My husband, dog, and I stayed at Trabucco Gardens for three nights in early April. Our goal was to rent a secluded house to spend time in, unplug, and be away from other people. At the end of the trip we both rated our experience as 3.5/5 stars, rounding up to 4/5.
The Great:
- The property was even more beautiful than the photos with stunning wildflowers, rocky hills, fun wildlife, and beautiful oak trees.
-The night sky was beautiful and the observatory was a cool addition. We were not able to get it to work on our trip, but had we tried earlier, I am sure Mike would have helped us to figure it out.
-The house was incredibly clean, check in was easy, and the bedding and towels were very soft.
- Complimentary snacks, coffee, and tea were provided and much appreciated.
- A number of DVDs and books were provided about the area and the night sky.
The Neutral:
-Based on the photos, we expected to be concerned with foxtail and our dog. During our stay, the foxtail was all still green, but in a few weeks it would be everywhere. This should be obvious from the photos and doesn't take away from our review, but is something to mention to other dog owners.
-While check out time is listed as 11 am, the door automatically changes the key code at 10:30 am and will lock you out. This is mentioned in the instructions, so that is good but still seemed unnecessary and was annoying when we forgot and couldn't wash our hands after taking the trash out.
- Also mentioned in the instuctions, but not in the listing, is the potential for hearing gun shots in the area. This was fine, but something others should be a bit more aware of before staying here.
The Not-So-Great:
- Not mentioned in the ad is another rental property about 200 feet away from this one. There is also another building and camper on the property nearby. While not really an issue during our stay, we did not get the seclusion we imagined and the fact that that this wasn't mentioned was a little disappointing. Exploring also felt limited as a trail near the cabin ends with a sign that says authorized personnel only.
- The pillows and bedding were not comfortable and we regretted not bringing our own from home.
- While technically stocked, we did have to get creative using the kitchen. For example, there are many different pots, and even more lids, but only one lid/pot combination fit together.
Overall, we had a great time and just think the ad should more accurately reflect the property.
