Home away from home

Guest: female with missing shoe (new smyrna beach florida)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/12/11

I was impressed with the layout and open floor plan of this house. we had five people in our party and never once felt like we were in each others way. The living area is roomy with plenty of space to sprawl out. the kitchen was updated with SS appliances and i loved the island in the middle. just room for a couple of people to visit over coffee in the mornings. My favorite part of the house were all the decks. we enjoyed the upper deck (bird's eye view) and spent plenty of time on each one of them. the gas grill came in handy on numerous occasions. The neighborhood was quiet, friendly and beautiful. we all enjoyed walks down to the community beaches and areas all week long. I might also add that the house is on a big corner lot with plenty of room for parking and even a small trailer with a boat. both neighbors were friendly one offered for us to use his kayaks if we wanted and the other did not hesitate to print out our e-tickets for the flight back home. So, if you are looking for a relaxing great vacation you will not be disappointed! :) ps i almost forgot that i left a shoe behind and Steve was more than willing to mail it back to me without hesitation and would not let me pay for the shipping. we all said it several times throughout the week how much we were gonna miss the house and neighborhood. Thanks so much Steve, i consider you a friend. take care until next time!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great for a Thanksgiving Week!

Guest: Claire from California (Davis, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/21/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

My husband and I, our three teenage/20s daughters, and a boyfriend had a great time here over thanksgiving. It didn't hurt that the weather was beautiful most days. Casa Arundel was the perfect size....the kitchen was large enough to cook Thanksgiving dinner, and Steve even found us a turkey roaster. The main room was comfortable, with a gas fireplace and big-screen TV, and surrounded by floor to ceiling windows on 2- 1/2 sides. Being able to look out at the fall leaves while sitting by a cozy fire was great, and the neigborhood bounded by water on 3 sides was perfect for walking off our thanksgiving feast! We had a couple enjoyable visits to downtown Annapolis, and saw a beautiful sunset over the Chesapeake from the other side of the Bay Bridge. One of our daughters is in school in Washington DC, and the trip to her apartment on Capitol Hill was only about 40 minutes....same with the trip to BWI airport, which the rest of us flew into from California (and one daughter from college in Oklahoma). It made a great relaxing location to rendezvous for the holidays, accessible to Washington DC, beautiful areas around the Chesapeake Bay, and convenient to the airport. I'd definitely recommend it!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

You have a beautiful house

Guest: Bill (Adelphi, MD )
Date of Stay: 07/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

You have a beautiful house, and it was a pleasure to stay there. The wife and kids loved it. My sister in law stayed with us for a few days and said that she would return with us next year for the whole week. Thanks for having a great place.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, families with young children.

Guest: Patty (-)
Date of Stay: 06/24/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

Hi Steve:. Thanks for the accommodations – it was a wonderful visit. Your neighbors were so friendly and kind and the proximity to the beach and grocery store made the stay that much more enjoyable. Thanks again for the digs and we wish you the best. This was our first trip to Maryland in 10 years as a complete family, but if we do it again, we will be sure to keep you and “Casa” in mind for accommodations. Patty

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Lots of good stuff, some bad.

Guest: vicfromgermany (Germany)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/21/11

We rented Casa Arundel for a little more than a week in June 2011. The floor plan of the house and layout were good and the owner was easy to deal with. There is nice outdoor space. There are three TVs, which were all a bit old, but they all have Verizon Fios, so it was great to have so much on demand stuff available to watch. The biggest problem with the house was cleanliness. The "cleaning" that took place before we arrived feel very short of expectations and left grease on the stove, spots on the mirrors, dead bugs on windowsills, etc. But in general, this house needs a serious deep clean and carpet clean. If you looked under any furniture or behind doors or at baseboards, it was pretty disgusting. The carpets need to deep cleaned at least every couple of months in a rental property, but I doubt this had happened in years at this place. The house has some interesting do it yourself rennovation problems, but its the cleanliness that really would make me hesitant to stay there again. If you have a dog then maybe you won't mind this, just please clean up the back yard afterwards for the sake of the next guests :-).

Owner response:Considering this is the first negative review in 3 years, it is possible the renter had unrealistic expectations. They were also kind enough to leave a present of dirty diapers from their babies. The grease on the range was cleaner that the housekeeper forgot 2 buff off. Hello, this is a pet friendly house !! The carpet has since been replaced., Unfortunately carpet get stained with renters coming and going, even though it gets cleaned the beginning of each season. I also had just renovated the upstairs master bath, which does cause some residual dust. The house has been thorougly cleaned again ,since the recent renovation and carpet installation last week. Be assured, you will be happy in your stay @ the "Casa" Steve

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What a Pleasant Surprise...this place is a FIND!

Guest: Joan W. (DE)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 02/01/11

"Beautiful! I've never stayed at a better appointed vacation home. Absolutely comfortable! You thought of everything! We could easily get to Downtown Annapolis for sightseeing and shopping. Nice to have such a spacious oasis for entertaining and relaxing. I loved walking the quiet streets to the water on three sides! The view of the Bay Bridge was incredible! Perfect place for nature lovers! Thanks again for a great getaway Steve!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Chris & Jeff (-)
Date of Stay: 11/21/10 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

Steve- We had a wonderful time. Your house was perfect. I was able to host and cook dinner for 15 people! We had a fun time in Annapolis- my son was able to catch up with a Naval academy HS friend and we found a great bar- Level. The dogs loved the Quiet Waters park- we went for a hike every day. Great neighborhood- lots of dog lovers and great place to walk. Thank you- Enjoy your holidays- Chris & Jeff

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Very relaxing

Guest: pmart70 (Hartford, CT)
Date of Stay: 06/17/10 Review Submitted: 06/22/10

The house is close enough to DC and Baltimore that it provides you with ample opportunity to get out and about, yet still gives you the option to kick back by fishing or just relaxing at the dock on the bay. We really enjoyed our vacation stay here - thanks so much Steve!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway.

Fabulous summer getaway

Guest: starkjacks (Massachusetts)
Date of Stay: 07/03/09 Review Submitted: 03/29/10

My family of four stayed at Casa Arundel in the summer of 2009 and are planning to return. This lovely home was perfect in meeting our needs. It was close to the water and wonderful places to visit in beautiful Annapolis. It was also close enough to Washington, DC, so that we could make day trips to the National Zoo, Smithsonian museums, the monuments, and other attractions. The house itself was spacious enough so that we had plenty of room to move around and not get in each other's way - essential for family harmony! We used the grill and ate outside which was wonderful. We also cooked everyday in the beautiful, well-equipped kitchen. What a nice spot!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/26/09 Review Submitted: 09/26/09

Great house! Kid-friendly & dog-friendly - can't beat that! Great location! Easy to get to Thomas Point, Quiet Waters Dog Park, Annapolis Seafood Market, or into town. Great Neighborhood! Lovely walk to beach and pier. We'll definitely be back. Thanks Steve, it was fun to spend our 25th at Casa Arundel.

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