4 Wheel Drive Area of the Outer Banks Next to the Wildlife Refuge.

• Easter 2013

  Easter 2013

  • Guest Easter 2013
  • Date of stay 03/26/13
  • Review Submitted 04/03/13
  The acccommodations were exactly as stated--couldn't have asked for more. It has all the comforts of home. The comfort level of the memory foam mattresses was definitely thumbs up. Cooking for the family was done with ease with every appliance you could possibly need. The wildlife was also a definite bonus. The owner was always accessible/responsive via phone and email. Can't wait to stay again. Outstanding.

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the lovely words. We are happy that you enjoyed our home as much as we do. We look forward to having you stay again!

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• Great Time, Great Place

  Great Time, Great Place

  • Guest Jack
  • Date of stay 02/17/13
  • Review Submitted 03/11/13
  We stayed at the Red Octopus recently with some adult friends. The house is newly remodeled with many beautiful wood surfaces. It is rustic enough to give guests the "vacation feeling" while having all the amenities (hot tub, beautiful and functional kitchen, comfortable beds and furniture) to make livin easy. Walking the nearby beach in the winter gets your heart pumping while your mind clears. Seeing the hawks in the sky over the water is a visual that I'll long remember. I had a great time. Great place.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing.

  Owner response: So glad you liked the Red Octopus! We love it and are always glad when others feel the same way. Come back again!

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• Perfect Winter Getaway

  Perfect Winter Getaway

  • Guest Fran
  • Date of stay 02/17/13
  • Review Submitted 02/22/13
  Our recent stay at the Red Octopus was a wonderful winter break. Every feature of this home was designed for the comfort and enjoyment of its guests. My husband and I love to cook and found the kitchen phenomenal. The gorgeous beach goes on forever and we didn't have to fight the summer crowds. In fact, we were sometimes the only people in sight enjoying the sound of the waves, the sun glittering on the water and the wildlife. The bedrooms are good sized and the beds extremely comfortable. Slept like babies after enjoying all that crisp, fresh air. In the evenings, we enjoyed soaking in the hot tub and gazing at the stars. And yes, the ponies come right up to the house! What a lovely way to connect with nature and leave the stress behind!

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the lovely review. We try very hard to make our home a true home away from home for our guests. Happy to have you and hope to see you there again.

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• We love OBX

  We love OBX

  • Guest Kami
  • Date of stay 08/18/12
  • Review Submitted 09/03/12
  We absolutely love the outerbanks! This property is in a great location only about 4 miles in the sand. The house itself is very well appointed as stated in the homeowners description. The house is newly renovated and they have done a beautiful job. We found the house very comfortable and clean too. Always have a camera handy you never know when you will be amazed by horses right in your yard! We cant wait for summer 2013!

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the kind words. We love our home and are happy that you loved it too! Looking forward to seeing you in 2013!

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• Perfect getaway home!

  Perfect getaway home!

  • Guest Candy
  • Date of stay 08/11/12
  • Review Submitted 08/24/12
  We loved this house! It was perfectly tucked away on a private part of the beach. Felt like we were on our own little island. Definitely make sure your 4x4 vehicle has enough ground clearance to get to the location. Seen plenty of bumpers and parts from vehicles ripped off of cars. I recommend buying the water thats offered or buy gallons of water, the tap water has a pungent egg smell and its definitely not for making coffee or brushing your teeth with. The kitchen in the house is beautiful!!! Fully supplied with any utensils you may need. The rooms were very clean and nicely decorated. The king size bed spoiled us! The central air was a blessing!!! It was very warm out and coming home from a day at the beach to a nice cool house felt great! The hot tub was a nice way to relax at night, my niece pretty much lived in it the whole week...although you need to watch out for the frogs they also like to rendezvouz in the hot tub. Bring plenty of anti bug repellant, they love to bite! The horses were so beautiful. They really do come right to your doorstep. The description said you could see dolphins from the deck, dont know about that one its pretty far off the beach. But I would highhhhhly recommend staying at this house. We all loved it!

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the kind words. Glad you like the home, I know we love it too. The water has a system that apparently needed some tweaking and we have someone coming out to take care of it. Thanks again.

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• Family Beach Time

  Family Beach Time

  • Guest Monticellolake
  • Date of stay 08/04/12
  • Review Submitted 08/16/12
  I stayed at the Red Octopus from August 4-11th with my husband and our 4 adult children (18-24). We have gone to the outer banks many times but never to this area. This was our favorite location by far. We loved the peace as well as the beautiful beach and wild life. The location of the home to the beach was good. We had nice views for a non ocean front home. The house has clearly been remodeled for maximum comfort. We love to cook so the well stocked kitchen was a huge plus for us. The top floor deck dining area was also a great gathering place at night. The furniture in the living room as well as the bedrooms is very comfortable and pristine; the whole home is very clean. During our week we did encounter a few inconveniences. When we arrived at the home the AC was not working. The property manager on site, Julie, was very prompt to come out and investigate. The following evening a repair man determined that ants had attacked the electrical contact in the outdoor unit and it had shorted. It was a quick fix at that point and the AC worked wonderfully for the remainder of the stay. A leak in the ceiling of the master bedroom also developed the first day. Again Julie was on it right away and had a plumber there working on the issue within a few hours. Unfortunately it was a slow leak and could not be fixed during our stay so we just kept a bucket under it and emptied it occasionally. The final issue was with the water treatment system. On Tuesday morning a gush of sand followed by a burst of bleach came out of the bathroom faucet. I ignored it as it did not continue. Unfortunately by the time we came back from the beach to shower the water had a distinct sewage smell. I called Julie in the morning and she came out shortly after to fix the issue. We were told the system just needed a refill of bleach. She did this and the water smelled fine again. The only issue was the bleach did seem strong and we did have a laundry mishap as a result- a red t-shirt looked like it had been splashed with bleach. The owners were kind enough to send a $20 gift card to replace the shirt. I did not want to write a negative review but feel accurate reviews for a VRBO listing are key. If I had rented through a large realtor in the area I would have been able to request a location change when any one of the issues arose or at a minimum received a partial refund for the inconvenience of24 hours of no AC in 90 degree weather, a leak in the ceiling a

  Owner response: I am so sorry that you had a few issues while you were at our home. We tried very hard to remedy all situations as soon as we were notified of them. We were given to understand that you called the management company in the evening that the AC was out and that they were there in the morning for the repair (less than 12 hours overnight). We tried to remedy your shirt loss with the gift card and hoped you were able to enjoy your stay. As for the water, it is a sulfur smell and not sewage. We have a new water system to prevent the sulfur smell and the bleach was refilled so the problem was resolved. Again, I am sorry if you did not enjoy your vacation. We love our home and try very hard to keep it in great shape.

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• Amazing house for a relaxing vacation

  Amazing house for a relaxing vacation

  • Guest Amy
  • Date of stay 07/14/12
  • Review Submitted 07/27/12
  Our weeklong stay at the Red Octopus was just what our family needed to rewind and reconnect. The house not only offered privacy with 4 large bedrooms, but best of all was situated in an area of the OBX where homes are spaced apart and wild horses eat in your backyard. We were amazed at the frequency that the horses visited the house. On our last day of our visit, six horses stayed in the backyard area for almost two hours and we were mesmerized by how calm they were in our midst. The deck off of the kitchen and living area was a gathering place to eat dinner as well as to watch deer, birds, and sunsets. The kitchen was well equipped and large enough for lots of cooks. An open floor plan allowed for alot of togetherness. The bedrooms were on a separate floor and provided a quiet retreat for late sleepers. The Swan Beach area ( Mile 16 ) was a superb location , plenty of beach , the nature preserve to our north and the ocean was cool and refreshing. Also, it was a treat to watch the hundreds of jeeps that came from the town of Corolla, ferrying the mainlanders into our secluded space. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves very much and would choose the Red Octopus again for our return to the Outer Banks.

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

  Owner response: Dear Amy and Family, We are so happy you enjoyed our home. It is a very special place and we are happy to share it. Thanks again for the kind words and we look forward to seeing you again next year! Tom and diane Hageman

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• Lovely home in the best 4x4 beach area

  Lovely home in the best 4x4 beach area

  • Guest Cheryl
  • Date of stay 06/30/12
  • Review Submitted 07/11/12
  We had a wonderful time at this home. It was in a great location, well maintained, clean and was beautifully appointed. The upstairs living area is open concept with the kitchen, dining and living room together, along with a half bath and cozy gaming nook. The four bedrooms were comfortably sized and had tv's in every room; great for if you just needed some down time to yourself. We loved the wrap around porches on both levels, and the location on the 4x4 beach. We've found our go-to property for the OBX, and plan on being repeat renters!

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for your kind words. We love our home and are happy that you enjoyed it as much as we do. We look forward to seeing you next year!

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• Paradise!

  Paradise!

  • Guest Becks
  • Date of stay 06/09/12
  • Review Submitted 06/25/12
  We enjoyed everything about our stay. The home is clean and beautifully maintained. We were vacationing with another family and we always had plenty of room and personal space. The views of the ocean are magnificient and we enjoyed the evenings sitting in the hot tub while watching the deer and horses grazes on the dunes. Truly, one of the of most relaxing beach vacations we've had. We loved not having to worry about 'neighbors'!! The sand and traffic on the beach were not an issue for us and the added convienence of driving to the beach was a plus. I highly recommend this property and I so enjoyed working with Diane. We truly felt as though we'd spent a week in paradise..

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the kind words. We love our home and are so happy that you did too!

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• Well maintained home close to nature

  Well maintained home close to nature

  • Guest Finn's mom
  • Date of stay 06/09/12
  • Review Submitted 06/18/12
  What a perfect piece of paradise. This well maintained home is better than we imagined. On the edge of the nature reserve, we enjoyed the privacy, sights and sounds Swan Beach is known for, with the creature comforts that keep you connected. The house includes plenty of indoor and outdoor living space for a good sized family. We have a young, energetic child and the space is designed in a way that we felt comfortable in the kitchen while our son played on the deck or in the little ‘blue couch’ room. The accommodations include everything you need for little ones, safety gate, pack and play and high chair. Everything is well maintained—we really felt at home, but with better views. The owners are prompt and helpful with questions, though we had no issues on site. The gift bag is darling and the supplies-- very useful, thank you! The house also boasts a large fenced backyard great for running around or other activities. I do caution, if you have not stayed in a 4WD beach area that you do read up on proper procedures, IE deflating tires, proper clearance and true 4WD vs. AWD. The road did have some higher than expected water coming in, but nothing our Blazer couldn’t handle. We had a late night visit from a family of horses that we will always remember! We look forward to booking again next year!

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the many compliments. We are so happy that you and your family enjoyed your stay. We look forward to seeing you next year! :-)

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Off season/winter - Second week of October to beginning of May - $900
Spring - second week of May to 1st week of June - $1,300
Early Summer - second week of June to third week of June - $1,400
Prime season - last week of June to second week of August - $2,100
Late summer - third week of August to after Labor Day - $1,900
Fall - second week of September to first week of October - $1,100
Winter holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years - $1,200
Note:  All rentals are charged 12.75% taxes by law.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.