Reviews

4.94 Stars from 496 reviews on Airbnb
Guest Favorite– Airbnb Super Host for 7 years

Loved this place! Super fun and interesting house with an amazing garden + hot top and so close to everything in Santa Barbara. couldn't recommend it enough!

Maureen
March 2024

Beautiful, eclectic and spacious place!

Kaitlin
March 2024

Great, unique home with Santa Barbara charm. Outdoor space is beautiful. Our host was helpful and responsive, and flexible with my check-out needs. My friends and I had a great time staying here.

Katy
March 2024

We had a great weekend. Nice place. Had everything we needed for a group of 8.

Reagan
February 2024

This home was magical! It is beautiful, charming, warm, and perfectly situated. The home is filled with books and curious collected over generations, which lends it an extremely inviting aura. My 6 year old was almost in tears upon our departure. She said she didn’t want to leave “Fairy Tale House.” I completely agreed and cannot wait to return to this accessible fantasy.

Taylor
February 2024

This place has character just as described. Beautiful old house with Santa Barbara charm. Beds are very comfortable, and all bedrooms have my favorite white noise makers:) Kitchen had everything we needed, and all cabinets are labeled so everything was very easy to find. I was able to host a nice dinner and serve it in the dining room...there are even table linens available! I really appreciated the huge selection of coffees and that basics for breakfast were provided in the refrigerator. The house is full of interesting art pieces, cool old books, musical instruments, games and a garden that I wish I was able to stay longer to poke around. Maya was a wonderful host and was very easy to reach. It is clear that she puts a lot of thought and effort into making her guests feel at home. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

Kristin
February 2024

We were four women on a girl's trip and we had the best time. The vibe is Miss Honey's house from Matilda. Truly it felt like what Airbnb had in mind when they started the company. We felt so at home! Everyone had their own bedroom and enough bathrooms to never have to wait for someone else. The outdoor space is magical and there are so so many thoughtful touches - kids items. robes, white noise machines, fireplace, all the coffee makers. Hot tub was excellent at the end of the day. Beds were extremely comfortable. The kitchen is better stocked than my own. Felt very private. Cute and walkable area. Good Internet. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone! Plan your trip so you have enough time to enjoy everything the house has to offer!

Katie
February 2024

Really enjoyed our stay Unique house

Jeanine
January 2024

Our family group (3 adult couples) enjoyed our stay here. The place is not going to be to everyone's taste: if you're looking for the generic, spartan Ikea look, it's not for you, but we liked it a lot. It's a rambling old house that has been added onto over the years, with old house quirks. It's full of books (well organized), interesting art, and artifacts. With beautiful plantings you feel like it's out in the forest -- very quiet and private. Comfortable beds, good bedding. The bedroom layout is as described: to access some of the bedrooms you need either to go through another bedroom or across an outdoor patio. Excellent kitchen, very thoughtfully provisioned with coffee, a few snacks, cooking oil, spices, etc. Good WiFi. Excellent, large Jacuzzi. Don't be put off by the strict-sounding rules: Maya was friendly and welcoming and seems to genuinely want her guests to love the place.

Christopher
January 2024

We absolutely loved the house! So unique yet also so easy to use - everything labeled, fully stocked beyond what you could imagine, wonderful linens, new hot tub, stunning grounds, just perfect!

Janet
January 2024

My family and I came up to spend the Christmas week at Maya’s beautiful home. It was the perfect space for our two families with two toddlers, the grandparents, and our dog. Maya was super responsive and easy to communicate with - we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to stay here: A couple stand outs - the house is meticulously labeled. It was the first time at an AirBnB where we had no trouble finding things! The kitchen was fully stocked and the beautiful dining area was great for family dinners. Her collection of children’s books is legendary and many cute nooks (inside and out) to read. And the magical hike by the creek to the museum was stunning. A fantastic getaway for young families!!!

Jeremy
December 2023

Maya was very helpful and friendly. She walked us through upon our arrival, giving us the history of the house and pointing out all the amenities.

Hilary
December 2023

It was an exotic atmosphere. A hidden gem, with the by far the best book collection I’ve come across in an airbnb.

Charles
December 2023

Great place great location. We used Maya’s place for an early holiday gathering with our grown kids. Maya has thought of every amenity- the kitchen is better stocked than my one at home. There was even Christmas plates and linens to make our meals more festive. The gas fireplace made it feel even more homey and the hot tub was a big hit! The location is perfect- a quiet neighborhood that is close to everything. The layout is a bit unusual requiring you to walk through one other bedroom or exit to the outside, but this worked well for us- especially as it provided an easy way to get the dog out. Lastly there is plenty of outdoor space, both in the front and back. It exceeded our expectations!

Tyler
December 2023

Really enjoyed our stay. Maya was a great host, stopped by to see if everything was okay, there was a minor issue with the outdoor lighting which she fixed immediately. Very unique property, wonderful furnishings and art. Very well stocked kitchen with multiple types of coffee makers.

Susan
November 2023

Lovely stay!

Ellen
November 2023

We loved staying at Maya’s little paradise under the oaks! The house has so much character and charm. We went for a UCSB Alumni event with some friends and our two kids (6 and 3) and there was plenty of space and things to enjoy for everyone. We all enjoyed the hot tub at night. And the beautiful foliage all around the property. The kitchen is fully stocked with all you could ever hope for. Maya is so incredibly responsive, friendly, and quick to help out should you need anything or have any questions. There’s also plenty of parking. Would absolutely recommend staying here 🙂

Emily
November 2023

Great place to stay. Super comfortable. The kids and I really loved the place and the space. We hope to be back!

Mark
November 2023

What a wonderful place! 8+ ways to brew a cup of coffee ☕️. 🤪 Comfy, interesting and such a thoughtful and interesting home. We were a group of 5 and all loved this place. Would def rent again .

Lesley
November 2023

Definitely a place to go back to if ever I need a place in Santa Barbara.

Robert
November 2023

Maya’s place was the perfect setting for a small family reunion. The hot tub and fire pit were fun to gather around, and the materials for making s’mores were appreciated. Maya was great, very responsive to our requests.

Nanette
October 2023

This place was perfect for our trip to Santa Barbara. Perfect size for two families. The four kids had plenty of space to play outside and the property is so beautiful. The beds are super comfortable. The kitchen is super stocked with all the kitchen gadgets and grill worked great. This place stands out as one of the best airbnb stays I've every had.

Karen
October 2023

Maya's home was absolutely LOVELY. The listing is very clear with instructions and has plenty of photos so you know what what to expect but seeing this home in person, our expectations were definitely exceeded! On top of that we got to meet Maya upon arrival and she was so nice, showed us around, and offered recommendations. Such a wonderful place and really wish we had more time during our stay to enjoy all that this location has to offer!

Claudia
October 2023

This is a gem. If you are in need of a place to stay near Santa Barbara, Maya’s place is outstanding. Will definitely return.

Martin
September 2023

Excellent location for us. Close to all our family that lives in town. Parking is fantastic!

Andrew
September 2023

Great place!

Ellie
September 2023

Incredible house filled with gorgeous personality. Curated with love. Hoping to return soon!

Carter
August 2023

This stay is amazing. Maya’s house is beautiful and eclectic and filled with so much culture, history, art, and hundreds of books in almost every room, most that were vintage. I wish I had enough time to stay here for a week just to be able to read them and spend all my time there to relax. All of the rooms are extremely clean but comfortable and really cool to explore. Out of the four bedrooms I picked the Asian art room (maybe different name I can’t remember). I’m Asian and it was filled with amazing cultural Chinese and Japanese books and art and Geisha figurines and partitions which I loved. All the other rooms and bathrooms were just as wonderful. The kitchen is fully stocked. I brought stuff from home & felt very silly realizing she had everything we could have needed and more. The jacuzzi is amazing and private. You’ll catch yourself just staring out her windows watching hummingbirds and butterflies. Maya greeted us right when we arrived and was very nice and we love her home.

Alexandria
August 2023

The house was matching exactly the description provided and offering a wide range of comforts. Maya was a wonderful host, reactive and available for any necessity. Definitely recommended.

Vittorino
August 2023

The house was matching exactly the description provided and offering a wide range of comforts. Maya was a wonderful host, reactive and available for any necessity. Definitely recommended.

Vittorino
August 2023

Such a lovely place to spend a weekend with friends. We enjoyed starting our days eating a quiet breakfast under the trees and ending them soaking and chatting in the hot tub. The house is clearly well loved and has tons of character and charm. The large front and back yards are lush and peaceful. One thing that’s worth noting: the bedrooms are arranged in a railroad layout, but the end rooms have exterior doors so you can preserve privacy. Would come back!

Charlotte
August 2023

Maya's place is so nice, private and peaceful. Everything there is wonderful. We are so happy to choose the place as our final stop of our trip. And I think we're glad to stay in there next time.

钰涵
August 2023

Maya is a wonderful host. She shares her childhood home and the space truly looks and feels like a home! The location is very quiet and green. Best to have a car to drive around but walking distance to the SB Natural History Museum. Instructions were very clear and every single thing is the house is labeled. On a hot Day, the bedrooms take a bit longer to cool but the AC works well. I hope we get to come back and stay there again.

Saman
August 2023