Situated on over half an acre near the sea, 'The Tortuga' is a magical refuge. From the moment you walk in or soak in the hot tub, you will instantly be transported to a vacation state of mind. Livable luxury meets Tommy Bahama vibes, there is so much to enjoy in this completely remodeled home that you are guaranteed to leave smiling! From the hot tub to the 007 mural, there is no detail that its award-winning designer did not expertly consider to ensure this is the vacation of your dreams. HEY FRIENDS!!! (my momma was really into Mr. Rogers and taught me that strangers are just friends you have yet to make, so I look forward to the day where we get to become friends!). CLIFF NOTES: This house, which we lovingly refer to as “The Tortuga”, is bomb-diggity. And to top it off, it is located inside the gated beachside community of Pajaro Dunes which just so happens to be pure magic. Pajaro Dunes is located in Santa Cruz County and is an easy drive to Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel. If you want to stay in an immaculately designed, completely renovated crown jewel by the sea, look no further than this masterpiece! It was just opened as a vacation rental for the first time and is certain to serve as an oasis for your beachside getaway. ***** THE SPACE: -3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (yes, really, four full bathrooms!) -2,100 square feet -Completely Open Concept Upstairs with Kitchen/Dining/Living Room -Views of the ocean, river, agriculture fields and sand dunes (this home is “second row” meaning there is only one house between it and the ocean) -Soaking hot tub for 4 built into the primary bedroom deck -No expense spared remodel (just ask my husband, he’ll happily complain to you about it!) of the entire home designed by the award-winning KBG Design -Personality Galore ***** DETAILS: LIVING SPACES: The entire upstairs has been completely opened up to take full advantage of all of the surrounding beautiful views of the ocean, river, and dunes (with the exception of the bathroom and pantry- thankfully those have doors!). On the front wraparound deck you can view the majestic ocean, waves, large cypress tress and surrounding dunes. Off the rear deck you can see the Pajaro River and agricultural fields. The upstairs bathroom has a claw foot tub and shower- the tub is perfect for a deep soak or bathing all the kiddos after a day at the beach while you cook dinner (or put takeout on plates- no judgement here!). The ocean facing walls have two large accordion doors that open entirely to take in the rapturous views and sounds of the sea. Feel free to relax and take in a good book on the rocking chairs! The dining table seats 8 and the island (which feels like the size of a small city!) seats 4, so there is plenty of room to spread out and eat. The back deck has a propane bbq for your use while you are here- please just observe the HOA rules about tending to BBQs at all times. There is also a large table we lovingly refer to as the “puzzle table” perfect for family games or jigsaw puzzles. KITCHEN: The kitchen has everything you need for cooking a feast and entertaining the family while you do.... or plating takeout if you are like me ;) . The cooktop is induction for very fast heating and a Keurig will be there for your morning (or afternoon) coffee fix! There's also plenty of gadgets like a crock pot and waffle maker. Let me know if you have any specific requests about gadgets! SLEEPY TIME (or nap time): My kids call The Tortuga an "upside down house" because all of the bedrooms are downstairs so that the living spaces upstairs take advantage of the ocean view. All of the downstairs bedrooms have beautiful views of the dunes and surrounding trees and scenery. The primary bedroom has a king-sized bed with a Tempur-Pedic mattress and attached en-suite that includes two showers (both fully functional at the same time- no diverter! Ohhh fancy pants!), and two sinks (well technically it’s more fun than that- it’s two faucets with one trough sink). Off the primary bedroom is a deck with a built-in round cedar hot tub. Relax after a cold dip in the ocean with a good book or a glass of wine. The hot tub can fit a maximum of 4 at a time. The second bedroom has a queen-sized bed with Temper-Pedic mattress and blackout shades. Sweet dreams. Directly across the hall is a bathroom with a shower. The third bedroom (aka the bunk room aka a kids paradise!) has two sets of bunk beds- the bottoms are full sized luxury mattress beds and the tops are Twin XL (so adults can sleep in them if they are so inclined). There is an attached en suite with a tub and shower combo and dual sinks (with super fun wallpaper!). KIDS OR NO KIDS: This home is fantastic if you have kids with you, and if you don’t have any kids I hope that you cherish your sleep (and your waistline). This home is great for kid-free trips as well: I have had many amazing ladies weekend here. If you happen to be traveling with your littles, enjoy using the selection of toys and games as well as the pack-n-play, high chair, changing pad, baby monitor, and stroller… the list goes on! All tall furniture is safety strapped to the walls so you do not need to worry about littles pulling anything down on themselves or earthquakes (ask me about what I was doing during the infamous 1989 earthquake!). A few things to consider when staying here with littles: there are three decks so we ask that you please watch any little Houdini’s that like to scale railings closely. Additionally the hot tub cover can be clipped and locked- please please please make sure it is locked when it is not in use if you have children traveling with you. EV CHARGING: There is a paid EV Charging station near the gatehouse you are welcome to use. The nearest Tesla Supercharger is at the Target in Watsonville. MISC: The downstairs hallway has full laundry and cabinets with beach essentials and recreation court gear: beach towels, beach blankets, beach games, tennis gear, bocce set, pickle ball gear... the list goes on! Under the house is where the sandy stuff lives- beach toys and chairs and boogie boards. OUTDOORS: THE BEACH. Miles of sand. Surfing, boogie boarding, running, playing, sandcastle building, kite flying- the sky is the limit! Our home is on over half an acre which has an enormous tree with a tree swing that can be enjoyed by the kiddos! OUTDOOR SHOWER: Booya. With hot water to boot! PLEASE take advantage of the outdoor shower and hose to rinse off sandy bodies and warm up after time on the beach before entering the home. PAJARO DUNES RESORT: Pajaro Dunes is beyond magical and we think you will have a glorious time here. There is an abundance of nature everywhere you look. If it’s been a few years since you’ve taken Spanish, “pajaro” means bird and so not surprisingly there is ample birdwatching (and every street in the community is named after a beach bird!). We’ve also seen whales, dolphins and otters from the home just to name a few aquatic animals. Pajaro Dunes is a gated resort community and staying here includes access to tennis courts, pickle ball, sand volleyball, horseshoes, bocce ball, basketball courts, human-sized chess sets- it’s like summer camp for everyone!!! As a gated community, you will have to check in with a gatehouse for a parking pass upon arrival, but the house has keyless entry. If you get food or grocery delivery during your stay, you will need to call access for them into the gatehouse. If you use Shipt, Target delivers to the house (this has saved me a TON of times!) and Instacart can bring groceries. Many homes in Pajaro Dunes are only accessible via boardwalks and require you cart in your belongings. This home is conveniently located adjacent to a parking area which makes for very easy access which is a huge convenience. ADDITIONAL INFO: The home is a two story home we remodeled to have the entire upstairs open- so there are not a lot of walls to absorb sound. As such, little feet running around upstairs can be heard in the bedrooms below. Each bedroom is equipped with a sound machine if that is going to be an issue for you (or feel free to sleep with the windows open to hear the ocean!). Or hopefully you are like my husband and can sleep through any noise your kids make (kidding… not kidding). As much as we believe dogs are man (and woman's) best friend, unfortunately the Pajaro Dunes HOA does NOT allow guest pets of any kind. We love ‘The Tortuga’ and hope you will too! WAIT, WHERE ARE YOU???? Not in the house, obviously. But have no fear I’m an insomniac and available all the time should any questions arise. ABOUT ME, SHANNI: The ocean has always had a very special place in my heart and I have dreamed for as long as I can remember of being blessed to have a home along it to call my own. After many (many!) years of saving, my hubby and I bought what we shall call a “diamond in the rough” and set off on a two+ year painstaking journey to renovate it to be the glory it is today. We have lived in the Bay Area and have spent countless weeks and weekends with friends and family making incredible memories here. So you may be wondering, “What on earth, Shanni? If this is your masterpiece home, why on earth is it on Airbnb?”, to which I would respond with, “Hey astute new friend, have you ever heard of the saying, ‘When (wo)man plans, God laughs’?”. As fate would have it, I recently started working for this awesome company that allows remote work and we are embracing their unbelievably amazing policy and relocating for the next year. But please rest assured that we will still be coming back to stay at The Tortuga frequently and will be zealous in ensuring that it is meticulously maintained.