Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful house and trip!

Guest: Theresa (Liberty, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 03/24/12 Review Submitted: 03/29/12

Our family of 7 (4 adult and 3 kids, ages 11, 9 and 4) just returned from our trip to the Island. The house was perfect for us. We all spent a huge amount of time playing on the white, sandy beach. We came during our spring break (last week in March). The water was chilly but we soon got used to it and it was perfect. We mostly had the beach to ourselves; it wasn't crowded at all. One of the highlights for our trip was chartering a fishing boat and fishing in the Bay. I highly recommend StevO with Mo Bay Charters (mobaycharters.com). He was very helpful and nice... the kids loved fishing with him! We caught a ton of fish. I also recommend the Dauphin Island BBQ. The opened early 2012 and we ate there the last night of our stay. If we had found it sooner, I would have eaten there every day. (A little east of the main road coming in to the island on Bienville.) The house was very cozy and well stocked. Had everything we needed during our stay. Just bring the bug spray! Thanks Cid!

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

Absolutely Beautiful!

Guest: The Jacson's from Axis, Alabama
Date of Stay: 11/11/11 Review Submitted: 11/21/11

Rest, Recreation & Relaxation! The fishing was magnificent! Appreciation of God's creation!

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Wonderful location with plenty of amenities:

Guest: Benjamen (Fort Polk, Louisiana)
Date of Stay: 11/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

I found this property to be as described. My reason for 4 stars instead of 5 has more to do with the attention to detail than with any flaws or deficiencies. I'm referring specifically to maintenance issues with the home. There were many, many burned out lightbulbs throughout the house; some rendering light fixtures completely inoperable (like the main light in the master bathroom for example). I looked in the closet for more bulbs but found only the larger globe bulbs, not regular lightbulbs. I found myself prioritizing which fixtures I wanted to work and robbing others to make them functional. The bathroom door in the master bath sticks and does not close properly. The water pressure in the showers leaves much to be desired. Honestly I don't know how my wife was able to rinse her hair completely. It's not that the showerheads are designed to be low flow, there's simply insufficient volume and pressure supplied. To identify and alleviate these issues I recommend all property owners maintain a method at their properties whereby tenants can annotate and comment on any concerns they have. That way, upon checkout the tenant has essentially done an inspection for the owner and all the owner needs to do is remedy the issue. I didn't bring these issues to the attention of the owner during my stay because quite frankly they were pretty insignificant and I didn't feel like spending my vacation time doing anything but relaxing. All in all the location can't be beat. You're a stone's through from the shore (literally) and on the calm days you can watch the dolphins porpoise past from the comfort of the porch. While the weather wasn't ideal during our stay I knew I was taking a gamble when I booked during this time of the year. Suffice it to say my family had a wonderful time on the Island and the kids are already asking when we can return. We'll probably come back next year, but plan on September when the air and water are hopefully warmer. I recommend this property without reservation.

Owner response:Wow! What perfect timing for your review! The house has been booked solid this year and I just happen to have the it blocked out for inventory and repairs this week. We always welcome feedback from our guests. Usually housekeeping tests the lights after each stay, I am so sorry that I was not notified of the light bulb inventory being depleted. As to your other concerns they will be addressed during my stay! We depend on you, our guests to keep us informed of any problems you may encounter during your stay! Our goal has always been to insure that you have a relaxing, stress free stay at our Beach House. We do hope to see you again! Thanks, Cid

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

Fantastic Trip!!!

Guest: The Edwards' (Opelika, Alabama)
Date of Stay: 10/22/11 Review Submitted: 10/27/11

This was our 2nd time staying at the beach house and loved it just as much as we did last year. The house is perfect for a large family or a group of friends. With two three year olds we were looking for a place where the boys could play outside without constant supervision and worry, and the beach area in front of the house was perfect. The boys could play while the adults sat on the porch or watched out of the living room window. We look forward to another trip next year!

Owner response:Thanks for the kind review! The area in front of the house really is perfect for the kids to play while the adults relax! We also have many beach toys at the house for them to play with in the sand! We hope you do come back again in 2012!

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

My kids said it was the best vacation ever!!

Guest: 7Marti's (Rolla, MO/ USA)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

My wife and I and our 5 children ages 7 to 17 stayed at your house from July 10 till the 17th and they have already decided this is where they want to go every year! The house was perfect! Very nice and comfortable, it felt like it was personally built for us. We enjoyed playing on the the beach swimming in the Gulf for hours and really enjoyed the quietness of the island, it fit our families personality perfectly. We had a great day deep sea fishing with Capt. Brian on the charter boat Deliverance and caught more fish than we'll eat in a year. The deep sea rodeo was in town the weekend we left and I was very impressed with everything there, the FDA and the Fishery scientist really go out of thier way to explain and spend time with the kids. Very cool! Sorry I'm getting wordy but it was an absolutely amazing week! I think it was the best vacation ever too! LOVED THE HOUSE! THANK YOU!

Owner response:Thank you so much for the kind words! We work hard to keep the house confortable for our guests! It makes us very happy to know that families such as yours are creating memories that ya'll can cherish for years to come! The Island is a VERY special place! I call it "Mayberry at the Beach", there isn't even a traffic light on the Island! We hope you do come back whenever you can! Thanks for taking the time to comment! Cid

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

Fell in love with Dauphin Island

Guest: lstecklein (Olathe, KS)
Date of Stay: 05/22/11 Review Submitted: 05/31/11

My family could not have asked for a better place to stay. The house is so inviting and very well stocked. Our kids, ages 8 and 2, had a blast here and can't wait to visit again. We were so sad to leave and are looking forward to coming back again.

Owner response:I am so happy to hear that you and your family had such a wonderful time both at Dauphin Island & at our Beach House! I love reading the guestbook and seeing how many great memories are being made here! I hope ya'll come back again real soon!

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

Great relaxing time!

Guest: Mark & Karen (Noblesville, IN)
Date of Stay: 05/17/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

We were looking for a place to spend some “quiet time” together before my wife’s deployment to Iraq and this place was perfect. The house is in beautiful condition and located just steps from the beach. We couldn’t believe how well the kitchen was stocked with all the utensils, pots and pans, and gadgets that you could need. Just a short drive to the opposite end of the island to visit Fort Gaines and bird sanctuary. Looking forward to returning when she gets back.

Owner response:Thanks for the kind remarks! We do our very best to keep the house comfortable for our guests. The rest is up to Mother Nature! So glad you were blessed with perfect weather during your stay!

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

Guest: Carrie Chitester (Olmsted Falls, OH)
Date of Stay: 07/02/09 Review Submitted: 07/02/09

Thanks for sharing your home with us so we could have such a great vacation on the beach. The house is wonderful, the beach is awesome, and the memories we made will be with us all forever! We saw dolphins both from the beach and from the deck, we watched boats go by, and even watched people fly by on their gilders. What a great experience and we can't wait to come back! I am already looking at your calendar to see when it isn't booked and we can work in another vacation!

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Guest: Beth36 (Smyrna, GA)
Date of Stay: 04/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/13/09

LOVE the beach house; great location; great set up in the house! We had a super time; wanted to stay longer. Even went in the ocean (FREEZING)the first weekend of April. It was.....refreshing! I highly recommend this home to everyone.

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Guest: The Janways & Slagles
Date of Stay: 12/25/08 Review Submitted: 12/24/08

Christmas 2008. We live in South Florida, our kids & grand kids live in N.E. Texas. We couldn't go home for Christmas so we all met here. This house is great! Kind of a last minute deal and it worked out great for all. We were all together for a wonderful Christmas & weekend. We look forward to doing this again. Cid, thanks so much for all your help and your home.

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Guest: Boots Oliphint
Date of Stay: 07/27/08 Review Submitted: 07/26/08

This is our fourth year at 105 Ryan Court and our best time ever! Your lovely re-decorated home is so warm and welcoming. We have enjoyed wild card games, vicious scrabble tournaments and even a little civilized Trivial Pursuit! Thank you, Thank you Thank you!

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Guest: The Sheets & Almons
Date of Stay: 07/16/08 Review Submitted: 07/15/08

Cid, Thank you so much for letting us enjoy your beautiful home! Our 6 teenage boys were in heaven! You were so helpful during the "fridge fiasco" and made even that go smoothly. Your house is adorable and we had a great time!Careful not to lock yourself out! One of us moms ended up sleeping on the deck one night! Oooopps!

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Guest: The Jeppsens
Date of Stay: 07/10/08 Review Submitted: 07/09/08

We had an extended family vacation with children and grand children. Loved the open kitchen/living area and spent many hours on the deck. Thank you for sharing your home. It was a special part of our special time!

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Guest: Broadricks
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/30/08

Had a great vacation. Loved the house and the decor. Loved how well stocked it was down to a flashlight and calculator! Joy, Mike, Alyssa & Brandi

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Guest: William & Troy
Date of Stay: 02/12/08 Review Submitted: 02/11/08

Chilled with the coolest cats on the Island and loved it! Plus the women wasn't bad! Ha! Ha! We stayed here a month and had a great time. The house was awsome. We met alot of good people on the Island, I will never forget it.

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Guest: The Davis/Crowley Family
Date of Stay: 09/07/07 Review Submitted: 09/06/07

We call it "Family & Friends Reunion" but whatever you call your yearly vacation this was a great place to have it! We had a blast! We even stayed an extra day. We met some of the neighbors and had appetizers & cocktails!

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Guest: The Lecrones
Date of Stay: 03/22/07 Review Submitted: 03/21/07

Our first time to Dauphin Island. We love it here! We wanted a comfortable place right on the beach to relax as a family & get away from our busy daily schedules. This was the perfect place! We love the house and the decor & the view. Great sunsets & friendly folks.

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Guest: Kim Ross (Hebron KY)
Date of Stay: 07/12/05 Review Submitted: 07/12/05

We stayed at this house the last week of June. The house was perfect for us! We had 8 people staying here and we each had a place where we could go and relax without feeling like we were crowded! This home is beautifuly decorated and is a wonderful beach house. Our kids loved it so much they asked when can we return. We loved to get up each morning with a cup of coffee and watch the fishing boats and the dolphins going by from the deck. The hammock under the house is a perfect place to read a book and take a nap. (Trust me on this! I tried it out!) The laid back life style was just what we needed for this vacation! I would recommend this to anyone wanting a relaxing vacation!

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Guest: Rose Honn (Rogers, Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 12/18/04 Review Submitted: 12/18/04

We had a fantastic time staying here the first week of August. The house has a beautiful view of the Gulf from the deck. Wake up early and you'll be able to watch the dolphins swim by, only yards from the shore, we stayed here 8 days and saw dolphins at least 5 of those days. This house has all the right accomodations for beach living, the bottom shower is perfect for after beach swimming and playing. The house is perfectly situatuated to where you have the privacy from the beach folks, but are still close enough for easy access. We would strongly recommend this home for people with or without kids.

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