Carmel Beauty The Great Escape In Downtown Location

My wife selected this property based on the location and previous reviews and it lived up to our expectations. Checking in was easy as we were met by one of the owners (Franz) and he took us through a short walk-through of the home and we chatted about local restaurants and hikes in the nearby park. The living room is filled with light and nature as you feel like you're in a tree house. Everyday we'd watch the squirrels and pesky woodpeckers frolic about. It's a roomy home with plenty of room for up to two couples - nice sized bedrooms, lots of closet space, large kitchen and living room, and big primary bathroom (the steam shower is HUGE). Keep in mind the house is in a forest so do expect the occasional spider or fly to share the space! Location is great as it's on a quiet tree-lined street not too far from a number of restaurants, two small(ish) grocery stores, and plenty of shopping. We rarely drove while in town as everything is a short walk (be mindful there are a number of hills). While the town can get busy on the weekends, we tried to avoid Ocean Ave and walked down 8th street to our favorite spots. Communication with owners was excellent - very responsive and available to address any question. We highly recommend this property.

We are both 93 years old. I told that to the host prior to booking. There are too many stairs for seniors, and there are no grab bars in showers. The home is well equipped, and well located in a quiet street. But, stairs from entry to kitchen and more to living area and master bedroom.

My husband and I stayed at the Great Escape for the month of September 2023 and were absolutely thrilled with our decision to rent this home. It was exactly as described in the listing and then some. It was so warm and inviting, and in a perfect location in Carmel. The kitchen was well stocked for the days and evenings we stayed in and cooked at home. The master bedroom was very comfortable and the master bathroom was 5-star. We loved the giant windows and natural light in the home. The location was really perfect....so easy to walk or ride our bikes to everything we wanted to do. We truly lived like locals during our stay there. It did not bother us at all, but be advised that this home has multiple levels and steps, so if mobility is an issue for anyone in your party, this would be something to consider. Wendy and Frans were gracious hosts, and very responsive to any questions we had. They were so easy to work with and so accommodating. I would highly recommend this property, and look forward to our next stay at the Great Escape!

I was delighted by the house, it’s layout and location. It is on a lovely street and just a few minutes walk from Ocean Ave at the top of the center of town.

Great setting and perfect location . Beautiful views of a lush small canyon just behind the house . Very updated and comfortable house with plenty of room and huge bathrooms and closets. Our second time to stay there and we are looking forward to coming back

My wife and I recently rented the house for a month and thoroughly enjoyed it. We can echo the many other positive comments about its location, the responsiveness of the owners, off-street parking, design features, and other aspects. Since we have family in the area, we didn't use the kitchen much for cooking but it certainly appeared to be well stocked with the necessary equipment. It's a very popular rental, for many understandable reasons.

We enjoyed our stay for the entire month of December. Wendy and Franz even made our stay away from our own home festive at holiday time. A lighted tree and some delicious local treats greeted us on arrival. The kitchen is convenient, well appointed, and spacious. We especially enjoyed the master bed and bath. It was a perfect place to be for our daily walks along the ocean. Finally, please note that this house is built on a steep slope overlooking a beautiful forested space from the living room and master bedroom. For that reason, there are a series of steps to get up and down. This would be a limiting factor for anyone with mobility issues. Again, we truly enjoyed our stay!

Everything was as lovely and welcoming as photos and description depicted. Even more so in some cases. We feel grateful to have discovered this piece of paradise in Carmel.

This house is magical, that is, if you like living in what feels like a treehouse. It starts at the top with steps down into the living room, with the master off the living room space and sporting its own balcony. You're living in the middle of a forest where we saw everything from woodpeckers to raccoon families, from owls to hummingbirds. The kitchen was well equipped, with a big gas stove, fridge, disposal, all well organized with tons of plates, silverware, and cookware. The two main bedrooms are spaced apart, and there was plenty of room with two walk in closets if you were to have visitors, or wanted to stay there with two couples. There's one additional bedroom that would be great for young children. We are thinking of reserving it again next May. Wonderful hosts!

The “Great Escape” turned out to be perfect for our two-month stay. It is beautifully designed, with lots of room (some of it unexpected, like the enormous shower and huge closet), very comfortable beds, chairs, and couch, and a nicely outfitted kitchen. The owners provided a barbecue at our request, which was great, and there was a table in the smaller bedroom for my husband, who was working remotely. The location could not have been better, with a short walk to downtown and longer walks to many beautiful places (park, ocean, the mission, even the river). Oh, and the view of the forest from the “window wall” in the living room was amazing—so many birds! This place is special and will delight anyone lucky enough to stay there.