Joop van Eck From Holland

Joop v. (Leiden Telderskade Netherland)
Review submitted: May 12, 2013   Date of arrival: May 1, 2013

This was a special house I rent more houses on vacation and this house was fabulous very clean and the birds are singing in the beautiful garden 25 min to the center of L.A. And 10 minutes from Venice beach my family and I had a great time and the man who owns the house is a very nice and friendly man who help you with everything to make your stay as nice as possible ,
Thanks Ross that we may stay in your house and when we ever going back to L.A. we come back to your place thanks for everything .
Greetings Joop Marian Margy

Recommended for: age 55+, people with disabilities, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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charming, nicely fragrant house

()
Review submitted: April 1, 2013   Date of arrival: March 23, 2013

The house is located on a quiet street, with good parking and close access to grocery stores and the highways, and reasonably close to Venice Beach. Our family of 6 was comfortably accommodated. The open layout and backyard also allowed us to host meals for other family without feeling cramped. My only complaint is the bikes were not safely rideable and need repair. Helmets might also be needed. Otherwise, we greatly enjoyed our stay and how well Ross ensured the house had all the necessary provisions.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Very beautiful

Alvise B. ()
Review submitted: March 25, 2013   Date of arrival: June 24, 2012

I stayed in this house with my large family (me, my wife and 4 children aged 13, 11, 9 and 6 years old) in June 2012.
The house is beautiful, spacious, better than it looks on the website, the owner is very kind and friendliest.
The house is situated in a quiet and very convenient for visiting the city.
A special mention deserves the garden and the envelope for the barbecue.
Certainly recommended

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Cute cottage, well-appointed and clean

Rose G. ()
Review submitted: March 19, 2013   Date of arrival: March 11, 2013

My family stayed at this cottage for 5 nights while we visited the area and enjoyed the convenience of the well-appointed kitchen. The owner was very accommodating and even brought some items that we needed during our stay. The house is super clean and sweet-smelling. I would have given an Excellent rating if it were truly a "short walk to the beach" (which it is not) and if the bikes were in better shape for our use. We still enjoyed the free parking, the open and airy den and kitchen, and especially the sweet-smelling flowers surrounding the house.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Nat

nat (montreal canada)
Review submitted: March 13, 2013   Date of arrival: March 3, 2013

My husband and I and our five young children recently spent six days in this lovely home. It was clean, comfortable and certainly afforded us more space than a hotel would have. It's location was perfect for exploring the L.A. area and beach cities. As a bonus, it is located only 45 minutes away from Disneyland and California Adventure Park, a must if you have children. I would highly recommend this charming home and would certainly return again. Thank you Ross!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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DC

DC (Washington DC)
Review submitted: March 5, 2013   Date of arrival: February 26, 2013

Everything was perfect for us and our adult children. The house was clean and comfortable and a great location. The kitchen was well equipped and the use of a washing machine and bikes were a bonus! I would recommend the cottage to friends.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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A Lovely, Well-Loved Home

KA (Michigan)
Review submitted: February 26, 2013   Date of arrival: February 21, 2013

We enjoyed a short but very sweet stay at this home, and Ross was an excellent host.

The home is exactly as advertised: spacious enough to host our family of five, tastefully decorated, clean and conveniently located. Three times during our four-day stay, we enjoyed a short walk to Cafe Buna for a scrumptious breakfast. The beach is just a three-minute drive away, with another selection of restaurants there. There's a brand-new washer-dryer set in a closet just behind the house. I'd love to return in the summer and use the charming picnic patio. It reminded us of a recent trip to Tuscany.

Ross, the host, was easy to work with and perfectly understanding when we had an unexpected guest who had to stay the night.

I strongly recommend this home, but please take good care of it. We'd like to come back!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Nice and pleasant stay

Mdunos (Santiago, Chile)
Review submitted: February 19, 2013   Date of arrival: February 6, 2013

We had a very pleasant stay at Howard's End. We certainly recomend this house. It is located in a very peaceful place, close to Santa Monica, to the airport and the like. The house was very clean, everything worked perfectly, fully furnished, etc. The owner was also a very nice person. We were 5, including 2 little kids and the house fitted perfectly for our needs.

Recommended for: families with young children

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Nuclear family + grandparents

Dena (Seattle, WA)
Review submitted: February 11, 2013   Date of arrival: January 3, 2013

This is a great house for two adult couples in queen beds with 1-2 children on the trundle beds. It is in a residential neighborhood with easy street parking. Still, it is close to main roads and easy to get to the city or Disney, and it is minutes to drive to the beach. The house was clean, well-stocked with tea/spices/kitchen essentials, and close to grocery and drug stores. The fenced-in yard was a great feature, with a big table for outdoor eating and lovely fruit trees. The dining table extends to fit everyone, too. The beds were comfortable, and each family had their own full bathroom (bonus in a small house). Bring your own board games and some sand toys, and you're all set for a great family vacation!

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Great place, close to everything, felt like our own home!

Al (Washington, DC)
Review submitted: December 17, 2012   Date of arrival: December 8, 2012

This place was perfectly located on a quiet non-thru street, and within 15 minutes walking distance to Venice Beach and Abbott Kinney. It's really comfortable and in immaculate shape inside. We had two adults, a 15 month old and the nanny and there was plenty of room. Ross is a wonderful host and everything was fully stocked. The washer/dryer is brand new and came in handy. This is so much cheaper and more welcoming than staying in a hotel and renting 2 rooms. The freeways are close by, Target was 10 minutes away and even the Fedex/Staples shipping center/copy and print if you have to keep working. Wifi was strong and the flat screen was a plus.

We loved staying here and it is perfect for two couples or a family with a nanny too. The 3rd bedroom is a walk-through to the master bedroom which for us was just fine, but something to consider for sleeping arrangements with extended family.

All in all - cute place, exactly as advertised and Ross is a great host. We'd stay again and highly recommend it..

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Had a Wonderful Time

Matt (Washington, D.C.)
Review submitted: November 29, 2012   Date of arrival: November 14, 2012

We had a wonderful time staying in this very quaint rental property. The street is tree-lined and quiet and the back yard is very peaceful. The house is spacious and well kept. We would highly recommend this property to friends!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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home away from home

Ariana (Bay Area, CA)
Review submitted: November 29, 2012   Date of arrival: November 18, 2012

The house might look small from the front but it has so much more to offer once you step inside. Ross was very helpful in answering all of my questions before our arrival and the house was clean and well stocked. The bathroom had shower gel and shampoo, the kitchen pantry had spice and oil. The house felt like a home away from home. My kids loved having their own beds (twin and Trundle) and adults enjoyed hanging in the livingroom/kitchen after kids went to bed. If you like to cook instead of eating out, Lucky's and Costco are just a few blocks away. There are several nice restaurants within walking distance to the house as well(Ross has the list in the kitchen). The Venice Canal is worth checking out in the afternoon around 4pm before sunset. (Lots of cute houses along the canals for pictures). The streets are fairly quiet at night. The only thing that I want to mention is that, if you don't like too much scent, make sure to request the cleaning lady to turn off the scent spray in the kitchen and bathroom before you arrive. Else, you can turn them off yourself and open windows to air out. Everyone loved this place. We would sure to come back again in the future! Thank you Ross for opening your house to us!

Recommended for: families with young children, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Diane - NYC

Diane G. ()
Review submitted: November 27, 2012   Date of arrival: November 20, 2012

My family and I enjoyed a wonderful stay at this beautiful property during the Thanksgiving Holiday, anything and everything that you could possibly need was at our disposal. I highly recommend anyone who would like a worry free vacation to stay at this location. It is convienent to everything and is situated on a lovely quiet block. I plan on going back again with my family for our next trip out to California, Ross (owner of the property) was great to communicate with and answered all my questions in advance of the trip, I can't thank him enough! :)

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car

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PERFECT HOME FOR VACATIONS! SO CONFORTABLE!

MARIAN (ARGENTINA)
Review submitted: October 9, 2012   Date of arrival: September 20, 2012

The house is so beautiful, we certanly come back any time we can, and we recomend it of course
Its near the restaurantes, the beach, is quiet the suburb, but the best thing was the sweet house, all so new and clean, with all the commodities, really spacius with a beatiful garden....
Ross is such a good person we can notice that, everything is like he describes and the same you see in the photos!
we cant wait to come back! its so homely, thanks Ross!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Lovely Howard's End!!!

Nome Utente (Discovery Bay, CA)
Review submitted: October 6, 2012   Date of arrival: September 27, 2012

Our family just spent a long weekend at Howards End. What a lovely home. Everything we needed for a great time. And...the gardens are beautiful. And, the location was perfect for all that we planned to do.


Thank you Ross, for provided such a wonderful retreat for our special weekend - my Moms 92nd birthday.

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Wonderful Howards End!!!

Nome Utente (Discovery Bay, CA)
Review submitted: October 5, 2012   Date of arrival: September 27, 2012

Our family just spent a long weekend at Howard's End. What a lovely home. Everything we needed for a great time. And...the gardens are beautiful. Thank you Ross, for provided such a wonderful retreat for our special weekend - my Mom's 92nd birthday.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Can't wait to go back!

Laurie (VA)
Review submitted: September 22, 2012   Date of arrival: August 17, 2012

Amazing! Sweet house, very clean, plenty of supplies, and centrally located. I can not say enough good things about the home owner either. I have participated in a couple VRBOs and usually have good experiences but Ross is above and beyond helpful and courteous. He made the stay even better. I really have no complaints. I accidentally managed to leave with one of his pillow cases in my luggage and returned it to him, of course. He was more than kind with my error especially having tenants come in right behind us. It was a terrific stay and I do hope to go back to Howard's End.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Home from home

Angie67 (Newtownabbey)
Review submitted: September 14, 2012   Date of arrival: September 4, 2012

Delightful property!
When we arrived the initial impression was bright, airy, fresh and clean. Ross has thought of everything you could need here, right down to kitchen roll and cling film :-) It just felt so homely, we were able to spread out, enjoy all amenities (much better than two tiny hotel rooms). It is exactly as described in previous reviews and photos. Location is great too with everything you could need near by. It is the helpful personal touch too, you feel like you are borrowing a friend's holiday home. Really enjoyed this place, would definitely stay again and recommend to friends or anyone. Thanks Ross!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Great Place to Stay!

k (LA)
Review submitted: June 7, 2012   Date of arrival: June 1, 2012

For my friends bachelor party here in LA and luckily we found Howards End. There were 8 of us and all of us enjoyed our stay here. The house has everything you would need and more. The kitchen looked fully stocked, there is a washing machine and the back yard area with the long table is a great place to kick back and chill. The house looks actually as the pictures showed. Street parking was not an issue.

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Marina Del Rey / Venice

ALAIN R. (Quebec City)
Review submitted: June 2, 2012   Date of arrival: May 25, 2012

Great location. Just a mile from the beach and 20 minutes to Hollywood and Vine and Beverly hills. 20 minutes to downtown L.A. (depending on traffic). Six of us stayed in this house for a full week. The house looks small from the outside but is actually quite big inside lots of room to accommodate easily 6 people. Everything you need is already in the house. The one thing that worried me before renting this property was the on street parking and since we had 2 cars I thought it might be a problem. However parking was never issue always had plenty of parking. The house is clean and smells good. The linens and beds are of quality. The bathroom are a little small and one would need a bit of upgrading which I am sure is planned in the future. The master bedroom at the very back end of the house opens on to beautiful patio which leads you to an open outside area with a beautiful long table to enjoy meals outside. beautiful landscaping all around this area makes it very nice for meals and drinks outside. Near the patio are the washer and dryer of very good quality and work perfectly. This rental also offers 3 bikes to ride to the beach. All in all we had a great time and enjoyed ourselves a lot. I would highly recommend this rental to anyone wanting to have it all. Perfect for 2 families or friends reunion. Ross the owner is very helpful and always ready to answer any questions or needs you might have. So dont worry about this one its perfect and price wise very competetive for the area.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Everyting is as promised by Ross

myshaolin (Malaysia)
Review submitted: May 27, 2012   Date of arrival: May 13, 2012

The owner Ross is very friendly and accommodating. The house has everything as promised in the write up and is great as a vacation home for a big family or group. Many restaurants are within a 10 to 25 minutes walking distance. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurant nearby has great food. The Mexican Baja Cantina has great service and authentic Mexican food. There is an In and Out Burger, Dominoes and Ihop nearby. Shopping to cook in at Albertsons is convenient as the kitchen is fully equipped. Towels and sheets we ample in supply. We brought limited change of clothes as there is a big clothes washer and dryer at the back of the house. It was well used by us as we stayed for 12 days. We have no problem parking our two rented car in the front of the house as ample parking space is always available. We were a family of 7 adults plus 1 baby and Ross even managed to arranged a baby chair for him! Thank you Ross for making or family stay memorable. We highly recommend anyone considering to stay at Howard's End.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Howard's End - home away from home

Pam H. ()
Review submitted: May 5, 2012   Date of arrival: April 26, 2012

A delightful place to stay. Convenient location. We walked, biked and used public transportation.. doing it again would recommend car rental. Ross is very accommodating, thoughtful ...he helped make my birthday celebration a special one by assisting with a couple of requests. Thank you Ross!! Everything you need is here - all comforts of home.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Awesome place to stay

Steph and Tom (Martinez Ca)
Review submitted: April 25, 2012   Date of arrival: April 21, 2012

Wonderful house - no complaints at all! Ross made us all welcome - great recommendations for food, walks,etc. and the location was prefect. If you are looking for the place to stay in the Venice beach, Santa Monica area- this is it!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Howard's End

Michele V. (Newcastle, New South Wales)
Review submitted: April 23, 2012   Date of arrival: April 15, 2012

This house was just as cute as it looks in the photos. The property was clean, beds comfy & the garden small & pretty( gorgeous flowers). The House was equipped with most everything you would find in your own home ( even provided soap powder for washing machine).
Ross was very helpfull, met us at the house on time & ensured we were happy & fully orientated to the property & neighborhood ( including where to eat). We loved the Italian resturant across the road. Parking on the street was easy.
Michele. Australia.
April 2012

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We'll be back!

Lisa (Southport, CT)
Review submitted: March 24, 2012   Date of arrival: March 10, 2012

This was a great house for 4 people...it looks small on the outside, but is very roomy and comfortable inside (and very clean!). We loved going out for the day, and then coming back to such a comfortable home to relax in the late afternoon, before going out to dinner. Our son lives in LA, and loved coming over after work (I think he'd really like to live full time in this house; he LOVED it!). Abbott Kinney had some great shops and restaurants, and nothing was too far away. We never had trouble parking right on the street in front of the house. We loved the outside patio...great place to read, or to sit and visit. Cafe Buna is a short walk from the house, and my son loved the Hawaiin bread french toast with fruit. His friend loved the corn bread french toast. We had to go twice since it was so tasty! Ross was so helpful and made everything so easy. We will be back! Thanks Ross. Paul and Lisa Doocy

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Wonderful home away from home

BetsyP (washington, dc)
Review submitted: March 12, 2012   Date of arrival: February 21, 2012

We loved this home. Very clean home with all amentites & easy walk to several eateries and local drug stores. Stayed here with my husband, our toddler and my business partner and her husband. The back two bedrooms & a restroom can effectively close off from rest of home which was perfect for our family. Also easy coordinating with the owner Ross. The outdoor space is lovely and the yard/garden is kept perfectly. Simply great.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Cozy Cottage

Claudia (Western Springs, IL. USA)
Review submitted: February 19, 2012   Date of arrival: February 4, 2012

Our retreat to Howard's End met all of our expectations. Ross is a gracious and accommodating home owner. Upon arrival, he met us at the home. We especially appreciated the cleanliness of the property. Ross will answer all emails and phone calls promptly. We were visiting our son and his family nearby and felt the property was clean and safe for our grandson to visit. Two family members shared the cottage for 5 days; they were equally impressed with Ross and the comfortable accommodations. The neighborhood is quiet and parking is not a problem, unlike many nearby neighborhoods. This is the fourth time we have rented in the Santa Monica area and this property is by far the best! We are already planning another visit. Enjoy your visit to LA; there are many fabulous things to do and see. But...make time to enjoy the sunshine and quiet on the patio at Howard's End.

Recommended for: age 55+

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Happy Traveler

Adabake (Illinois)
Review submitted: February 15, 2012   Date of arrival: December 28, 2011

This home is such a beautiful home with unique character. It is located in a very nice neighborhood and convenient distance to various beaches, shopping area, and entertainment. The owner, Ross, was extremely helpful and responded to all our inquiries in a timely manner. He made us feel comfortable and we felt like we here at home away from our actual home. The house was very clean (as pictured) and equipped with all we needed. Even when we requested an item, Ross arrived extremely quickly. We will definitely keep you in mind the next time we visit Los Angeles area.

The only reason why I gave the place 4 stars out of 5 was because of the way the rooms were set up. You had to walk through one room to get to the master bedroom which was a bit of a problem for us.

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Great!

Zach (New York)
Review submitted: January 18, 2012   Date of arrival: January 13, 2012

Great house! Exactly as described. Plenty of comfortable quilts which we enjoyed; very clean; comfortable living room; nice backyard space. Great spot to spend w a few friends or family.

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Great house, great location

Gary (Aspen, Colorado)
Review submitted: January 16, 2012   Date of arrival: January 10, 2012

Lovely home in perfectly situated westside location. Hardwood floors, nice decore, quiet street, nice patio area, and all the amenities you might want. Very easy to access to/from the airport, and everything that L.A. has to offer. Note that bedroom #3 is accessed through the office/bedroom #2 - this was a small inconvenience for my group of three business travelers - but certainly not an insurmountable hurdle. I will definitely stay here again!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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lovely place to stay short or long term.

graftongal (Grafton, NSW, Australia)
Review submitted: December 21, 2011   Date of arrival: December 11, 2011

We were greeted by the owner on arrival and made to feel very welcome. The house looks small from the street but is spacious inside and very comfortable. the linens were lovely and there were plenty of towels and supplies all laid on. The beds were superbly comfortable.Ross had even put up Christmas lights along the front path and front of the house.The house is located on a very quiet street with little traffic so we slept well.there are three bikes available so we cycled around Marina del Ray and along Venice beach, It is suprising how much sightseeing we fitted into two and a half days so don't think this is too short a time to book a vacation rental. it is so much nicer than a hotel room or two!.
we look forward to returning again one day.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Thanksgiving Travelers

VRBO Travelers (Bellingham, Wa, USA)
Review submitted: November 28, 2011   Date of arrival: November 20, 2011

We arrived for a weeks stay and found our little house to be exactly as we had hope, charming, well equipped, comfortable and clean. We met with Ross and he made us feel very welcome and that if we needed anything just let him know. We spent three wonderful days enjoying walks in the area and a great meal at a yummy local restaurant near by, looking forward to sending Thanksgiving with family. Unfortunately due to a family emergence we ended up needing to leave two days early. We called Ross and explained our situation and he wished us well and to our surprise he gave us a refund for the two days we could not stay. This was unexpected and truly appreciated. Howards End is a wonderful place and Ross is a wonderful person with great integrity. We highly recommend this rental.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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great self-contained holiday

Lyndie (Sydney, Australia)
Review submitted: November 23, 2011   Date of arrival: November 9, 2011

Great self- contained retreat. We are a small family with one young (4yrs) child and this place was perfect for us. Good location for shopping and easy access to local attractions. Lovely yard and the ambience of the place really helped towards us having a lovely and relaxed stay. Another great aspect was the owners / managers were easy and flexible to deal with.

Recommended for: families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway

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Beautiful Home..Great Experience!

S&D (London)
Review submitted: November 1, 2011   Date of arrival: October 24, 2011

When Ross the owner called us to tell us the house was ready for our arrival,
didn't expect the wonderfully bright and cheery home that greeted us after a
14-hour plane flight from Europe! It was immaculate and clean and everything
perfectly set out and arranged for us. Do you want a quiet neighborhood that
also happens to be perfectly lovely? Ross provides it. Do you have a family
that wants to gather around a gorgeous big antique table in the backyard for a
long-overdue get-together? Howard's End has it. We were delighted to be able
just to walk across the back street and there was one of the great
restaurants/bars in the whole beach area (Beachwood, really terrific cocktails!)
I can't remember when we've ever felt this much at home, so in a funny way we're
"homesick" as soon as we got back to London. THANK YOU again Ross and Fleur for
everything. Susan and Duncan.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Great Comfy Vacation Home

Suzy (Fremont, Ca)
Review submitted: October 17, 2011   Date of arrival: October 13, 2011

I booked Howard's End to celebrate my moms 60th birthday. I wanted a home where the older ladies would be comfortable but also something different for them to enjoy. Although a small house, which I love, it seemed to have a lot of space. I utilized the kitchen a lot. They had everything I needed for cooking except for spices etc. so make sure you bring your spices.

We ate outside on the large patio table and it was very enclosed and private. I loved how they provided a set of towels for everyone staying in the home on the beds.

The wireless worked great.

Although you dont have your own parking spot I never had any problems finding a spot out front.

The beach and stores are close BUT make time for LA traffic, lots of cars.

Ross and Fleur were very helpful and always available to answer my questions. I will definitely visit this home again.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Loved this place!

Victoria S. (Delafield, WI)
Review submitted: October 3, 2011   Date of arrival: September 30, 2011

My husband, sister, brother-in-law and I were going to be in L.A. for two nights at the end of a cruise and wanted to stay together instead of in two hotel rooms. We thought it would be fun to stay in a place where we could feel like locals rather than tourists. I'm so glad we found this place! I called the owner's assistant, Fleur, and she was very patient with all my questions and made the booking process very easy. She was very accommodating when we wanted to check in early on our arrival day. The home was absolutely delightful! It's bright and airy, immaculately clean, with exquisite decorating touches. It's obvious that the place has undergone a recent rennovation. What a great kitchen! This is a really nice neighborhood with a very safe feel. We parked on the street and never had trouble finding a spot right near the house. If we'd needed to park off the street, that was avilable in the back of the house. We loved walking to C & O Cochina for dinner on our first night, to the French Market Cafe on Abbott Kinney for breakfast, and to Beechwood for dinner on our second night. It was great that there were three bikes at the property that we could use for no additional charge. Venice Beach is just a five minute ride or fifiteen minute walk from the home and we loved going down there to walk along the boardwalk. There is a washer and dryer at the home and the owner provides laundry detergent for the convenience of his guests. The yard is charming, very shady with lots of trees and with flowers in every color. Had we decided to eat in, the outdoor dining table would have been really nice! I wish we could have stayed for a week or more instead of just two short nights. We would definitely stay here again on our next visit to L.A. Thank you to our gracious host for making this delightful place available for our stay!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Ampy & Sverre (Oslo, Norway)

Ampy (Oslo, Norway)
Review submitted: August 15, 2011   Date of arrival: June 23, 2011

Our family of five spent six glorious weeks at Howard's End. After a 21 hour journey from Oslo, Norway with 2 five year olds and a four year old, we were so relieved to find an immaculate home, so close to the airport with Ross to greet us. He was warm and inviting but we did not expect anything less after our conversations with James when booking this rental. He made us feel confident that we chose a great property to spend our summer vacation. We found the home in a safe and quiet neighborhood. It was clean and central to wonderful restaurants, retail and best of all, Whole Foods. We never experienced problems with parking and the neighbors were friendly. During our six week stay I walked to the local gyms (Bambulah Yoga Studio, Gold's Gym Venice), my kids took swimming lessons just 10 minutes away in Culver City with swimmingla.com, and my husband enjoyed the wine bars and cafes on Abbot Kinney. Perfect location if you want to relax at home or tour the city. Easy access to the freeways if you want to see the sites. Plenty of stuff to do around the area without having to endure the traffic. Just a 10 minute walk to the beach, less of a walk to Abbot Kinney Blvd., less than a 15min walk to Main Street in Santa Monica and 3rd Street Promenade. The beaches in Venice were family friendly and just plain fun. Even on the weekends, it did not feel too crowded, lots of sand and water for all. Just around the corner from Howard Street are fabulous restaurants, 26 Beach, Beechwood, C&O Trattoria, East Wind Thai, and fast and easy Gaby's Meditteranean. On days we needed a break from the beach we drove to Culver City, Glendale to visit Americana, Hollywood and Highland to see some stars, and The Citadel for some outlet shopping.

The home was clean and very practical. Bathrooms were spotless, plenty of towels, linens and pillows. Kitchen was well stocked and the backyard dining area was great for entertaining. Washing facilities were perfect for our family, large capacity and very efficient. It was spacious and felt immediatley like home. Plenty of natural light, great style and very easy to maintain and keep clean during our stay.
We didn't want our holiday to end! This beautiful home made all the difference. After our busy mornings, it was great to come home to a nice and relaxing home and recharge for the next adventure. Thank you, Ross and James! We can't wait for our next vacation!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

"A dream cottage near the beach!"

dianne r. (New York, NY)
Review submitted: July 6, 2011   Date of arrival: June 19, 2011

"First I want to give our thank to Ross and James for being such great hosts for us on our family vacation. You're the best! The place was spotless, sunny and really perfect for our needs. The street is very quiet and safe is a lovely aresidential ayet right next door to all the action of Santa Monica and Venice! Typical day: Our boys roller-bladed right to Venice Beach while "the old folks" had a mini-vacation of our own and astroled around the Venice Canals down the street and fed a few ducks, then we all got together later on in the backyard of the Howard's End home and celebrated our anniversary. The backyard patio was great for the 6 of us along with a couple of friends from Santa Monica. All in all a perfect "10" vacation, we could easily have stayed the whole month ...And Ross, thanks for teaching us a few words of Czech!
Dianne and Robert & family, Phoenix, AZ"

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Helpful votes: 4 / 4

Clean & Cozy Home Away From Home.

kim (sf, ca)
Review submitted: June 18, 2011   Date of arrival: June 9, 2011

The house was a perfect touch to celebrating my 25th Birthday in Venice Beach, CA. It was like having a home away from home. From the start, James was very professional and quick to respond with any questions I had about the house. Upon arrival, I met with the owner Rosti who was very welcoming and accomodating man. He was readily available for any questions I had. There was ample amount of street parking. Neighbors were friendly. The house was very well kept, well equiped, clean, and even the linens smelt like laundry (so we knew it was clean). The backyard was a good size for a bbq. The natural light beaming from the ceiling gave the house a refreshing & relaxing feel in the morning. Great location, 15 minutes away from the beach. My party consisted of 8 people and fit everyone very comfortably. Everyone had a great time & we had no complaints. We loved staying here & would definitely come back for the next vacation trip to Venice Beach, CA.

Thank You Rosti & James for opening your beautiful home & making my birthday memorable!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 4 / 4

A great beginning at Howard's End

Clara (London, England)
Review submitted: May 12, 2011   Date of arrival: May 5, 2011

What an excellent choice! We arrived late in the afternoon and found the Howard's End casita to be justas advertised, in the heart of the beach area and really very charming. Couldn't be happier with James and Rosti, our hosts. When my husband discovered he'd left a bag at the airport, James even offered to drive us to pick it up, but thankfully the airport (only 15 minutes away) delivered it. After this excitement we had a very relaxing beginning to our American vacation and even managed to dine "al fresco" in the back yard. A very sunny, very happy week. Thank you guys!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

A Mediterranean Retreat Just A walk from the Beach

Marci (New York, NY)
Review submitted: May 8, 2011   Date of arrival: May 1, 2011

I loved the Casita the moment I saw it. I've stayed at 4 or 5 short-term rentals in the Santa Monica/Venice Beach area but this one is easily my favorite of them all -- so charming, we loved cooking in the spacious and sun-filled kitchen and eating in the beautiful backyard dining area, lovely bedrooms. The home made us feel we were truly on a Mediterranean vacation. Howard Street is a beautiful area and very quiet and we were happy that it's so close to the beach -- we could walk to Venice Pier and Venice Beach and Abbott Kinney. We went twice to our new favorite restaurant -- C&O Cucina which is just a 2-minute walk away. . Ross, the owner, couldn't be more nice and helpful and was ready to assist us at a moment's notice. My only complaint is that we couldn't stay longer than one week -- I've already put in our reservation for next year!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5