, which had a large comfortable couch and open space for the dogs to lay around on the floor, the kitchen was incredibly well stocked, such that I even tried a basting brush for the first time. We enjoyed the kitchen and barbecue space so much we decided to buy local produce and food and cook it each night in front of the fire pit.
Third, the outdoor space was incredibly--beautifully landscaped around the units with ample parking, and our unit (a two bedroom) had its own fire pit, turf grass area, and barbecue. We were able to easily prep food in the kitchen and walk between there and the barbecue with no fuss. Also, the dumpsters are at the end of the parking lot so if you end up filling the trash can, which we did due to buying so much food and cooking it there, it's nice to know where one can take out the trash, while at the same time, the dumpsters are not gross or otherwise impacting your stay.
Fourth, we made great use of the State Parks pass, which was an awesome amenity and made it easy to hop around to both beaches and Henry Cowell without digging for cash.
Finally, the hosts were awesome, and because of some locksmith noise related to a nearby unit, we came back from our adventuring to some chocolate and wine from the hosts. To be honest, we didn't even notice the noise, but it was a kind gesture, and we enjoyed both the wine and chocolate.
As a note to pet owners, I know that traveling with pets can change the game in a lot of ways, but the space was open such that we didn't feel like we were tripping all over the dogs or that our normal routine was so disrupted by traveling that the dogs acted up. They looked as relaxed as we did, and for our first time traveling with pets for an extended stay, this was the perfect location.
I would stay here for a week if I could to make more use of Manresa State Beach, which really is only around the corner. Also, we needed ice one night and there was a little market at the top of the neighborhood down the way. Great location and great hosts.