Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Cliff House?

Cliff House is located very near the intersection of Summit Road and Soquel-San Jose Road in Los Gatos CA. It is adjacent to the famous Silver Mountain Winery off Miller Cutoff Road. When you reserve a suite we will provide directions.

What’s the neighborhood like?

The neighborhood is on a picturesque, well maintained, private road. The homes are quite beautiful and discreetly nestled in the forest or on the mountaintop. Properties are very large, and many have private hillside vineyards.

Is the drive scary?

No. Summit Road (to/from state route 17) and Soquel-San Jose Road (to/from Capitola and Santa Cruz) are very easy, wide sweeping roads through the country. They are not scary at all. The road to Cliff House is 1/3 mile, and is very well maintained. It has a few tight-ish turns, but is very easy to drive. The only real risk is hitting animal if you drive too fast.

Tell me about the local wineries?

The wineries are amazing and fun. Wright’s Station, Silver Mountain, Regale, Burrell School and Loma Prieta Vineyards are close enough that you could almost hit them with a rock. Also nearby is David Bruce, Testerossa, Storrs and so many others (we’ll provide you with a map to all of the local wineries). They all make fantastic wines and reside on beautiful locations. We think Loma Prieta Winery has the most spectacular view we’ve seen. From time to time, we can provide free tasting vouchers from some of the wineries.

How about food and restaurants?

There is a wonderful gourmet supermarket at the end of the street called Summit Center. Guests have commented that it has an amazing selection of meat and seafood. They make premade meals which are outstanding. There is also a wonderful farmstand on Summit Road. It is known for the large orchards they maintain, and awesome honey from their bee farms. So if you want to enjoy or cook all this fresh food at the house, we’ve got you covered. There is a huge, well equipped gourmet kitchen, and a large gas BBQ grill just outside on one of the patios.

Great restaurants are pleantiful in Capitola and Santa Cruz. Our favorite is Shadowbrook, long famous for being one of the most romantic restaurants around, and it is a major inspiration for what we’re doing at Cliff house. Super fresh seafood is amazing at the Crow’s Nest on the Santa Cruz harbor. We also love The Cats, on Route 17 in Los Gatos. They have great live music almost every night, and great steaks and BBQ. We have been known to graze here perhaps once each week. We’ll be happy to tell you more - just contact us.

How about drive times and road conditions?

Realistically, it takes about 25 minutes from Cliff House to reach the Capitola - Santa Cruz area on an easy road (Soquel - San Jose Road). This road is never crowded. Similarly, it takes about 25 minutes to get to Los Gatos in the Valley as well.

Tell me about morning/afternoon commute to the Valley?

Driving to San Jose, Santa Clara, and Cupertino are easy enough, traveling down State Road 17. SR 17 is a highway that is heavily trafficked, and provides reasonable access to Cisco, Apple and other tech giants (lots of our neighbors work at these companies). Dave commutes to Menlo Park on the peninsula, and Linnea commutes to Campbell easily.

We advise that South Bay access is usually fine, but if you need to travel 85 at all during rush hour, Cliff House is probably not your best choice. We do host a lot of engineers who travel after rush hour in the morning and evening. This is usually a breeze.

Tell me about the history of the area?

The summit area of Los Gatos has an interesting and rich history. In the late 1800s, the area was a thriving, heavily populated community, with native forests cut down to support large fruit orchards. There was a narrow gauge railroad which crossed the mountains from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz through a complex system of over twenty tunnels. The train and towns were badly damaged in the 1906 earthquake and later, a very large explosion destroyed a long tunnel near Wrights Station, tragically killing over 100 workers. Shortly thereafter the train was decommissioned and the many thriving towns slowly became ghost towns. Most are now overgrown and only place names mark their locations. In the 1940s, the Army destroyed all train tunnel entrances and exits to ensure public safety. Today, most of the orchards are gone, overgrown by natural forest and vegetation. The local population is a fraction of what it once was.

Do you allow children?

We think the altitude of the home, and the cliff it rests on, make it necessary to closely watch your children. See our terms and policies for detail.

How about pets?

See our terms and policies for detail.

How about smoking?

We are extremely fire conscious. We do not permit smoking of any kind anywhere on the property, inside or outside.

How about wi-fi and cell coverage?

Both blazingly fast. No problem.

Any safety issues we should know about?

There are a few things to note. See our terms and policies for detail. Mostly, we respectfully request that no one in your party fall over the cliff, and please respect our fire safety precautions by not smoking.

Describe the atmosphere and social interaction at Cliff House?

The feel is like a luxury hotel nestled among mountain wineries. All suites are accessed from the lower floor. They each have separate entrances which are keyed to protect and ensure your privacy. What it doesn’t feel like is a kid’s bedroom in a family’s house, a dorm, a youth hostel, a frat house or anything like that.

The entire upstairs is a vast common area including a large gourmet kitchen, media room, large dining room, library/office, and of course… a bar. Apple music is available in most areas. Our guests do not feel like they are in someone else’s home. They have full privacy, but may be as sociable as they wish. We are all very respectful of each other.

Are Dave and Linnea always home, or are all four suites available?

We are usually home, but we do travel from time to time, and renting the master suite or the whole home is possible. Our guests do not need us to be present to enjoy the house.

Is there a maximum stay?

Yes, 29 night stays are the limit. Contact us if this is not sufficient for your needs.

What are check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is between 3:00PM and 9:00PM. Self check-in is the norm. Check-out is 11:00AM.

Do you allow parties?

Every day at Cliff House is a party. However, there is only sufficient parking for one car per suite. Also, parties which include non-guests must be pre-approved.

What are the quiet policies? Will other guests keep me awake?

Quiet time is 9:00PM on weekday nights and 10:00PM on Friday and Saturday, extending until 9 AM each morning.

How about parking?

There is one parking spot for each suite. There is no street parking and no parking at neighboring homes.

Who is Teppy?

You’ll meet him, I’m sure. That’s all I can say.

Have you ever seen a Sasquatch up there?

There he is.