On the beach for sure, but do not expect luxury

Guest: dreamster (Arlington, Texas)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 09/24/11

Five of our family members stayed at this home for a week in September of 2011. The home is right on the beach and the porches and balconeys offer a full view on the ocean facing toward the northeast. You will watch shrimp boats go out every morning, watch sunrises every morning and walk the beach everyday. The home is relatively clean and comfortable but it could use some work and is a little rough around the edges. Many people with kids and pets have enjoyed this home and that is what it is best suited for. Activities in the area are not well organized so you will need to be creative and project oriented to make various activities happen. Do not expect this to be a golf friendly vacation. The possibilities are limited, especially for top notch, famous designer courses. Those are for higher end resorts and private clubs. Mid range courses can be accessed but expect to drive at least 30 minutes for anything.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, pet owners.

WOW WHAT A VIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest: Cathy (Columbia Sc )
Date of Stay: 08/17/11 Review Submitted: 08/21/11

I just enjoyed the most relaxing 3 days I have had in years, the house is fully stocked, clean and beautifully decorated. I was please with the price, location , but most especially the owner. She accomodated my last minute request. My 81 year old mother, who is recovering from a stroke had access to see the ocean via the deck, I just got her in her wheelchair and rolled her right on the porch every morning to see the sunrise and then again for sunset. Rent this place it will take years off your stress levels. Great time was had by all in our party, close enough but private enough to make it a very peaceful vacation. The house is clean and brightly decorated like a Carribean theme, the color pallate is very pleasing and restful to perfectly compliment mother nature. I am coming back again in October. Kudos to the owner for such a wonderful place you share!! :) :)

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, people with disabilities, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Dream Vacation!

Guest: Lisa (Asheville, North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

What a location.... we enjoyed our week at your wonderful beach house, thank you! We loved being right on the beach with easy access to go to and from. When you relax at this house, all you see is water and clean, empty beaches.... heaven! I'm not sure why the previous guest had such a difficult experience? We found the house to be beautifully decorated, very comfortable and well-kept. It is a beach house though? The kitchen is well stocked and all appliances are farily new. The beds are comfortable and the towels fresh and new. I love the open feel of this house and it is just perfect for a family to enjoy their time together. As for some of the specific points the previous reviewer stated, I expect the owner must have addressed them (or perhaps I don't have the same perspective?) as I found the place very clean with no doors falling off hinges, deck nails, cabinets awry, etc. The banister the reviewer mentioned (unless cleaned?) was intentionally rustic? The paint has been worn off to reveal a second color underneath, but that appears to be intentional... sort of like painted furniture that has a rubbed off look? I suspect the owner will need to paint the inside in the next few years, I just hope they stick with a similiar, fun, beachy, color scheme. I found everything charming.... We look forward to returning next summer! Maybe off season though, as it is a little hot in late June! Thank you for sharing your beautiful house!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

run down and unkept - only good thing about it, it does have a great view and location

Guest: dbrill (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 06/22/11

First off, I've Never left a bad review on here for anyone. I think people should know about this one though. First, we were left a note by the previous folks who stayed stating how much they had to clean when they got there just so they could stand it. This is in all honesty. I took lots of videos and pictures to confirm but looks like I can't say who I am so I can actually share them with you. The place is just generally run down and unkept. We walked in opened the sliding door to the deck and it came off the track and almost crashed onto the deck... never could get it to stay on. Black mold in the main lower bath my mom cleaned herself before using. Nails sticking up all over the decks to where we made the kids always keep shoes on coming and going... not cool for a beach environment. If one of my kids had torn their foot open on a rusty nail sticking up a quarter inch off your deck we would have had a real problem. I found a hammer and nailed many back down myself. The grills were disgusting when we got there... we never touched them. Ants trashed our breakfast food the first morning. My mom went to dry her hands on the hand towel and the loop-fixture fell off the wall, literally and completely. Throughout the bathrooms the towel and hand fixtures were about to come right off the walls. The shower upstairs had slashes and melted burn marks all over the liner, the shower head was Nasty, the tub had an actual small hole busted in the side. Door knobs all loose and half falling off in a couple spots. broken chair on top deck had to prop against railing to use. If I could only post a picture of the main hand railing you'd be disgusted... it was freaking gross. Everyone couldn't believe how nasty it was and why someone would not have done something about something so obvious that guest actually have to touch. Esp. kids! Just nasty. The wall all along the stairs and just in general had marks, scratches, crayon and what I honestly thought was snot in one spot. Can I make a suggestion? A simple quick roll of touch up paint... it works wonders. Nail down the nails sticking up all over the decks, fix the mess of a sliding door, make sure the grills Are cleaned. I understand the last person to use them is supposed to, but if they don't housekeeping should tell you and you should bill those people accordingly. It didn't look like they'd been touched in a long time. I've never been in a place like this in my 11 years of renting in Harbor and surrounding areas.

Owner response:We have had nothing but positive comments in the past for the 5 years that we have been renting through the VRBO site. In fact, the guests indicated to our property manager that they would be back as they checked out. We had a maintenance person respond the very same day to take care of pounding in a few nails on the deck, tightening a few knobs on kitchen cabinets and replacing the sliding screeen door facing the ocean. The sliding screen had just been replaced a few weeks ago but by being the main door to the ocean it does take a beating. Our cleaning crew usually does a great job on the house interior. No one is perfect but they come very close. Outside gas grills are the responsibility of the user to clean them and we hope they are left the wayl they are found (clean) . None of the cleaning issues were reported while the guests were in residence or they would have been taken care of immediately. Our repeat customers speak for themselves.

Recommended for: