Berkeley, California
Far from the the bustle and crowds of Downtown and the UC Campus, this north Berkeley home was owned by my parents. It's dated, but comfortable, and the location can't be beat. The house has large sunny deck with a full garden and an exercise area. Gigabit speed fiber optic lines and strong WiFi make working from home pleasant. Long buffer time between guests during Covid-19.
The neighborhood is stable, calm and safe, and just one block from the Solano Avenue commercial district (and two blocks from a full service grocery). It comes with a full kitchen and all the pots & pans (too many really), along with a formal dining and living room.
Two queen size beds, plus a twin and a crib.
Easy access from the freeway, and buses every 15 minutes to Downtown. Or, ride a bike along one of Berkeley's Bicycle Boulevards (bike included with rental). Formal dining area is included: it's hosted many large family dinners, and could host yours.
City of Berkeley Short Term Rental Tax Id #ZCSTR2018-0082 . Please note a 14% tax applies to rentals under 14 days, by City ordinance.
Two car off street parking included. Dogs OK, except in the front formal living/dining area (these areas are easy to keep sealed off). Electric Vehicle (EV) charger (pay only for the electricity used).
It's pretty informal: no mints on the pillow, no name artists on the walls. But basic and comfortable. It still feels like a home.
IMPORTANT NOTE
IMPORTANT NOTE
Cleaning Fee is estimated. Some people are sloppy, some treat it like they are guests. You pay the actual cleaners fee. They are reasonable, minimum $40.
IMPORTANT NOTE
IMPORTANT NOTE
Very nice owner. BIG space, lovely garden, spacious kitchen, nice bedrooms, all the amenities needed to cook etc. Highly recommended.
Had a great time at grandmas house! Lovely house, wonderful backyard! Sheets could use work and shower curtain was a little moldy but overall had a great time
We had an unfortunate reason to need a place in the Bay Area. Our son's best friend was killed in an accident and we were soooo grateful to find a affordable, centrally located place where we could stay. It was my husband, son, his wife and our 4 year old grandson. The wooden train set was very helpful!! We didn't spend alot of time there but were very appricitative to have a cozy sweet place to stay!!
This property had some pros and cons: Pros: Good location, roomy house. Acceptable kitchen. Cons: The place is not clean. The beds are awful and the bedding is horrible. The shower curtain was awful. The full garden outside and the exercise area were unusable due to uncleanliness or debris in the backyard, like loose fencing and other stuff. I could go on. The owner could really improve this sweet home with more attention to detail. I have run my own VRBO and an investment in good linens and a good cleaning service would transform this house.
Other than the extreme weather changes at night making the downstairs sleeping quarters very cold, we had a very nice stay. Being in the middle of the eastbay made travel to different cities pleasurable.
Located in a beautiful residential part of Berkeley made this a very peaceful stay.
The location and access to stores walks and restaurants was fun Hosts were nice
This property is not well looked after. It’s a home that is actively under construction, but most things are old and threadbare, especially sheets, pillows, comforters, towels, etc. The kitchen drawers and cupboards are a mess, a jumble of very old utensils. Old is not necessarily bad, but the stuff is not organized or well laid out. The TV is tiny and only has regular antenna channels. There are a lack of curtains in more then one room. The refrigerator was not working at all, so our food got warm. There were things like an old robe hanging in the bathroom, slippers in a couple of rooms, clothes in the hamper. The sunroom is filled with old furniture and broken bits of stuff. The walls in hallway had been stripped. It just felt very neglected and unused. I think it could be a nice property with some TLC. Also, the neighbor downstairs was fairly loud for awhile.
We enjoyed our stay tremendously! The location was amazing. The rooms spacious for hosting family dinners. The kitchen was well equipped. The backyard beautiful. Our host was easy to connect with and helpful.