Please consider booking several months in advance for best calendar selection. It's not too early to think holidays for next year.
'Life goes a little bit slower when you enter Mendocino County, mainly because of the winding roads! Shalimere is a PRIVATE HOME located WEST of Highway 1 on the 'ocean side' of the Irish Beach community, well sited to provide maximum privacy. There is a big difference between the East and West side of Irish Beach.
The real vacation starts when you open the door to Shalimere. Hang your keys on the coat rack and walk into the living room. Take a minute to gaze out the front windows at the glorious Pacific Ocean. Open the sliding glass door leading onto the deck, step outside and listen to the waves breaking about 75 yards away. Take 3 deep breaths and your vacation has officially begun. Your next decision is only necessary if you have brought perishables or your pet. Put the perishables in refrigerator or freezer. Take your pet for a walk, whichever has the most immediate need. (probably the pet!)
Bedroom decision time is easy if its adults and children. The adults get the Master bedroom, the kids get the second bedroom If it's all grown ups, then a flip of the coin, 'rock, scissors, paper' or drawing straws may be necessary. Both bedrooms have luxury sheets and down alternative comforters with duvet covers and bathrobes. Bathrooms have Aveda salon hair products (not to be confused with Aveeno) and full size hair dryers. (A few less things to pack!) After deciding---settle in.
Shalimere is pet friendly. There is a large indoor kennel, a large dog bed, plus dog sheets and towels if you have couch potato or bed warmers. There are also pet bowls for water and food, plus a few dog toys should you forget. There is a deck around 75% of the house with gates at both ends. BE SURE 'CLICK' ON THE PET BOX (to the right of the number of adults and children) FOR THE QUOTE TO BE ACCURATE. (Please note, the deck is not baby or pet 'proof') Pet fees are now $50. This is for the privilege of bring your pet. Pet owners are required to clean up after their pets with excessive shedding, paw prints throughout the house, nose markings on the windows. These are NOT included in the pet fee. Damage deposits will be cashed and a minimum of $50/hr will be used to cover the additional cleaning time and billing costs for cleaning or repairing furniture. Pet owners who do not declare their pets and do not pay the pet fee will have their damage deposit cashed. (Unfortunately too many people are not being honest this year) Courtesy to our neighbors by keeping your pet with you on a leash when walking in the community and for excessive barking while staying at our home. It is the law that pets are to be leashed and under control of their owners at all times. Mainly this is to keep your pets safe from the wildlife, bob cats, cougars, deer, etc
The hot tub is ready whenever you are. There are robes in both bedrooms closets if you have forgotten your own. You might want to bring slippers, just in case.
There are many magazines to peruse. Playing cards, several classic board games, jigsaw puzzles, plus seashell guide, hiking guide, kayak guide, tidepool guide, 2021 tide chart, bird books and more. I also have an 'out and about book' for local activities information and keep the Mendocino County Tourist newspaper. The large flat screen TV is hooked up to the Dish Network so you can stay up-to-date with the local major networks, plus CNN, ESPN, TNT with 190 stations or listen to the music channels with a huge variety to choose from. Roku streaming and Bluray collection are also available.
The soapstone gas fireplace starts with just a flip of the switch on the side. I call it 'instant ambiance'.
Shalimere is easy to just stay in and enjoy. If you want to head out to the private beach and are up for a rigorous walk down and back, then go for it! Or you can simply drive down the same gate card key accessed private drive. After all, this is your vacation! The beach is nearly 5 miles long, depending on the tide. Sometimes you have it completely to yourself. You might see a few people. It is only for Irish Beach residents & guests so you may meet a kindred soul. The surf can be mighty - so be watchful. (Because of the strong riptide, water activities are not for the inexperienced)
In the surrounding 25 miles you can find all sorts of diversions, enjoyment, pampering and even giraffes, zebras and other African animals. Exploring the nearby towns can yield many treasures and pleasures. The main thing is to enjoy yourself--have a wonderful time and plan to come back again soon.
Everyone loves a bright sunny day, but there are those of us who love watching whale migrations (or signing up with one of the nearby whale watching groups) or just relaxing on the huge couch with a book and the gas fired soapstone fireplace roaring with heat! The rain and the fog are not deterrents to having a great day. Winter is my personal favorite to watch the storms and to see the whales migrating.
Check out this amazing house at an incredible rate any time of the year. Shalimere is the exception within the Irish Beach community and is the best priced home WEST of Highway 1. (There is a difference being on the Ocean Side of Irish Beach!)
At Shalimere there is no 'high or low' or pricing due to season or weekend rentals. Because I am "independent", my prices are better than those offered by the local rental agencies. The 'free' days they offer with various stays end up the same or more than my home after you add in their "up charges" (higher cleaning & pet fees, non refundable damage fees) Please consider the real overall charges when making a decision. We will send you a customized rental agreement.
Our home has been on VRBO since 2007 and has the MOST number of positive reviews of any home at Irish Beach which are no longer shown due to a listing reset. As of 2017, HomeAway/VRBO charges a service fee of 4-12% which is not reflected on the rental agreement. Therefore the amount you are charged to your credit card will be different than what is shown on our agreement. Just an FYI. This VRBO policy is beyond our control. We pay an annual fee to list my home. If you have any questions about the VRBO service fee, please call VRBO. If for any reason you need to cancel your reservation, you need to do this at your end through VRBO. We cannot cancel without being penalized both in my standing on the website and monetarily for the service fee and credit card fees.
We are always happy to answer questions. The calendar changes frequently so check back or send me a note if you have dates in mind that are currently booked. There are dates that blocked as "downtime" for work to be scheduled or when I am at our home. We are happy to reschedule these whenever possible.
Come enjoy the days on the wild Mendocino coast as summer beckons or for the amazing days of fall, the real 'summer' on the coast. Winter bring incredible weather both rainy and sunny. Nothing like watching the storm roll in while warm and comfy in the house. Shalimere is enjoyable no matter what time of year or the weather. Contact us for copies of past reviews and see how our guests are treated and feel about the house.
(Please note, we keep the availability calendar up to date. VRBO does not show 'pending' listings. We usually hold requested days for 48 hours and then update/remove if we don't hear back or receive the deposit)
All guests must return a signed rental agreement.
Michelle and Dave
Keywords: Vacation Home with Beautiful blue water views
