Thanksgiving Getaway

Guest: CardinalsFan (O'Fallon, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 11/24/11 Review Submitted: 12/05/11

This beach house is absolutely gorgeous and very well-maintained. For two adults, one teen, and three children, there was more than enough space. We decided to get away for a relaxing mini-vacation at the last minute. Thank you, John, for helping to make that happen! We enjoyed watching the sunrise every morning on the deck while drinking our coffee/hot chocolate. We loved both beaches....kayaking in the bay (right in the backyard) & body surfing in the gulf (a walk across the street)! We built sandcastles, had a bonfire, and spent some time reading and watching family movies. We also visited the Estuarium and Fort Gaines....a definite unexpected highlight of our trip! I would highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a relaxing getaway. Dauphin Island is beautiful and peaceful...a place to really enjoy some family time!

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

Perfect location for a perfect beach vacation

Guest: Illini (Champaign, IL USA)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/30/11

Our week on Dauphin Island spent with good friends simply couldn't have been better. There were 8 of us, 4 adults and 4 children and we had plenty of room in the house that was clean and in order when we arrived. This house has the perfect location on the island, just a minute walk from the Gulf, but also with a beach out the back where the kids could swim and fish in the morning while the adults had coffee on the deck. We enjoyed the warm water and the white sand beaches. This part of the island is quiet, just right for families or couples wanting to get away. A trip to the Estuarium and the bird sanctuary are worth the time. We had a couple of meals at restaurants on the island and one meal in Mobile, but mostly we cooked at the house or grilled because we wanted to spend as much time in swimsuits and at the beach as possible. The owner is friendly and helpful and we would recommend this property. The kids are already asking if we can reserve our week for next year!

Owner response:Glad everyone had a great time. Please come back anytime. John

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

Fantastic time! 23-30 July 2011

Guest: Joe et al. (Cameron, SC)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

We had a great week in this house. There were 2 adult couples, 4 "kids" age 16-20, and 4 age 3-7; 12 people total and we had no trouble at all. We ran into a snag when we were reserving the house, but the owner bent over backwards to accommodate us. I can't say enough good things about him. We found everything at the house in order and had no trouble with anything all week. We really loved the large living space. It was plenty of room for all 12 of us. The beach out back is perfect for small children, as it is quite shallow and has a very gradual drop during most of the tide. Also, it was just a short walk to the beach on the gulf. We caught a nice mess of fish from both the beach at the gulf and the bay out back. The kayaks were great fun. We even took them out to the gulf for a day. We enjoy cooking our own meals, and we had to buy a couple of pots as there weren't many at the house. That is the only negative in our stay and it was only a slight inconvenience, hardly worth mentioning. Dauphin Island was exactly the kind of laid back, out-of-the-way place we were looking for. Everyone from the youngest to the oldest had an absolute blast! The short version is we highly recommend this house to anyone looking to get away from it all!

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

Daniels Family

Guest: maryann (warsaw, missouri)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/30/11

Our entire family, kids, grandkids, foster kids....14 of us total....stayed a week in July and had the most wonderful vacation ever!!! It was so nice to have the covered deck and the under the deck sandy area...used these in the daytime for the kids to play... and so close to the water...we went every chance we could. There are lots and lots of beautiful seashells that the kids enjoyed gathering and playing with....especially the hermit crabs!!! The family really enjoyed our visit to the estuarium and gift shop there. We bought beautiful albums at a local souvenier shop to hold the hundreds of pictures we took!! The house is just beautiful, open and spacious ...fully equipped with everything we needed. We have such beautiful albums of pictures as well as memories! Not sure if we can ever manage to make it down there again from Missouri, but sure would if we could. Thank you to the owners for giving us this opportunity. It was a vacation to remember, and we surely will!!! I don't think the pictures show how spacious and beautiful the rooms really are. The owner was readily available to answer questions we had about fishing opportunities. We found everything there just as we were expecting, or even better and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a happy and relaxing vacation.

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

Summer Family Vacation

Guest: Kpax1969 (Bedford, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/10/11

Really enjoyed our stay, the house accomodated all 7 of us perfectly. we enjoyed the kayaks on the bay side of the house and it was a quick walk to the gulf beach, perfect location. We have some great pictures, and awesome memories. we hope to return someday.

Owner response:Thanks for the kind comments. I am glad everyone had a great time and enjoyed their stay. Awesome memories are priceless. John

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

PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest: joe (chapel hill, tn)
Date of Stay: 05/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/31/11

My family and I stayed here 5-26 - 5-30 2011. It was extremely peaceful and relaxing. We really enjoyed having our own little private beach on the bay. Our kids seemed to enjoy catching blue crabs with the provided traps, and they were delicious. We also caught a nice mess of fish in the surf. Kayaking was also very fun. Everything your going to need except food is provided. We had a problem with the air and called the owner. Immediately he contacted an hvac company and had them on the way. The house very spacious and could comfortably sleep 12. The best vacation rental I've had so far. Will definitely visit again, and I would recommend it for sure.

Owner response:Glad you enjoyed your stay and thanks for the kind words. Looking forward to your return visit. John

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

Just got home today!

Guest: Liz (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 05/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/30/11

We spent the past 4 days at this amazing beach house. It was a beautiful place to stay. The views were amazing from either side. Very open and spacious in living areas and extremely comfortable. The public beach on the Gulf side was right across the street and of course the bay side was in the backyard. Had an amazing vacation and we will be back for sure!!!

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

Perfect Vacation

Guest: Lynda 1 (Fairhope)
Date of Stay: 04/23/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

I spent a long weekend here with my college age son and his girlfriend, my niece and my mother. My brother and sister-in-law also came over and spent the day. The layout of the home is perfect for all ages. I have vacationed at many beach homes and found this to be one of my favorites. Access to the water from the front and rear of the home. Beautiful view of the water from the living room and kitchen. Lots of windows. Home was immaculate. We kayaked, swam and fished. Bonfires on the beach. Property and location were very quiet and peaceful. Unbelievable sunrises and sunsets. Breezy. Private shower outside was very convenient. Large side by side refrigerator/freezer. Beds slept well. Thank you to the owners for having such a perfect beach retreat available for our enjoyment!! We will definitely be coming back.

Recommended for:Pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Wonderful weekend

Guest: Lynda 1 (Fairhope)
Date of Stay: 05/08/09 Review Submitted: 06/05/10

I spent the weekend here with my son and his girlfriend, my niece and my mother. My brother and sister in law also came over and spent the day. The layout of the home is perfect for mixed ages and large groups. I have vacationed at many beach homes and found this one to be one of my favorites. Access to the water from the front and rear of the home. Beautiful view of the water from the living room and kitchen. Lots of windows. Home was immaculate. Teenagers kayaked, swam and fished. Bonfires on the beach. Quiet and very peaceful. Unbelievable sunrises and sunsets. Breezy. Private shower outside. Air conditioner and all appliances worked perfectly. Nice large side by side refrigerator/freezer. Beds slept very well. Thank you to the owners for having such a perfect beach retreat available for our enjoyment!! We will definitely be coming back.

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