We are a film crew staying in SB, so had three guys staying here - we were looking for a place to shoot an interview and double as accommodations, and Cathy was willing to work with us! She communicated all of her concerns and requests clearly, and nothing was unreasonable - total sport for being willing to take a chance on us. I told her immediately of our intention to shoot and she and Jim decided to get on board and give us a shot. Cathy dropped by the set and was lovely. The guys enjoyed their stay and the house is comfortable and beautiful.

The house was beautiful the grounds immaculate. The owner was very hospitable and more than helpful. I would recommend this place to anyone. I cannot wait to return!!!! Book it you won’t be sorry.

We had everything we needed at the property. It was a great base of operations for a 50th and 75th birthday celebration. Cathy welcomed us, showed us around, and was flexible on small details that made a big difference. There is a great supermarket nearby for essentials, and you can drive anywhere pretty quickly. We loved just sitting on the large patio and deck and enjoing the environment and each other. Thanks!

We came to Santa Barbara for Old Spanish Days. Cathy our host was great at communicating the check in process with a thorough email. Upon arriving she showed me everything we needed to know about the house and gave me the tour. The house was a perfect fit for our family. Beautiful house, and a very safe on a private road. I would highly recommend Cathy’s house!

A beautiful home nestled into the countryside, yet close to downtown Santa Barbara. The house is impeccably decorated, inviting, and comfortable. Cathy and Jim are fantastic hosts and available for any need. Pictures do not do the patio and property justice, the peacefulness of having coffee in the morning while listening to all the birds is not to be missed. We will definitely stay here again!

The home is large and nicely appointed and decorated in a rustic Tuscan style. Comfortable beds and amenities. Sits behind the bluffs. Very quiet. Lovely gardens and outdoor sitting spaces. We were not fully aware the property is occupied full time by the owners who live upstairs. Parking is very limited. Sadly, there quite a few spiders, indoors and out, while we were there. And you do get the noise of planes landing at Santa Barbara Airport. A distance from restaurants and resources.

Truly a “nature’s retreat.“ Beautiful place. Lovely location, even if at the end of a narrow road. Good communications with the owner, clean as a whistle, comfortable beds, lovely garden, very pleasant stay.

We reserved for UCSB graduation weekend because we had grandparents and an aunt & uncle coming to graduation. It was perfect! Plenty of room inside and out. Kitchen was well stocked with what we needed. Location was great…quiet and close to campus, plus close to a More Mesa trailhead for short hikes to the ocean. Cathy met us when we arrived and gave us a quick tour. We loved it! My 91 year old father particularly enjoyed the King Sister and King Cousin pictures!

Loved the outside areas and the ability to relax with family. So many birds to watch and listen to.

Beautiful home and landscape, courteous and attentive hosts

Cathy and Jim could teach a class on how to prepare a cozy nest of a bed. Each of us thought we had the most comfortable bed in the choicest room. The kitchen is very thoroughly furnished with cookware and serving ware. The location is fantastic: very quiet, close to the beach and to trails. The grounds around the house are picturesque and inviting. Our hosts were so very obliging and respectful. I highly recommend this dishy, cozy, comforting nest.

You will be receiving a letter from me outlining the problems we encountered. Cathy does not understand VRBO and should not be a property manager!

Cathy was a wonderful host, and her beautiful retreat was perfect for our adult family to convene in Santa Barbara. The property is a short drive to downtown and yet feels a million miles away tucked up into the quiet hills with fruit trees, chickens, and stunning flora all over the quaint property. Cathy was there to greet us upon arrival and very attentive when a couple of issues arose. Beds and couches were comfy, and we had everything we needed to cook up breakfasts in the morning. I'd love to stay here again for a girls weekend in the future. Thank you for everything, Cathy!

Cathy gave us a warm welcome with fresh farm eggs and welcome basket of wine and cheese. The beds were so comfortable with great linens and duvets/down blankets. The living room was super cozy with candles that turned on and off automatically every night. The sound system was great for movie night with the fire place. The garden had fruit trees and beautiful water features with bird’s bath. Just a immmaculate landscaped garden gorgeous!

Six of us ranging in age from 26 to 84 enjoyed our stay in this well-cared for beautiful home with excellent landscaping both in the front and back. Our host Cathy met us at check-in and made us feel at home, and continued to communicate with us all through our stay. We would love to go back in the future!

Nature's Retreat exceeded expectations. Quiet, convenient, well-maintained and comfortable. Nicely stocked kitchen for group cooking and meals!

Probably the very best part of our stay was the comfortable beds, bedding and pillows! Everyone in my group commented how well we slept here. The owner stays on property, so it’s not private; but she was communicating throughout, whenever gardeners and others would be on site, so we weren’t startled when people were on the patios or outside our rooms. It was very serene and just what we were looking for!

Comfortable house with large kitchen, dining room and living area. Beautiful outdoor space with spacious patio and lawn area. Enjoyed the house with family including my 11/2 year old granddaughter! Close to downtown, wharf & shoreline park, Montecito and Carpinteria. Biking path nearby and great neighborhood to walk.

This property was just as described. It was located on a quiet wooded street in Santa Barbara, a very peaceful setting. It was very close to anything in the Santa Barbara area you would want to do. We absolutely loved the gardens and areas surrounding the house. We had some very special family time celebrating our daughter's 21st birthday in these gardens. The house itself was clean and had plenty of space. Communication with the owner was very easy, always a quick response. If we are ever in the Santa Barbara area in the future we would absolutely stay here again.

Gorgeous property , beautiful location . Close to the beach, beautiful coastal trails. Great restaurants. Comfortable cozy spot for a small family😍

We had a wonderful welcome upon our arrival and some nice treats and fresh eggs from the chickens on the property 😀. It was peaceful, clean, beds were comfortable. Owners are easy to communicate with and very nice. We would definitely stay again in the future!

This property is in a great location with a beautiful yard and scenery. The home is meticulously maintained and is very nice. Cathy and Jim live upstairs and did a great job greeting us upon arrival and getting us oriented. I hope to return on a future visit to SB.

We had a great stay at this house. It offered all of the amenities we needed for our family for the weekend and the backyard was amazing for the kids to play in. Cathy was very communicative and was able to answer all of my questions. Cathy and Jim live on-site which I was a little worried about at first but we didn’t see them all weekend. We would definitely stay here again!

This was a lovely house and gardens, however I wouldn’t recommend it unless you enjoy living with your landlord. The landlord lives upstairs and it’s not separate quarters. There’s a wide staircase in the foyer that they rope off. Because this is their résidence, we found ourselves having to answer the front door for them, handle issues with their workers and accept delivery of a package to be placed inside. This isn’t a big deal; just rather weird. Also, they maintain a room downstairs that they use as an office that is kept locked. But we heard them come down and go into the office and shut the door and it’s like ghosts sneaking around. Because of their very near proximity, we had a tendency to speak softly and whisper. This is not what we expected. We felt so uncomfortable with the situation that we mistakenly left a day early. This was our first experience using a vacation home rental and I’m going back to hotels!!!!

My son graduated from UCSB and we loved having the grandparents and a few friends to celebrate in Cathy and Jim’s beautiful back yard! The house is truly peaceful and such a wonderful spot to relax inside and out!!! The hosts are very accessible and gracious I hope to be back!

This house is just beautiful! The beds are fantastic. We loved the gardens and the back deck—song birds, woodpeckers, hawks & hummingbirds. It was so very peaceful. We also really enjoyed meeting our host. Elegant and homey.

We enjoyed our stay in this lovely home. We cooked in the well stocked kitchen, lounged in their comfortable living room, and slept soundly in their comfortable beds. I loved walking out on their fabulous patio and on their paths to see the landscaping features and plants. Our only regret is that we couldn’t stay longer! Cathy is very attentive and gracious.

The home was very nice, as advertised, and with all listed amenities available. The host communicated well, left a gift on arriving and brought eggs, which were both very kind gestures. The kitchen was very well stocked with most items anyone would expect, which is not always the case. The rooms were very comfortable and the grounds and landscape were very nice. The location was excellent and the host returned our security deposit very promptly. A few suggestions based upon our experience with many vacation properties. The home is located directly under the Goleta airport flight path. I personally found this a fun thing, but our much older friend did not. It would be good to let renters know this. When staying for several days it is likely that a vacationer will need or want laundry facilities. There was some reticence in allowing use of the laundry even though laundry was listed in the available rooms. We were informed in advance that the owners live on property. However, that presence should be as minimal as possible. Cathy and Dave were generally very good about this and there was little intrusion. Still, during our 6 day stay the owners needed to enter for several hours to use the laundry. This was very unexpected and unwelcome. If one is going to rent their home out, alternative arrangements should be made so there will be no need to for the host to enter the home during the rental term. Some people travel to get away and be alone. They may not wish to socialize with anyone or just their fellow travelers. Contact with the host should always be professional and kept to just what is necessary to accommodate the renters and no more, unless invited by the renter.

We had a lovely time staying at their family home. Cathy was super friendly and chatted about all the places we could visit during our stay. There were comfortable beds and enough seating for our family of 6. The kitchen was great!

We enjoyed our stay. The house is beautiful, it has everything you need. The beds were comfortable. We used the kitchen quite a bit, as well as the BBQ grill. The property is a dream. We spent some time outside taking photos and enjoying the garden. Cathy was a gracious host and we loved meeting her and her husband, Jim. They left some fresh eggs for us from their chickens, which we loved meeting. I would love to come back!

It is awesome. Very well equipped and comfortable, with great walking/hiking right out the door.

Great location in nature’s backyard, very comfortable, very quiet, with walking access to the ocean. If you like just hanging out in a peaceful relaxed setting, with easy access to biking, hiking, and or beaching, this is the place for you.