Entire home·Private host

Beautiful Peaceful Home away from Home Surrounded by Nature 10 mins to downtown

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Photo gallery for Beautiful Peaceful Home away from Home Surrounded by Nature 10 mins to downtown

Exterior
Smart TV, fireplace, DVD player, books
Beach towels
Interior
Exterior detail

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6232 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Outdoor space
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace

Explore the area

View in a map
Santa Barbara, CA
  • Place, More Mesa
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Upper State Street
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Airport, Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal)
    ‪13 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Beautiful Peaceful Home away from Home Surrounded by Nature 10 mins to downtown

(Owners occupy upstairs unit with private exterior entrance. No shared space.. )

If you’re looking to get away to a quiet, peaceful comfortable place to-- relax, “work from home” or explore our beautiful City and surrounding areas, come to Santa Barbara and stay with us for awhile. About 10 minutes from SB Cottage hospital or Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, Nature’s Retreat is also an ideal and comfortable place to stay while recuperating from surgery. With high speed WiFi, a great fully equipped kitchen, and lots of outdoor surrounding space for walks, hikes, and the beach, Nature’s Retreat offers you a great “home away from home.” Bring your bikes- a wonderful bike path is just down the street. Whether you’re planning to cook or take advantage of all the restaurants providing takeout, or the many food delivery services available, all are at your fingertips. Restaurants are open for indoor and outdoor dining.
Upon your arrival you’ll find the home thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to the best of our ability, using cleaning methods recommended by the CDC. You can be assured that all remotes, light switches, cabinet knobs and pulls and door knobs are disinfected also.

Private, secluded, and "Romantic", this beautiful and spacious home is near More Mesa, "one of the most outstanding scenic and environmentally sensitive pieces of undeveloped open space remaining on the Coast of Southern California." As a bird refuge (128 species) and natural animal habitat, you may see everything from Red-tailed Hawks, Squirrels, Rabbits, Raccoons, Opossum and Skunk, to Coyote, Fox and sometimes even Bobcats. We also have chickens, and when the hens are laying can offer you some fresh eggs. No rooster.

The retreat is walking distance to one of Santa Barbara s most beautiful beaches. (Due to it s seclusion it has a reputation as a "clothing-optional" beach.) This beautifully decorated approximately 2500 sq. foot home with vaulted ceilings, ceiling fans and lots of windows, has an "open" floor plan with living room, dining room and kitchen area sharing one large space.
All this looks out on a lovely stone terrace that features a magnificent very old oak tree, and beautiful views of nature just out the back door. A great setting for outdoor dining or just relaxing.

The living room has the feel of a European "Country House", with the casual elegance of comfortable sofas and chairs around a fireplace that features an architectural antique carved wood mantel. There are touches of individually picked Architectural antique carved pieces throughout the home, including the soaring antique columns with stone bases from India that support the main arch to the dining area. The dining table seats 6 but can expand with table "leaves." There is a large bookcase/ entertainment center with 52" flatscreen TV and Blu Ray player. The home is equipped with Cox high speed Panoramic WIFI. We have one network for range and one for speed.

There is a fully equipped kitchen with center island, Dacor stovetop and Bar seating for 5, Dacor double ovens, a Miele dishwasher, and a Wine Fridge. There is also a comfortable loveseat facing the kitchen.

All bedrooms feature luxury all cotton sheets, down comforters and down pillows. We have alternative down options for the master suite.
The romantic Master suite features a California King Aireloom pillow top bed, beautiful custom fabrics, a fireplace that is open to the bedroom and bathroom, and a walk- in closet. It has a garden view with fountain and often hummingbirds, doves, gold finches, and many other types of birds visit there. The bathroom features honed travertine floors and countertop with custom tile trim and double sinks. There is a separate private area for shower and toilet.

The second bedroom has a queen size Aireloom bed, designer fabrics, a view of beautiful nature with a French door out to the back deck.

The charming third bedroom is very cozy, and features a Pine Sleigh bed with full size mattress, and custom fabrics.

The second bathroom has a single sink and vanity and a tub- shower combo and toilet.

The owners occupy the upstairs unit with exterior private entrance. There is NO SHARED SPACE. The main floor and exterior area are yours and your privacy and ours, is assured.

Near miles of trails on More Mesa----- the area is a Bird-Watchers delight. The University (UCSB) to the West and Downtown Santa Barbara to the South are just 10 minutes away.
Easy access to biking and hiking.
A bike path that will take you both West and South is close by

Whether you re interested in a vacation rental or possibly a longer stay-a month to month rental is also available-Please contact the owners.

This is an ideal place for vacationers, writers, patients recovering from surgery in the Santa Barbara area, corporate lodging, visiting Doctors or faculty, or someone who is remodeling or building a home in the Santa Barbara area and needs a comfortable place to stay during construction.
If you re looking for peace and quiet in a country setting but want to be close to downtown Santa Barbara, or UCSB, the Retreat is the perfect place for you.
During your stay at this vacation home, you're just a quick walk from More Mesa. Free WiFi and a kitchen are available in the vacation home.
  • The vacation home offers a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a fireplace
  • Free WiFi
  • Amenities include a terrace
  • 5 minutes by car from Upper State Street and 11 minutes from University of California, Santa Barbara
This vacation home offers its guests a terrace, barbecue grills, and a garden. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car recommended
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Kitchen island
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio
  • Terrace

Laundry

  • Laundromat nearby

Comfort

  • Ceiling fan
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: Absolutely no smoking anywhere on the premises

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board
  • Meal delivery service

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near a zoo
  • Near the marina
  • Near the sea

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Casino nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Ice skating nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Whale watching nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 2,500 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 40

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Guests can access their accommodation through a private entrance
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Check-out instructions

The host requires you complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Gather used towels and store extra beds
Remove personal items and take out the trash
Turn off the lights and return the keys
If any furniture ( interior or exterior),pillows, bedding, flashlights, hangers, etc., are moved or removed from rooms please return to original locations.
Take out any recycles and dispose of items in blue recycle cans, throw empty plastic bag in beige trash can.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Rules

No loud music or TV after 10pm. Pls be respectful
Guests must do their own dishes and empty trash and recycles
If any furniture is moved-interior or exterior-please return to original location. Same applies to flashlights. Please don’t remove velvet hangers

Access methods

Private entrance

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Note from host: Please discuss with owner

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Absolutely no smoking anywhere on the premises

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Guests can access their accommodation through a private entrance. You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking. An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking.

Property is also known as

Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min Downtown Santa Barbara House
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min House
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min Downtown Santa Barbara
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min Downtown Santa Barbara House
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min House
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min Downtown Santa Barbara
Natures Retreat Beautiful peaceful romantic 10 min House
Natures Retreat Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min House
Natures Retreat Beautiful peaceful romantic 10 min
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic! 10 min From Downtown Santa Barbara
Natures Retreat Beautiful Peaceful Romantic 10 min
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic! 10 min From Downtown Santa Barbara
Beautiful Peaceful Romantic! 10 min From Downtown Santa Barbara

Beautiful Peaceful Home away from Home Surrounded by Nature 10 mins to downtown Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 102 out of 117 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 117 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 117 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 117 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 117 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Jill C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful backyard.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely setting and quiet. Plenty of room for gatherings.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patricia J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A beautiful place in a beautiful location. Loved all the birds. We had a great experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

laurel r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Home

The property was beautiful and the owners were very hospitable. We highly enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Deborah O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house!

We loved our stay. The house was big, clean and beautiful. Loved the yard.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tranquil Stay

Tranquil stay in a peaceful setting. Cathy and Jim have a lovely house in a beautiful environment. We had a peaceful time staying with them.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

mindy b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect place to getaway!

We had a great time in this beautiful home thanks to Cathy & Jim! The house was clean and beautiful, but also in the perfect location to take a walk to the awesome private beach If we ever are back in the Central Coast, this will be our place to stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Santa Barbara break

We took a break from our driving to stay a while in a very nice house in a beautiful natural setting. The house had everything, and the hostess was warm and welcoming. An excellent visit overall.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely place

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.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous property

Not often are the photos as good as the actual property but in this case they are. We loved this home, the location and the amenities including a wonderful kitchen and cosy spacious living room. We had a great stay
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeannie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Country home

Very lovely home, well stocked and comfortable. Quiet and secluded but still close enough to every thing we wanted to do.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cathy and Jim’s home is tucked away in secluded spot but still easily accessible to everywhere. Wonderful woodsy with lots of wildlife. Perfect spot for the grandkids to have a Yahtzee tournament with the “old folk”. Cathy was very responsive to any requests and a delight to spend a few minutes conversing with her about her background in the entertainment industry. Make sure you take the time for a short visit, she was delightful.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dana H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

More Mesa SB retreat

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.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mijail S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful

Beautiful home and landscape, courteous and attentive hosts
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gladys M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely home with all amenities needed

Lovely home with all the amenities needed for our family gatherings. Outdoor BBQ and patio, full kitchen, living area was spacious and comfortable. Host was very responsive and available. Looking forward to staying here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rose O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

Cathy's home was the perfect place for my family to stay during preparations for our son's wedding. It was beautifully relaxing at the end of several wonderful but exhausting days. Cathy was a gracious and responsive host who happily shared her family history when we asked about the photos on her wall.
Beautiful side-yard
Family History Shared
Backyard Honey Tree
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lisa G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful

Location is perfect - a mile walk to the beach. Home is beautiful, inside and out. Relaxing on the patio was peaceful with bunnies and hummingbirds. The entire stay was excellent.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laura M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anna’s Wedding

Loved the outside areas and the ability to relax with family. So many birds to watch and listen to.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Chris J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

GREAT PROPERTY

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.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wendy B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Glorious setting for time with friends

This property was gorgeous - peaceful and exquisite. The owners were lovely. All communication was thorough and helpful. A perfect oasis.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heidi G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great quiet getaway

Lovely property and really quiet. It was a gem. My family stayed for a week during a family wedding. It was perfect and we were extremely comfortable. Great deck in the back. I’d love to stay longer
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Linda R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

lovely property

This is a lovely home--beautiful furnishings, everything you'd want in a kitchen and a hydrangea-filled backyard. The owners have recently added a great new barbeque, which we used quite a bit! Also, the owners were wonderful to deal with. Highly recommended!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lyn K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Garden Setting

This home is in a lovely, quiet garden setting. We were five adults and one infant and there was plenty of room for all of us. The home was quite clean and comfortable, and while the owners live upstairs we rarely heard any sounds at all from their quarters. The location was close to town and grocery and other stores were close by. There are several easy walks nearby to a bike path or towards the bluffs overlooking the ocean. A very nice location for a visit to Santa Barbara.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeff b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing weekend

We spent the New Year’s weekend at this beautiful property. It was exactly as advertised and thus the great reviews. Cathy was most responsive and the entire booking and checkout process was easy, and the communication was excellent. We would not hesitate to book again. We had a wonderful time.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nicole B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house in a beautiful area

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!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022