The terrace is the center of gravity. This is where we picture the long lunch that starts innocently enough and somehow takes over the afternoon. Someone is swimming. Someone else is reading. The Pacific is out there doing what the Pacific does. Villa Costera has more than 6,000 square feet spread across three levels, but it doesn't feel like one enormous house. The lower-level guest suites open outdoors, and there are enough separate living spaces that everyone can find their own corner. We also love the tile roof and the home's slightly more traditional California character. In a part of Malibu filled with glass-and-concrete contemporaries, there's something appealing about a house that still looks like it belongs on the Southern California coast. What matters most to us is how well the house handles a group. People can separate. That becomes increasingly valuable around week two of a month-long stay. Then, after dinner, everyone reconvenes in the theater. That's what makes Villa Costera different from our other Malibu houses. The ocean is still the backdrop, but the house itself provides enough reasons to stay put.