18/12/2012
This is a letter written by a guest after staying at this property:
VRBO Review for Palm Tree Property
Title: A Dream Come True!
Our youngest child was graduating from Westmont College in Santa Barbara and our entire family of eight was looking for a place to gather for this long weekend. We were also hoping to find a place where we could host the graduation party for our daughter, her four roommates and their families, a group of about 100. Finding the Palm Tree Property was the answer to our dreams! We couldn’t have been more thrilled with this property and all of our interactions with the owners Julie and Paul. From the beginning, as we were trying to make the arrangements between MN and CA, they were readily available to answer all of our questions. Once we arrived, we realized that they lived right across the street so they were easily accessible and bent over backwards to help us with whatever we needed.
This home could not have been a better location for a large and meaningful gathering. The kitchen and family room area indoors are joined, are very spacious, and served as the perfect place for some of the grandparents and more elderly guests who didn’t want to be outside in the sunshine the entire time. Beyond this space, they have almost a full wall of sliding glass doors that could be opened to make a seamless connection between the inside and outside spaces. The backyard is beautifully designed, well-manicured and very large, but is arranged in a way where there are several interesting areas to gather. Our graduation party was a smashing success in large part thanks to the warmth and welcome offered by this amazing property.
Our immediate family felt that there was more than enough comfortable space for everyone. The interior of the home was very well appointed and maintained and there wasn’t a thing we needed that the house didn’t provide. In fact, we had made several reservations both for lunch and dinner since we wanted the rest of the family to experience Santa Barbara, but once we saw this fabulous home we actually cancelled not one but all of them because everyone wanted to stay home! One night we played pool and bocce, one night we sat outside under the stars by the fire. We even spent a lovely morning enjoying breakfast in and around the hot tub. As if all of this wasn’t enough, they have a beautiful grand piano in the living room so many of our meal preparation times were graced by a musical serenade. In the midst of it all, we also always, always had someone jumping on the in ground trampoline. Though all who gathered were adults, we quickly became kids again and had more fun together than we’d had in years!
A graduation is a special event but these accommodations made it extra special. On our day of departure, we were all so sorry to leave that we decided, even though we now no longer have a child in Santa Barbara, that we wanted to rent this house again in the next few years for a family holiday. This home, with its convenient location, spacious layout, and variety of engaging activities brings out the best in everyone and creates a vacation graced with laughter and joy. This was definitely a most favorite vacation. A thousand thanks!
