Not what was expected

Guest: Adele & Brian Perkins (Budd Lake, NJ & Airmont, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

This was our 4th year in Cape Charles. Normally we stay in a different house but decided to try this one. Upon arrival we were welcomed by a dirty porch with a tattered rug. The table on the porch was a bit off from its frame and was covered in a layer of dirt which was not from a short time frame. The first impression when we stepped in was one that the house had a nice layout. The rooms were adequately sized and the beds were all queens which is easier to distribute. The house though lacked attention to detail. I have noted some of them below; The kitchen and utensils, which are important to a renter, was distributed all over the place with no reason for placement. The silverware was dirty as were the drawers and the silverware holders. The glasses had a film on them and the plates felt greasy. The coffee maker still had grounds in it and the coffee pot still had a ring of coffee that was left in it. The can opener was rusted and unsafe. The stove and oven were grease ridden and had splatters all over it. The pots and pans were greasy and dirty. Sadly, once you get started, it didnt get better and I spend the entire first day completely cleaning the kitchen to where we felt safe eating. The bathrooms also were interesting. The main level bathroom was the only place that had a shower. In that same room, you had a sink and your dishwasher. There was no lock on the door and to use the room, we had to rig a bungee cord to keep the door closed. The second floor bathroom had the same challange where there were no locks on the doors and you could only run the water in the tub. There was no drain plug and so it rendered the tub usless. The closets were small and dingy. The ceiling was falling in some. We hung nothing in them. The kitchen had no counter space to do any preperation for dinner and so you were left using the small space on the sink edge to do any work. That was working around the drying dishes. The outdoors area is a challange since if you wanted to grill, you would have to pull the BBQ to the front walk way. There is no access to the rear of the building. I believe that code states you need to points of egress but I am not certain in VA. The last item was that there was an apartment in the rear of the house where they had a full time resident. While quiet, it still lends itself to the house not being a single family dwelling. With so many rentals in the Cape Charles area, we would not rent this house again.

Owner response:As stated in our VRBO listing this is a 100 yr old home as are many of the homes in the small town of Cape Charles. Having said that I feel the need to address some of this tenants complaints. The front porch was in no way dirty and is swept or hosed off , if necessary, between tenants. There are occasions when wind or rain, common on the Chesapeake Bay, may blow leaves or sand onto the porch. A simple adjustment to the table was all that was necessary to fix a slightly off centered table top. We do apologize if the maid service neglected to adequately clean the kitchen utensils a new cleaning service has been hired and all of these concerns have been rectified. Each bedroom has new furniture and a large dresser to accommodate our guests clothes. As to the small closets, again it's a 100 yr old house, they are clean and adequate for most 1 week stays. I am confused with reference to the outdoor area, as seen in our ad this home is on a large corner lot with more than adequate space for grilling, why they felt the need to grill on the front walkway is baffling. The small apartment located behind the house has never in the past been an issue, no common areas, entrances or exits or parking areas are shared in any way. As with all rental homes in Va. a fire inspection is required and this meets all safety requirements. We have received many wonderful reviews as indicated on our ad and in our guest book.

Recommended for:

Loved our stay here!

Guest: Van (Port Charlotte, Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/20/10 Review Submitted: 08/14/10

We had family meet here from 4 states. We had a grand time. House was perfect and loved being so close to the beach. Hope to return again next year!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to stay in your home.

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

This is our 4th year visiting Cape Charles and we look forward to it each year. Our kids have grown to know Cape Charles as our "beach house" area and we love the city and what it offers. The sunsets are my treasure that I make sure I see each night. Lots of luck and thank you!

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

Had a great time.

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 07/02/09 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

We enjoyed our time in Cape Charles. I liked visiting Chatam Vineyards and Holly Grove Vineyard. Very relaxing.

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

Had a wonderful time!

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

Caught a lot of fish. First limit on Flounder!! We also enjoyed learning how to play "cornhole" Nice house thanks for everything.

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

A wonderful month

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

as I recover from cancer. Couldn't haave been at a more peaceful place. Look forward to returning next year.

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

The house was nice, and the view was AMAZING!

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 08/08/09 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

Kayaking in the Bay was lots of fun and we were glad we didn't have to carry the kayaks very far to get to the water. Our 15 month old had a great time playing at the beach, and we all loved taking walks around town. Great place for a family vacation!

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

We like the house.

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

We liked the house very much everything was very nice, we would like to stay again next Aug. Thank you for being so nice to all of us you are a very sweet person.

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

The house was really nice and the view was great.

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 07/25/09 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

There was lots of room everyone loved the fishing and being so close to Va. Beach and we explored some of the small town which was interesting....We even played Bingo Tues. night.

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

We had a fabulous vacation here.

Guest: Marly (Budd Lake NJ & Airmont NY)
Date of Stay: 07/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

The sunsets and the beach made for a relaxing week. Our daughter had never been to the beach before and Cape Charles was a great way to introduce her. Thank you so much.

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