Vacation Rentals by Owner

Amazing Vacation Spot!

Guest: Nikki Q.
Date of Stay: 04/07/12 Review Submitted: 04/18/12

We spent a wonderful week enjoying this beautiful Palmetto Dunes property on Hilton Head island. It is safe to say that the home is even more spectacular than the pictures can do justice! Clean, well decorated and well maintained. The kitchen is stunning and is better stocked than my own at home with every dish, appliance, or glass you could ever need. The hot tub and pool were huge hits with our three kids (2 teens, 1 early 20's). We also enjoyed playing Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii system in the media room. Each bedroom is lovely and each has it's own gorgeous bathroom - no sharing = no fighting! Just a beautiful short walk to the beach. We rented kayaks and bikes while there and used the tennis courts as well. The owner called to check in on us during our stay and was both prompt and completely gracious to deal with throughout the process. Our favorite meal out was at A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant which is located close to Palmetto Dunes, but tucked out of view a bit. We also took one day trip to Savannah, Georgia which was only about a 45-50 minute drive. A very memorable and relaxing family vacation.

Recommended for:

Another Perfect Week at Turtle House

Guest: Ed and Mary Yeager (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 03/30/12 Review Submitted: 04/09/12

This was our second visit to Hilton Head/Turtle House, and just as last year, everything was absolutely perfect. The Novaks are gracious owners, the home is wonderfully maintained and furnished and the pool and hot tub are icing on the cake of relaxation. The layout of the home is perfect for a large family or for several couples sharing a vacation and the way the house is located at the end of the lake makes for a quiet and private retreat. We have already reserved our week for next year!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers.

Turtle House - wonderful!

Guest: Linda (Raleigh NC)
Date of Stay: 02/01/12 Review Submitted: 02/28/12

We had a fabulous time at the Turtle House -- It was so spacious, each bedroom with its own bath, two distinct media/family rooms, an amazing kitchen, and a dinng table that seats 10! Upstairs, a game table is ideal for cards, jigsaw puzzles, etc. Easy walk to beach, and very nice quiet neighborhood. We loved sitting in the back yard in the morning watching the lake's wild life. A perfect location and a wonderful house!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

How do you spell PERFECTION????

Guest: Carolyn W. (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 02/01/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

Our month-long stay at Turtle House was terrific! The house is very roomy with beds and baths for everyone! No sharing needed. The kitchen has everything one could ever want! The location and views over the lake was perfecto! wish we could have used the pool, but it was for the month of February, after all. We had THE master bath and it was gorgeous (as is the rest of the house). Entertainment choices abound (TVs VCR, game table, Wii, and places to 'get away.' Guaranteed rest and relaxation!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway.

Fabulous Vacation Home!

Guest: Jennifer G.
Date of Stay: 11/21/11 Review Submitted: 12/08/11

My family rented this home for the Thanksgiving holiday and we had a wonderful time. The house has everything you might need for a family gathering - even for a holiday feast. We were traveling with two small babies and were happy to find high-chairs, pack n' plays, and a play gym. For the older kids, there was a Wii system, games, and of course the amazing pool in the back yard. The house also has WiFi so those of us who were working a little could keep in touch. The layout of the house is ideal, every room has it's own bathroom and the main living areas are in the center of the home. The kitchen was stocked with top of the line appliances and cooking utensils - which came in very handy for preparing a Thanksgiving meal. There were double ovens, two coffee makers, a nice large fridge, bar supplies, very nice pots and pans, etc. The living room opens up to a beautiful view of the private lake and pool/hot tub in back. There was a small dock that the kids could use to feed the fish - we all loved this ideal location. The beach was only a short walk down the street. Everyone really enjoyed this home and the owners took care to make sure we knew where everything was. There was a notebook that walked you through everything from garbage pickup to how to work the DVD player. Our family came from 3 states to meet for this vacation, and as we left we had already decided we will have to come back and rent this home again!

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11.11.11 Wedding

Guest: Holly (Ashburn, VA )
Date of Stay: 11/08/11 Review Submitted: 11/14/11

I selected the Turtle Beach House for our stay because my sister had her wedding at Palmetto Dunes. We had 5 adults staying in the house. It was AMAZING. Everyone had their own room and bathroom (and the bedrooms are located throughout the house), so there were no awkward bathroom sharing. The kitchen has more appliances, bowls, glasses, etc than my own home. The owners thought of everything-- from extra dishwashing detergent to extra trash bags under the sink. The house is beautifully decorated-- everyone loved it. When my family came over to see the house, I was afraid they wouldn't leave :0) All of the furniture is incredibly comfortable and the dining room table is huge-- big enough to accommodate all of us for dessert one night! We went out on the deck one day and saw 12 turtles-- it was a memorable moment for all of us. The house was extremely clean and definitely well maintained. I read the reviews and we had no problems at all. We did have some confusion about the trash location-- the owner's immediately returned our call (we were looking in the wrong place!). She even called to make sure we had everything that we needed-- the sign of a perfect hostess. They also took the time to write out instructions on everything in the house-- so incredibly helpful. We love, love, love the Turtle Beach House!!!

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

Fantastic HHI Getaway at The Turtle Beach House

Guest: Jo Anne S.
Date of Stay: 10/16/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

WOW! That was the first word I said to my husband as we entered The Turtle Beach House on HHI. As I toured each room of this wonderful vacation home, I got a warm and welcoming feeling like the feeling you get when you visit the home of a friend. From the well stocked and roomy kitchen with a nice view of the lake to the open and airy living area with beautiful wood floors and comfy furnishings, from the large inviting dining table to the soothing decor and private bath in each bedroom - this beautiful home beckons you to just sit, relax and stay for a while. The lighting and sound systems throughout are simply outstanding. And, the outside deck, pool area and lakefront dock are as comfortable and relaxing as the interior. I enjoyed my first cup of coffee every morning of our stay while sitting on the deck watching the wildlife welcome each new day. The dock has comfortable seating as well and then there are the turtles, turtles, turtles! The turtles were so much fun for all of us to watch. The ocean and beach area is only a 5 minute walk or 2-3 minute bike ride with nice paths along the way. The Palmetto Dunes community itself is beautiful as well. There are many things to do on HHI, but one of our favorite things all week (on the recommendation of the Novak's) was our dinner at The Sage Room. The food, service and restaurant were all top notch. The home and the area are fantastic, but the thing that really made the difference for us was our hosts. The Novaks are wonderful hosts and very caring people. Thank you Rosina and family for all your help, for all the information you sent before our visit, and for keeping in touch all along the way. And, thank you for sharing your home with us. We hope to return to HHI again soon, and we look forward to another visit to The Turtle Beach House. Todd & Jo Anne S.

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Beautfil Home - Minor Maintenance Issues

Guest: Rick (Ohio)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 09/22/11

I write this review with 2 days remaining in our stay. The home is very nice. The view of the lagoon excellent. We've rented homes in Palmetto Dunes previously and this home has one of the larger pool/hot tub/outdoor recreation areas. From that standpoint the home is great. Concern #1: On our 5th day the pool and hot tub were cleaned. The hot tub has not worked since. We put in a call to maintenance, but have already been a full day without use of the hot tub. Concern #2: When you close the refrigerator door the freezer door pops open. We we're unaware of this until the refrigerator had warmed to 50 degrees which sent us scrambling to the Piggly Wiggly for ice and coolers to attempt to salvage our food. The maintenance person came out the following day and did remark that he had been called out regarding this issue before. The freezer door is clearly mis-aligned. Hard to relax when you're worried about your groceries going bad. Concern #3: The main garbage disposal makes a loud clunking noise. We addressed this with the maintenance person over the phone prior to his initial visit. He forgot to address it, and we forgot to remind him as we were concerned with the refrigerator. Again, very nice home, but would only consider a return visit once the minor maintenance issues have been addressed.

Owner response:We apologize for any inconvenience that our guests incurred. We attempt to keep our home in the best condition possible but as with any home, issue do occur. Our policy is to have our maintenance people out to our home within a few hours or as soon as possible after we have been notified of a concern. We appreciate being notified of problems and will work dilegently to keep our home in the best condition possible.

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Wonderful

Guest: Barbara
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/12/11

We had a great week at the turtle house. The house had all of the amenities possible. We prepared a wonderful dinner on Sunday night. They put in a brand new gas grille while we were there but never got the chance to use it. We never did see the alligator but the turtles kept us entertained. We would go on the dock every chance we got to see and feed them. We rented bikes for the week and rode to the general store every morning for doughnuts and newspapers. The complex is awesome. What beautiful homes. We also walked daily to get a better look at all of the homes. The beach is great but unfortunately we only got to spend a few hours there as we wanted to tour Savannah, Beaufort and Charleston. The dolphin tour in Hilton Head is worth doing. It was a beautiful day and was very relaxing aboard the boat and we did see many dolphins. Thank you Novaks for the use of your beautiful home. Will not hesitate to return.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children.

Perfect!

Guest: Miranda M.
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/31/11

Having travelled to South Carolina many times, but never Hilton Head, we thought we knew what to expect but the island was better then we could have imagined and the Turtle Beach House just made for the perfect vacation. The house is very clean, beautifully decorated and fully equipped, from the kitchen to the pool area. We had 4 little girls with us ranging from 2 to 6 and they loved the pool and just hanging out in the game room upstairs. The kitchen has everything you can think of and even a gas grill on the deck for barbecuing. The house has a lovely feel to it, open spaces to hang out and relax but with the bedrooms tucked away for quiet time. Rosina was wonderful to deal with, very helpful and always quick to respond to any inquires. We wouldn't consider staying anywhere else on the island. Thank you for sharing your home with us, we all loved it!

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

Turtle Beach House - Beautiful Home - very relaxing!!

Guest: katie (chattanooga, tn)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/26/11

This beautiful home in Palmetto Dunes has everything you need for a great vacation. Our extended family of 12 (5 kids) stayed for a week and had plenty of room and privacy. We spent mornings at the beach which is about a 5 minute walk or a 2 minute bike ride, and afternoons at the pool which was especially nice for the kids because the pool is very shaded in the afternoon sun. The lake in the back is full of turtles and other wildlife - beautiful to watch and very quiet. Rent this house, trust me, you won't regret it - my family has kind of high standards and I was worried since I'm the one that booked this house - no worries though. It is even nicer than in the pictures and the entire family kept complimenting the layout and decor all week. Working with the owner Rosina was much nicer than working with a rental company. We all had a great time, the house was very kid friendly with lots of supplies already there (high chair, pack and play, booster, pool floats) and the upstairs game room/den is a great extra bedroom for children. We will be back next year!

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

We are in love with Turtle House!!

Guest: Liz (Lexington, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

Our family of four spent June 4-11 at this beautiful home and we are back home now dreaming of "our" Turtle House! And that is exactly how you feel, this isn't just a rental but your own private home...it is so wonderfully set up and decorated you can't help but feel completely comfortable! We are a bit snooty when it comes to rentals, we have rented every year for our family vacation...but we are going no where else from now on...the Novaks have thought of it all!!! The home is so very well equipped that we just kept opening cabinets and "ooooh'ing" and "ahhhh'ing"! The top-of-the-line kitchen equipment had me making out my Christmas list for my hubby...everything from a panini press to two Cuisinart coffee makers!! The Wii and extensive game collection had both my girls in heaven! The beds were extremely comfortable, the baths were beautiful, the entire home just felt...like home!!! We were able to sit out on the large deck and watch the girls swim while we read a book and enjoyed the wildlife in the lagoon. The location is perfect for the beach and lovely bike rides through the shaded streets. This really is Heaven on Earth! And Rosina was the perfect hostess...answered all calls quickly and took care of any questions we had! Follow up e-mails and phone calls made us feel like she really cares...very rare in renting! Overall, I think we have found our HHI home from now on!!! Thanks Novaks!!!!

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

Best Family Vacation Ever

Guest: Family (Lewisville, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/17/11

This home was perfect for our family! Our adult children (and two young grandchildren) live across the United States (Texas, South Carolina and D.C.) so it was a treat for all of us to come together in one location to have a relaxed and carefree stay at Hilton Head. Since this was the first time for us to rent a vacation property, we were not sure what to expect. The homeowner, Rosina, was wonderful and answered all of my questions before hand and had a great notebook of information available for us when we arrived (including information not only about things in the house but restaurant recommendations, recreational activities, etc. at Hilton Head). The house was complete with amenities for everyone (pool, hot tub, televisions, bumper pool table, extensive library of books, a completely stocked kitchen, grill, Wii, beach chairs, and the list goes on and on and on.) We were especially pleased to have a crib, high chair, exersaucer, baby bath and booster seat for our little ones. We found that our stay went too quickly to use all of the amenities that were included in the house. I would definitely recommend this home and hope that we will be able to rent again in year's to come.

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

Delivered as described....WOW!

Guest: Graves/Greenhouse (Illinois/new York)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 04/25/11

Absolutely the most well appointed vacation home we have experienced in 7 years of coming to Hilton Head! Turtles, frogs, fish, exotic birds, alligator and eagle all part of the scenery! Everything in this house is high quality and top drawer (appliances, furniture, decor, beds and lighting (...oh the lighting!) Working directly with the owner is a plus. Thanks Rosina! Will be back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Absolutely Wonderful Vacation Home and Location !

Guest: Ed and Mary Yeager (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 04/02/11 Review Submitted: 04/18/11

I cannot say enough positive things about this house, the location, the gracious homeowners, and our entire week long stay. My wife and I, along with two other couples that we frequently vacation with, spent the first week of April at the Turtle House. All agreed that the home was by far the nicest, best laid out and best equipped vacation home we've ever stayed at. The location at the end of the lake provided a beautiful, peaceful view no matter what time of day - coffee on the deck in the morning, or drinks out on the dock in the evening while watching the turtles. The neighborhood is very peaceful - we felt like we were the only people there for the whole week despite the fact that the homes on either side of us were occupied. Proximity to Savannah and Beaufort offer some easy and interesting off-island day trips. We would definitely recommend this home to anyone looking for a casual, restful, relaxing getaway.

Recommended for:Age 55+

Turtles, turtles, and a great home!

Guest: DePauw families (Indiana, Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 03/19/11 Review Submitted: 03/29/11

We stayed at Turtle Beach House for a week. Our group included four parent sets who were in HHI with the DePauw men's tennis team. The home was so spacious that each couple had ample privacy. Yet the shared kitchen, dining, living and deck/spa areas were such that we had plenty of space for all. We hosted the men's team several times for dinner, and the large kitchen and table accommodated all. It's a great house within walking distance of the beach. Plus, feeding the turtles (try meats, vegetables, and bread/cereal since they're omnivorous) was so much fun! The house is fully equipped; the only item needed in the kitchen is a salad spinner. The housekeeping crew does a great job; there weren't even crumbs under the sofa cushions. All beds are comfortable and the bathrooms are nicely appointed. Kudos to the Novaks for a great house!

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

Excellent stay

Guest: Ian (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 01/19/11

This is our second time to this wonderful home in Hilton Head. The Novak home has every amenity one could ask for coupled with outstanding customer service.

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

No cons - all positive!

Guest: Amy D. (Richmond, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 11/20/10 Review Submitted: 11/30/10

It is as though the owners permanently live there and just left for a week and let us move in to vacation. We are used to vacationing on the Outer Banks (which we do love)- but cottages there are still rental cottages. This is a home. A beautiful home. When we arrived for Thanksgiving week, there was dish detergent, bathroom tissue, soap, shampoo, trash bags, laundry detergent and such so we didn't have to drive a long way just to leave and get groceries for essentials. Clean towels were folded and "wrapped" on each bed and linens were already on the freshly made beds. The "extras"- for those with children- a Graco pack n play, both a regular high chair and a space saving high chair, an exersaucer, kid puzzles and games and a wii. And in addition to uncountable glass dishes, there are reusable plastic plates, bowls and cups. TV's in every bedroom plus large flatscreens in the living and media rooms (both of those have dvd's too). The upstairs media room table converts to both a bumper pool table and a poker table. There are fold up extra chairs if needed. The kitchen has 2 coffee makers (Cusinart I think), double ovens and all accessories. Margarita glasses, wine glasses, blenders, roaster, waffle makers, grilling tools, tupperware and on and on. The view is fantastic. While the kids played outside we could keep an eye on them b/c the entire back floor is all windows. Very comfortable seating and set up. The kids loved feeding the turtles. We watched egrets and herons gliding across the lagoon. Enjoyed the hot tub. Excellent landscaping and night lighting around the property. I highly recommend you rent bikes and cruise the area- including the beach. The beach is hard packed so good for riding. Love the live oaks and spanish moss. Beautiful. And finally, the Novaks are extremely great hosts who were responsive all during the rental process when we had questions before going down. They sent us Hilton Head books (we were first timers to the area) and even emailed us while we there to see if there was anything we needed (we didn't need a thing :) Great time and we would rent again for sure.

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

Paradise!

Guest: Stephanie F. (Hamburg, Germany)
Date of Stay: 10/09/10 Review Submitted: 11/03/10

This house is exactly the way as described. It is truly a gem in a lot of rental homes out there. The pictures are 100% true. Everything is new, the kitchen is so equipped that you could cook up a 12 course french meal for 20. A huge barbeque outside heats up in no time and you can enjoy the outside dock in the evenings with lots to watch - squirrels, deer etc.. The area is wonderfully quiet, the trip to the beach real exciting when you pass the golf course. And just driving down the main road makes you realize you've come to the deep South. The house is really spacious enough for 8 people, large rooms and very clean and maintained bathrooms make it very easy to relax from minute one. We will come back any time possible and can recommend the house to anyone who looks for a luxurious but affordable vacation. You will not regret to stay at the house. And don't forget to feed the turtles! The weather in October was outstanding, high 70s and low 80s every day. Not a single cloud. Golf is nearby, just 5 minutes by car, same with tennis and every other activity. Just pack up the flip flops and a shirt and you are ready to go.

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

Best Vacation Ever!

Guest: Rebekah (Spring Hill, TN )
Date of Stay: 09/25/10 Review Submitted: 10/04/10

This is a beautiful, clean, top-notch vacation home. My husband, two-and-a-half year old, and parents had a great time at the Novak's! Not even 5 minutes from the beach on a bike, swimming pool at your fingertips (nice and warm in September without heating), turtles to feed, games to play, the list goes on and on. If you are particular about where you stay but don't want to compromise on activities and location this is the vacation home for you!

Recommended for:Families with young children

Sep 2010 Vacation

Guest: J, S & J (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 10/10/10

Great house matching all online description information to a "T." Exceptionally well stocked kitchen (we cook a lot and found all the tools, utensils, etc that we are used to at home), great bedrooms, very good entertainment centers, games, etc. Owner was very informative and attentive to our needs. Well stocked items for babies (pack N play, high chair and booster seat, safe areas for infants/todlers to play).

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

This is a rental property? Really? Loved IT!!

Guest: mackie d. (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 09/04/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/10

We have rented a lot of homes in a lot of different places, but this one far exceeded our expectations! The pictures are beautiful and actually don't do enough justice! You walk in and are blown away at the floor to ceiling window view of the palms and the lake. Our kids adored the pool area. There is a bin full of anything you could ever want for pool or beach. The furniture is all so comfortable~ especially the beds. Everyone that stayed with us commented on how they loved their beds! The kitchen was better stocked than my home kitchen. We had a baby with us, so it was really nice to have so many baby items there to use. We were a short walk to the beach, but we rented bikes for fun and used them to get back and forth, cutting our travel time to about 2 minutes. Rosina was so nice and helpful, with great suggestions on where to eat. She even went above and beyond when a package arrived after my departure and got it back to me. I can't say enough about this place or the Novaks!! Thank you, and we will stay again!!

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

Suberb vacation rental

Guest: Penny (Sparta, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 08/30/10

From the moment 11 of us descended on Turtle Beach House we were able to spread out and relax in the spacious accommodation of Rosina's lovely home. Everything has been thought of to make your stay as luxurious and comfortable as possible. After spending time at the beach, it was so nice to come back and relax in the pool and hot tub or just lie on a pool chair and look out over the lake - so relaxing. The kitchen is well stocked with everything you could need , and there was enough seating for everyone. Having a wine cooler was awesome too. We enjoyed the fact that each bedroom was en suite and had its own tv. Rosina is so approachable and accommodating which made the whole vacation experience such a joy. We will definately be back.

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

Great house, great location!

Guest: Cathy (Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/11

I've rented a few houses on Hilton Head. This was my favourite by far. It is very pretty but also completely comfortable. It is very well laid out and appointed and centrally located on the island. It's just a short walk to the beach, has a beautiful pool and a nice view. I wouldn't hesitate to return.

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

LOVE this House!!!

Guest: Lana (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/16/10

This was our second year staying here and can't say enough good things about it! The house is beautiful and has everything we need. The kitchen is gorgeous and is the most well stocked kitchen I have ever seen. We loved how open the downstairs is with a large family room that comfortably accomodated all of us. We had my husband and I and our 3 girls as well as 2 sets of grandparents and it was perfect for us! The pool area is lovely and we particularly enjoyed the beautiful trees that provide nice shade through much of the afternoon. The girls LOVED feeding the turtles - probably their favorite part of the day! This house really feels like "home" to us! We have already booked our week for next summer. Thank you so much!

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The best vacation house!

Guest: Marile (Westerville, OH)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

This was our second year renting from the Novaks and we would rent from them every year! They are helpful in many ways! The house is immaculate! We had 2 families of 4 and one set of grandparents and it suited all of our needs! We loved the view of the lagoon, the fabulous pool, the quiet street, the huge kitchen with easy access to the deck for eating and the short walk to the beach! There were no disappointments to be had! A very relaxing vacation with many memories!

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

Our vacation to Hilton Head

Guest: Margo (Hagerstown, MD Washington)
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

My family went to Hilton Head for the first time this summer. Needless to say, when we saw the house, we were thrilled! Very quite setting, fabulous pool, and very relaxing. The house was immaculate and very comfortable. The kitchen is beautiful - you have a view of the lake and the pool. We barbecued on the grill and ate outside on the large patio table and chairs. Beds and bedding were very clean as was the bathrooms. The pool was kept very clean by a service that even came out early after a storm had come thru to clean the debris. The view from the back of the house is breathtaking. Lots of birds and, of course, turtles to watch from the dock. Very convenient to the beach - a nice leisurely walk. Bike rental is great - they will deliver and pick up! We used the bike rental service in Palmetto - very reasonable! Golf course very conveniently located. Wonderful restaurants very near to the house. What a wonderful place to hang out with friends and family. Our granddaughter crawled for the first time there, so it will always be a special place for us. We immediately booked a week for next summer before we left. Wanted to get it before it was taken! The owners are extremely nice and very helpful in any situation. Take advantage of this beautiful home at a beautiful location! You will cherish the memories forever. We can't wait until next year!

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

Turtle Beach house July 2010

Guest: Helen (Atlanta)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

The Turtle Beach house was spectacular, well maintained, clean, and well laid out. It was more than as described with delightful amenities of best seller books, games, videos, puzzles, surround sound music, lighting features, and beach items to borrow. The personal touches made this house a home for the week. Of particular note was the warm and easily accessible owner; I appreciated her so much. The turles were a special treat, and we never saw an aligator of any size. There were 10 of us, including four children: 5,4,31/2, and 2 years old. The house accomdated all of us easily, especially the open living room/dining room/kitchen area. I never lacked for something in the kitchen; lots of room for multiple cooks, lots of more than standard rental items. Several items in the kitchen we've never found in other rentals for cooking for 10. We did not eat out much with such small children and enjoyed the pool and porch when various children were napping or had gone to bed. The beach is a quick walk, and Shelter Cove across 278. Miniature golf, shopping, and grocery are closeby, and Palmetto Dunes satisfied all the golfers. I would, and have, recommended this to friends and relatives. It was special. Thanks for sharing your home with us, Rosina.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

"A great place to be"

Guest: none (GA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

You will like this vacation home. It is warm, inviting, comfortable, has everything you need and more. When our week of vacation was over I didn't want to leave. The three teens with us loved the hot tub, pool, waterfall, x box games and bicycle riding. They rode to the beach, the general store, Shelter Cove and and went on a bike ride to find gators. We were glad to have a large kitchen with all the equipment and a huge dining table that was large enough for all eight of us. We cooked in the kitchen and grilled on the barbeque located on the expansive deck overlooking the pool and the lake. It was wonderful and relaxing to just sit on the deck and enjoy the morning watching the birds diving for fish. The white birds with the wide wingspan were exquisite and the whole view of the lake just breathtaking. Our bedrooms were beautifully decorated with a personal touch and had plenty of space to move around in comfortably. The master bedroom has a spa like bathroom with 3 separate areas and the bed was fit for a king and queen. The living area was great because it was an open floor plan which worked well for having a number of people. One of the best parts of renting "The Turtle House" was dealing with the owner/rental agent. She is congenial and extremely helpful in every way. We have rented several vacation homes in the past and this was our best experience so far. We were not disappointed.

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

Family vacation

Guest: Denise (north royalton, ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/03/10

What a beautiful home! It was perfect for our family vacation. The photos do not really do the home justice, the setting is gorgeous with the lagoon in the back. It was exactly what I was looking for, a little walk to the beach, pristine pool with a waterfall and spa, and the picturesque backyard with turtles included! The home is in excellent condition with all the "bells and whistles", and the owners are truely helpful and great to work with. I would certainly recommend this property to anyone and I do look forward to returning. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!

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

Salubrious Southern Sojourn

Guest: Fletcher (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 08/02/10

Owner presented precise and appealing descriptions and pictures on her Website, and furnished much useful information prior to arrival. Would recommend a daylight arrival, as first-time search at night took a bit of doing. GPS and gatehouse guards helped mightily. Clean and spacious setting for our group of eight. Fine central location of HHI, with services and stores near at hand. Easy walk to beach/shore. Each morning featured bales of turtles coming to the lagoon dock. However, if A/C not needed and windows opened at night, the wildlife noise (amphibians, birds, insects) can be considerable. Seemed sporadic and unpredictable, as when it stopped would it stay quiet. Might be seasonal; we were there in late May. Sofabed (one-adult capacity) is in public area between the two upstairs bedrooms, so anyone out there will be viewed as people make their way downstairs. Also hard to darken totally, if that is important. Excellent dining on and near the island, particularly Old Fort Pub (HHI) and Breakwater (in nearby Beaufort, a must day trip). The birders in our party raved about the Pinckney Island reserve, also quite close to HHI. We would certainly recommend this house to anyone!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Super Spring Sojourn

Guest: Fletcher (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 05/21/10 Review Submitted: 08/01/10

Owner presented accurate and appealing descriptions and pictures on Web site, and was very helpful with advice and useful information prior to arrival. Would recommend arriving by daylight, as first-time search at night took a bit of time. GPS useful and of course gatehouse guards. Clean and spacious setting for our four-couple group. Fine central location on island, with stores and services close by. Easy walk to beach/shore. Charming arrival of dozens of turtles in the lagoon each morning. However, if A/C not needed and windows open at night, wildlife noise (birds, insects) can be considerable. Didn't seem predictable, being sporadic (not sure when it had stopped...if it had). Might be somewhat seasonal; we were there in late May. Sofa bed, one-adult capacity, is in public area between two upstairs bedrooms, and if you are out there, bedroom occupants will pass by to go downstairs. Also hard to darken completely. Excellent dining on the island, especially Old Fort Pub. Also Breakwater in nearby Beaufort, a must destination. The birders in our party raved about the Pinckney Island reserve. We would certainly recommend this house to anyone.

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

Most relaxing week of our lives!!

Guest: Brian (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 07/19/10

The Turtle Beach House was absolutely amazing. Everything was exactly as described and I would agree with the other reviews that the pictures can't do it justice. We were there with two other families which included a total of 4 children. Everyone had a blast and we spent the majority of our time at the house relaxing by the pool and the lake. The kids loved the turtles in the lake and the nightly visitor, the little aligator that would float around 6:00 each night. I can't think of anything to complain about from the entire week and we would love to spend another week at Rosina's house in the future! An absolutely beautiful home and thanks Rosina for one of the best weeks of our lives!

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

Our best vacation EVER

Guest: Fos and family (Trumbull, CT)
Date of Stay: 04/30/10 Review Submitted: 05/06/10

We have rented in Palmetto Dunes for almost 30 years, and this was our best experience. We had a rehearsal dinner for our daughter and then future son-in-law in the lovely backyard, plenty of space for the 80 guests who attended. The day-after-the-wedding-day brunch also took place here, so our guests got to see the location both day and night -- and all agreed it was perfect. And the owners -- the nicest people you will ever deal with. The layout is lovely, each bedroom has its own bath, and the two family rooms gave us all enough room to spread out. I cannot think of one negative thing to say about the Novak's Turtle Beach House.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

wow look at this, wow look at this, WOW !!!

Guest: Chunky Dunk (NY USA)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 04/24/10

What we saw in the description, and the pictures, is what we got. A beautiful home, with a kitchen that has everything you can imagine, or need. The lights in the pool at night make you go outside and just sit for a moment, and you realize, i'm on vacation, time to relax. Biking on the island was very enjoyable, and calming, a 3-5 min. ride to the beach, no turns, straight down the path, to the beach axcess. When people read that this is the turtle beach house, you can't amagine that there will be that many turtles, go see for yourself,,, AMAZING,,, We had 6 kids & 4 adults, from 1 to 11, and everybody had a great time. The older kids played in the game room with the bumper pool the most. They thought that was very cool. It is a nice, big, open area. It is very hard to go onlne, pick out a home to go on vacation for a week, put the deposite on it, then wait. Just wait, it's very well worth it. Rosina was great with our questions, very helpful. can't wait to go back... ROSINA, if you ever read this, thank you for a great vacation in your home,( I think of it as ours now)..

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

Spring Break 2010

Guest: BC Lancer fam (Midland, MI)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/05/10

Our family of 5 spent spring break here - what a wonderfully relaxing time! We loved the location - it takes a while to get to the property once you get to Palmetto Dunes, but that makes it very quiet and the streets are perfect for walking/biking. We rented bikes which I would highly recommend. The house is exactly as pictures on this website. I am very picky and was thrilled with how sparklingly clean everything was. Everything in the kitchen was top of the line (dishes/pots/pans/appliances..) - much nicer than I have at home! Our girls loved having their own bathrooms and the privacy that gave. The house is very shaded which I am sure is wonderful in the summer! We enjoyed the pool - even though we chose not to heat it, our girls would swim for a few minutes (cold!) then jump into the hot tub. We had a couple of problems the the pool/spa and they were taken care of very quickly. The beach is truly a very short walk - just about 3 blocks or so and we loved having the beach buggy to lug our stuff there (there is a large umbrella, beach chairs and some toys for the sand) We stayed fairly close to the walkway and it was not crowded - down the beach by the hotels it was packed. I loved just sitting out on the deck enjoying the quiet. One night we had movie night and loved the plasma tv with surround sound. My husband never has time to read so was thrilled to peruse the library and find a book to enjoy! We ate at the house for breakfast and lunch and then had dinner out. We loved Main Street Cafe and Pub, Red Fish, Old Oyster Factory among others. We worshiped at First Baptist by the Marriott which was really nice for Palm Sunday. We also enjoyed the dolphin/nature boat trip with Island Adventures.....we saw lots of dolphins. This was a highlight for the kids. We spent a day in Savannah and a day in Charleston (though this was kind of a long drive and there are VERY few gas stations between HHI and charleston. We also bought a car (used) at the Bluffton Toyota Dealership (ask for Corey). We found that the prices were quite a bit less than up north and the cars are in excellent shape. I would definitely recommend renting this home and we hope to come back again another year!!

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

Tennis Week

Guest: John & Cathy B (Fort Wayne, IN)
Date of Stay: 03/20/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

Turtle Beach House was perfect for our week at HHI. We were following the Depauw University tennis team on their spring trip to the island (our son plays), and found this home to be great for relaxing and getting to all the matches. We were even able to have the team over for multiple dinners (8 players & 2 coaches) without feeling crowded. There was plenty of room in the kitchen for the cooks, and everyone was able to sit at the dining table to enjoy the good food without elbowing their neighbor (at least not on purpose) The owner (Rosina) was especially helpful during the reservation process, and whenever we had any questions during our stay. When we were not cooking or watching tennis, the pool, hot tub, and turtle feeding at the deck were great. Even had time to get a round of golf in. Although our son is graduating, we would certainly look to stay at this home for any future 'family' trips to HHI.....and I have a feeling other parents who visited us during the week will too!

Recommended for:

Modern, spacious

Guest: mapmap (Barrie, ON, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 04/05/10

My family of 7 quite enjoyed our time at Rosina's Turtle Beach House. The home was lovely, modern, clean and spacious for our family. We enjoyed the bike trails and beach and spent most nights in the hottub. We had one small glitch with trying to bring a trailor into the community with our bikes, however Rosina made every effort to correct the situation immediately. Canoeing in the lagoon system was also lovely. We are not golfers but found soo many other wonderful things to do in Hilton Head we couldn't have imagined trying to squeeze in golfing too.

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

Guest: Ian (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 01/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/19/10

The Novak Home was fantastic. We enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend their home with all the amenities it offers. We will definitely be back.Thanks Rosina Cheers, The Middleton Family

Recommended for:

Guest: Kathleen Klik (Hinckley, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 08/08/09 Review Submitted: 08/08/09

We stayed in this house the week of July 25-August 1, 2009. We have been vacationing in Hilton Head for the past 6 years, and while we have always stayed in beautiful homes, this is by far our favorite. The house itself was clean and very well maintained. It is obvious that the owners love and take much pride in their home. The view from the back of the house is amazing. The pool and grounds were just lovely. We loved being on the lake and watching and feeding the turtles. We also liked that it is only a 3 minute bike ride to the beach. We also found a quick way out to 278 on bike. This home is one that we would love to rent again. We recommend it highly.

Recommended for:

A great family beach house

Guest: Mitch S (Phoenix, AZ )
Date of Stay: 07/04/09 Review Submitted: 07/12/09

We stayed at the turtle beach house in July 2009 and had an amazing time. The house was pretty close to perfect. There were 8 total adults and 3 small children in our group and we all enjoyed the house. The kids loved all the turtles in the lake. The house was very spatious, the kitchen had everything you could possibly need and the pool / hot tub area was very impressive. The house is located very close to the beach (short 5 minute walk or 2 minute bike ride) and close to all 3 golf courses within the community. If we decide to return to Hilton Head in the future we will definitely consider the turtle house again. Mitch / Phoenix, AZ

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

Guest: Dave Wagner (Glen Rock, PA)
Date of Stay: 06/28/09 Review Submitted: 06/28/09

6/29/09 - We just got back from HHI and this wonderful house...We didn't want to leave. Wow. Everything is top notch in the house. The upstairs was perfect for the teenagers...they had their own space. What fun swimming in the large pool and hot tub, especially at night. The turtles were a blast to feed. We'll be back for sure.

Recommended for:

Exceeded our expectations

Guest: HHILover (Pittsburgh, PA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 07/16/09

My visit to 16 Port Tack from at the end of June was a pleasant and memorable experience. Before booking, the owner answered all my questions promptly and the communications with her were easy and efficient. My family and I(7 of us)decided to get a house this year instead of our usual condo because we had missed going to the beach last year due to the birth of my second son. I had been MUCH LOOKING FORWARD to a getaway! All the photos on this website accurately portray the home. We arrived slightly earlier than check-in time, but checked out the pool area and lagoon while the cleaning service was there. We were impressed with our house before even going inside! The pool and spa with 2 cascading waterfalls is gorgeous and was absolutely relaxing! I laid in the pool on a raft while my boys napped during the day and listened to the sound of the waterfalls. Ahhh! We went for lunch and when we returned at 1:30, the cleaning services had left and we toured our house for the first time. WOW! SO CLEAN AND TOTALLY UPDATED!!! The kitchen had everything you could ever want (We made Pina Coladas daily with the smoothie maker!)...the 4 bedrooms were perfectly decorated---we LOVED the Master Bedroom on the first floor. HUGE walk-in tile shower, separate whirlpool tub, separations between the double sinks and toilet. The deck was huge! The grill, stainless steel along with all other kitchen appliances, was used often. My 3-year-old son loved to feed the turtles everyday on the dock at the lagoon steps from the house. We had a tiny alligator visit us, too, for the first few days, but he stayed in the water. We sat in the hot tub EVERY NIGHT. We listened to the night noises in the tress and the lagoon and it sure took us away from Pittsburgh for a week. The weather was perfect-it only rained twice, but both times were when we wer einside getting ready for dinner, anyhow. We never really used the game room since we were outside most of the time, but my 20-year-old brother LOVED the music system that could be heard all through the house and on the deck. We played Bob Marley~ The beach was about a 10 minute walk, including the long walkway from the street to the beach. But the surroundings are so beautiful, you hardly realize you are walking...the walk to the beach includes crossing over two bridges and through a golf course between 2 holes. At night, or early morning, you are allowed to use the cart path on the golf course. A GREAT WEEK!!!!

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 06/25/09

Our family stayed at the Turtle Beach House during the first week in June, 2009. We had a super time! The house was sparkling clean, beautifully and comfortably decorated and so relaxing. The kitchen is first rate. We shared the cooking and envy those counter tops! The view of the lake is restful any time of day or night. The grandchildren(under age 2) loved feeding and watching the turtles and tiny fish from the dock. We enjoyed the pool and the close proximity to the ocean. No one wanted to go home. Hope we can visit again next year.

Recommended for:

Enjoyable Family Vacation (with a few kinks)

Guest: Grits1973 (Charleston, SC)
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 06/16/09

My family of 8 (my parents, my husband and I, and my sister, her husband, and 2 girls) spent a week at this beautiful home on Hilton Head Island in June 2009. We live in the Charleston area and in the past have rented homes at Wild Dunes/Isle of Palms. We decided to stay further away this year at HHI because I found this listing online - the price was reasonable and the pics showed a beautiful property. Before our stay, we had several email exchanges with the owner, and she was great to deal with, answering all of our questions very promptly. The home was as pictured when we arrived, even nicer than we anticipated. The recent remodel and new decorations/furnishings make you think the home is new construction. Just about everything you could want or need was provided, and the home layout was great for lots of family interaction. As with every rental property we have stayed at, there were a few minor issues that needed to be addressed after our arrival -- in this case, additional pool servicing (the wooded environment results in lots of leaves, etc. clogging the pool filters and thus affecting the functioning of the hot tub); and the freezer door on the refrigerator needed adjusting so that it would not "pop" open every time you opened the other door. Both of these issues were resolved by the owner within one day, but we were visited by 2 different appliance repairmen and the pool servicing tech. The other issue we encountered was more significant and we dealt with it all week-long - the skylight over the media room upstairs was "leaking" ants, dozens or possibly hundreds of tiny (many dead) ants were dropping from the ceiling via the skylight and landing all over one of the upholstered chairs and the surrounding floor. The owner had an exterminator come out and spray inside the house, but the problem continued. Then, another man came out to get on top of the roof and clean off the leaves, etc. On the day before we left, a 2nd exterminator came out and sprayed externally. We swept up mostly dead ants from the area once or twice a day all week long. We tried to avoid the area and thus did not enjoy the media room during our stay. The owner worked hard all week to try to fix the problem, but in the end, our relaxing vacation was constantly interrupted and this was one kink that never got worked out during our stay. I'm sure the issue will be resolved for future visitors, but it did cloud our vacation stay.

Owner response:We would like to thank our guests for their comments about our home. Our home is well maintained but from time to time like all homes, things malfunction. We ask our guests to notify us of any issues or problems at our home. Our goal is to have any problems taken care of immediately and with the least amount of distrubance to our guests. When possible, we strive to have any repairs made while the guests are out of the house enjoying their time at HHI. The incident with the insects was something that we could not have anticipated but after they were discovered we were told that it was caused by this season's rainy weather. When notified of the problem, we immediately had our service companies come investigate the problem and execute a solution. The unfortunate part was that it took several visits to get the issue resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience that this caused our guests but this was a situation that needed immediate attention. The problem has now been resolved and we hope that all of our guests have a wonderful stay in our home.

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

Guest: freddy scholl & carmen broderick (bronx, ny)
Date of Stay: 05/17/09 Review Submitted: 05/17/09

we rented the house for 2 weeks. it was exactly like the write up and pictures claimed. the house is lovely, clean, updated, the kitchen has everything you could ever need. a chefs dream. my only issue is the pool guy comes 1st to clean then the landscapers. they blow all the leaves back into the pool. other than that, my grandchildren had a blast with feeding the turtles each day and the pool is wonderful. we all had a wonderful time. the whole experience was one i can't wait to do again and again. thanks for sharing your beautiful home.

Recommended for:

Guest: Aaron Jarvi (Cleveland, OH)
Date of Stay: 04/21/09 Review Submitted: 04/21/09

Our family stayed at this property in April 09 and had a great time. The house is newly remodeled and beautiful with every conceivable kitchen convenience. It is tastefully decorated and includes everything a family would need for a great beach vacation. The neighborhood is quiet and just a short walk to the beach. Very positive experience!

Recommended for:

Turtle Beach House

Guest: Hunter M. (USA)
Date of Stay: 04/18/09 Review Submitted: 04/29/09

We loved this rental! Came down for April break from snowy Vermont and found the house an excellent home for a week at Hilton Head. The kids loved feeding the turtles on the pond out back. The view was great and private. The hot tub was clean, warm and relaxing. We particularly appreciated the supply of beach chairs and other extras. An easy ride to the beach, which we did numerous times... kinda liked being off the beaten bath. The beds were very comfortable, the kitchen was fully equipped and fun to cook in. We enjoyed about everything in this house, from the beautiful rugs, the cool artwork and the HD TVs. The only trouble we had was that we couldn't figure out how to turn off the outside walkway lights that seemed to be on some timer, not that it bugged us, but just seemed to be kind of a shame to have them on when they weren't needed. Otherwise one of the top properties we've ever stayed at. Thanks! Hunter M Founder, CyberRentals.com

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

Perfect retreat

Guest: Kiery (Washington DC)
Date of Stay: 12/30/08 Review Submitted: 06/29/09

I went with a group of friends for a retreat from busy DC. We are all in our 30s, a mix of couples and singles. The house exceeded my expectations (which were high!). The kitchen had every amenity one could want (including a wine cooler, awesome appliances, and it was even beautiful) and the two lounge areas meant that there was enough space to keep movie watchers/game players/and readers happy. The hot tub and pool were gorgeous and the area around it peaceful and perfect for lazy days. There were even turtles that seem to come on command to visit (ok we fed them!). And it was a short walk to the beach and drive to restaurants and night life. Can't wait to go back!

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

Perfect family home!

Guest: pat and bob (atlanta)
Date of Stay: 09/13/08 Review Submitted: 09/28/08

Our family loved the Turtle House. A beautiful, clean, and very well equipped home for adults, and for children. We are all chefs and the kitchen was perfect, and had all the equipment we needed. The children loved watching the turtles in the lake and the views and birds were fun to watch. The pool and spa were enjoyed after a day at the beach. As we were packing up to leave everyone said, "let's come back here again next year" We would recommed this home to anyone. Also the owners were very responsive and available.

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