Cold, Cold, Cold......

Guest: Pam (Washington)
Date of Stay: 01/23/12 Review Submitted: 02/01/12

I have good and bad to say about this place. It was EXTREMELY clean and neat, with everything that we needed to stay for two days. The gutters on the house were overflowing on the gate that you had to use two hands to open. It was very cold outside when we arrived at about 4:30PM, our key would not open the door, so we called the owner who told us that that was the proper key and after fooling with the lock and key for about 10 minutes we finally got in....and there was no heat on in the house....turned all the baseboards to high and the kitchen stove on...at about 10 in the evening we finally were able to turn them down. The mud room ceiling leaks like a sieve, so don't leave anything out there. The back door leaks and will leave a puddle on the kitchen floor, and the deck to the hot tub is treacherous when wet. Also the heater in the first bedroom could not be regulated with the thermostat and so was either on or off, consequently the wall above the heater was almost too hot to touch...good way to start a fire. So we will not be returning. Although convenient and close to everything, and very clean and neat...probably the worst place we have stayed while renting through VRBO.

Owner response:We are disappointed when someone is unhappy with their stay and certainly try to resolve any concerns. The good news is we had already scheduled to have most of her concerns corrected by having a lot of new construction done on the home. A rainy January produced some problems, so we have already had a new back door replaced, a new deck built, a new kitchen installed, and new bathroom furnishings. Gates, heat, and locks are all working and we appreciate guest feed back if something is not functioning. We do quickly address concerns.

Recommended for:

Not as presented/promised

Guest: Washington Wanderer (Twisp, Washington)
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/24/11

The property was not what we expected from the description. Yes, it is only 1.5 blocks to the beach, but it is a 15 block distance to the hub of Seaside and the promenade area - not an easy walk for an older lady, for sure, and not one I'd recommend to ladies alone, as the property is located in what appears to be lower income rental properties that is rough around the edges. We would not have felt safe walking after dark, for sure. The interior is pretty on the surface, but large spiders had moved in in full force. After spending our first 5 minutes with the broom trying to get rid of them all and their extensive webs, we decided to take our chances and look for other accommodations. We contacted the owner immediately (we'd driven several hours to find this disappointment) who said she might refund our cleaning fee (she didn't) and we were basically out the money for 2 nights stay. Learn from our experience and get the insurance offered via VRBO - it cost us another $400 on top of this loss to enjoy our little "girl's getaway."

Owner response:This client still has our keys, hung up on me, and will not return phone calls. My husband and I rent these homes because we had such fond memories of vacationing at the beach growing up and we loved taking our kids there. Our goal is to create the most memorable stay possible for each client. It is true we had some major landscaping take place outside shortly before her stay and when I asked my housekeeper to go by and check on this, she found several spider webs on the porch before entering the home. This home is located in an area with mostly $300-1 million dollar homes and I am in my 50's and feel super safe staying there. I have many single female clients who have also told me how much they loved the location. Since this client would not return my keys or my phone calls, we had the locks changed and note in four years of renting this home, we have never encountered a client like this one. I love to make things right with each client and meet their needs.

Recommended for:

A cozy, relaxing stay.

Guest: Wendy (Vancouver, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/11/11 Review Submitted: 03/14/11

We were able to stay at this property for a last minute weekend get away. Joan (the owner) was kind enough to meet us to exchange keys and sign contracts on our way to the property on a Friday night. At first when we arrived to the property, we couldn't figure out which door to use. There are 3 entrances for this two story condo building. We wouldn't call this a townhome since it is one level per home, more of a condo. We were lucky there weren't any guest staying upstairs, it was very quiet during our stay. The place is clean, cozy and just the right size for our family of four. There is a good movie selection, woodstove (wood for purchase all of the town), games and location, location, location. We were literally one block to the almost private beach. Also, at the end of the cul-de-sac, is a marshy area to explore along side the river. Our preschoolers loved it. The owners have also made available to their guest a book with menus and information on local attractions. This was a great resource for us, we haven't been to Seaside but once. Furnishing are comfortable and clean. WiFi was a plus for us as I could work a few hours each day and not fall behind. There are also beach toys for the kids, be sure to bring your own beach blanket! Downsides; there really isn't a real "oven". There is a small stove with a one rack mini oven. This visit we ate out most of our meals, normally though, we always cook. The small deck out the back door was a decent size, but very slippery when wet and could use a little tender loving care. Bar-b-que could also be upgraded. Avoid walking around the side of the house in the dark, there are over hanging blackberry bushes mingling in with the natural foliage. All of that aside, this property felt very warm and comforting. The owner is a delight to work with and we would definitely love to come back. Thank you Joan!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, pet owners, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Inexpensive Getaway- perfect for pets and kids

Guest: Eve (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 06/28/10 Review Submitted: 07/01/10

This place was located in a perfect cul- de sac- just 15 blocks from downtown Seaside and a block and a half from the beach-- the perfect distance for peace and quiet and a nice walk to and from the Promenade. At the end of the cul de sac is a river trail that leads back around to the beach- The dogs and I enjoyed our early morning walks with solitude- even in the peak of summer! The beds were super comfy and I had all the amenities of home. The place was nice and clean. The owners were responsive to our questions in a timely matter. Although it may not be a picture perfect beach place from the outside- it's the inside and location that counts- it was perfect! My daughter loved the toys she could take to the beach and the games that were there that she could play at the end of the evening. I don't know who had more fun- my daughter- my parents or the dogs! Definitely will return!

Recommended for:Pet owners, families with young children.