With the coronavirus cancelling several big trips we had scheduled, our immediate family (2 grandparents, 2 parents, a toddler and an infant) decided we needed a quick and easy getaway. Clearlake was our pick and the house was just about perfect for everything we wanted and needed.
We have rented quite a few homes through VRBO and I must say, this was easily one of the nicest. The furnishings and decor were so tasteful and it was amazingly well stocked for cooking (my guess is the owners are gourmet cooks -- their equipment was all high quality and there was nothing we wanted for cooking our meals that we couldn't find). Everything was clean and in perfect condition. The outdoor kitchen was a definite bonus -- mid-summer in Clearlake is very hot and and cooking and eating on the beautiful deck was the perfect way to end our days. (And drinking coffee out there in the mornings was the perfect way to start the day.)
The house is in a lovely, quiet neighborhood. There is a large park nearby and had the play area not been closed due to covid, it would have been a great spot to take my toddler grandson.
Perhaps the best part of this particular rental was the owner. Eva responded very quickly every time I had a question (and I must admit to asking several). She was extremely helpful and, in fact, when we had some difficulties finding the house from our boat, she spent a considerable amount of time FaceTiming with me so she could see where we were and direct us accordingly. What a lovely person!
My only complaint has nothing to do with the house or the owner; it has to do with the fact that the house is located on a slough rather than actually on the main body of the lake. It's a known fact that during the latter part of the summer, Clearlake develops a considerable amount of algae blooms. Unfortunately, the slough was quite green and algae-filled. In all communications, Eva mentioned that there are no guarantees as to the weather (of course), the water depth or the amount of algae. We had hoped to be able to both swim and fish from the great dock at the house but because of the algae, that was simply not possible. It's a minor complaint - we simply took our boat into the main part of the lake -- perhaps a 5-10 minute ride -- and swam and fished (by the way -- the fishing was great!).
All in all, it was exactly what we wanted - a relaxing time enjoying family in a lovely setting.