Please read ANY of the more than 85 unanimous Five-Star reviews (almost twice our nearest competitor) that we have received in seven years on VRBO; or sort by "Guest Rating" that ranks Casa la Pina #1 out of approximately 250 rentals that VRBO erroneously aggregates into a search for “Balboa Island” including properties from Costa Mesa to Corona Del Mar and the Balboa Peninsula (NOT the island). RENTERS BEWARE: ONLY about 100 of these 250 properties are actually ON Balboa Island!

Either method above tells the story of this exceptional 4 bedroom / 3.5 bath custom home with water views, just 50 yards from the waterfront in three directions, on the southeast corner of "Little" Balboa Island. Designed by noted local architect Ian Harrison and built in 2004, our Cape Cod home offers the best of Balboa Island. Located less than a quarter mile (3 blocks) from Marine Avenue where blocks of lovely shops and restaurants have been providing retail amenities to the area for more than 100 years.

Our home is NOT your basic worn & torn "beach rental" and may not be the best house for families with lots of young children. The property includes high-end design, construction, appliances, finishes and furnishings. We offer wide plank hardwood flooring and tongue & groove ceilings on the ground level, nine foot ceilings or more throughout the house, a "state-of-the-art" 65” OLED high definition TV in living room with enhanced sound, as well as a FOUR zone Nest-controlled air conditioning system with variable air volume (air conditioning is rare among vacation rentals on Balboa Island). An ELEVATOR is available for senior citizens (upon request) and there is a fully equipped laundry room with granite counters and a sink INSIDE the house (NOT in garage as with many rentals on Balboa Island). We also provide a large parking space in our attached garage that comfortably accommodates a full size car (opposite our own car that we frequently leave covered in a very tidy two-car garage); AND there is abundant free parking on the streets of Little Balboa Island. As well, our home has a fully furnished rooftop deck on the third floor with an array of views of the water and Fashion Island on the mainland.

We call our home "Casa la Pina", or in English, “The Pineapple House”, and you will note the theme in our decorating. If curious, Google “pineapple meaning”, as the pineapple has been a sign of hospitality dating back to the days of the tall sailing ships when sea captains brought the tropical delicacy back to their northern homes and left them on their porch as a sign of their return and an open invitation for friends to visit. Pineapples were discovered by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean on his first trip to the "New World" and they remain a symbol of welcome throughout Western Civilization today.


LINENS & TOWELS: High quality sheets, pillows, comforters & duvets (The Ritz Carlton has nothing on us - all are professionally laundered) as well as bath towels & beach towels; ARE provided!!!


FIRST-TIME RENTERS: VRBO requires us to book through their website, so we only have 24 hours to review and approve first-time tenants that book online and use a credit card. If you book this way, please provide background information with your online inquiry (where from, purpose of visit to Balboa Island, age of each person in your group, acknowledgement that you have NO smokers or pets in your group, etc...).

Please understand that we take great pride in, and care of, our property. We encourage you to review our listing in detail. Read ANY of our 80 unanimous Five Star reviews. We promise you an exceptional rental experience, but want to know a bit about our first time clients, in advance, while hoping to build long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial.


AERIAL TOUR:

There WAS a link in our listing to a general video about Balboa Island, but VRBO has deleted it for some unexplained reason. It's less than two minutes long and gives you a quick overview of why Balboa Island is one of the best and most unique vacation spots in the world! I’m sure it, and many others like it, can still be found with a quick search on Google.


OTHER RENTAL PROPERTY:

We have another exceptional home located directly on Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida. This totally renovated 3 bedroom / 3 bath condominium (#9382289) is newly listed and requires a 90 day minimum stay due to HOA bylaws. This incredible condo enjoys the same high quality construction and furnishings as Casa la Piña. Check it out if ever in North Florida near Saint Augustine, the Sawgrass TPC golf course, (home of the PGA’s Players Championship); or the East Coast’s Mayo Clinic.