Reviews for Captree Island Vacation Rental - VRBO 306031 - 3 BR Long Island House in NY, Waterfront Beach House with Sandy Beach on Captree Island

Listing as a 3 Bedroom is a misrepresentation

Guest luckyrolls
Date of stay 09/01/12
Review Submitted 09/22/12

This property is listed as a 3 bedroom. That is not true ... the third bedroom is a 6x8 room with a toddler bed. I wish I had carefully read the earlier review that mentioned this. With the home listed as a 3-bedroom that sleeps 8, I stupidly assumed that the third bedroom sleeps adults. When I booked, I told them there were 6 adults 2 babies. It would have been nice to warn me that it was really a 2-bedroom. Instead I had 4 adults and 2 babies sleeping (or trying to sleep) in the same room. This put a serious damper on our vacation. With the misrepresentation, I feel compelled to give it just 2 stars. The spot itself is lovely - and if you have you children, great to hang out on the small private beach or playground/play area and nice views from the house. The house itself is 'rustic' with many things run down and needing repair (for instance a big crack in the main window looking out from the kitchen), broken screens, etc. Oh - only 1 bedroom has air conditioning and no fans so you might be hot on the warm summer nights. We really had no reason to call an complain - Labor Day week - we couldn't find another house last minute ... certainly a 'refund' as she said she would have offered another family with a negative review would not have helped. If you can fit in the house, it is a really nice spot. One other thing of concern though is the serious mold problem in the bathroom. The smell is very strong and especially on the rainy days seemed to permeate the entire house.

Owner response: It of course saddens us to receive a negative review. We adore our beach home and always hope that others feel the same. As mentioned in the description, the house is small, an original beach house typical of this region. When prospective renters request info, we always provide information about the sleeping arrangements in advance as follows: There is a queen bed in each of the 2 adult BRs, a full convertible futon sofa in one of the adult BR, a queen convertible sofa bed in the open den, and a small kid's BR w/ a toddler bed and an additional small mattress for small child. After discussing this review with our property manager, we are considering placing a bunk bed in the small kid's room so indeed it can sleep 2 adults. Setting the record straight, this reviewer mentioned that only 5 adults and 3 children would be part of the group. Our house can comfortably accommodate this size group. The crack in the window was an unfortunate incident inflicted by the renter before this reviewer. As the repair and replacement would take 1-2 days, we decided to replace the window after this reviewer left so not to interrupt their family vacation. Subsequently, the window was replaced a few days after this reviewer departed (before the next renter arrived). There are two powerful ACs in the house, one in the main room, the other in the master BR. As the house is small, by simply leaving the interior doors open, the house cools down quickly using these 2 ACs. I've always slept in the BR without AC; it stays cool from the AC in the main room. We never felt the need to add more ACs, especially considering the cool sea breeze in the evenings. As stated in previous responses to reviews, we maintain and improve the house each year during the off season. This past June, we scraped, cleaned and painted the full bathroom and put down a new floor. It was also mold tested and passed. The smell the reviewer mentions is most likely the typical smell of low tide after the rain. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about it. It's nature's way. We do hope that prospective renters read the description of the house and ask many questions before renting. We are forthright and honest. When renters tell us the size of their party, we respond accordingly if we feel the group is too large for the house. The last thing we want is for vacationers to be dissatisfied.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Another Great Vacation on Captree!

Guest Mama Gja
Date of stay 06/30/12
Review Submitted 07/08/12

This is our second family vacation on Captree and it's never a disappointment! It is obvious that since our last visit in 2010 the homeowners have been making home improvements. This is a rustic bay house with character. When stepping inside you are taken back in time to when the bay was scattered with these "shacks" used by fishermen and clam diggers. This is not a place to rent if you are worried about your pedicure, afraid of horse fly's or pulling a splinter out of your kids foot. It's a bay house, and horse fly's, splinters, poison ivy and sun burn are going to be a factor. This is the perfect spot for those not thwarted by the outside factors. Fishing, claming, kayaking, or just sitting on dock watching the boat pass, this house delivers. I highly suggest making an effort to catch the sunset from both the front (as it crosses the marsh) and from the dock. Both are breath taking! The house has everything and all we needed was a quick trip to the grocery store and our personal items. Looking forward to another trip next summer. THANX!

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

Owner response: We are very pleased when renters return to our home for their summer vacation. Thank your for noticing the home improvements we make each year to keep our house in good shape with new and updated amenities. Our house is a true getaway that takes you back in time to 1920s Long Island, with your own secluded, private beach out the back door, surrounded by nature. The sunsets are indeed beautiful. We look forward to your visit next summer.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Very disappointed

Guest cjlouie618
Date of stay 08/20/11
Review Submitted 08/31/11

I really just do not know where to begin... I am very disappointed in the owner because I expressed to her that I had two small babies, 2 & 3yrs old and she claimed that the house would be perfect for them. Instead it was a disaster... I understand that the house is older - I can appreciate that, but it doesn't mean that you keep it in the condition it is in and then rent it out to unknowingly people. There is holes in the floor, mold in the bathrooms, peeling paint in the bedrooms and ants everywhere.. My son got 4 splinters in his feet from the peeling paint on the deck.. We stayed for as long as we could and then after the 4th day we just could not do it anymore. I saved 3 years for this vacation.. I googled the owner, she seems like a nice person, there are beautiful pictures of her family in the house.. how could she do this to someone like me?? I have certainly learned another lesson in my life.. If she were kind, she would refund me half my hard earned money plus my deposit, since we only stayed half the time.. I think I will just stay in a hotel from now on. At least there you have the option to get another room... What were my options here???

Owner response: Had we been made aware of the reviewer's dissatisfaction on Day 1 or Day 2 of their stay, we would have offered them the opportunity to leave with a refund for the unused nights (just like a hotel, and very unlike most home rentals). Instead, they arrived on Sat and departed on Thurs (6 days, staying almost the full week), without ever contacting me, my family or our caretaker, who are all readily available to respond to renters at any time during their stay. All renters have the telephone number and email address of our caretaker, who responds to issues, concerns, or complaints within a day, usually within an hour or two. It is also easy to contact me or my family directly since this information is provided to all renters prior to arrival. Our house is ideal for families with young children. They can play at water's edge, build sand castles, swing and slide in the playground, play in the doll house, and run around the yard while the parents watch them vigilantly from a chaise lounge on the beach. Some facts: 1. During the off seasons in 2010 and 2011, we made $25,000 of home improvements including new flooring, air conditioning, center island in the open kitchen including extended dining bar, cabinets, dishwasher, kitchen sink, refrigerator, toilets, washer/dryer, exterior structural walls, roofing, doors, and several new windows. The house has also been painted during these past 2 years (interior and exterior). 2. Each summer from 2002 to 2009 we hosted a birthday party for our daughter on our beach. Average attendance was 60 people, half of them toddlers and school age children. It's a favored spot of most friends, families and neighbors and the best beach on the island. 3. Our house is priced fairly for beach front property on Long Island. Please compare to other waterfront homes in the area. Our home is priced at a significant discount (i.e. vs. Fire Island, and accessible by car!). 4. Summers on the beaches of Long Island are wonderful but have risks. These include splinters from the boardwalk, poison ivy, mosquito bites, sunburn, jellyfish stings, water-clogged ears and icky seaweed at your feet during low tide and steamy weather, and some heavy rains as we approach the rainy season starting mid-August. 5. Our home is currently on the market, represented by Douglas Elliman. Photos taken in May 2011 are available for viewing; simply ask me for the link. In all honesty, we question the motivation of the reviewer.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/1

Nice time on Captree

Guest Slopemama
Date of stay 08/13/11
Review Submitted 08/23/11

Had a really wonderful week long vacation at the house on Captree Island. The waterviews were beautiful and the house was ideal for our needs. The house is as it is describe by the owner. It is a pleasantly rustic 1920s beach house that is charming and very convenient to beaches in the area. It is a perfect place for a peaceful getaway with only a short drive from NYC. I do want to mention though that the third bedroom is very small and only suitable for a child and/or baby. It was actually perfect for my 15month old and even had a changing table which was a nice surprise. I also really liked the openplan kitchen which had every utensil or gadget that we needed and had new appliances. The house was ideal for my son and came with a nice supply of baby books which he very much enjoyed. My only one issue was that the owner mentioned to me that there was a baby swing which I was looking forward to using. However, although the swing was there the reeds were so over grown by the tree where the swing was hung it was impossible to use. The reeds need to be trimmed back so that the swing can be used again. One last word of advice to anyone wishing to rent the house. Bring lots of mosquito repellent/citronella candels. They were particularly nasty in the parking area. But this is very typical of a beach area so not a criticism of the house in any way.

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

Owner response: We are glad the reviewer enjoyed our original 1920's beach house. There are very few left on Long Island, especially with its own beach in the back yard. We indeed apologize for the uncut area around the baby swing. We promised to do this several weeks ago upon confirming the reservation, and subsequently informed our caretaker to trim back that area and clean the swing as part of his regular task list, but it must have simply been omitted. He would have gladly come over within the day to address the situation had he been made aware during the stay (either by us, or directly by the reviewer). The information documents that are sent to renters prior to arrival include the caretaker's telephone number and email address, as well as our family's telephone numbers who live in the area. We do everything possible to minimize the mosquito issue. The entire yard and property perimeter is professionally sprayed on a weekly basis plus there is an industrial Mosquito Magnet positioned in the front yard leading to the driveway. This protocol starts in early May during the mosquito breeding time and continues until end October. Additionally the house is treated regularly by Arrow Exterminating from April to November. But Mother Nature shall do as she pleases. It's a small island with water on both sides of the property. If the rainfall is excessive (i.e. several days in August), the mosquitoes come out in force. As the reviewer correctly assesses, this is unfortunately typical of the area. There are several products already available for use at the house but it's always good to bring your preferred mosquito repellent. There is a 24-hour CVS just over the bridge on Montauk Highway in West Islip, approx 5 minute drive from the house. When we are there, we spray our kids every morning from top to bottom with low-grade chemical insect repellent, then do the same with the sun prevention spray. There are many brands but unfortunately the healthier ones (i.e. without chemicals) don't do the trick as well as the popular brands like Off and Cutter. The children's books, toys, games, as well as the CD collection and all items in the house (including food staples like salt, pepper, tea, water etc) are there for use and consumption by renters. Our kids are particularly happy that other kids are playing with their 'stuff'.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Happy renter

Guest comment entered by owner

Happy renter

Guest David Han
Date of stay 06/21/11
Review Submitted 07/11/11

Oh we had such a great time we would like to come by again sometime in the future, with fishing rods next time! David

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Another satisfied family

Guest comment entered by owner

Another satisfied family

Guest Lori Labedz
Date of stay 10/01/10
Review Submitted 10/08/10

We had a lovely weekend. The sunsets were beautiful and a visit from some local swans was a great bonus ;).

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Great stay

Guest comment entered by owner

Great stay

Guest Deepthi Dyapaiah
Date of stay 08/29/10
Review Submitted 09/07/10

Hi Jamie- Thank you for a great stay at your place. Deepthi

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Another happy vacationer

Guest comment entered by owner

Another happy vacationer

Guest Ashley Seeley
Date of stay 08/27/10
Review Submitted 08/30/10

Hello Jamie, I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful weekend. The house was lovely and we had a great time. We cleaned and made sure the house was in order before we left, we just wanted to be sure that everything was situated and in order with the deposit. Thank you again. Cheers, Brittany

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

le dump

Guest jesus
Date of stay 08/08/10
Review Submitted 09/24/10

The interior photos for this rental are very misleading and should be replaced with new ones which show the present condition of the house. The kitchen cabinets are all falling apart,some of the doors have large holes in them,the electrical outlets do not have covers on them.The refrigerator is all rusty and was full of old food.The furniture was ripped and it looked like they picked it up from a dumpster. Do I need to say more? I would be ashamed of renting a property like this one. We were supposed to stay for ten and when my wife and I walked into the house and saw the condition of it ,we were in shock.We stayed for about fifteen minutes taking photos of the interior and left. This house is a complete dump.

Owner response: The house is a charming original beach house, circa 1920. We understand that it is not possible to please everyone all the time. One man's dump is another's castle. Some people see only the minor problems with the house; others feel the warmth and see the beautiful natural surrounding from the hearth of an authentic beach house. Please note that the items mentioned in this review have since been replaced: new convertible queen sofa, new fridge, and other new items as well. All electric outlets have and always have had covers (we actually have baby blockers available upon request). More pictures also available upon request. Moreover, the house is priced appropriately for the quality and location, at 50% or less than Fire Island and Eastern LI. Come view the house before renting. The house is easily accessible from NYC and surrounding area; viewings are easy to arrange. This house is recommended for down-to-earth, beach loving people who are not seeking out a Hampton's McMansion and appreciate the serenity of a private beach, tall bamboo beach weed blowing in the wind, and the occasional swans greeting you at the back door.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Another satisfed renter

Guest comment entered by owner

Another satisfed renter

Guest Jesse Punn
Date of stay 07/23/10
Review Submitted 07/28/10

I just wanted to thank you for an amazing weekend we had at Captree Island. Many of us needed a vacation badly, and the house was just perfect. Everyone that came enjoyed very much, and we’re even considering returning next summer. Hope we left everything in good condition and there weren’t any problems. Otherwise thanks for everything you and Steve have done to ensure my party and I enjoyed our vacation.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Susan
Date of stay 07/03/10
Review Submitted 07/14/10

My family had a great time on the house. The kids enjoyed looking for crabs and starfish. I liked how close we were to the boat at Captree State Park. We were able to see the fireworks on fireisland and go fishing on the boats. The family is already looking to come back next year. Thank you for letting us stay there. Susan

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Great Vacation

Guest susan21562
Date of stay 07/03/10
Review Submitted 07/10/10

Everyone had a great time here. Kids enjoyed beach,swimming, boating, catching crabs and starfish. Very close to captree state park where we went out on a charter boat for fishing and seeing fireworks off of Fire Island. (caught a lot of seabass for diner) Looking forward to next year.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Sylvia
Date of stay 07/01/10
Review Submitted 07/13/10

Thanks very much Jamie for your lovely house in a wonderful setting. I had a great time and hope to come back. Please also pass on a special thanks to Steven as well! Sylvia

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Georgia
Date of stay 06/25/10
Review Submitted 07/03/10

I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know what an outstanding time we had at the house on Captree. It was exactly what we wanted and we truly enjoyed ourselves. We are already talking about next year, so I will be in touch to schedule our vacation for next year. Thanx again, it is quite a slice a heaven you have there! Georgia

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Scott
Date of stay 06/18/10
Review Submitted 06/23/10

We had a great time at the house, thanks for all the arrangements. (I'd like to note that I especially enjoyed the collection of 90s era musical classics! It provided an excellent soundtrack for the weekend.)

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Linda
Date of stay 06/04/10
Review Submitted 06/10/10

What a sensational location. It was the best b-day of my life. Thank you for renting your home to us. Be well. Linda

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Cheng
Date of stay 04/02/10
Review Submitted 06/10/10

We had a lovely time at your house. Everyone enjoyed it very much.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

Vacation Rentals by Owner

Waterfront Beach House with Sandy Beach on Captree Island [#306031] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (17)

Listing as a 3 Bedroom is a misrepresentation

Listing as a 3 Bedroom is a misrepresentation

Another Great Vacation on Captree!

Another Great Vacation on Captree!

Very disappointed

Very disappointed

Nice time on Captree

Nice time on Captree

Happy renter

Happy renter

Another satisfied family

Another satisfied family

Great stay

Great stay

Another happy vacationer

Another happy vacationer

le dump

le dump

Another satisfed renter

Another satisfed renter

Great Vacation

Great Vacation