It is always so much fun to stay in historic homes! This is a beautiful home with lots of bedrooms so everyone in our large family/friend group had their own space. Enjoyed every minute and look forward to staying again some day.

Great location within two blocks of the beach. Plenty of room for our extended family. We had a terrific time.

Our family (8 adults, 1 child, 3 infants) all stayed here for a recent family vacation. There are plenty of beds, but no single room where everyone can be together. As long as you adopt a flexible attitude, it will work out fine. During the course of our week, we had a few problems (ants, hot tub, dryer) all of which were quickly addressed by the owners. There is what appears to be a nice kitchen on the main floor, but typical for a transient rental, the cookware and utensils leave a lot to be desired. There was no such thing as a sharp knife, or a pan that could be used without first cleaning. There were also a surprising amount of cob webs and dust. We cleaned up a lot as we went along, but we weren't there to clean so much was left for the next renters. The place could really use a good, deep cleaning. Especially considering the mandatory cleaning fee.In terms of noise, there's plenty of it. The house is on the corner of a couple very busy streets - to the point that it's difficult to have a normal conversation in the main dining room. None of the bathrooms have a window, and the ones in the lowest level have a musty characteristic.The back yard is nice, but could use some attention. There are some significant gaps in the decking around the hot tub that really need to be rebuilt; the patio furniture is worn and dated, and you will need to use the leaf blower daily (provided) to keep it clear from all the tree droppings (leaves).So all things considered, would we stay there again? Maybe. It's only a few blocks from the beach, a short drive to the Boardwalk, and an easy drive to great hikes and scenic paddling.Taking everything into consideration, our family vacation was a 5, but this house is really only a solid 3. Diminished by the road noise, dated nature of the house, condition of the patio and appliances, and the quirky electrical system. But boosted by the owners who responded immediately to any questions and were there in person after learning that they dryer wasn't working (due to a circuit breaker).

Our family (8 adults, 1 child, 3 infants) all stayed here for a recent family vacation. There are plenty of beds, but no single room where everyone can be together. As long as you adopt a flexible attitude, it will work out fine. During the course of our week, we had a few problems (ants, hot tub, dryer) all of which were quickly addressed by the owners. There is what appears to be a nice kitchen on the main floor, but typical for a transient rental, the cookware and utensils leave a lot to be desired. There was no such thing as a sharp knife, or a pan that could be used without first cleaning. There were also a surprising amount of cob webs and dust. We cleaned up a lot as we went along, but we weren't there to clean so much was left for the next renters. The place could really use a good, deep cleaning. Especially considering the mandatory cleaning fee. In terms of noise, there's plenty of it. The house is on the corner of a couple very busy streets - to the point that it's difficult to have a normal conversation in the main dining room. None of the bathrooms have a window, and the ones in the lowest level have a musty characteristic. The back yard is nice, but could use some attention. There are some significant gaps in the decking around the hot tub that really need to be rebuilt; the patio furniture is worn and dated, and you will need to use the leaf blower daily (provided) to keep it clear from all the tree droppings (leaves). So all things considered, would we stay there again? Maybe. It's only a few blocks from the beach, a short drive to the Boardwalk, and an easy drive to great hikes and scenic paddling. Taking everything into consideration, our family vacation was a 5, but this house is really only a solid 3. Diminished by the road noise, dated nature of the house, condition of the patio and appliances, and the quirky electrical system. But boosted by the owners who responded immediately to any questions and were there in person after learning that they dryer wasn't working (due to a circuit breaker).

This home was great and is in a very nice location, super close to everything. Fair warning, most of the available space is occupied by beds and it's a little cozy, but I enjoyed my stay regardless.

This was a great location for visiting Santa Cruz with our large extended family. It was a short walk to the beach and short car trip to the boardwalk.

We had the pleasure of staying at this beautiful Victorian home with children grandchildren, it afforded much quality time while at the same time being able to branch off on our own to partake in the many activities within just a short driving/walking distance!the most beautiful beach is within walking distance as are the day whale watching boat tours good times had by all! the owners were very accomadating to all the questions we had we will surely look to this home for our next family reunion

This nicely decorated home worked very well for our three-generation family gathering. It was in an excellent location--just a short walk to the beach and in a typically Santa Cruz neighborhood with restaurants, small stores, etc. nearby. The place was well-outfitted (with beach towels, even, which we appreciated!). We very much enjoyed our stay and hope to return in the future.

This is an excellent house for a family reunion! We had ample room for nine of us. The ten year olds LOVED the Harry Potter Room on the third floor. The house was clean, the beds very comfortable, plenty of linens and towels. Even beach towels, boggy boards and sand toys for digging and making castles. The Twin Lakes Beach is so very close, a real plus! The house is close to several nice restaurants, the boardwalk and a stroll around the block. The kitchen, dining room and living room are on the second floor and well connected for cooking, and gathering. The hot tub was warm and inviting on the private patio. The BBQ was available, though we did not use it...to many nice places to eat! The owner was very responsive to a small problem we had. I would highly recommend this house for a gathering. The location, the amenities, the size all meld to make for a wonderful relaxing gathering spot! Thank you to the owners for a wonderful vacation with my loved ones!

I had the pleasure of staying at the Painted Lady over the Christmas Holidays. My family found the home charming and unique. The home was tastefully decorated and very clean. It had more than enough towels, kitchen staples and toiletries. The beds were extremely comfortable with luxurious bedding. Our family of 12 had plenty of space and privacy. The second kitchen came in very handy with the extra refrigerator and loca&on a step away from the outside deck. It was so great to have the beach a 3 minute walk from the home. And a)er a long day playing, a soak in the hot tub *nished the day o+ perfectly. The loca&on is great, there is plenty of parking for 5 cars and we could walk to some many restaurants which was a real treat not needing a car! We fell in love with this old house and will certainly plan a trip back. -Chris Anthoney

My extended family and I had the opportunity to stay at the Beautiful Painted Lady over the holidays. Our group of 13 had plenty of room in this spacious 3 level home. We found it to be tastefully decorated, extremely clean and filled with lovely amenities. The beds were very comfortable. We so much enjoyed the Jacuzzi after a day at the beach (which was only a 3 minute walk). The 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms gave us all ample space and privacy when wanted. Also the Harry Potter room was a real treat for our teenagers who loved it up there with their own space, tv and dvd player. The 2 kitchens came in handy, as we could prepare and store food downstairs as well as the main kitchen upstairs. We had a wonderful stay and I would highly recommend this home to anyone. We are planning on returning in the summer time as well. Mya Whitehead

A group of traveling nurses spent a month at the Painted Lady. We had such a wonderful time enjoying the spacious, warm and lovely furnished home. We were a little concerned since one of the last reviews talked about an issue with rodents. We were there in the winter for 30 days and never saw any critters of any kind, any ants or any bugs. The home was lovingly furnished with beautiful antiques and was very clean. The beds were super comfy, and the upstairs kitchen was to die for! We loved Twin Lakes beach only a 5 minute stroll and the easy accessibillity to numerous restaurants. We will definitely be back. Owners were easy to work with and our deposit was promptly refunded. I would highly recommend this home to anyone.

14 long term friends recently gathered in this house for our annual reunion. We always go to a different location in the western US or Europe. This house in Santa Cruz was perfect for us. Enough bedrooms and bathrooms that we were not crowded. The layout of the house allowed for privacy when wanted and group gatherings for meals and hangouts. It's a 5 minute walk to the beach and restaurants and close to the Boardwalk for entertainment. Quite fun.

It would be helpful for those who consider staying at this home to realize that this house is over one hundred years old. It seems that every effort has been made to maximize the number of people that can be accommodated. The attic loft is served by a stairway which would be more accurately described as a ladder. There are so many decorative items that the house feels rather cluttered, and surely make a thorough cleaning difficult. Neither cook top has a hood or vent. Cooking fumes and grease float upward and outward and adhere to the ceilings, surfaces and floors. When the breaker tripped on the clothes dryer, it took us quite a while to find the breaker box. (There are two on the outside of the house at the meters. But the one we were looking for was inside on the exterior wall of the downstairs kitchen.) I found it curious that the clothes washer and dryer were located outside the house, but I guess since it so rarely rains in California, this probably isn’t unusual. However, our greatest concern, and the issue which nearly ruined our vacation, is the attention paid to pest control. We learned after we arrived that mice had been spotted by the previous renters, so the owners had put out mouse traps. From previous reviews, we learned that this was not a first time occurrence. One evening, we returned from dinner out to discover a rat, not a mouse, a RAT, dead in the living room floor. It was at least six inches long without the tail. It had been caught by a rat trap behind the TV and had pulled itself and the attached trap out into the middle of the room before expiring. One family in our party very nearly left that moment. Everyone was very distressed. I called the owner to appraise him of the situation. He didn’t seem to know that rat bait essentially embalms rats, so that there is no odor from those who crawl back into the house before dying. I urged him to engage a professional pest control service to address this problem. Perhaps they could also address the ants all over the coffee service area in the dining room. They even found their way into our luggage. My further advice would be to reduce the clutter, put hoods on the cook tops, have the electrical system examined and improved by a certified electrician, update the clothes washer and dryer and get some bed side lamps.

My 3 siblings and myself opted to do a family get together in Santa Cruz. The Painted Lady was the perfect choice: Spacious, unique and furnished beautifully. The 6 bedrooms offered us all our own space. The extra kitchen also came in handy. We had lots of room for extra beverages, desserts and and overflow. The beach was only a 3 minute walk. Fantastic beach which even allowed bonfires. ( As well as Boogie Boards provided in the home)! The home was clean and came well stocked with toilet paper, paper towels, soaps and plenty of towels. We enjoyed the jacuzzi as well. Great place for a mini vacation. Planning on coming again and next time we will spend a week!!

My group and I had a great time at this house. The space was clean and ready for our group with plenty of dishes, towels, toilet paper, etc. The layout is quite unique, which we all had a good time exploring. Location is top notch, walkable to many things but still reasonably quiet. I would recommend this house, and stay here again! Thanks.

Our family of 13 stayed at the Painted Lady for three wonderful nights. The home has gorgeous furnishings, many antiques and all of the amenities for a great vacation at the beach. The kitchens were well stocked, the beds super comfortable, the house spotless and plenty of room for all us. The deck, numerous tables, gas BBQ ,wicker chairs for seating and jacuzzi were extra bonuses. The location was superb. A three minute walk to the beach! It was delightful to be there during the week, as the beaches were not crowded and restaurants easily accessible with little or no traffic. The owners were helpful with suggestions on dining and activities and they let us know they were only a phone call away if we needed anything. The numerous stained glass windows were amazing. We really enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this home to anyone

The house is not all bad, but very disappointing. The location is excellent but there are many other places to stay within the same area. The mattresses are old and certainly not luxury. There is a lot of deferred maintenance throughout house. Not every room has a window with a screen that can open to cool the rooms at night especially difficult for 3rd floor with children trying to sleep there. It was so hot on 3rd floor that the children had to sleep with parents in their bed last 3 nights. Drawers and closets went unused since they were so dirty that clothes had to stay in suitcases. The down stairs kitchen oven smoked terribly when we turned it on and dishes were very old and not usable; although some were good to use. The worst part of the house we experienced is the mice. We caught 3 mice while we stayed here with the house mouse trap in down stairs kitchen and we could hear the mice at night while we tried to sleep in the bedroom attached to kitchen on the ground floor. We definitely did not catch all of them--there was at least one more mice running around. Ants were a problem in other rooms and bathrooms. The can of Raid and mouse trap provided under the sink gave us a clue of what to expect. We were here for 8 days and 7 nights. I can not recommend this house.