Vacation Rentals by Owner

Fantastic Family Get Away

Guest: jzack (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 03/27/12 Review Submitted: 04/16/12

This house was beautiful, clean, open and perfect for our family vacation.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Shorts in December

Guest: Mick (VA)
Date of Stay: 12/04/11 Review Submitted: 12/14/11

Yes, we had shorts and t-shirts on in December! I actualy have a tan for Christmas :D The house was very well equipped - especially the kitchen. It was super clean and just a dream vacation for us. Super views, the lighthouse actually lights up the windows in the evenings. I completely recommend this home. Thanks again for a fantastic trip - we love Avon and we will be back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Great vacation getaway

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/23/11 Review Submitted: 11/04/11

Maestrale is a fabulous house situated right on the Pamlico Sound. Great sunsets, close proximity to the beach too. Very clean,well kept house with a sweet hot tub sitting on the deck where you can view the sound while taking a rest in the tub. Would certainly bring the family back to this house.

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Simply Stunning!!

Guest: Mike Kabasinski (Erie, Pa.)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

Glen~~We can never thank you enough, your beautiful home, was (is) simply stunning, perfect location and the process from booking to departure was as easy as it could get... The "Sound Sunsets" are almost as good as those here on Lake Erie. We couldn't have asked for a nicer place to spend our yearly vacation... Hope to return soon... Mike Kabasinski, Erie, Pa.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Maestrale Review

Guest: FRANK (Valley City, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/23/11

We had an excellent vacation at the Maestrale. If you are looking for quiet-this is the place. If you love waking up in the morning and listening to the birds-this is the place. The back decks overlook trees, shrubs, the sound, and lots of nature. Besides seeing a variety of birds, we watched deer every morning. It was a short walk to the beach. Pamlico Sound was an amazing place for the kids to look for crabs and go kayaking. The house was clean and we had more than enough space for everyone to do their thing. Glen was very attentive to our needs. I would recommend this vacation home to any family. Oh, did I mention the BEAUTIFUL sunset over the sound!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing.

The perfect place!

Guest: DandD (Elkton, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/12/11

Our family loves the Avon area and the Maestrale was the perfect place to stay. The location is great. A two minute walk to the Sound and a 2 minute drive to the Ocean/beach access. The ocean access allowed us to drive on to the beach which was perfect! The house itself was very clean, spacious and relaxing. The hot tub was a big hit. Nothing better than enjoying the breeze from the Sound and the view of the lighthouse while relaxing in the hot tub. There is a great view of the area from all windows on the main floor. I highly recommend the Maestrale!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Birds in Avon

Guest: Carl B. (Pahump, Nv)
Date of Stay: 05/22/11 Review Submitted: 06/03/11

On our first night in Maestrale we heard Chuck-Will’s-Widow (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chuck-wills-widow/lifehistory) from the balcony around sunset. We left the sliding door open in our bedroom and heard Chuck all night. We heard him every night during our week stay, and some mornings. The house is really big, clean, and well equipped for cooking. Everything is sized for 10 to 12 people. There are great views of the Ocean Dunes and Kite Surfers on the Sound from the balcony. Once we had a Great Creasted Flycatcher land on the balcony rail and sit for several minutes as we ate Lunch inside. The second night at Maestrale we walked down to the Sound behind the house where we saw a Spotted Sandpiper in brilliant breeding spots. We took the all day pelagic tour from Cape Hatteras. We saw lots of Wilson’s Storm Petrels up close and one White tailed Tropicbird came close to the boat. We were luck enough to see several Band-rumped Storm-Petrels. There were lots of Black-capped Petrels, and some Audubon's Shearwaters and Cory's Shearwaters – they always stayed away from the boat. We also saw one Pomarine Jaeger and Bridled Tern. I’m glad we went but the 12 hr trip was too long for the amount of birds we saw – It would have been a great 6 Hr trip. Plus – sitting on a steel bench gets old pretty quick! There were great picture opportunities at the ocean beach near the house for shore birds, gulls and terns. We saw Semipalmated Sandpipers & Plovers, Dunlins, Sanderling, Black-bellied Plovers, and Ruddy Turnstones in breeding colors. Least Terns nest in the sand dunes. Piping Plovers nest around Cape Point near the house, but we didn’t see any (they mostly stay in a protected area). There are lots of arts and craft shops in the area. Our favorites were the Pea Island Art Gallery in Rodanthe, Red Drum Pottery in Frisco, the Bead/Coffee/Art Shop in Buxton (close to 35°16'5.03"N 75°32'30.49"W). Be sure to get some Gosling's Rum & Ginger Beer at the Dare County ABC Store in Buxton so you can make the Dark and Stormy drink (We actually liked it better made with the more gingery Cock and Bull Ginger Beer which we purchased at the Spice and Wine shop). Coming or going the Basnight's Lone Cedar Café (35°54'2.44"N, 75°36'39.27"W) near Manteo has the best She Crab soup and crab cakes around. They also have a pair of Ospreys nesting in a tree about 30 feet from the large dining room window.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

What a wonderful week !!

Guest: Eastern Shore visitor (Ridgely,Md)
Date of Stay: 10/10/10 Review Submitted: 10/25/10

Glenn's house is wonderful. The pictures of the house on the inside and the views don't do it justice. October was a perfect time to go. No crowds, still got plenty of sun, clear nights so you can see the stars from the upper deck. You can walk to the ocean but we drove to the sailboard drop off parking lot about 2 miles south and would cross the road to the ocean there. Two days we were the only people on the beach for a mile in either direction. We loved to watch the sailboarders and kiteboards from the deck. It seems the sound beach by the house is the perfect place to go for these guys. The sunsets and sunrises were spectacular to watch from the decks especially with a glass of wine (smile). Mosquitoes were extra bad because of the recent Hurricane rain and warm weather but most days we had a great breeze. Just remember your Cutter !!!! It's stronger then Off. All in all we can't wait to go back. This time we would like to take the kids and there spouses. It was great to work directly with the owner. He was very attentive to our needs. And only a phone call away should there have been a problem. Thank you Glenn for sharing your beautiful home. We could not have asked for a more peaceful week.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great value for house near sound with great views.

Guest: Vince (Durham, NC)
Date of Stay: 10/03/10 Review Submitted: 10/14/10

Very nice. comfortably furnished house with convenient access to a beach which is great for windsurfing, kayaking and kitesurfing. The house has great decks with open views to the south to Canadian Hole and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. The owner is very pleasant to deal with and communicates promptly and freely.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Wonderful week

Guest: Erik (Silver Spring, MD)
Date of Stay: 09/12/10 Review Submitted: 09/23/10

I would highly recommend this property. Great location, close to a number of attractions and sites while also in a quiet neighborhood with lovely views. House is beautifully maintained and well stocked with dishes and cookware. From the deck we could see the sound, ocean and the lighthouse on the horizon. We had no problems while visiting but the owner made it clear that we should contact him immediately if any arose (and I believe he would have helped find solutions as quickly as possible). Owner also provided a good list of information and activities. My family and I had a wonderful week.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great location, bit hit!

Guest: none (pa.)
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 08/14/10

This was our first trip to the OBX. It was a big hit! The house is beautiful, clean, has plenty of room for a large family. The location was excellent. We loved the views from the decks. There was so much to do in the area. The sound provided plenty of entertainment. Kayaking, fishing, chasing and catching crabs. The beach was really nice too. Not the least bit crowded.. We went horseback riding, para sailing, we rented wave runners, too. So much fun! There was plenty of time for the hot tub and just kicking back on the decks also. My husband said it was the most relaxing vacation he has had in years. Glen let us know he was available if we needed him. We would definitely recommend this property.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Summer Fun

Guest: Bob (Falls Church, VA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

I have stayed at Maestrale before and it is still one of the best values in Avon. The views are outstanding. the location adjacent to the Park Service property provides a sense of isolation and remoteness. The path provides easy acces to the sound for kiteboarding and the ocean beach is a right across the street. The main living area is spacious and the kitchen is efficient and organized. We loved sitting out on the deck and watching the deer come through the back yard!!! The owner was easy to work with and everything was clean and ready when we got there. Coming back to Maestrale next season!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers

Wonderful views, great weather

Guest: Heather (Ontario)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10 Review Submitted: 07/06/10

We stayed at Maestrale the week of June 27th and my family of 7 had a blast! The views from the house were incredible. The beach was so relaxing .. The house was extremely clean and the kitchen was very well equiped. Glen was fabulous to deal with, the booking process was smooth and he was very available by phone or email to answer any questions or resolve issues ( he even replaced the toaster half way through the week when it malfunctioned! ) Our goal was to simply relax and while we explored the surrounding area ( trip to Ocracoke, Museum of the Graveyard of the Atlantic ) we mostly fulfilled our goal of relaxing on the beach, just a 5 min walk away. There were plenty of restaurants and the grocery store ( Food Lion ) had everything we needed. I would definately return should our vacation plans dictate a sunfilled relaxing holiday! a

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

Maestrale, OBX

Guest: joybelle12 (Athens, GA)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 06/30/10

Lovely place with great views. Glen, homeowner, was great help. VERY gracious. Absolutely recommend this place. Our family had a wonderful time and plan on returning.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent Rental

Guest: XR (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 06/09/10

I rented the house based on the reasonable rate and the expectation of a nice view over the bay and adjacent federal land. The quality of the house exceeded our expectations. It was very clean with newer carpet, beds were comfortable, had plenty of bathrooms and the open kitchen/living/dining area works well. The view is outstanding, not only from the decks but from the inside living area as well. It seems that with most rentals not directly on the ocean or sound front, the outside view includes a lot of adjacent houses and not a much more. At this location, you literally have no neighbors to the south for about 8 miles (all the way to Buxton). I enjoyed being able to see the Hatteras lighthouse especially at night. We spent a lot of time on the deck, and when it was too hot, could go inside and not lose much of the view. Great location for wind or kite surfers, and the beach is still close. Avon is our favorite town along the Outer Banks. It is relatively small and quiet yet has 2 grocery stores and plenty of restaurants and beach supply/rental stores. Not much for night life, but that is another thing we like about it.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Maestrale

Guest: engine (Scottdale, PA)
Date of Stay: 05/16/10 Review Submitted: 05/24/10

My families stay in Avon & at Maestrale was great. The house is beautiful, Glen is a very easy person to do business with. I hope to return in the future, having no problem staying in the same house.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Maestrale

Guest: Tini27 (Birmingham, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 04/25/10 Review Submitted: 05/05/10

We loved staying in the Maestrale. The house is spacious and very clean. The sound, ocean and sunset views are spectacular. It is a great kiteboarding spot. The owner is very nice. Would definitely recommend it.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

WOW

Guest: OBXnewestFan (South Central Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 04/04/10 Review Submitted: 04/30/10

This was our first trip to OBX...and WOW is all I can say about the house and the area. The views from the photos do not do justice. It is absolutely wonderful and such a nice quiet street. Everything is so accessible. We truly enjoyed our stay here more than any other place we have visited. Glen is excellent to work with and we would definitely stay again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Dustin6 (Gainesville, VA)
Date of Stay: 09/29/09 Review Submitted: 09/29/09

The home offered views that were even better than expected! We had a great week and the owner kept an open line of communication with us should we have needed anything.

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Guest: Kelly68 (St. Catharines, Ontario)
Date of Stay: 08/19/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

A wonderful location, the unobstructed view was even better than the pictures showed! The house was absolutely perfect - immaculate, well maintained. It was equipped with everything you need for a relaxing family vacation. Owener was very helpful and kind. Would return without any hesitation and in fact look forward to planning our next visit.

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Guest: Frank McManus (Granville, OH)
Date of Stay: 08/14/09 Review Submitted: 08/14/09

Great place for a family vacation and big enough to not be underfoot. Very accessible to the sound as well as the ocean. Loved being the last road in Avon, making a great view from the deck(s).

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Guest: andypd1 (Connecticut)
Date of Stay: 07/28/09 Review Submitted: 07/28/09

Great home - amazing views, perfect location, comfortable home away from home.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/02/09 Review Submitted: 06/02/09

Perfect location! Great for kitesurfers and family with kids. Loved it there. Beautiful roomy house.

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Guest: Chris133 (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 03/31/09 Review Submitted: 03/31/09

Great place to stay and awesome location! Was a quick 2 min walk to a small private beach on the sound, perfect for setting up gear for kiteboarding. Could leave gear safe on beach because could see it from house also. Just across the street from ocean side, and 2 min drive to grocery store, restaurants, etc. Really enjoyed our stay.

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Guest: Mike98 (-)
Date of Stay: 03/27/09 Review Submitted: 03/27/09

Had an awesome week kiteboarding in the sound! Great location and great place to stay!

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