"A Living Canvas" A home with views you will not forget! Reviews, Deals & Photos 2026

10/10 Excellent

Katie A.

25 Sept 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing view of the mountains and large, relaxing home!! Very quiet and peaceful. Would stay again for sure!

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ivy K.

6 Jul 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing house for vacation

10/10! The house has such a beautiful view to the lake and the mountains. Everything is so clean. The hosts John and Sarah are so welcoming and so friendly, checking in on us a lot and making sure we have everything we need. My family and friends all have a wonderful time staying here this weekend

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Patt M.

27 Feb 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet quiet quiet

Yes the views were spectacular but listening to the quiet was glorious!Host couldn’t have been nicer so our stay always felt like he had our back any time we might need him which fortunately the need didn’t arise.

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Linda D.

23 Aug 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful! Our stay was an absolute pleasure. This spacious, very clean, well kept, relaxing, beautiful home has amazing views of the lake, mountains, and sunsets and also includes great amenities. The kitchen is well-stocked, there is plenty of outdoor seating, the beds are comfortable with nice bedding, and the furniture has an inviting layout with quality seating that makes you feel at home. On the comfy outdoor furniture we enjoyed lake and sunset views; at night we star gazed (witnessed shooting stars); we loved the spacious jacuzzi where we watched a sunset, and had so much fun in the cozy, entertaining, and comfortable movie room.Host was responsive, provided clear and timely communication, friendly, and accommodating.Highly recommended! We would definitely stay here again.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cecly G., san diego, ca

27 Nov 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend

We stayed at the living Canvas house and had a great time

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Margaret G.

30 Oct 2017

Solitude & Silence

Wonderful time, wonderful property.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer M.

17 Jul 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful views

The house was beautiful and welcoming. The instructions on how to get there were detailed which made it easier to get to the house. Going up the mountain to get to the house was a little scary for me but, after the first time, it wasnt so bad. You get used to the road and know what to expect. The house was fully stocked and labeled which was much appreciated. We didnt have to rummage through everything to find certain items. They had coffeee available which was a plus. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Caitlyn A.

16 Apr 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

This place is absolutely beautiful , perfect for our stay ! Great fishing nearby , views that will take your breath away . Owner was great with any questions I had ! Would recommend!!!!!

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alison M., San Diego

11 Jan 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible views!!

We had a very nice getaway at this home. We appreciated all the cleaning guidelines they are following during Covid. The layout of the house was great and we enjoyed the deck and stars.

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth r.

13 Nov 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful views

Snowed in the first few days but the view on day 3 was lovely. Lots of firewood for us to keep warm. House held up fantastic in the high winds. Kids loved the movie area. Would definitely stay again!

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Mugdha L.

5 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Scenic views!

Scenic view from the property. We stayed there for a couple of bights with family and friends and enjoyed the views from the lake to the mountains to the milky way right from the house! Will come back again!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cammy E.

28 Nov 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Much needed getaway

My family needed a getaway from the hustle and bustle of our everyday routine and this home provided just what we needed. It’s such a cozy welcoming home in a gorgeous place. The layout of the home is perfect for a large family or group of friends. The views are beautiful and the stargazing is amazing!! The hosts are wonderful. They were communicative and friendly. We will definitely be back.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary R.

2 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

BEST Views EVER!

John was absolutely amazing. Very responsive and helpful. The house is in a perfect location and the VIEWS!!! Thank you so much, John and Sara, for sharing your beautiful home with us.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lauren R.

20 Jun 2018

Another amazing stay

Beautiful house inside and out! I have rented from John several times, and as always, it is a flawless experience from beginning to end. I will continue to rent his properties when I need them for retreats. Thank you again, John.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

23 Aug 2017

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Awesome views and experience

Very clean and elegant. A/C blows cold and the views are million dollar ones. Sunsets were just amazing and the lake view is unbelievable. Very quiet and easy to access. Very safe and lots to do at Lake Cuyamaca or in the town of Julian which is only 10 minutes away.

10/10 Excellent

Sarah R.

26 Feb 2018

Perfect house for a cozy weekend with friends!

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful home with us! We were 3 families with young kids and this was a great house for our weekend away. Aside from some minor difficulty with the gate code, things could not have gone smoother. The house was clean, comfortable, and as pictured. The views truly are remarkable. Thank you so much and we hope to come back sometime!

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Adriana S.

14 Jun 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Landscape Artist of the Year

We watch a show called Landscape Artist of the Year and even though the landscapes painted are mostly in England, we think this property's views would qualify to be portrayed! Absolutely beautiful views! And the star gazing was awesome! The response and attentiveness of the host, John, was exceptional! Thanks John!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Paul L., San Diego, California

17 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic property and host

We had very high expectations and the property did not disappoint. Spectacular views (lake, mountains, sunrise, sunset), well maintained and clean, spacious rooms, good family layout, and a well appointed kitchen for a rental. There are lots of things to do in the area, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, photography, visiting Julian, and just relaxing and soaking it all in. John was a wonderful host and was quick to respond to inquiries. He was determined to make sure we had a wonderful stay at 'Living Canvas'. Thanks for sharing your getaway, we will be back!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Heather R.

5 Dec 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

50th bday weekend

My friends and our adult daughters thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in the mountains to celebrate my 50th bday (10 ppl the first night, 13 the second). The views were spectacular, the beds were comfy, the fireplace was cozy, the kitchen was well-stocked with pot, pans, utensils, etc. We made the short drive to the Cushi-Pi (Stonewall Peak) trail and it was a great hike to the top. The instructions for checki-in/check-out and driving directions were clear, questions to the owner were answered quickly, and all communication was friendly. We definitely want to come back.

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Judith B.

21 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Magical Family Gathering

This place is truly magical. The house itself has all the comforts, with three nicely separated bedrooms all with comfortable beds with high quality bedding. The views from every side inside and out are incredible and ever changing. Our nights were spent outside watching the sunset and then the endless array of stars, planets and meteors(!), all accompanied by music from the incredible turntable and sound system generously provided by the hosts. There was a large selection of tables and chairs to choose from on the deck, and they were easy to arrange into different groupings for different activities. We also loved eating dinner at the table up past the waterfall next to the large grill, which turned out great meals for us night after night, capped off with the Julian apple pie that was left for us by the hosts. That area also has a fire pit surrounded by comfortable chairs that we would love to try next time we visit. The outside was so breathtaking that we spent very little time in the media room, but we were very impressed by the large screen tv with a broad array of streaming services available, along with a nice selection of movie candy, another generous touch in a house full of them. We took some great hikes in the surrounding area, but other than those outings no one wanted to leave the property for anything; nothing else could compete with the comfort inside and the beauty outside.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Tori M.

21 Dec 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great views

What a great place to stay! The view is amazing and the open layout of the living room and kitchen invites everyone to gather together for quality time. John was very responsive and explained everything we needed to know. I would definitely come back again with my family!

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Frank C.

13 Nov 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing views!

This home has amazing views of the mountains and lake from every room! The home is clean and comfortable and great for families. The owner went the extra mile to bring in an additional wheel chair ramp to accommodate our three family members who needed wheel chair access. That being said, I would caution anyone needing total wheel chair access that the walkway leading to the wheel chair accessible door is very steep and is very difficult to negotiate if the wheel chair person weighs more than about 170 lbs. Above that weight, you really need two people to safely push anyone up the walkway.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cathy S.

24 Apr 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful place

Very nicely kept home with lots of space. We had 8 adults and 4 kids and were very comfortable. Beautiful views and great night skies! Close to Lake Cuyamaca where we hiked & fished. Plus, the Pub at the lake had awesome food and fabulous employees! Loved it and will be back again.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Yessenia B.

23 Dec 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Start of a new tradition!

We came here to start our first tradition of getting together with friends and family before Christmas and this place was the perfect home to begin it! The views were unbelievable, we did not want to miss not one sunrise or sunset. We enjoyed the amenities and supplies provided to us by the hosts. The host was amazing in communicating with us before and during our trip. Also enjoyed the pie they left us! Just the sweetest. This trip will be one for us to always remember! <3

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Tom t.

20 Jul 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing View!

The place is great and the view is incredible. John was very easy to deal with and everything went smoothly. 5 stars

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

"A Living Canvas" A home with views you will not forget!

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