Reviews for North Topsail Beach Vacation Rental - VRBO 154942ha - 2 BR Topsail Island Townhome in NC, Family Beach Getaway

201 shipwatch

Guest Kathy H.
Date of stay 09/23/12
Review Submitted 10/10/12

My husband and I arrived on a Sunday evening and the first thing we did was make our way to the ocean. It's a short walk through the complex and you're not crossing any roads to get there. It was fantastic! The sand was so soft and white and the ocean was really warm! We grocery shopped the next morning in Sneads Ferry, which is about 10 minutes away, and didn't have to shop again while we were there. The welcome basket in the kitchen was full of useful info. We were so comfortable here, like it was our home. The decor is perfect for a place on the beach. They have every kitchen gadget you could every need and we even used the charcoal grill a few times. I would have to say one of the best things was laying in bed and listening to the ocean. I actually taped it on my phone so I can listen every once and awhile! We didn't use the AC once while we were there! The owners were very easy to deal with. My husband and I didn't do much while we were there, so I can't speak about restaurants or touristy things. Every day, for 7 days straight, we went to the beach. Even when it's cloudy...it's still heaven. I would for sure recommend this place to family and friends. My husband and I are trying to figure out when we can get down there again!

Owner response: Thanks for the review, Kathy. We hope that you will stay with us again soon!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

2012 Summerfest

Guest rileyround
Date of stay 06/30/12
Review Submitted 07/11/12

We have stayed at 201 Shipwatch several times over the years with our family of five - I think that says it all - we keep coming back! The property comes as described and pictured, very clean, well prepared, and well maintained. We had all the relevant contact info and requirements for a great vacation and have never had a worry along the way... We have recommended this property to friends looking to stay in the same area. It's a great buy... The beach at North Topsail is fantastic - no pressure even at peak season, unlike many of more popular the east-coast beaches close by. The pool is never crowded and everyone is friendly and we all have an amazingly great time. The property itself is very comfortable for the five of us. We spend most of our daytime at the beach and pool, or out buying fresh seafood in Surf City or Sneads Ferry, or checking out local businesses; whatever you do go to Surf City Crab Seafood Market! Those guys rock! We enjoyed fresh Yellowfin Tuna, Swordfish, Mahi-Mahi, and pound after pound of Jumbo shrimp and dry scallops, and they always loaded us up heavy and iced us down - they got a nice tip the last day we shopped :) And we always get pizza the night we get into town at Denaio's in Sneads Ferry - just a tradition and really great pizza :) There are beach chairs, coolers, beach toys for the kids (even a kite!), and crabbing nets for late night beach walks on hand. We always go out "crabbing" every night and have really cool and memorable family time every day. Can't say enough good things! Enjoy your stay at Shipwatch, and make sure you're ready to work off some of that fresh seafood! Cheers!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

We arrived to a very clean, well decorated .......

Guest Robin S.
Date of stay 04/11/12
Review Submitted 04/19/12

We arrived to a very clean, well decorated, completely accommodated (all kinds of kitchen gadgets) rental with an unobstructed view of the ocean . The beach was accessible without crossing vehicle traffic. The furniture was comfortable and the beds were all firm and especially comfortable. The owners were quite helpful with directions and schedule changes and I feel would have been available if any problems arose ……… of which there was never a need. If you have teenagers who like to linger in the bathroom, make sure they use the upstairs bathroom, as there is only one bath/shower. It is an easy work-around. All in all, the place set the foundation for a very enjoyable vacation. The rates were reasonable, too.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Great value for the price!

Guest carolyn S.
Date of stay 09/04/11
Review Submitted 09/13/11

We have just returned from a 6 night stay at this condo. First off I would say that we would definitely stay here again. It was comfortable, close to the beach, has a pool on the property and the unit has a washer and dryer. All of these things made our stay great. This condo is dated as per the pictures but is fully stocked for all you will need for a beach vacation. Linens, lots of pots/pans/dishes/etc in the kitchen, beautiful view of the ocean from the living room. While the unit is obviously used mostly as a rental due to the dated decor, worn carpet, not kept up like a home you live in yourself, this did not detract from our vacation in the least. Due to these reasons is why I'm sure this property is a bit cheaper. It is a good value for your money. We were lucky to have excellent weather while on North Topsail Beach so we didn't spend much time indoors. This was our first time to Topsail. It is a quiet area, not commercialized (thank goodness), beautiful beaches and friendly people. We only ate out once (Sears Landing) and instead opted to cook for ourselves. There are few restaurants around. This is the type of place to stay if you want to hang out at the beach or pool for your whole vacation. Also, the owners have a good supply of beach toys, 2 beach chairs, fishing poles/nets, boogie boards...and we donated our beach umbrella to the collection as well. The master bedroom has a full sized bed and then the 2nd bedroom has 2 twin beds. For our traveling family of 4 (2 adults and twin toddler girls) we were able to just fit 2 pack n plays into the 2nd bedroom. The kitchen is fairly large and there are sky lights in the living room and kitchen. The 4 balconies provide lots of outdoor space. The walk to the beach is relatively short which is hard to tell from the pictures. The unit is not directly on the beach. You walk through the pool area to get to the beach access. We were there the first week of Sept 2011 and barely anyone appeared to be on the island. Great shells and crabs running around on the beach. We hope to come back year after year! North Topsail Beach is a gem and this condo is a great budget friendly find. :)

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

Good Value

Guest 1234
Date of stay 08/09/10
Review Submitted 08/24/10

Nice property overall, the beach and pool were never too crowded. The townhome itself was OK, floors were dirty. The upstairs was too hot on warm days, even with ceiling fans. There could be less furniture in the living room, with six people staying there, it felt like there wasn't enough room to move around at times. The sofa was sandy, also there were no linens for 2 of the beds. But, overall it was a good value for the price we paid, we spent most of our days at the beach or at restaurants anyway. Not sure if I'd stay there again due to the cleanliness and hotness. The owners are nice people, though.

Owner response: We have followed up with our cleaning service regarding this feedback and will continue to check with our future guests to make sure there are no recurrences. Not sure what to say regarding the furniture… We like to have enough there for six people to be comfortable while relaxing and talking. Guests are free to move furniture around a little if it makes things easier during their stay. The air conditioning unit is brand new, so we don’t believe there is any type of equipment problem. In the middle of a hot Carolina summer at the beach, we recommend closing the blinds and drapes while out of the townhouse to help keep things a little cooler.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/6

Wonderful Family Home away from home

Guest laulau1609
Date of stay 05/22/09
Review Submitted 06/04/09

I booked this condo as a birthday present for my husband, we also have 3 young kids so I needed a house, not a hotel room. This lovely beach condo was more than I could have asked for. From the moment we arrived the kids were happy and we were too! The owners have thought of everything that you could need while away, it is beautifully decorated, and the kids loved hanging out on the decks at night watching the waves! The beach is a short 3 minute walk and even though we were there on Memorial Day weekend it felt like we had the beach to ourselves. There are a lot of restaurants nearby and the menus left in the kitchen were a big help! We will be back again for sure! Thanks Paul and Cheryl for having a great family friendly and affordable vacation home!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

Weekend getaway

Guest Ohio grandma
Date of stay 01/23/09
Review Submitted 01/28/09

I flew to NC for the weekend to visit my daughter and grandkids, and decided at the last minute to check the internet for rentals, rather than stay in a hotel. I was pleasantly surprised to find this condo, which was competitive with hotels as far as price, but with so much more to offer. The accomodations were clean, bright, spacious and had everything I needed for the weekend. The kitchen is complete with all supplies and appliances needed. A nice perk is that linens are provided, which is unusual for vacation rentals. And thank you, Paul, for reacting so quickly when I contacted you at the last minute! I had a great time visiting with the family, and will make this property my rental of choice when I fly down each year.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

A Perfect Beach House Vacation Spot!

Guest Navy Corpsman Mom
Date of stay 11/07/08
Review Submitted 11/19/08

Where do I start? There are so many great things to say about this beach rental condo I won't have enough room for it all! We stayed for 9 days and loved every minute of it. Our son, who is stationed at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, recommended that we stay here at 201 Shipwatch. It was so close to everything that we wanted to do or see. Eating at "Georges" and touring the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, having lunch at "Ricks" in Sneads Ferry, to taking the ferry boat over to Shackleford Banks in Beaufort to see the wild horses! We were so happy to see where our son lives, and to see his part of the world. The condo was so warm and cozy. It was alot colder in NC than what my husband and I are used to here in California. However, that just made it much more fun to drink coffee on the living room deck, and/or play board games with our son and his fiance. Thank goodness for the humidity! It made it warmer for me.... I liked that! The condo stayed very comfortable and we didn't need to run the heater or the AC. It was perfect!! We even got to witness the heavy NC thunder storms!! Yay!! The condo is very clean and comfortable. The kitchen has everything you could possibly need to make a nice home-cooked meal. The supermarket is only 10 minutes away in Sneads Ferry. I also have to say that the owners Paul and Cheryl are very easy to deal with. No problems what so ever!! If we ever head back to NC, we are booking this beach condo again! Thanks Paul and Cheryl for making our stay in NC a wonderful experience!!!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

Relaxing Retreat

Guest MarineMom
Date of stay 10/11/08
Review Submitted 10/21/08

We really enjoyed our stay here. This was the perfect place for my son to relax and recharge after a long & stressful tour abroad. Property close enough to Camp Legeune so he could commute and wrap up business on base. All the comforts of home by the seaside and away from the hustle and bustle of town. Highly recommend & would love to come back again.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

Wonderfully quiet off season week!

Guest Susan & Dave
Date of stay 10/04/08
Review Submitted 10/13/08

We chose this townhouse rental based on the previous reviews for a week to greet our son returning from Iraq and for a little post Hurricane Ike getaway. The townhouse truly has everything you could possibly need. We packed lighter than usual knowing there was a washer and dryer. The townhouse is clean, bright and very comfortable. The back upper deck overlooks the pool and the ocean. Always a great view from the living room area. The beach is just a stroll away through the townhouse grounds. Beach chairs, umbrella and all kinds of goodies are available in the shed. Off season is very quiet and peaceful. Take a jaunt to Wilmington for restaurants,shops, and touristy stuff. Would I rent this townhouse again or recommend it to others? You bet! The owners are gracious and very accommodating. Couldn't have asked for better communication! Restaurant recommendations: Rick's in Sneads Ferry or Daddy Mac's in Surf City for dinner. The locals told us the food quality at Rick's is dependable in the off season when there aren't a million tourists trying to get in. Great atmosphere and lively even on a week night during off season.

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