Tucson Vacation House in a Wildlife Sanctuary in Tucson

Paradise in the Desert

Southeastern Travelers (United States)
Review submitted: April 4, 2009   Date of arrival: February 8, 2009

What a beautiful place, a great location, a home full of amenities and a very gracious, interesting and informative host. The home was convient to Tucson and a wonderful home base for travels all around the area. We had our own wildlife show daily - one morning spotting a bobcat, seeing coyotes on a couple of occasions and daily visits from the Gambel quails which you could always hear before seeing. Sunrises and moonrises were outstanding and on our last day, we watched a hot air ballon over the city. Our stay took place over one of the weeks during the Gem Show for 2009 - totally unplanned. Our host directed us to the best location for viewing some amazing archaelogical finds and gems from around the world. He also offered us excellent recommendations for dinner at a nearby local restaurant. We were in heaven and found our visit extremely relaxing - it was hard to leave and come back to the "real" world. We hope to get back again in the summer when the storm season arrives to enjoy the landscape in a different setting. The home itself was spotless and had everything we could need for our stay. We would definitely recommend this home to anyone needing to get away but also needing the convenience of easy access to main roads, highways and lots of great food and attractions. While in Tucson, we visited Mt. Lemmon (beautiful beyond compare and snowy), Sabino Canyon (ride the tram to the top and walk back - easy trek with amazing scenery), the Desert Museum (definitely a highlight of the trip), Pima Air Base/the Boneyard (get there early, lots to see), the ASARCO Mineral Museum (different and very cool), Titan Missile Base (don't miss doing a Directors Tour), took a day trip down to Tombstone and on to Bisbee for the Queen Mine Tour (great fun). Everywhere we went the scenery was breathtaking. As you can tell, we had a full visit but still made it back home every evening to relax in front of the fireplace and fall asleep listening to the desert wind down its day. We can't wait to get back.

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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Helpful votes: 9 / 9

Desert Serenity

()
Review submitted: March 19, 2013   Date of arrival: February 2, 2013

We never knew how serene the desert could be but sitting out on the deck in the evening, seeing the lights of Tucson in a cut between the mountains - in silence - was magical. During our two-week stay, our wildlife sightings were restricted to a herd of six deer, Harris' Antelope Squirrels and several desert cottontails. Nothing very exotic, and for the birders - we did have Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, House Finches, Gambel's Quail, Curved-billed Thrashers, Pyrrhuloxia,White-crowned Sparrows and Mourning Doves coming to the suet feeder we brought with us. They also made use of the trays of fresh water we set out each day. Our host, Tom, was very accomodating and we were proud of his new prize-winning documentary on the Sonoran Desert. The house is extremely convenient to special places like the Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, Tohona Chul Park, the International Wildlife Museum, Sweetwater Wetlands (for birders) and all the cultural attractions of Tucson. Superb location, charming house, and the two decks were magnificent.

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

A wonderful Sonoran Desert haven

keith g. (London & Provence)
Review submitted: June 10, 2012   Date of arrival: April 8, 2012

A stay in this wonderful property and location will provide experiences and memories galore to those who love nature. Yet at the same time the property is within easy driving distance of downtown Tucson and its many local attractions.

The house has been thoughtfully located to nestle in its surroundings and provides fascinating desert and mountain views from all sides. A wide range of desert wildlife and plants can be seen nearby. We saw mule deer, coyotes, bobcat, Gambel's quail, hummingbirds etc. on the property during our stay. The diversity of cacti and desert flora is astonishing and hiking in the nearby Sweetwater Preserve will show you the Sonoran Desert at its best.

The house itself is very well furnished and equipped - including a good internet connection. It has a comfortable & cosy atmosphere both when inside and when lazing on the outside terraces.

The owner, Tom Wiewandt, lives nearby and is a charming and efficient host. He is a desert enthusiast, wildlife photographer and author so has a great knowledge of the locality and the best places to visit.

In summary - a very special experience. Highly recommended.

Keith & Maralyn, Suffolk, England.

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2