This home is gorgeous. The views spectacular. No doubt about it. However, there are a few details that need mentioning.

Construction:

According to the local people for the next few years construction will be widespread on Victoria Island. This includes expansion of highways, new homes/condos, and remodeling of older homes. All of which affect this particular rental.

Privacy:

Albeit inside the house is little interruption, you are definitely impacted if you go outside. The small back yard garden overlooking the inlet, while lovely, you literally share with the owner whose main patio entrance is directly off the garden. The lovely deck upstairs you share with the noise and visibility of the neighbors as this is a zero lot-line property. From the jacuzzi off the other side of the backyard, you could literally share in conversation with the next door neighbors enjoying a smoke on their patio or endure the foul language of the construction workers. Or, after the work day, both. Previously imagined romantic interludes with my husband on this special anniversary getaway at anyone of these three areas when viewing this rental online, promptly vanished.

Warm and Very Sunny Upstairs:

Inside this house, the windows are expertly built to enjoy the inlet. Gorgeous. It is necessary to note, however, that in the summer these windows allow it to get terribly hot upstairs, 82 degrees F when we arrived at 5pm. In this case, “eco friendly” meant no Air Conditioning or ceiling fans. While there are room darkening curtains, if drawn, they would block the door and 2 window vents for air. The upper windows are not covered. Perhaps, top/down bottom/up window shades on this west side could help. The sun sets at 9pm and rises at 5am! If you are up for that, great, as nothing can compare to waking up to the view afforded here. But there is no “sleeping in” or napping in this room. If you have older family members or babies, they could nap downstairs, but we enjoyed the sound system as we watched the Word Cup and Wimbledon.

Unleashed Dog:

Please note, someone’s unleashed dog and I had more than one encounter while on a walk! I panicked and hollered while shaking a stick I grabbed from the construction pile. He continued to bark loudly and advance toward me. This was met with total nonchalance and no apology from the owner or neighbor, not sure which, who eventually called his dog to come and eat. Most likely this dog is harmless, but who would know?

4 stars