Vacation Rentals by Owner

Lucky me!

Guest: Jeffrey B.
Date of Stay: 02/01/12 Review Submitted: 03/02/12

My dog Rufus and I had the good fortune to stay at the Enchanted Cottage for the entire month of February. We found the cottage to be comfortable, private, and full of "good energy." The patio is a little paradise -- I loved the outdoor hot/cold shower, and Rufus loved/hated the squirrels! The location couldn't be much better: minutes from the beach, Bert's Market and Center Street -- I only used my car maybe once a week. Mary Ann was very helpful, but not intrusive at all. Personally, I'd rather rent from an owner than a property management agency, because they actually "care." A great experience, and I hope I'll have the chance to stay here again...

Owner response:Dear Jeff (and Rufus), Thank you for being ideal guests and fully enjoying the unique lifestyle that the cottage affords, It's a joyful thing to see the transformation in people from the first day when they check in and then when I see them again on the last day when they say goodbye to the cottage and to Folly Beach. Whenever you need to rest and relax, remember that there's a tiny cottage near the sea waiting for you (and Rufus).

Recommended for:

Enchanted Cottage

Guest: Valerie (Maryland)
Date of Stay: 01/25/12 Review Submitted: 01/30/12

Thank you so much for everything. I really did enjoy my stay in Folly Beach. It was clean and cozy. It was great to have both the beach and the Center St. shops so close. I am looking forward to going back to Folly Beach and hopefully the Enchanted Cottage.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Perfect size and location

Guest: Andrew F.
Date of Stay: 09/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

This cozy cottage was everything I could have asked for. My now wife and I got engaged during our stay at the cottage and had the time of our lives in Folly/Charleston. It was perfect walking distance to go to the beach everyday and we were still close enough to walk home from the bars at night. Overall this place was wonderful and I would definitely stay here every time I visit Folly.

Owner response:It's wonderful that you became engaged to be married while staying in the cottage. Congratulations! I think that certainly says something for this very unique little cottage. Writers tell us that it relaxes them and allows them to write. Artists take breathers here. Mothers and daughters spend quality time together. But we have to say that the romantic factor seems to be the most predominant. Love must be in the ocean air. We hope you return for your honeymoon.

Recommended for:

Delightful

Guest: Tabby (Terre Haute, IN USA)
Date of Stay: 05/18/11 Review Submitted: 05/27/11

We found the cottage to be just as described, close to beach, restaurants and all Folly Beach activities. Yet, it was quiet and secluded as anyone might want. We found the cirular stairwell to be quite acceptable but would not recommend for anyone with walking difficulties. Hope to return and am recommending to friends. Mary Ann is a delight! Don't miss the shrimp and grits, a southern tradition.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect for a relaxing vacation

Guest: Bud (Illinois)
Date of Stay: 04/25/11 Review Submitted: 05/03/11

For two adults (and our small dog) this cottage worked out very well. The highlight for us was probably the adjoining fenced-in patio and the outdoor shower. A quick walk down to the beach (I timed it at 4 minutes!) and an equally easy walk to Center Street, where all the shops and restaurants are, made for an excellent location.We recommend the Lost Dog Cafe for breakfast or lunch (good shrimp and grits!). Folly Beach is about as relaxed a place as you could ask for and, all in all, it was a great place for an easy does it vacation. Also, the commute into downtown Charleston was only about 30 minutes.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Wonderful spot for a getaway to a quiet and unspoiled beach...

Guest: Terry and Pam (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

My wife and I stayed at Mary Ann's cottage in March of 2011 and I can't say enough good things about it. The privacy of the little patio area and the outdoor shower (my favorite part), coupled with the cozy little cottage made it seem like our little corner of paradise. Mary Ann was very much available if we needed anything, but never intruded on our privacy. The beach is only a couple of short blocks away, and on the way is Bert's Market where there's free coffee. Perfect for a morning wake-up. The cottage is small, but everything you need is there and it's a good exercise in realizing the things you normally drag along but never use. I loved the spiral staircase and loft bedroom. The TV is small, but who goes to the beach to watch TV? We never even turned it on! We have a son at The Citadel with two more years to go and we plan to make this our first call on future trips to Folly Beach and can only hope it's available. Highly recommended!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Couple's Retreat!!

Guest: Sara & Soren (Charlotte (Huntersville), NC)
Date of Stay: 08/19/10 Review Submitted: 08/23/10

I can't say anything bad about this lovely, little cottage...it was perfect for our first trip ever just the two of us, and for our one year wedding anniversary. The cottage was perfect for just two, and was so close to the beach, shops, and dining, we couldn't have asked for more. Also not a bad little drive into Downtown Charleston. We will certainly be back again, as we also just LOVED Folly Beach, and will definitely recommend this place to all of our couple friends. Cheers to Mary Ann for making such a welcoming retreat available!!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Can't wait to come back!

Guest: Shaunna (Toronto, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/10

Folly beach is a wonderful place to visit, but staying in this cottage made the trip "Enchanted"! It is simply charming, with the comfiest bed, coziest lounge area and that incredibly refreshing outdoor shower! The loft/bachelor apartment setup inside was just perfect for the two of us. Even when it was storming outside, it was nice to just kick back at the cottage and watch some movies in the lounging area and listen to the rain hit the roof! :) Mary Ann is a hostess who truly goes above and beyond the call of duty! As for local highlights, my husband and I had a fun boat ride with Captain Gresch, enjoyed a scenic bike ride to the famous Bowen Island Restaurant (LOVED the fried whiting & fresh shrimp), woke up early to try surf fishing, and went into Charleston to explore. Mostly, though, we hung out on the beach! We had some excellent, especially Taco Boy (tempura shrimp taco & sangria ftw!), Rita's (crispy spiced french fries with amazing homemade ranch dip!) and Surf Bar (delicious Philly Cheesesteaks, Key Lime Pie and $1 PBRs-- need I say more?!). My only regret is that I did not try the shrimp and grits until my last night-- boy was I missing out those other days! To this day, I catch myself daydreaming about what I'll do when we go there next. We could not have dreamed for a better one-year-anniversary/delayed honeymoon! There is truly no place like it!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Loved Folly Beach!

Guest: Gloriestar (Raleigh, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/09/10 Review Submitted: 06/15/10

I would highly recommend this cottage! My sister and I stayed here for some girl time at the beach. The cottage is small, but charming! We loved the outdoor shower! There was just enough space for the 2 of us. We enjoyed walking to the beach, restaurants and shops. Folly Beach is my new favorite beach! Everyone there is very friendly and laid back. We enjoyed the local restaurants and scenery. I can't wait to go back!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway.

It truly is enchanting

Guest: Dorothy (Lexington, KY)
Date of Stay: 05/18/10 Review Submitted: 08/22/10

I felt like I had won the travelers lottery when I walked into this adorable cottage. It was beatiful, efficient, immaculate, and absolutely serene. I loved the outdoor, hot-water shower and patio with lovely rattan lounge chairs... The owner is a wonderful person to work with and I only hope I am fortunate enough to return to this cottage...and by the way Folly Beach is also wonderful; not too crowded during the week and almost deserted early in the mornings and in the evenings, lots of shops and restaurants...everything you need for a perfect beach get-away.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Cottage

Guest: Nate (Asheville, NC )
Date of Stay: 12/11/09 Review Submitted: 12/15/09

Mary Ann is extremely friendly. The porch(mainly the shower) are specatular. If the weather had been better we would have spent more time on the porch. The living room is small but comfortable and clean. The tv is small but got the job done and dvd is easy to use. Some of the furniture simply took up space in the cottage and we put it in the little closet. The kitchen is small and not well equipped. If you plan on cooking often be sure you have all the equipment you might want. The best knife was a steak knife. The pots and pans are lacking. Be careful on the spiral staircase, it's well made but you could fall easily. A heavy person couldn't fit up it. The loft and bed were very nice. I just wish there was a curtain for the window upstairs so the sun didn't pour in in the morn. We were disappointed with the cleanliness of the bathroom(hair on the shower walls) and gunk behind the faucet of the sink. Same with the kitchen. Our privacy was good. The beach is a good walk but an easy one, probably two blocks or more. The restaurants are closer. Also, the garbage cans outside are hard to get to being blocked by the golf cart.

Owner response:We're glad that the guests enjoyed the sleeping loft and found the cottage to be clean and comfortable except for isolated areas, although in 5 years this was our first such comment. We're also happy that they found the 'porch' to be 'spectacular' but we need to clarify for future guests who may be reading this review that there is no porch. However, there is an adjacent patio/garden with a wonderful hot/cold outdoor shower and comfy lounge chairs. Re: kitchen utentsils: it's a tiny kitchen and up to this point, people have remarked on how amazed they are that we put as much in as we do. However, we will make more pots and pans available to future guests who may be doing heavy cooking. Re: the spiral staircase. We've always been clear in our on-line descriptions that the spiral staircase is small but, based on the design, it would be nearly impossible for someone to fall down it: it's circular: one would be stopped by the railing. We do appreciate the comment about the small window area above the air conditioner. Because the view is of the sky and trees, we thought that it would be an asset to leave that open. We will now put a small curtain there for late-sleepers. And we do hope that our guests who were unhappy, return: we would love to be able to make things right with them.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners.

Great Experience!

Guest: Chris P. (North Alabama)
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

First of all, Mary Ann is a great host. Her restaurant recommendations were great. The shrimp & grits at Locklear's on the peer was wonderful. Folly Beach is a laid back beach community and is unlike any beach town we have been to before. We normally have to stay in some sort of high rise condo when we go to other beaches. The cottage in Folly Beach provided a nice change of pace. The cottage was cozy and a perfect fit for me and my wife. The patio and outdoor shower provides plenty of privacy and a nice place to relax. Also, the cottage is a short walk from the beach, the peer, restaurants, shopping, etc. Our favorite part of the trip was visiting downtown Charleston, which is about a 15 minute drive from the cottage. We took a carriage tour, a harbor tour, and just walk around in amazement at how beautiful everything was. There are also a lot a great restaurants in downtown Charleston. We tried Magnolia's, Hyman's, and Bubba Gump's. All three were great. When we come back we are going to do a ghost tour of Charleston, which sounds like a lot of fun. We also visited Boone Hall Plantation which was beautiful and highly recommended. Overall, we had an excellent experience and we highly recommend this destination.

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

A perfect getaway for two!

Guest: JaybirdCMH (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 05/07/09 Review Submitted: 05/21/09

I applaud Mary Ann for being so accurate with her description and photos of the property...it was perfect. The cottage is very small, but very clean and brims with character and truly provides cozy accommodations...the queen mattress and outdoor shower were definite unexpected comforts. Mary Ann was so hospitable and very eager to work with us on dates, rates, etc. The cottage is a three minute walk from the beach and a block from restaurants and shops. We sampled several restaurants in the area and would like to recommend the following in Folly Beach: The Lost Dog Cafe, Central Street Kitchen, Taco Boy, and the Crab Shack; in Charleston: Vickery's Bar and Grill and Jestine's Kitchen. To add much southern charm to your vacation, be sure to walk around downtown Charleston for both shopping and many historic photo opportunities.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Cozy and comfy little place, I enjoyed it!

Guest: Jeff_in_Chicago (Chicago IL USA)
Date of Stay: 01/09/09 Review Submitted: 01/22/09

Very small, as described, which is not a bad thing in my opinion. Cozy and comfy. If you've ever slept on a sailboat, think of that, except you have a normal little kitchen and bathroom, plus a queen-sized bed. The patio is your "deck". Just a couple of blocks to the beach. Folly Beach is ALL public beach. Bring a bike or rent a creaky one from the guy behind the gas station and you can travel to either end of the island to see the county park on one end and the lighthouse on the other. Only 20 minutes' drive to downtown Charleston.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

perfect cottage for 2

Guest: morecheese (Baltimore, MD)
Date of Stay: 07/22/08 Review Submitted: 08/08/08

this little cottage is adorable and perfect for 2 people. I stayed here and enjoyed it so much I want to return next year. Mary Ann is the perfect hostess and booking this cottage for the outdoor shower alone is worth it.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.