Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful vacation!

Guest: El (Richmond, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 09/10/11 Review Submitted: 09/22/11

Beautiful condo with perfect location. The 6 of us adults never felt cramped with 3 luxurious bedrooms and bathrooms. Lovely master with very comfortable bed! The kitchen was the most well-stocked one we've ever seen. They generously left staple supplies (salt, paper, sugar, oil, etc) which so few owners do! The rockers on the balcony were the perfect beginning and end of every single day as we watched the ocean waves. It was the perfect temperature for relaxing outside. The condo was clean, with normal oceanside little pests. Pam was extremely prompt, honest, reliable with all her information. My husband visited Ben and Jerry's every night! It does take 20 minutes to get into Charleston. With the traffic, it's better to go through the beautiful area in Mt. Pleasant. The 517 connector road had awful traffic and construction. There were wonderful places to eat near by. Lots of great seafood, of course, and an unexpected wonderful Italian place named Sette Seven. Carriage rides are a must to learn the great history of the downtown Charleston area. Visit the market often. The golf courses up at Wild Dunes were beautiful. If you play after 4:00, the Twilight rate is very reasonable. Patriot's Point is full of history, but the golf course is in terrible condition. We could have spend half at day at either Fort Moultrie or Fort Sumter. SO much history to enjoy! Renting bikes, beach chairs, and an umbrella helped us enjoy the ocean. There were tons of mounds straw-like debris all over all the sand, all the way down to Breach's Inlet and the pier in all directions. We didn't see any of that in the pictures, so I don't know if that's a usual thing or if it was due to recent hurricanes out at sea. Lovely sea shells, but nice soft sand with very gently sloping beach. There were no drop-offs which allowed even little kids to safely venture far out in the water. I would definitely stay here again.

Owner response:We are delighted that your time at our villa was enjoyable and that you will be returning to stay with us again. We have many returning "regular" guests year after year. The debris on the beach were due to storms out at sea which occasionally occur on all coasts. The wonder of the beach at different seasons of the year is something we tell everyone who returns to discover as each season has its own natural beauty. We are constantly working to make everyone's experience one they will want to return to! We look forward to your return and be certain that every year we make improvements based on guest suggestions and our personal pursuit of excellence in service to the guests at staying in our beach villa. We know that there is so much to see and do in and around Charleston as well as just hanging out at the beach that folks will return each year with a fresh itinerary. We encourage you to check out the home tours in the Spring in Charleston (if you love history and architecture), or the Aquarium and the Hunley museum next time you are staying with us. There are fabulous plantations to tour which take all day and are better to tour in the very early Spring or Fall. If you are nature lovers, try the Audobon Swamp gardens at Magnolia Plantation- about 40 minutes from the condo but we spend time there in the winter watching the breeding birds and migratory species- its fabulous! Mt Pleasant is home to Boone Hall Plantation which has year round activities and festivals. See you soon!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

A Great Getaway

Guest: Chris & Carolyn (Cary, NC)
Date of Stay: 02/12/11 Review Submitted: 02/18/11

What a great weekend! The views of the ocean are incredible off the spacious terrace and the location perfect for a peaceful and rejuvenating experience. We appreciated the secure, covered parking deck as parking is at a premium. We really enjoyed the openess of the space: the beds were confortable and clean. There are new appliances (washer and dryer) and everything else was in excellent shape and working - no surprises!. The owners took great care to ensure that our every need was addressed. Given it was our first time visiting Isle of Palms we now know it is a place we want to come back. We visited the Red Drum, a local gastro pub, for a late dinner that proved to be one of the best meals we've ever had and we were surprised at the resasonable pricing. We've traveled the world and eaten at some of the finest restaurants and this evening compared with the very best. This is a must if you can get a reservation. Call ahead.It will be worth the effort. Overall, we hope to return soon and will definitely look to stay at this condo the next time we visit.Thank you owners for the much appreciated peace and quiet and peace of mind. You helped us regain some perspective by accounting for all the little things that are important to us when we go away.

Owner response:Thanks for your comments. We hope to have you return for many more relaxing weeks! It is our goal to tend to the little things so your experience is rejuvenating and you will want to come back to build more happy memories. We are constantly updating and attending to our guest's suggestions. Like, you we have traveled the world and so we are fussy about accomodations and food since we have stayed at some great places. It is our wish to bring that knowledge and experience to our own guests. We love to hear about everyone's adventures while they are staying on the island with us. If you think winter on the island is wonderful, come and stay with us in our other great seasons- always something new to see and do!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

A Holiday Disaster - Chriistmas 2010

Guest: Wally (Del Mar, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/25/11

In a word our visit to this property was a disaster. Prior to our family's arrival a leak had occured in the sprinkler system in the number two bedroom. (Cleartly, the owners made no pre-rental inspection.) When we discovered it and tried to notify the opwners, we received a message that "they were unavailable until the 24th of December" (four days into our rental !) The agent's number supplied by the owner was useless as he flatly refused to help. The rest of the vacation was spent trying to find plumbers (unsuccessfully), emptying buckets and using an extremely uncomfortable living room pull-out bed because the bedroom was unuseable. When finally contacted after our fourth day, the owners made modest attempts to solve the problem but basically left it up to us to contact and work with the unsuccessful plumbers. In the end their restitution was tootally inadaquate.

Owner response:We deeply regret the guest’s experience. As always the unit was cleaned and inspected the day prior to occupancy. The claim that four days elapsed before contact and that they were left on their own is blatantly false. The report was given after the agent was gone for the day. The very next day Steve went to the unit, determined the leak was not in the owner’s capacity to fix and therefore contacted the association management company. A small fire sprinkler leak was found and the sprinkler company came and began work immediately. Unfortunately an unavailable part was needed. They worked day and night attempting to stop the slow drip and guests reported “the sprinkler guys were wonderful.” Our agent offered to place them into comparable accommodations, but guests "adamantly refused." On-site workers offered to move the bed the foot or 2 necessary to make it usable. Guests declined. We were in constant contact with plumbers, sprinkler companies, contractors, condo association management, condo association board and board president in our attempts to stop the leak. We even sought to have the entire system turned off, but SC law prevented it. The bedroom, dressers, closet, private bathroom and all other amenities were otherwise fully usable. The claim of inadequate compensation is confusing at best since guests spontaneously offered that whatever compensation we decided on was fine. We refunded 1/3 of the rental rate. In over 6 years of renting, we have never been faced with this sort of issue. This incident is not something that any rational person could predict or prevent. No other owners in the building have ever experienced this. It happened off-season and when most everyone was operating on a holiday schedule. We have subsequently hired an additional property management firm as an extra layer of timely response. The condo association board has reviewed with their contracted management company the need for emergency responses at all times. We have several volumes of guest book entries - 100% of which offer glowing testimonies to their stay. We enjoy many repeat guests from across the country as well as endorsements from international guests.

Recommended for:

DrRod

Guest: Rod (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 04/17/10 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

Great place. We have stayed three times and plan again later in the year. Owners very responsive to special requests and inquiries. We HAVE seen dolphins nearly every day. Beds are very comfortable and great room spacious and fun for family. Easy covered parking and good nearby places to eat. Best is the beach or nearby streets for biking or walking. Highly recommend.

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

Stunning Views

Guest: chooch (North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 02/19/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

My wife and I were blessed with an awesome weekend watching dolphins from the deck of the condo. The location was perfect and within walking distance to everything we wanted to do. The condo was clean, fresh and tastefully decorated. The owners made sure everything was in order before we came. We will definately stay here again. M&S

Owner response:Thank you for your nice comments. Next time we hope you can bring all of the children to enjoy the pool and ocean together as a family! We are happy that you had such a great getaway time together. We count you among our family of folks we are certain to see back at the condo again. Pam & Kevin

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

wow

Guest: John and Laurie (Clearwater, FL)
Date of Stay: 02/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

Amazing site. Very comfortable and classy interior, with unbeatable view. The weather was terrific and the property is private and protected. Locked-gate private access to a beautiful stretch of beach. The unit was clean and well-maintained. Would definitely recommend to friends and relatives.

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

Quiet, peaceful stay during off-season

Guest: sasses (Cary, NC)
Date of Stay: 12/30/09 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

My husband and I came down to the beach for some post-holiday relaxation time. We had a wonderful time watching the sun and ocean from the porch and escaping the cold weather at home. It was well worth every penny we paid. We enjoyed a New Year's Eve dinner at the second floor restaurant next door. It was so convenient to just walk over instead of having to drive into town. We enjoy local cuisine and you can't get much more local than that! Thank you for a beautiful weekend!

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

Most Enjoyable

Guest: Millard (Wallins, KY)
Date of Stay: 10/15/09 Review Submitted: 10/28/09

The property was great and we were very comfortable. The off street parking and the security gates to and from the beach we really liked. The property was just a short drive to many shops/resturants and downtown Charleston. We enjoyed our stay and would consider renting the same property again if back in the area.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing.

Found this wonderful condo on-line.

Guest: K,S,J,N&L S. (Lexington, Ky)
Date of Stay: 06/27/09 Review Submitted: 02/11/11

This was one of the best vacations we ever had.Condo is awesome and so roomy!! IOP is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy your family.Made three trips to the Sea Bisquit for breakfast-could eat there every morning if possible."Boathouse" was wonderful.Magnolias in Charleston was excellent-highly recomend."Bubba" the local parrot in the store across the street prevented several "meltdowns" from our 2yr old. Enjoy your time here-it goes by far too fast. See you all next year if God is willing!

Owner response:Thanks, you are always welcome to come back and "join the family" of folks who spend their summer family vacations with us. We are always trying to make the experience better- just added a new washer and dryer this weekend to cut down on number of loads! Our family generates so much laundry at the beach that I decided it was time for the new high capacity ones. Thanks also for sharing the restaurant suggestions, it helps our guests decide from all of the many choices of great food on the island and in Charleston.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

peaceful getaway

Guest: Kristi (New England)
Date of Stay: 03/13/09 Review Submitted: 01/31/11

We stayed at this property to get away from the dreary weather in New England. It was close enough to Charleston to enjoy both the charm of city and beach. We found the condo to be spotlessly clean, well appointed and very comfortable. It met all our expectations for a wonderful beach get-away and we would certainly go again to this same property.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lost on the Beach

Guest: Ron F. (Moraga, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/11/08 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

The best part of my wife and my stay at the condo was how we could just get lost walking on the beach. The condo itself was perfect just the right size large enough for friends and close enough to downtown when we felt the urge go public. The setup of all the rooms was perfect for us, well decorated and furnished. We would highly recommend this property to anyone. By the way we travelled from Northern California and it was nice to have warm water. We know the owners personally and see them a couple of times a year and we know that nothing has changed with their property it is still in excellent condition.

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