10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room!
Refugio Del Amor (Refuge of Love) is a 25 person 10,000 ft.² resort vacation VIEW estate that provides an unforgettable vacation experience, especially for families. In addition to the indoor square footage, there is over 2000 ft.² of outdoor patio space. The owners personally built & manage Refugio and provide excellent response time and service. They have been catering to family retreats & group gatherings for 15 years and have received ALL 5-star reviews. Please see the guest reviews and comments!
Set on a 2 acre mountaintop in the Friendly Village of Fallbrook in San Diego County, El Refugio has 7 private suites with in-suite full baths. All 7 suites have views, a king size bed, TVs and many include additional twin or queen beds. Note the main level was designed for handicap access and use.
The indoor common areas include: -an expansive Great Room with 82” HDTV -Chef’s Kitchen with 4 ovens, 3 refrigerators, 2 dishwashers, Viking stove and wok, nespresso and kuerig machines -Formal Dining Room with gorgeous Chrystal chandelier -Music Room with guitar & piano for guests -600 sq ft Gym with 72” LED TV, recumbent bikes, elyptical & treadmill machines, free weights, ballet/yoga mirrored studio with ballet bar -13 seat Movie theatre with 120” screen, surround sound and access to over 350 movies -1000 sq ft Game Room with billiards, foosball, ping pong & Kitchenette -half bath upstairs and full shared bath downstairs next to the Gym (9 bathrooms total)
The outdoor property includes: -Heated Resort Pool May thru Sept & 50 ft waterslide -Sauna -Lush entry courtyard -propane and charcoal BBQ’s -large expansive patios with plenty of spaces to lounge, chat and bask in the sun or nap in the shade -Basketball court on adjacent 5 acre Refugio property -Labyrinth for walking or meditating, a replica of the Chartres Cathedral in France on same adjacent 5 acre Refugio property
El Refugio has spectacular views of the distant mountains and valley, breathtaking sunsets and an incredible night sky. On a clear day you can see the ocean. Every room has amazing light and a gorgeous view (with the exception of the movie theatre :-)
Fallbrook is known for its perfect weather, boasting 300+ days of sunshine, warm days and cool nights. It is home to numerous golf courses, wineries and hiking trails. San Diego beaches are 25 miles away and the Safari Park, Zoo and Legoland are also a short drive from Fallbrook. The Temecula valley is just 15 minutes north with golf, horseback riding, gaming casinos, more restaurants, wineries and breweries. Those considering a vacation rental in Temecula please also realize that during hot weather Fallbrook is about 10 degrees cooler due to the temperate ocean climate spilling in directly from the coast.
El Refugio is powered by an extensive grid-tied solar PV system, which provides all the electricity used during the year. There is a 40 amp 240 volt charging station for Tesla vehicles (bring your own cable). The house is kept cool or warm by 6 separate A/C systems. The owners are both engineers and committed to designing continuous improvements in environmental sustainability.
Please Relax, Refresh, Reconnect and Retreat to Refugio Del Amor, your energy will be replenished and your family ties strengthened.
Home Truths:
-The jacuzzi is heated at the owner’s expense year round -The pool is heated at the owner’s expense May 1 through Oct 1 -The quoted price per night is for up to 18 guests, there is an incremental guest fee for guest totals exceeding 18 -A signed rental agreement is required after the VRBO booking is complete -Wireless internet is provided throughout the home -7 cars can park at the property, more than 7 spaces are available with owner approval -Pets and smoking are not allowed -Events or parties are not allowed
Room configurations (all bedding is included, with TVs in every room):
Royal Suite / King bed & optional Twin XL rollaway Garden Suite / King and Queen beds Sunrise Suite / King and Queen beds & optional Twin XL rollaway Sunset Suite / King, Queen and Twin bunkbeds Island Suite / King & 2 optional Twin XL rollaways Pool Suite / King and Twin XL beds City Suite / King bed Note: there are 2 full size cribs and one portable crib for guest use
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The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Remove personal items and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
RENTAL APPLICATION and SIGNED RENTAL AGREEMENT ARE REQUIRED in order to finalize the booking and will be sent following the instant booking process.
Additional guests over 14 are $350 per person per week plus tax. No guests other than those staying at the house are allowed.
The owner's rental contract terms and conditions will take precedence over all other agreements. Any exceptions must be approved in advance.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 263020vb
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Our home is perfect for Family reunions!
Long-term renters welcome
This property uses some solar energy
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Fallbrook
Located in Fallbrook, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. Pala Mesa Resort and Monserate Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Temecula Duck Pond and Sam Hicks Monument Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Grand Tradition Estate and Gardens and Paint a Dream. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and mountain biking.
Temecula Creek Inn Golf Course - 12 min drive - 16.1 km
Getting around
Carlsbad Village Station - 33 min drive
Murrieta, CA (RBK-French Valley) - 37 min drive
Restaurants
Rainbow Oaks Restaurant - 6 min drive
Los Cucos Mexican Food - 7 min drive
Party Burgers - 7 min drive
Aquaterra Restaurant At Pala Mesa Resort - 6 min drive
Fallbrook Cafe - 6 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Does 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room! have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool types include heated pools.
How much does it cost to stay at 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room!?
As of 19 June 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room! on 2 November 2026 start from NZ$3,364, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room! pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room!?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is 10,000 ft² view estate with 7 Bdm Suites, Resort Pool, Theatre, Gym, Game Room! located?
Located by the sea, this family-friendly holiday home is within 6 mi (10 km) of California Watercolors, Grand Tradition Estate and Gardens, and Pala Mesa Resort. Fallbrook Pioneer Odd Fellows Cemetery and Monserate Winery are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Amazing property, wonderful hosts and terrific amenities! Steve and Tammy responsive with great prior, during and after communication making sure all good and it was. Fabulous family vacation, great location, house had everything and more, a gem!!
Al G.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 13 June 2026
Thank You for the excellent review. It was such a pleasure to host your family!
This place blew us away. The pictures don’t even begin to show how special it is. Watching the sunset from the hot tub became our favorite part of every day. And our hosts, Steve and Tammy—absolutely exceptional. They turned what could have been a difficult time away from home into something truly memorable. We’re so grateful for their kindness and their stunning home.
Joshua T.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May 2026
Wow, we are so grateful for your feedback. We're thrilled you created great memories during your stay and we look forward to having you back!
We had an absolutely fantastic stay at this fabulous property. From the moment we arrived, everything exceeded our expectations. The home was well maintained, spacious, spotless, and thoughtfully prepared, making it feel both luxurious and welcoming. Every part of the property reflected quality and care, and the accommodations were truly outstanding.What made the experience even more special was the perfect balance of professionalism and personal touch. The host was responsive, courteous, and incredibly attentive, making sure every detail was taken care of while also making us feel genuinely valued as guests. It’s rare to find a place that feels this polished and well-managed while still feeling warm and personal.The property itself is exceptional, offering an impressive and relaxing atmosphere that made our stay unforgettable. Everything was comfortable, seamless, and clearly designed with guests in mind. We left feeling refreshed, grateful, and already talking about coming back.Highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a top-tier stay with beautiful accommodations, exceptional service, and a truly memorable experience.
Remmy T.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 1 April 2026
THANK YOU! We are grateful for this exceptional review. We work very hard to create an amazing guest experience and we truly appreciate your detailed feedback. We WELCOME your return.
This property has it all. Our family enjoyed the space which offered everyone their personal private areas and the gathering spaces were big and beautiful! It was perfect for our family.
Lorna O.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 June 2025
We appreciate your great review and are so glad that the combo of private and common spaces met all of your needs!
What a beautiful, amazing house. Some rentals don't live up to the pictures/description, but wow this house did! The pool, hot tub, and water slide were super fun. The game room, gym, and theatre room were wonderful. Great views of the area, and a well-stocked kitchen for cooking.
Scott W.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 20 September 2025
We are so happy that you had a wonderful time, and that you enjoyed our great amenities!
We all had a great time. The owners really think of everything to make your stay as fun and easy as possible. Truly a great property. 20 of us fit very comfortably. This is our second time staying here and we wouldn’t hesitate to book again. Definitely one of our favorite places to vacation.
Daniel D.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 June 2025
Thank you for the excellent review. We are grateful you chose to return and it's reassuring to hear we thought of everything to make it easy and FUN for your whole family! We welcome you're return.
Another amazing famly vacation!! We love this house, location, amenities & views!!! Best stocked kitchen we've ever had. We have now been doing a family vacation every summer for 20 years! For a family our size, age ranging from 7 months to 71, it was perfect! Thanks again for sharing your home with us!
B L.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 8 August 2025
We are so grateful you had such a fun time! We aim to provide an incredible family experience and are happy your family loved the home. Cherished memories!
This property had many amenities that made our family of 20 very comfortable. The pool is amazing. Everything is well stocked. We had a wonderful time.
Barbara E.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 June 2024
Thank you for choosing our home and for providing great feedback!
We had a fabulous week. The house is spectacular and the pool with a slide is a real highlight. Our grandkids couldn’t get enough of the slide.
Ned L.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 August 2024
Thank you for the great review. Our children asked us to build a fun pool and so we decided to build a BIG slide. We're thrilled your grandkids loved it!
We had the most wonderful, relaxing, and fun-filled time. Everyone would like to come back. The pool was the best we have had out of every vacation rental we have stayed at.
VERY well stocked home. We will come again.
Peggy R.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 21 June 2021
We value repeat guests, and give priority in future bookings. We hope to have you back some day.
We just finished a weeklong family reunion. 17 of us ranging from grandparents down to newborns.
The property was amazing, sauna was amazing, hot tub was amazing, pool was amazing, views were amazing, sunsets were amazing, and everything else was amazing as well
Will definitely recommend this home to others
Stuart F.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 14 May 2024
Thank you for the amazing review! We appreciate you recommending our home to your friends, we also hope to see you again :-)
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Larry T.
5 April 2019
Great home. Great location. Great owners.
This home felt like home. It had everything our extended family desired. We had up to 8 families and never felt crowded. We made good memories in the large kitchen and main living area as well as the large patio and pool area. Highly recommended.
Larry T.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 26 March 2020
Thank you Larry, DeeAnne and Families, I'm glad you loved our home! You were incredible guests, just one example was how you created welcome packets for everyone in your group highlighting our house rules. That was a brilliant idea. Take care!
This home was a perfect fit for our big multigenerational family. We'll be back next year, and we are already looking forward to it.
Frances D.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 July 2023
We're thrilled you're returning next year! We are so appreciative of the feedback you gave us after your stay this year. As a result we will be improving our guest experience, including for our physically challenged guests. Many thanks.
Great property for our family vacation. There were 13 of us for a week long stay. We had absolutely everything we could need. Full kitchen and game room were used by all. The pool area was amazing even during our chilly stay. Communication with the owner was quick and answered any questions we may have had. We would definitely rent again!
Stacey A.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 18 June 2023
Thank you Stacey for taking time to provide this review! We're grateful you had such a good time and look forward to your return.
We had a large family group with little kids. Everyone had a WONDERFUL time - the kitchen was extremely well suited for our big dinners and the pool, hot tub and screening room were a huge plus for the kids!!!
The bedrooms were large and comfortable and there were bathrooms for almost every bedroom. Great location with an incredible view as well!!! Would highly recommend to everyone!!!
Elena M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 September 2023
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled you had a good time and we'd love to have you back at Refugio in the future.
This home has become the standard of excellence for all our future vacations. There was at least one special attraction for everyone in our group. The house was exceptionally well maintained and stocked in all aspects. We all felt like royalty in this castle.
Communicating with the owners to prepare for our adventure was also a pleasure.
Mary K.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 May 2024
What a joy to hear that you felt like royalty at Refugio. When we were designing the house we lived in Germany and referred to it as the Schloss, the German word for castle. We had so much inspiration from the great castles of Europe! We hope to see you again.
Our 3-generation family of 18 spent a week at this wonderful oasis. We've been vacationing together for ten years and everyone agreed this was the loveliest and best-equipped home we've enjoyed. The pool was, of course, the biggest draw. The game room and the piano also saw a lot of use. We definitely hope to return in the future.
June F.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 16 October 2024
We would love to have you return and what a joy to know our home is the loveliest and most well equipped of all the homes you've rented in ten years!
Amazing!! El Refugio was the perfect place for our family reunion. With 18 people there was plenty of room and so many options for things to do. We loved hanging by the pool and watching the sunset. Steve was so responsive and their house is beautiful. I can’t recommend this place enough. We would definitely come back again.
Michelle S.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 17 July 2023
Thank you Michelle for taking the time to provide a rating. It means a lot to us that you want to come back again. It sounds like the sunsets captured your hearts too, they are a blessing.
Steve
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Janet L.
12 April 2019
Fallbrook fantasy week
We had the BEST vacation!! Room for ALL the family, each with their own private bathroom which was amazing!! The pool and hot tub and slide were perfect. And a sauna as well! The grandkids loved the theater room!! And the kitchen was fully equipped. Couldn’t have been better!
Janet L.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 26 March 2020
Kay we really appreciate your glowing review, and are SO glad that your family had a great time at our home. I am also very grateful for the amazing weather you had which made the pool that much more fun!!
This was the second time that our large group stayed at El Refugio. Steve's craftsmanship and attention to detail in this house has to be seen to be believed. The beds are clean and comfortable, the kitchen is well-stocked, and the game room is welcome for all ages. If you have never experienced a SoCal sunset from a hot tub overlooking a knife-edge pool, this is place where you want to start.
John H.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May 2022
Great to have your repeat business. We work hard to keep the house well maintained and are constantly adding new amenities. Our home is like a fine wine, getting better every year.
This was our second stay at Steve's place and it was just as good as the first. Steve has though of virtually EVERYTHING you and your group could need.
Super clean and well maintained, the property couldn't be better. This is an easy choice if you've got a list of properties you're choose from. You can't go wrong.
Brian W.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 July 2023
Thank you for your positive review, we are so thankful you chose our home again this year!
Steve
About the host
Hosted by Steve Herr
Steve & Tammy own and manage Refugio Del Amor, with their love and passion for creating sanctuaries for families including their own. They live in the home when it's not rented and take immaculate care of it. Both born and raised in San Diego, they discovered Fallbrook, an amazing oasis, in 1980 after their wedding. Steve built their first home in Fallbrook in 1980. In 2008, he built Refugio Del Amor, literally with his own hands. So much TLC has gone into this refuge and they love sharing this special home and the unique energy it brings to all who enter it.
Why they chose this property
Refugio is a rare Oasis with a unique offering of privacy for up to 25 guests while enabling several shared living spaces for group activities. Each of the seven bedroom Suites has a private in-suite bathroom. The salt water pool is one of a kind, overlooking the expansive valley and mountains in the distance AND boasting a fun adventure slide for young and old. The sauna and jacuzzi offer relaxation time, in addition to yoga on the adjacent private labyrinth. Billiards, Foosball, Ping-Pong and the Movie theatre provide entertainment for all ages. Refugio is a true escape where priceless memories are created.
What makes this property unique
Steve fell in love with the property and it's amazing energy and views in the late 90's while he was building a home nearby. He and Tammy bought the land in 1999. Steve designed Refugio del Amor while living in Germany with Tammy and their daughters for 3 years, the design phase took the full 3 years to manifest and was inspired by the gorgeous European castles they visited while living there. He built the Refugio 'Schloss' (castle in German) after returning from Germany and they have been living at Refugio and sharing it as a vacation rental since 2009.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests