Maria's apartment is awesome! We (myself, wife, 7 & 9 year old daughters) stayed for a week in Feb. The views stretch from the northern beaches (curl curl I think) to shelly beach. We opened up all the windows and enjoyed the ocean sounds and breezes while sipping coffee and watching the people swim/bike/run/kayak/etc along that stretch of ocean and esplanade. Swimming out front is especially easy as there is a staircase from the boardwalk to the rocks. Walking to Shelly or anywhere in Manly (including the ferry terminal) is not only easy, but especially satisfying (views!!!!).
Maria and Jerome provided excellent customer service including easy communication, very helpful suggestions, family friendly, and an overall dedication to making sure we were happy.
Overall, I would definitely recommend staying here and would not hesitate to stay again with my family.