Vacation Rentals by Owner

Ideas for Improvement

Guest: Howard (REston, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 09/25/11 Review Submitted: 10/29/11

This property is excellent but could use a high def TV in the family room. We don't go to the beach for TV but it should have an updated entertainment system if weather is bad etc.

Owner response:We will look at this for next year and have now added unlimited internet service via wireless router for all of our renters.

Recommended for:Age 55+

Really nice house, close but not really 2.5 blocks to beach, some technical issues

Guest: Karen (Arlington)
Date of Stay: 09/04/11 Review Submitted: 09/08/11

I won't repeat what everyone else said because they are all correct. We stayed with our two small children and another family with small children and I have to second everything that the last reviewer said about it being a beautiful house, but a longer hike to the beach than the description insinuates. We also had a few small issues that were immediately addressed by the owners. Their promptness was great, but the fact that we had to deal with them was not. 1. The cable didn't work meaning the TV didn't work. We weren't staying to watch TV, but still...we had to call the owners and they had to ask Comcast to set it back up. 2. The A/C wouldn't go below 77 degrees. Not a big deal during the day, but we were roasting at night in bed. They also fixed this, but after another call. 3. They never provided the lock box combination so we had a harder time getting the key to get in. Again, all of these are minor and were addressed promptly, but it was like they forgot we were staying there. The only other thing I will say is that it's not "stocked" very well. In other words, there was a roll of toilet paper in each bathroom and that was it. We needed to buy TP the first day were were there! I didn't expect for us not to have to buy it, but there were only the bare necesseties there--including the cupboard. Sugar, salt, and oil and that was pretty much it. And one roll of paper towel. Final comment--Hurricane Irene blew in a week before we were coming. The owners made it clear that if the house was uninhabitable, they didn't plan to reimburse us AT ALL. They would offer us another week if it was available that year or the following, but wouldn't give us our money back. They suggested getting travel insurance, but most places won't offer it for natural disasters or "known" natural disasters as Hurricane Irene already was. Just keep this in mind. All of that said, we had a great vacation and think it's a nice place to stay. Just a little attention to these details would have allowed me to give them a 5 star rating.

Owner response:We state in our VRBO ad that the house is two and a half blocks from the beach. My husband personally tells everyone that the two blocks are long blocks and the distance from the boardwalk to our house is .3 miles. He also recommends that people with lots of beach stuff and small kids drop off their party at the beach and park their car back at the house. Most of our renters like walking around at the beach and after five years these are the first complaints about walking distance we have had. I can state that when we tried to drive in closer we paid for parking and ended up walking more than we did when we left the car home and walked. When we rented a place in closer to the center of Rehoboth, we paid a whole lot more than the cost of our property and 8% more for taxes. We provide two courtesy starter rolls in each bathroom. On refunds for weather related evacuations, we always recommend that renters look at the renters insurance which covers the renter for these types of emergencies. We had a renter in the first year from California who got renters insurance when renting a week at our home. This covers their loss if they are not able to get to our home or must leave early. We have ourselves in the past had to evacuate the beach during a hurricane. That was common and no one returns the rent. Ski slopes are really bad about weather related refunds since they are always at risk for blizzards, as beaches are at risk for hurricanes. We are at a great location regarding being able to park over 6 cars without blocking each other in and having to purchase parking passes. Those without vehicles get other family members to drop them off downtown and arrange a rendezvous. Some great pluses about our location include using the back way out to eliminate the Rehoboth main town traffic, saving on the 8% tax on rentals, and not having to pay for city parking passes. If you need to go to the grocery store or shop at the outlets our property’s access is very quick. We are close to the beach but a mile up where the highway is you can use our road to get to the highway and most people walk to Main Street, enjoy the walk, and save on our cheaper rental rates.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

Nice place, location not ideal for everyone

Guest: Rehoboth traveler (Saint Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 08/14/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

We just spent a week there, and I would agree with all the positive reviews -- it is a very nice place. However, it wasn't perfect for us, so I want to make sure that those observations get shared too. 1. It may be advertised as 2 1/2 blocks from warm water, but these are LONG blocks. Expect to walk at least a half mile before you actually get to where you'll set up for a day at the beach. A half mile may not be much, but with 2 little ones, beach chairs, towels, etc, it adds up (especially at the end of the day). 2. That area of beach is at least another quarter mile from the nearest bathroom, hot dog stand, skee-ball game, etc. Keep this in mind if you are traveling with little ones who may not give too much notice when they have to go to a bathroom. We spent a lot of time running that quarter mile over the course of the week -- it's far for little legs. 3. The layout of the house isn't ideal - there is a lot of wasted space. It is very big for a 3 bedroom place, but the common area isn't as big as it could be. The common room is also two stories, and the two master bedrooms open up to it, meaning that once someone is awake, everyone is awake. We had one infant staying with us, so everyone was up before 7:00 every morning with him - his voice echoed throughout most of the house. 4. There is nothing conveniently within walking distance. If it is important that you start your day with a newspaper and coffee-shop coffee, reconsider staying here. 5. There is a TV in the common room and every bedroom, but no flat screen, no high def, and nothing bigger than about 24 inches. The TV in our bedroom didn't pick up any reception, but did work for DVD's. We certainly didn't travel there to stay inside and watch TV, but I think in 2011, most people have gotten used to better TV's than what this house offers. 6. Instead of taking a check for a security deposit, they take your credit card number. Although we didn't have any problems with the owners, this did make us uncomfortable. I'm not sure if this is routine for Rehoboth Beach, but we've never experienced that before anywhere else. Again, this place was certainly good, but I would give it 4 stars, not 5 for the reasons listed above.

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

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 08/24/08 Review Submitted: 08/23/08

Wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed the house. The floor planworked out really well for us, and the place was very well appointed and ina nice location. We had a wonderful vacation! We're not sure if we'regoing to Rehoboth again next summer yet, but if we do we would definitelyrent your place again. Thanks,Jim

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Guest: Kevin McCarthy (Nashua, New Hampshire)
Date of Stay: 07/21/08 Review Submitted: 07/21/08

Thank you to LeAnne and family for allowing us the rental of their home. As advertised, their beach home is well appointed and was extremely comfortable. We very much enjoyed staying in a "neighborhood" whereas in prior years we had stayed in a hotel on the boardwalk. The walk to the beach was indeed easy although we found the "investment" in a weekly parking pass to be beneficial to our family. Once the weekend past, parking within steps to the beach was readily available. A great time had by all, I would strongly recommend.

Owner response:Thanks Kevin!! Glad you all enjoyed our home.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/07/08 Review Submitted: 07/07/08

The beach house was wonderful - it is a pleasant, easy walk to the beach and the walk takes you past Silver Lake. It was very clean inside and very comfortable. Leanne was very responsive too, for when we first checked in, we did not have all of the linens and the coffee maker was not working. By the next day, there was a new coffee maker and linens on the door step. There is a selection of board games and puzzles, which our young child really enjoyed. Overall, definitely two thumbs up!

Owner response:thank you all so much. By the way thank you for keeping a very close eye on our home. please stay again!

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Guest: Catherine Arnott (Ottawa, Ontario)
Date of Stay: 05/28/08 Review Submitted: 05/28/08

We (two couples) recently spend a long week-end at this lovely home in the Silver Lake area of Rehoboth Beach. While we love the action on the main street and boadwalk of RB, we loved the peaceful location this home just as much. I walked around Silver Lake very early each morning, enjoying the beautiful homes that surround the lake, the ducks who live in this bird sanctuary, the beach on the ocean side and the general tranquility that prevails. The home is exactly as pictured on the website and was spotlessly clean and ready for us when we arrived. Everything that we needed was up-to-date and available including wireless internet (for my husband). One of my friends has mobility issues and the downstairs bedroom with a walk-in shower was ideal for him. My spouse and I shared one of the upstairs bedrooms with its own private deck and seating area. We could have privacy when we wanted to but could spend time with our friends downstairs as well. The beds and pillows was very comfortable so we all slept very well. The walk to the beach is a few blocks and the walk to the main street is 5-6 blocks but the walks were very easy and it gave us an opportunity to see the lovely homes of RB. We appreciated being able to leave the car at home and walk to the stores (and avoid the parking headaches which are common in RB). I have no hesitation about recommending this home for visitors to RB. And dealing with the owner is actually an enjoyable part of the process. The owner clearly loves her house and wants you to enjoy it (and RB) as much as she does.

Owner response:Thank you so much Catherine, this is so helpful regarding how to use our home, the walking and even the beds and pillows. I really did put extra time in here and was hoping you all enjoyed it. thanks for taking the time to write this out. I am a firm believer in comfort, and my home at the ski slopes in snowshoe wv is the same thing, only a different theme. number 47697 and you get click on the link halfway down the rehoboth beach page to look at "other homes by this owner" please stay with us again either at the beach or west virginia at Breathless Views. this area gets 170 inches of fresh snow a year, and is only 5 hours from DC!! Warm for you Canadian skiiers!! You are the type of renter to keep year after year! Best regards, LeAnne

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Guest: Sue
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

Sue from Illinois end of Sept While staying at this rental home for only 4 days, we all agreed that this was one of the loveliest spaces we have seen! The pictures shown depict the rooms exactly as they are. It is very spacious, immaculately clean, and invitingly warm in decor. The kitchen. living room area was our favorite, yet we immensely enjoyed the privacy of each comfortable bedroom. Hoping to return and stay longer!

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Guest: monica
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

LeAnne, We had a delightful time at your place this past weekend and I trust the home was in order when we left.. Your home is so beautiful and the location was fabulous. Regards, may 2007

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Guest: Kathleen F
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

LeAnne: Just wanted to thank you for the lovely house you rented to us Sept 29-October 3 last month. We had a wonderful time both - the days were warm enough for swimming and we built some great sandcastles, rode bikes, etc.

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Guest: Tara H
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

Leanne, We had a great time last week eventhough the weather didn't fully cooperate. Thanks for accomodating us over the weekend. Your house is beautiful.

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Guest: Chris B
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

By the way your home was Awesome!!!!!!! Thank you so much Chris B

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Guest: Elizabeth
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 11/22/07

Hi Lee Anne, I just wanted to send a note to say how much we enjoyed the week at your home! It was absolutely wonderful. Your neighbors are lovely. Good luck with your new home and enjoy the summer! Maybe we can return in the fall.

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Guest: kathleen
Date of Stay: 11/22/07 Review Submitted: 11/21/07

Leann, thank you so much for allowing us to rent your beautiful home. It is truly amazing. We left a note with some ideas, or issues. We had a great time, relaxing and getting away from it all, it was much needed to gear up for the remainder of the year. Thanks also for being so kind regarding the Thur. night fiasco. I will look for the refund on my next statement. Thanks again, and I know you will be hearing from me in Jan to book next year. We all loved it..... Have a great day. Kathleen

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Guest: Wynn Collins (-)
Date of Stay: 08/30/07 Review Submitted: 08/30/07

Rehoboth beach has it all, beauty, charm, food, shopping, and nightlife. This home has it all too. It's close to the town , beach, and rt1 (back way out to avoid traffic). It's a beautiful location near a lake, has a quiet back yard great, a great girll and outdoor shower. The house is big enough for any family. It has three bed rooms and a bath in each one, plus a half bath. The house is stunning on the inside. Each one of us we're more than happy with the wonderful interior. The kitchen is well stocked with all appliances you may need, and the island is a great place for a quick lunch before heading back to the beach. Another great plus is the owner, LeAnne Blake and her hospitality. Anyone who deicides to stay here will enjoy a fun filled vaction.

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Guest: Debra Kane (-)
Date of Stay: 09/21/06 Review Submitted: 09/21/06

I love your house! It's so comfortable and beautifully decorated. I don't believe I've ever stayed in a house with such wonderful beds. Most rentals have terrible beds! The large kitchen is a pleasure to cook in, and oh how I enjoyed my outdoor shower. We really love all the little amenities you have done to make your home a home away from home. We defintely plan to return in the future. Thank you for making our trip such an enjoyment!

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Guest: Lynn Pham
Date of Stay: 07/18/06 Review Submitted: 07/17/06

Hi LeAnne, I just wanted to let you know that we have had a wonderful week at your vacation house. It is truly a home away from home vacation. Your house is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for making our vacation more enjoyable! We look forward to coming back. Regards, Lynn Pham

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