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The Mermaid's Perch!

Condo in Aptos with kitchen and balcony

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TV - The Mermaid's Perch! (Aptos)
TV - The Mermaid's Perch! (Aptos)
Outdoor dining - The Mermaid's Perch! (Aptos)
TV - The Mermaid's Perch! (Aptos)
Interior - The Mermaid's Perch! (Aptos)
Rio Del Mar’s oceanfront haven awaits at this bright and beautiful condo, where a 180-degree view of Monterey Bay unfolds. Soak up the sun on the beach, relax in the fresh ocean breeze, or watch whales and dolphins pass by from your private retreat. Enjoy gourmet meals prepared in a well-appointed kitchen with Viking range and granite counters. Take advantage of exclusive guest parking, free WiFi, an outdoor gas BBQ grill with seating for six.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire condo

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Outdoor Space
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill

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About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire condo to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

The Mermaid's Perch!

Summary:
Stunning 180 degree ocean view in Rio Del Mar!

The Space:
This bright and beautiful condo offers a must-see 180 degree view of the Monterey Bay!  
Short-term Rental Permit #231206
The perfect beach holiday awaits you in this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom end-unit condo on Rio Del Mar State beach.

Relax in the fresh ocean breeze and watch the frequently passing whales and dolphins. Enjoy the sunset with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean.  Sleep to the soothing sound of the waves crashing on the sandy shore. Wake up to a peaceful ocean sunrise.  Soak up the sun on a beautiful beach ideal for long walks on the sand.

The living room has abundant natural light, amazing ocean views, hardwood floors, sofas, TV and a gas fireplace. Simultaneously enjoy a warm fire, entertainment and whale-watching.

The home features three appointed bedrooms, including one with a luxurious king-size bed, another with a plush queen-size bed, and a third with two comfortable single beds—an ideal setup for a family seeking both space and relaxation.

The elegant kitchen has custom cabinets, granite counters and another gorgeous ocean view window above a large apron-front sink. The well-appointed kitchen has everything you need for preparing gourmet meals including a Viking range fit for a chef, Subzero refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, various small appliances and plenty of cookware.

This charming and near-perfect condo is not only conveniently situated on the beach - it is also near restaurants and coffee shops with tons local flair!

Why NOT break away from the herd in ordinary hotel rooms and make your home-away-from-home extraordinary!

✔ Strategically located in a place where nature intersects with urban life
✔ Exclusive guest parking in a carport
✔ A gas BBQ grill and an outdoor table with seating for 6. There is no inside dining table, however, we have a fold-up card table with 4 chairs in the closet
✔ Dishes, glassware, flatware and Tupperware are included
✔ Small 4 person dining table & chairs
✔ Free wifi
✔ End-unit condo offers more privacy and maximizes the ocean views
✔ Small (shared ) pool in the complex - Please note that it is heated in the summer only.
✔ Spectacular ocean view (which many units in the complex do not have)

Surf City Rentals Policy
Guests must confirm they have read and agree to the following policies:

No Parties or Disruptive Behavior: Surf City Rentals prohibits parties, open-invite events, disruptive gatherings, and any behavior that disturbs the surrounding community, including excessive noise, visitors, trash, smoking nuisances, parking issues, trespassing, or vandalism.
Cancellation Policy: We strictly adhere to our cancellation policy, and no exceptions will be made.
Trip Insurance: We strongly advise all guests to purchase trip insurance to protect their booking in case of unforeseen circumstances.
By booking, you confirm you have read and agree to these policies.
Thank you!

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby

Pool/Spa

  • Communal pool

Internet

  • Available in the condo: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table

Entertainment

  • TV

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Hardwood flooring in public areas
  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near the sea

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher

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  • Dryer
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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

Non-smoking. No Pets Allowed.

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

65e63f16938379010ad42729

About the neighborhood

Located near the beach, this condo is in Rio del Mar, a neighborhood in Aptos. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Capitola Beach and Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and Boardwalk Bowl are also worth visiting. Visit our Aptos travel guide
View more Condo Rentals in Aptos
Map
Aptos, CA

What's nearby

  • 500px Photo ID: 99992469 - Doing a series of shooting Sunset on California Coast. If you are from California, you know the challenge that the photographers face.
    Rio Del Mar Beach
    3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Take a tour
    Seacliff State Beach
    6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Nice, long hike today. Went down the Bridge Creek Trail, and then to Maple Falls. About an 8-mile total hike. Redwoods everywhere you look, and a deep dark forest that gave lots of 'mood'. We came across a tiny snake! It was just a few inches long, red back, sunning itself on a rock in the middle of the creek.
    The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
    18 min walk - 1.5 km
  • Coastal Golf Course California
    Seascape Golf Club
    2 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Aptos History Museum
    19 min walk - 1.6 km

Getting around

  • San Martin Caltrain Station
    51 min drive
  • Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal)
    17 min drive

Restaurants

  • Starbucks
    2 min drive
  • Whale City Bakery Bar And Grill Aptos
    2 min drive
  • Poki Bowl
    2 min drive
  • Marianne's Ice Cream
    18 min walk
  • Sushi Garden - Aptos
    2 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Mermaid's Perch! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at The Mermaid's Perch!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Mermaid's Perch!?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Mermaid's Perch! located?

Located in Rio del Mar, this condo building is within a 10-minute walk of Seacliff State Beach and Rio Del Mar Beach. The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and Aptos History Museum are also within 2 mi (3 km).

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The Mermaid's Perch! Reviews

Reviews

Exceptional

All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 33 out of 46 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 46 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 46 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 46 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 46 reviews

9.4

Cleanliness

10

Location

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Lesli S.

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

Great location and beautiful home

Very comfortable home with a beautiful view. We definitely enjoyed ourselves.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Vincent T.

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

Weekend Trip

We enjoyed our weekend trip to Monterey and our stay at the mermaid house. Clean, updated, quiet condo with close proximity to the beach. Will stay here again if it's available next time we visit the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Roya M.

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

Mermaid house

Very clean and comfortable condo. Beautiful view and walking distance to beach
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

David N.

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

Granddaughter’s wedding reception

I live fairly close by to property but w/o the very nice view of the beach. When I had out of state family here to attend granddaughter’s wedding reception in SF Bay Area, the property was perfect relaxing base to start from.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Paul B.

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

Breathtaking views and perfectly furnished beach condo

The pictures on the VRBO do NOT do the ocean views justice. The home is comfortable and furnished and the owner has thought of everything. It was a great experience for our family and we hope to go back. The Surf City rental management company was also very helpful with good information before our stay and when we wanted to extend another day.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

Anne S.

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

Aptos Family Trip

Location and views were amazing. Lots of windows to look out over the beach and ocean. The property was clean and fully stocked with any supplies we might need. The layout of the bedrooms could be a bit awkward with younger children.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cali M.

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

Great place in Aptos

Great place with amazing view. We had an issue with ants the beginning of our stay because of the warm weather . I let them know and an exterminator was out within a couple hrs. Definitely will stay here next time we’re in town.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

KIMBERLEE D., Oakley, CA

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

Quiet oceanside getaway

We enjoyed our stay. The home was clean and very comfortable for our family of 4. The views are amazing. Its a bit of a walk to and from the beach due to the home being at the top of the hill but plenty of parking being a quiet area if you wanted to drive the short trip down the hill. There are also decent bathrooms at the beach. We enjoyed this location because it is in a quiet area but close to active towns like Capitola and Monterey for a visit. 5 stars to the management of the property who handled an issue we encountered at the property as well. We will definitely stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jami L.

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

Pelicans seals and ocean views

Spur of the moment trip with grandkids. Aptos great Santa Cruz location. Close to beach. Good restaurants. Just what we needed! Furniture had been updated since reviews. While table is nice two couches or another chair would be better. Only 1/3 tvs connected to any cable. Overall great but maintenance should fix blinds and ants
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly S.

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

Amazing Location

Beautiful place to stay in Aptos. Full beach views. Cute cafe, restaurant and little store walking distance right down the hill. Everything was a plus with the exception of the couches. Just bring a couple of sheets to cover as they were worn and seemed a little dirty but definitely not worth changing your plans. Absolutely worth the stay. Nice outdoor table and chairs for meals, games, relaxing, etc. No need to bring your white noise. The sounds of the waves is so relaxing. Very close driving to Capitola and Santa Cruz.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

4/10 Poor

Peter S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Weekend only

Very nice condo, great views, decent area. The issue was after the weekend, workers showed up at 8am on Monday with power washers, gas generators, nail guns, etc. doing work on other units, but parked all their stuff in front of our back door, crazy noise, couldn’t wait to leave today. Not to mention all the construction debris littering the left side of this unit.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Tracy D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Beautiful but….

Mermaid’s Perch had a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. Several times, we saw dolphins from the balcony. It’s exactly what we wanted when we booked the trip to Aptos. Communication with management was fast. Especially, when the unit was bombarded with ants. Thankfully, they took care of the issue immediately. My only complaint is that there was not enough comfortable seating for six people. The pictures posted show two love seats. When we arrived, there was only one love seat and a round dining table with four, hard wood chairs. I want to give this place a five star review but the seating was so uncomfortable that I wouldn’t book it again if I was traveling with six people.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house was great! It was clean and had everything we needed. Beautiful ocean view. We were treated with a show of humpback whales migrating and a beautiful sunset!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Susie C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very nice!!! A few ants but all in all very very nice!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Jennifer M.

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

Great For A Girls Weekend

Nice condo with great views of the ocean. Location is fantastic, walking distance to everything. Beds were comfortable and bathrooms and kitchen were nice. Could use a little paint touchup but overall very nice place to stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Aryn E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a fantastic weekend at the Mermaid’s Perch this past weekend, 9/25-9/28/25. Gorgeous views, comfortable and clean. A short walk down a hill to the beach. We saw dolphins and whales from the deck. Kitchen is well stocked. We would love to return soon. We also had a fun time using the pool.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lisa B.

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

Great stay and fantastic view!

The condo has a great view and we watched an amazing whale display for several days! Very close to the beach - within walking distance if you don’t mind an uphill climb. Property manager was great and would love to stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Steve K.

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

Great property

Enjoy the house. Great view. Everything in place, provided all we needed during the stay. Will be back again!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hillary T.

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

Wonderful Family Vacation

Had a lovely stay! Would defiantly stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Steven H.

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

Very nice clean property

Enjoyed the property and was exactly what we expected.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alice A.

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

Beautiful View!

Our stay was perfect! We’ll be back soon 😎
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marjorie S.

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

Great view

Representation was a very accurate.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah C.

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

Delightful

Amazing views including whales, seals and dolphins!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Melanie K.

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

Lovely place, great location

The pictures accurately show the property which we thoroughly enjoyed. The owner even had tea candles which came in handy when there was a power outage in the area. My only request would be the addition of a tea kettle. Otherwise it was absolutely perfect and we most definitely will return.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn C.

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

Amazing Sunsets while checking out Universities

Amazing Sunsets!! Great place to stay while enjoying all the wonderful beauty that Monterey Bay has to offer. Also checking out universities with niece.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2023