The Lavender House is a gem hidden in the mountains, surprisingly close to San Jose and yet secluded and quiet. We came on short notice for a conference after our initial accommodations fell through, and the Lavender House became our favourite part of our entire trip, prompting us to skip the rest of the conference altogether!

The cabin is spacious and tastefully designed, with a huge king size bed, a comfortable couch, an efficient kitchen and a lovely shower. The deck looks out on the arena and the mountains. We immensely enjoyed the fresh air and winding trails through the property and the forest.

The best part of our stay, however, was our lovely host Toni and her wonderful animal companions. We were greeted by a friendly cat and an adorable dog, and found goats and doves on exploring the farm. We got farm fresh eggs from the coop for our breakfast and said hello to some curious (and adorable) hens.

One day, we had the pleasure of having a horseback riding lesson with Toni and her horses Harley and Andy. I have significant experience with horseback riding, including two years' experience organizing horseback riding trips for my school's outdoors club, and I can tell you that Toni's horses are some of the friendliest and most intuitive that I've met. She is an excellent teacher as well; she gave me some great pointers.

The neighbourhood was friendly as well; we especially enjoyed dinner at Nonno's pizza, only a short walk from the farm through the forest.

I cannot recommend Toni and her Lavender House highly enough; the next time we find ourselves in San Jose, we are sure to return. Thanks for a great stay!