San Diego’s ‘Iconic Waterfall House’ Has a Grotto Pool in the Living Room

A San Diego home with its own private grotto at the center of the living room has bobbed back onto the market for $3.4 million, offering up a truly “one-of-a-kind” opportunity to own one of the city’s “most unique architectural residences.”

Built in 1980 by celebrated California architect Rob Wellington Quigley, the property, which is aptly known as the “Waterfall House,” is as much a personal water park as it is a private home, boasting a dramatic layered layout, with multiple balconies overlooking the pool area, which features several indoor waterfalls that cascade down through the main living space.

It is a testament to the playful spirit that Quigley was renowned for bringing to all of his works, which also include the silver-domed San Diego Central Library and the New Children’s Museum.

And nowhere is that more evident than in the indoor lagoon, surrounded by tropical greenery and towering rock formations that evoke the set of 1990s game show “Legends of the Hidden Temple”—thankfully without a talking tiki lurking in the corner.

Represented by Nicole van Dobben and Lanz Correia of Compass, the property has, perhaps unsurprisingly, become something of an internet celebrity in recent years, with videos of its extraordinary interiors racking up more than 66 million views across social media.

But the grotto does more than simply provide a place for fun and relaxation, according to van Dobben, who notes that it also “acts as a passive climate controller and a sensory art piece.”

A rock-lined waterfall rises more than 30 feet above the heated indoor pool, creating what she describes as a “light-filled tropical atrium.”

The history of the pool is equally as compelling; according to reports, the dwelling was built on one section of a subdivided plot that had previously been owned by a prominent local family. The portion that the Waterfall House was built on was already home to a natural waterfall and pool that the buyers were eager to preserve.

They enlisted Quigley to design a dwelling that could not only be built around the natural water feature, but would also incorporate it, a task that he was more than happy to take on.

In the 46 years since the results of that vision were brought to life, the pool area has remained largely unchanged, save for the addition of heating elements to keep the water warm and a device that enables control of the flow of the waterfalls.

But while the living room may feel like a glorious blast from the past, other areas of the home have been carefully brought into modern day.

Beyond the centerpiece pool, the 3,894-square-foot home includes three bedrooms, 3.5 baths, multi-level mezzanines, walls of glass, and a variety of indoor-outdoor living spaces.

According to van Dobben, the kitchen has been remodeled with premium appliances and updated cabinetry, while solar panels and newly overhauled multilevel decks make the property better suited for modern living and entertaining.

Set on an 8,797-square-foot lot at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac on the Point Loma-Ocean Beach border, the home enjoys a private canyon setting roughly a mile from the Pacific Ocean and Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.

An expansive viewing deck overlooks the canyon and San Diego Bay, while the grounds include tropical gardens, fruit trees, a courtyard, an above-ground heated spa, and even a dedicated yoga and meditation platform.

A built-in stage adjacent to the indoor pool offers yet another unexpected touch. Combined with the home’s soaring ceilings and layered living spaces, van Dobben says the residence has acoustics that particularly appeal to musicians and artists.

Another element of the home that makes it that much more unique is the fact that it appears entirely unassuming from the outside, blending in effortlessly to its picturesque hillside neighborhood in Point Loma—and giving no hint about the veritable oasis that exists beyond the front door.

The property also has an impressive track record as a short-term rental, with its unique design helping to attract visitors from around the world. Its current Airbnb listing offers up a five-night stay for just over $1,000 per night, while noting that the dwelling is a “rare find” that is “usually booked.”

Yet that popularity doesn’t seem to have struck a chord with potential buyers as yet.

Records show that the Waterfall House, which last changed hands in December 2021, when it sold for just under $2 million, has made several appearances on the market in recent years, but has struggled to find a buyer.

It was originally listed for $2.8 million in February 2025, before that ask was raised to $2.99 million. When it made its most recent debut on the market earlier this month, the asking price was initially set at $2.9 million, but was increased to $3.4 million days later.

Still, for the right kind of buyer, the dwelling represents more than just an opportunity to own a very unique abode.

Van Dobben describes it as a “true trophy property,” noting that modern building codes would make it nearly impossible to recreate a multistory waterfall inside a living room today.

In that sense, the home is more akin to a piece of architectural history—part museum, part tropical haven, and entirely unforgettable.