Picking an Airbnb from the famed sprawl of Los Angeles was no easy task: Did I want a mountain retreat in Topanga, a Malibu beach bungalow with ocean views, or a West Hollywood apartment close to the action on Sunset Strip?
It would be my first time spending more than a day in the City of Angels, an overdue visit to see my younger brother who had recently moved to Santa Monica. A weekend at an Airbnb in Venice Beach, I decided, would allow for an introductory sampler of LA’s coast, iconic landmarks, and nightlife.
I didn’t know that just a few weeks later, the LA fires would devastate parts of the city I had just begun to love. Now, local businesses need tourists to return to support recovery efforts. Many neighborhoods, including Venice Beach, were fortunately untouched by the flames; If you’re planning a trip to LA, look no further for the perfect home base.
The second I saw the listing, called the “Oxford Triangle Glass and Concrete Oasis,” I knew this was a property worth planning a trip around. Built by renowned local architect Matthew Royce, the two-bed, two-and-a-half-bath home is a design-lover’s dream—and one of the top-rated LA homes on Airbnb. Most importantly, it’s located just one block away from the shops and restaurants on Abbot Kinney, a 10-minute walk from the Venice canals, and an 18-minute walk or five-minute drive from the beach.
Check-in and check-out were simple thanks to a smart lock, and the host was responsive to customer queries. Having been duped by professional photography and fish-bowl lenses in the past, I was relieved to find the home was just as stunning in real life as it was in the photos—from the beautiful banana leaf plants by the front door to the concrete detailing in the bathrooms. But the real show-stopper? A hydraulic floor-to-ceiling window wall in the living room that lifts open to overlook the front patio, allowing us to enjoy the sunshine and ocean breeze from the comfort of the leather couch.
