Vacation Rentals by Owner

Family trip of a lifetime

Guest: Sadie (Stafford Va United States)
Date of Stay: 05/05/12 Review Submitted: 05/12/12

Our visit to the Riverhouse was filled with countless memories and moments of fun, family and beautiful surroundings. My husband and I, our 5yr old, 2 yr old, and my parents had two Wonderful days spent at the river. From the moment we arrived we all felt like we had our own quiet place to relax and the kids loved playing by the water and looking for seashells. My husband caught 2 catfish and our 5 year old caught and released his very first fish. We also accidently caught and released a large turtle. Life without tv and the hectic pace of our normal lives was priceless. The house was filled with toys and games for the kids to play with and we all enjoyed s'mores by the fire. The house feels so warm and inviting and every room seemed to just fit perfect with what we needed. It is so hard not to include every detail of the Riverhouse because it has so many fantastic things to offer. We are already planning our next visit. Thanks for an amazing trip!

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

The cottage in the woods

Guest: Ntombe (South Carolina)
Date of Stay: 04/24/12 Review Submitted: 05/07/12

The cottage was exactly as described. We loved the privacy and outdoor firepit, not to mention access to beach. It was easy to cross the river on the ferry and visit Williamsburg. We would love to visit again and would most certainly recommend this site to others. And lastly, the owner is very helpful and the cleanliness of the cottage speaks to how he values it.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Misrepresented

Guest: BS79 (Lusby, MD)
Date of Stay: 03/02/12 Review Submitted: 03/05/12

Upon arrival my wife could immediately smell the cat urine that was described in another review, despite the excessive use of house sprays and potpourri to cover it up. This trip was a surprise for her, so she did not enter the house even being aware of the other review stating this same issue. The owner states that cats aren't allowed, but i'm certain that this rule is in place now as a result of this problem. The kitchen counter was completely separating from the wall and not attached to the cabinets, the cabinet drawers were falling apart, there were broken widows held together with packing tape, the bathroom door was also being held together with packing tape, and the stove is completely outdated. To get to the "riverhouse" you have to drive by a house that doubles as a junk yard and upon stepping foot on the beach, we looked to the right to see two very noticable and unwelcoming "No Trespassing" signs. We actually cut our trip short to go home, where we felt much more comfortable. Although my wife and I are both fairly young and agile, I would be very concerned as the owner about the path leading to the beach, as it is a serious liability. The pictures posted make the place look ok, but seeing it in person was very dissapointing. I am sincerly regreting having to write this review, however, i would be doing a disservice to an interested party by not making them aware. Both my wife and i are extremely confused by the other reviews on this property, as we are not picky people and had even come with the expectation that we weren't staying in a palace or anything. I think if the owner would simply do some worth while renovations and make peace with the neighbor, the place could be much nicer.

Owner response:Thank you for your feedback Bruce. Several in our family are allergic to cats so I can assure everyone that cats have not been in our home. The miscellaneous flaws have been addressed through the annual maintenance and improvements that we do this time of year before summer. Our relationships with our neighbors are great. The no trespassing signs are on our property as well as they help keep boaters off the beach so that visitors like you can enjoy the privacy. The place is now "much nicer". We look forward to having you back.

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Beautiful Location, Adorable Home!

Guest: NG (United States)
Date of Stay: 02/17/12 Review Submitted: 02/22/12

While it was quite an adventure locating the house in the dead of the night (we drove in from New York so it was about 5 am when we got in), we were all extremely pleased with the house. The location and the view of the water through the trees was perfect to get away from our busy city lives. The living room was full of games and books and there were detailed instructions on everything about the house posted clearly, including directions to all the nearby attractions. As for the outside, the pictures don't come close to truly depicting the beauty of this waterfront property. A short walk down to the beach as soon as we got there rewarded us with a brilliant sunrise and I cannot wait to try and come back in the summer when we can take those kayaks out! Jeff was prompt in his response to any questions or concerns that we had, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience!

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

Thank you so much!

Guest: Kim and Jon
Date of Stay: 02/05/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

Thank you so much for a quiet relaxing weekend. We made friends with Lily the cow. She and Coco really hit it off. Saw a family of deer and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset. Thanks again.

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Glorious!!

Guest: AMSV
Date of Stay: 01/26/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

I walked, explored, read, wrote, ate and napped...all outside. It was 68 degrees. I was treated to 4 deer, one very young, just off the deck. We stood and watched each other a while. Also saw several full grown bald eagles calling and surfing the wind currents. At night I could see the Jamestown ferry crossing the river through the leafless trees. Thank you for the re-charge!!

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Wish we had more time here.

Guest: Caitlin & Jason from Richmond
Date of Stay: 01/08/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

What a perfect place to spend our first anniversary! We spent relaxing days by the fire pit and celebratory evenings out in Williamsburg. We loved taking walks on the beach, what a lovely view. We are sad to leave and could easily spend many more days enjoying the tranquility. Thank you for opening your home.

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Thank You.

Guest: Jim, Jamie, Lily, Kate
Date of Stay: 12/27/11 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

What a great way to wind down after the craziness of the holidays. We truly felt at home here and had fun excursions to Williamsburg and Christmas-town at Busch Gardens. The weather was beautiful and the river was soothing to the ears. Thank you for opening your home to us. We will be back!!!

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Very Special Time!

Guest: The Allen Family
Date of Stay: 12/06/11 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

Thank you so much for sharing your home in the most special time in our lives, the commencement of our marriage. It was such a blessing to vacation in the seclusion of God's marvelous creation and wonder at his handiwork. Please know how appreciative we are and how the Lord used this week to work so much good on our behalf!

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Definitely coming back!!

Guest: The Zaruba Family
Date of Stay: 11/27/11 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend at the cottage!! Thanks so much for sharing your home. Our dog had a blast running on the beach and playing fetch in the water. We only found two sharks teeth, but we collected lots of neat shells. We are looking forward to coming back over the summer to swim!

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Great Stay at the James River House!

Guest: JNU3 (Maryland)
Date of Stay: 11/25/11 Review Submitted: 11/28/11

The pictures do not even do this house justice! It seems some of the furnishings have been updated a bit since the pictures on VRBO were taken and it looks great. The second bedroom with the two twin beds is decorated beautifully as is the room with the queen bed. The living room is cozy with plenty of seating space and has tons of games, books, and puzzles. The kitchen is fully stocked with everything you need...dishes, pots, pans, coffee maker, toaster, etc. As soon as we contacted Jeff about the house, he was very responsive, always answered my e-mails quickly, and provided lots of useful information about the area. The house is definitely out there and you take a series of back roads to find it, but once you arrive, the trip is worth it. We loved that we were able to bring our dog. She had so much fun swimming in the river. The private beach was incredible. We found only 3 shark's teeth, but collected lots of pretty shells too. It was so relaxing to just unplug and relax at the River House. I was shocked when my husband said "Who needs TV when you have all of this?!". We were visiting family in the area over Thanksgiving weekend, but we hope to return in the summer for more beach time and a visit to Williamsburg/Jamestown. If you want a unique vacation, forgo the usual hotel and book the River House. You won't regret it.

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

Warm and Comfortable

Guest: The Amanpa family
Date of Stay: 10/17/11 Review Submitted: 03/15/12

We enjoyed a visit to your warm and comfortable cabin with our two young daughters. While finding your out-of-the-way little slice of heaven in the dark of night was a bit challenging, once here we quickly settled in. Waking up the next morning brought many pleasant surprises as we explored the path to the river and hunted for seashells, while my husband fished. We all appreciated the nice touches of home that made our stay more comfortable. Thanks for sharing this special place! Caught 8 fish!

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Great place!

Guest: Janie (Virginia Beach, VA)
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/20/11

We had a great weekend visit at the Riverhouse! It is an amazing piece of property, very private, cozy, and great for dogs! We thoroughly relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. I would highly recommend a stay here and we can't wait to visit again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners.

James Riverhouse Stay on Sept 2 thru Sept 10th, 2011

Guest: Pamela (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/08/11

I cannot believe people are stating this was a fantastic place to stay! The bathtub has a crack in the floor and mildew was piled up. The owner tried to cover it up with a bath mat which also had alot of black mildew! We took our daughter and husband and our 6 month old grandson. I am so glad he was not crawling at this age as the floors we very gross and dirty. The coffe maker was so gross that we could not use in fear of catching something. Oh yeah, the lanolium floors had holes. What an unhealthy place to stay! Yes, I contacted Jeff and he offered to send the cleaning person over to clean while we were there, as I told Jeff she would have to spend a couple of days just trying to make the place half way clean. We did not spend much time there nor did we ever cook there as the cupboards we very dirty, the toaster was rusty, oh also note there is no dishwahser and only one closet in the whole house. Jeff did mention they were going to replace the tum in the winter time. That made us all feel so much better! NOT! There are bugs in all of the light fixtures! I asked if we could get our money back and try to find another place to stay however, the owner Jeff was not going to help us out. I would never recomend this run down house to anyone.

Owner response:Pamela. Although your exaggerated rant is upsetting, it is not surprising. I can only hope that through your words and the words of others, readers will draw their own conclusions about the type of person you are and the type of experience that we offer at The Riverhouse. I am sorry that I fell short of your expectations.

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Great week!

Guest: Tracy T.
Date of Stay: 08/21/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

Great week! Alternating between Williamsburg, Jamestown and the River House. Nothing more relaxing than coming back after a great day in Williamsburg to a cocktail on the porch, watching and listening to the river. Saw two bald eagles, found five sharks teeth. My seven-year-old was a pro and he's good in his own kayak. I will have to look for one for him for next year. Thanks for everything!

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30 Sharks Teeth!!

Guest: The Duncan family
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

Had a great time. Together we found 30 sharks teeth. Never saw the dogs. Beach was great. Had a wonderful time down there. Had a lot of good times with the game, apples to apples. Thank you so much for letting us stay at your house.

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Very Relaxing!!

Guest: Gary L.
Date of Stay: 08/09/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We enjoyed a very relaxing week at the cottage, alternating days out at Jamestown, Yorktown etc. with the days spent enjoying the beach swimming, kayaking, reading, skipping shells, and enjoying sunrises and sunsets. Thank you for opening your home to us. PS only found one Sharkstooth

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Beautiful Piece of Land

Guest: Dale R. (Virginia Beach)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 09/16/11

Nature walks, private swimming, exploring, relaxing = everything I wanted in a get away. With the convenience of Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens a quick and quaint ferry ride away, the “River House” proved to be the ideal vacation destination for me my wife and our two children. It was so different not hearing the sound of cars or people or ANYTHING at night… just the sound of the woods… thre great outdoors. We are very much looking forward to our next visit to Williamsburg, Surry and the “River House”. Thank you Jeff and family!

Owner response:I am so happy to hear of your experience. We look forward to having you back again.

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

Thanks for everything.

Guest: The Brown family
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We had a wonderful visit. We really enjoyed swimming on the beach and kayaking, we also had some excellent visits to Williamsburg and Jamestown settlement. Thanks for everything.

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Thanks for Everything!!

Guest: Ray R.
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We had a really great visit and appreciate everything. Williamsburg was fun but it was really hot! Thank you for everything.

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Great for Dogs.

Guest: Sandy J.
Date of Stay: 07/18/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

Thank you for sharing the cabin with us and others to enjoy. My husband especially enjoyed the kayaks. This is the perfect place to come for peace and quiet. Was also a safe and welcoming retreat for our dogs!

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Wonderful Spot !!!!

Guest: Amy D.
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

What a wonderful spot. We did all that we could squeeze in; Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. The boys love swimming in the river and the neighbors big dog ! Only found a couple of sharks teeth but, found the other shells interesting. Thank you for a wonderful stay!

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Location Unbeatable!

Guest: Sandi
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We had a great visit to the river house. We found 14 sharks teeth, caught several crabs, and even more fish. We swam on the days the winds were calm. On our morning walks. We saw several dear, a Black snake, turkey, chickens, even a cow. The ferry was convenient. We made trips to Jamestown, Busch Gardens , and Colonial Williamsburg. It was a great trip! The location was unbeatable.

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Total Relaxation!!

Guest: Heather
Date of Stay: 05/30/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We were in search of a vacation spot that would allow for a combination of total relaxation, family bonding, and sightseeing opportunities if and when we felt it. We found all of this and more at the River House. Our boys, five and eight, enjoyed swimming and beachcombing every morning. We enjoyed being able to put them in lifejackets and send them down while we enjoyed some quiet time about, without worries of strangers or unsafe swimming conditions. What a nice surprise that the river was actually fairly comfortable for swimming this early in the season! When we were ready for them to come up, we rang the big bell and they clamored to shower off and enjoy a snack or lunch.

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Great beach house!

Guest: Melody and Chris
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We were here for work so we didn't get to use the kayaks. We went down the beach a few times, beautiful view! Found a great shark tooth as soon as I stepped on the beach! Wonderful wildlife in the area! Thank you for letting us in your home!

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peace and quiet

Guest: Claire and Dan
Date of Stay: 04/23/11 Review Submitted: 03/15/12

We had a nice short trip to the cabin for a friend's wedding in Williamsburg. A little bit of a drive, but the peace and quiet was worth it. Bell made an appearance, but shadow remained elusive. Thank you for sharing your cabin with us!

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Plenty of history, plenty of fun, and most of all peacefull

Guest: Kevin (Boyds, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 03/12/11 Review Submitted: 03/25/11

We've been to the Riverhouse several times now and each time when the vacation is over we're sad to leave. Some of the time we had so much fun taking the ferry to Williamsburg and Jamestown to see the historical sights, shopping, movies, and the restaurants. Other times we simply hung out and enjoyed the beauty, peach and tranquility of the river setting. We also had fun on the beach searching for fossils and shark teeth...I looked forward to that every day! The house has everything you need which helped out family spend far more quality time than other vacation spots. I'd recommend this vacation setting for families and anyone that enjoys the peace and quiet of being along your own private beach! Thank you to the Sadler family for sharing their paradise with us. We'll definitely be back ASAP.

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

A Getaway Near It All

Guest: Sarah G (Youngstown, OH)
Date of Stay: 10/23/10 Review Submitted: 11/02/10

This is the perfect place for a rustic location, while still with plenty to do every day of your stay. While we picked this place for our visit to Williamsburg, we found that Surry and Smithfield and other small area towns have their own charm and attraction. The ferry ride over to Williamsburg was a daily chance to relax and take in the view. We might never have even looked if we weren't staying on the James River opposite of Williamsburg. The home was clean, everything we could have needed was provided for, the scenery is as beautiful as the pictures on this listing, and the owner is impeccably professional. I made a mistake in filling out the lease, and when I called him, he was immediately available and helpful. My security deposit was returned within 3 days. I would definitely stay here again, and I would definitely recommend to friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Serenity close to activity

Guest: Flutterbye03 (Fairfax, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 09/16/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/10

This cottage is GREAT! You wouldn't know it but it's only minutes from the Historical Triangle area. We took the ferry back and forth to Jamestown, etc. and it was just perfect. After all the sight-seeing, shopping, and fun, we returned to the cottage to experience nothing but the serenity of outdoor life - only indoors! Everything we needed was there...quietness, a wonderful view of the James River, a private beach, and lots of leisure time for coffee or wine on the wrap-around porch. Everything was clean and ready for our arrival. If we had questions, the owner was only a phone call away! Given the opportunity, we will definitely make a return visit. If you're thinking of a perfect get-away, try this cottage. The pictures don't reflect it's true beauty. Thank you, Jeff, for a wonderful relaxing time at your cottage on the James River! And if you're looking for a guide of the Historical Triangle area or a special ghost tour, give Jeff's uncle John a call. He was great, too!

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

Great quiet getaway

Guest: Ben (Norfolk, VA)
Date of Stay: 09/10/10 Review Submitted: 09/16/10

My family had a great time at the river house. We spent the days at the beach, wading in the James River and collecting sharks-teeth (we found 5!). The evenings were spent either on the porch, listening to the sounds of the forest, or in the living room, doing puzzles together as a family. On our last day, we took the ferry across the river.

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

We absolutely loved every minute we spent here.

Guest: The Cheuring Family
Date of Stay: 08/31/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

What an incredibly beautiful home you have. We absolutely loved every minute we spend here. When you look around the house, you see a lifetime of family experiences. Your book and game collections, wallhangings you can feel the spirit of and love here and the natural beauty of the woods and river are most enjoyable. We intend to return again. Thanks for allowing us to stay here!

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cat urine smell

Guest: George (Washington Crossing)
Date of Stay: 08/30/10 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

I had a nice stay at the property. beach was great. On arrival twin bed area in dining , living room smelled like cat urine. The path lights were out on the long steep walkway to beach, tried to reset GFI receptical on trail , but it had a large wasp nest in it. reported both problems to Jefff via text as requested. There was no response from Jeff or service during stay. Then on top of the agreed $125 clean fee, there was a bogus $50 deduct from security deposit for addditional cleaning to one of twin beds a week later when deposit was refunded. We have stayed with VRBOs before and have a property listed, and never had this problem.

Owner response:I am glad your stay was nice. I am sorry that you experienced an unpleasant odor and we have looked into your complaint. We do not allow cats at the River House so I can assure you that there is no cat urine in the home. Wasp nests are part of having a home in the country and the nest at the beach outlet has been removed. With the GFI reset, the path lights to the beach are working fine now. It was with a heavy heart that we withheld $50 of the security deposit. This was the first time all season that the property was left in a condition that required a deduction. Thank you George for your feedback.

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

A Great Getaway

Guest: APC (Bucks County, PA)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 09/06/10

My family and I had a wonderful time at your cottage. You have thought of everything and we really appreciated all of the amenities. We enjoyed your collection of books and games and my son was actually thankful that there was no TV. The beach was great for morning coffee and shell/shark tooth hunting (and yes we too found a few). The sunsets were spectacular and the calm James River was a great place for us to try kayaking. And a real treat for us as avid bird lovers was to see a few bald eagles. And we loved the location - it was just far enough away from the parks. The country roads and the ferry made for a fun trek to and from each day. Our new favorite park is Busch Gardens, with the Eurpean design and beautiful landscaping. And we had a nice italian dinner at Anna's in Surry. We have shown our pics to some of our family and friends and I believe you will see some more rentals next year from folks up our way (including us again). Thanks so much for sharing your house! See ya next year.....

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

We LOVE this place!

Guest: The Mills family
Date of Stay: 08/27/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

Thank you! This vacation was wonderful! We love the little cottage, and how we weren't always near people. We had a lot more time to relax! The kids went kayaking for the first time! They are both 11 years old. Rob caught tons of catfish on the beach and found 44 shark teeth!! We had fun playing the games here too! Mostly mad gab! And we like to cross the ferry! Thanks for letting us stay here! PS we saw a bald eagle go in and catch a fish!

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James River House....a place to relax, renew, repeat

Guest: Mel (Hunterdon County, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10 Review Submitted: 09/03/10

Upon arriving at the cottage on a 97 degree day, we were pleased to find that the air conditioning had been turned on in anticiptaion of our arrival. We entered the clean, comfortably cool cottage to find just what the pictures had shown. My 11 year-old daughters knew just where to find the path to the beach and were on their way before we could even unpack. We spent our first evening down by the river and were blessed with the most beautiful sunset. We visited many of the local attractions during our week (our family historical favorite was Jamestown and our modern favorite was Water Country), but the memories that will last are those spent down on the beach by the river and those spent together as a family in the evenings at the cottage. We observed several Ospreys and Bald Eagles soaring just above us on the beach, then diving fast and hard into the river to fish. I couldn't believe the sound of the splash when they hit the water! My husband, who loves to fish, did so every day, catching a plethora of catfish and even some perch. The girls and I practiced our casting, as well, and reeled in some catfish and blue crabs of our own. We were most amazed at the shells on the beach. You wouldn't think there would be so many shells - and huge ones, at that - on a riverbank. We collected many to bring home, as well as some neat pieces of driftwood. Our greatest finds, though, were the forty-four fossilized shark's teeth, some quite sizable. Once we figured out how and where to look, it was easy to locate them. The girls tried their skills at kayaking and loved it. They spent an entire day kayaking and swimming at the beach. The absolute best part is that we did all these things without ever seeing another soul. My daughter said she liked this vacation better than last year's trip to Murrell's Inlet, SC because it was so private at the beach. Our greatest family accomplishment was completing the "church" puzzle that we started one evening. It took three evenings to complete! We had lots of funand laughs playing Trivia for Dummies and Mad Gab, too! We loved the ferry trips across the river...on our last crossing the girls took our leftover bread and fed the seagulls off the back. They had a ball and were amazed at the gulls ability to catch in midair. I am so glad we chose to spend our vacation at the cottage, away from the business of our day-to-day lives. No TV, video games, computers,...it is a great thing (even the kids agree)!

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

Great Place!

Guest: Sarah and Tony Campbell
Date of Stay: 08/12/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

This was a great place to come and wish we had more time here!

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Beautiful quiet time on the James River

Guest: kurtmisc (Troy, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/30/10

Spent a week staying at the James River Cottage with my wife and children and had a wonderful time. Beautiful sandy beach just a short walk from the cottage, with very shallow swimming area. Great for the kids and not having to worry about them getting to far out. Found a lot of interesting shells and shark teeth. The cottage is well kept and very functional, but the best part is the privacy. During the week we were out there we didn't see one person on the beach. Very quiet and relaxing. Was very close to all the attractions at Williamsburg, only took a little extra time with the ferry trip, but never ran into a problem with be stopped there very long. Usually we were across in 20 minutes.

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

Catfish and Bass galore

Guest: The Hosain family
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

This was our first time to this area and absolutely loved it. The house was perfect for us and completely enjoyed the beach and river. Our boys caught over 30 fish during the week. Catfish and bass and ended the week by catching the biggest they've ever caught. 18-20 inches and 3 to 4 pounds. More smiles than you'll ever know. Thank you so much for allowing us this experience. We have great pictures and memories to last us for years. Thank you!

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Peaceful and beautiful

Guest: The Hawkins family
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We had a wonderful time. We saw eagles, dear, hummingbirds, snakes! And lots of butterflies. Everything was as advertised but you didn't explain how peaceful and beautiful it is here! We hope to be back!!

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Family Vacation

Guest: Hawkeye (Frankfort, KY)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/15/10

We spent our family vacation (including two teenagers 15 and 19) for a week at the end of June. We had a great time! The house had everything we needed and the girls absolutely had a blast using the kayaks on the river. They loved Belle (the neighbor's dog) who was huge but so gentle. The setting was so peaceful and we loved the private beach. We found lots of shells and about 10 shark teeth including one that was about 2 inches in diameter. The real surprise and delight were the bald eagles. These were in the advertisement but we didn't expect to see any. We saw two males with the traditional white head and two young eagles that were all brown. They flew up the river each morning and back again in the afternoon. We had no waiting for the ferry each time we went to Williamsburg and it took about 10 mins to cross the James River. Our daughters told us this was one of their favorite vacations and I have to agree! The Owner was very helpful and provided detailed information on everything. We will definitely try to come back!!

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

Guest: Lisa136 (Daleville, VA)
Date of Stay: 03/30/10 Review Submitted: 03/30/10

We stayed in the James River cabin for a week in March, and it exceeded our expectations for a cozy, equipped cabin situated on a high bank of the James River!! The beach was beautiful. Perfect for long walks and shell-collecting. Our 3 girls loved playing there. We also enjoyed kayaking and fishing. The cabin was extremely well-equipped from the kitchen to the living room, which had a nice selection of books, games and even toys for the kids. We crossed the river several times to visit Jamestown and Williamsburg. Our manager, Jeffrey Sadler was extremely helpful, prompt to reply to emails, and made the whole experience a good one. HIGHLY recommended! Thank you!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/17/10 Review Submitted: 01/17/10

The owner's poetic description of the property aptly matches the beauty and tranquility of the place. Our week spent at the River House, though with some days of freezing weather, was enjoyable and relaxing. We were able to enjoy the beach and take in the amazing views while being treated with endless surprises of large shells and interesting pieces of drift wood. A true gem, indeed!

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Awesome Time!!

Guest: T. Family
Date of Stay: 10/17/09 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We had the best time. We found six shark teeth and so many shells I can't count. There are more here than at the beach!!! Had an awesome time!!

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A wonderful time

Guest: The wade family
Date of Stay: 09/26/09 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We had a wonderful time. Thank you.

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Wonderful Vacation

Guest: The Thompson family, Chalfont Pennsylvania
Date of Stay: 09/26/09 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

Had a wonderful vacation! Thanks!

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Great Experience!!! Thank you so much!

Guest: K.P. family
Date of Stay: 08/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We had a really great experience here as a family. Went to Water Country, Busch Gardens, sightseeing to the beach here. We saw Bella down on the beach and she took a swim with us, very nice dog. We saw an eagle, three foxes. Also, frogs, lizards. We played games in the evening and bonded. Cabin is wonderful, very nice, well kept, found everything we needed. Also saw Elmo, Big Bird, Ernie and Sesame Street. Rode the ferry. Would love to come back longer next year. We also had hot weather in the 90s. Thank you so much for the wonderful job you do with the place. Thank you

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/13/09

Our small family of 5 (including 2 kids and a dog) spent 4th of July week at the cottage on the James River. What a wonderful vacation...so far away from it all but close enough to enjoy Busch Gardens, WaterCountry USA and Colonial Williamsburg etc, etc, etc.. The cottage is completely private, cozy, comfortable and spotlessly clean. It's a simple place that reminded me of my uncles cabin up in the poconos (with the added amenities of heat and water ;-) ) It was a wonderful place to have quiet family time playing games or loud splashing fun on the beach! The girls loved collecting shells, swimming in the river and finding sharks teeth (we found over 50!) (You may want to bring swim shoes though due to the number of shells on the beach - which was unbelievable to us!) Fishing was fantastic...no wait for bites and we pulled in fish after fish which was exciting for all of us. We had visits from box turtles, foxes, lizards, hawks and deer. The property affords many opportunities for shutter bugs as well. The (free!?!? - unheard of)ferry rides to Williamsburg even added to the experience. The girls even enjoyed feeding the seagulls from the ferry! At night, after complete exhaustion at the parks, clean comfy beds and white fluffy towels awaited us. The kitchen was well stocked for the days we 'cooked in' and we enjoyed s'mores on the bbq grill while rocking away in the rocking chairs on the deck :-) All in all a wonderful place with wonderful people to work with to set up your vacation...great communication, friendly and helpful...If you are looking for something a bit different during your stay near Williamsburg, I highly recommended this property and the owners! Thanks Ashley and Jeff! The Thompsons Bucks County, PA July 2009

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We love this house

Guest: Cindy S.
Date of Stay: 04/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We love this house -- just the drive in was an adventure. I never knew a riverbank could be such a beautiful beach. We love the wildlife: turkeys, scampering squirrels and a box turtle on the path to the beach. The house was nicely stocked and very clean with comfortable beds. Thanks so much! Aloha from Hawaii !!

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Coming back soon!!!

Guest: Firmender family
Date of Stay: 04/25/09 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We had a great time. Sadly we didn't find any shark teeth but we did find some clams. We liked playing the board games, swimming and kayaking we will come back sometime soon.

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Guest: Lisa
Date of Stay: 03/21/09 Review Submitted: 04/15/10

We stayed in the James River cabin for a week in March, and it exceeded our expectations for a cozy, equipped cabin situated on a high bank of the James River!! The beach was beautiful. Perfect for long walks and shell-collecting. Our 3 girls loved playing there. We also enjoyed kayaking and fishing. The cabin was extremely well-equipped from the kitchen to the living room, which had a nice selection of books, games and even toys for the kids. We crossed the river several times to visit Jamestown and Williamsburg. Our manager, Jeffrey Sadler was extremely helpful, prompt to reply to emails, and made the whole experience a good one. HIGHLY recommended! Thank you!

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