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Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach

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The Mary J
A clear night at Holden Beach !
Great beach views for sunsets!
Enjoy the view and ocean breezes from the deck.
Lots of comfy seating

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% based on
4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • Ocean view
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View in a map
Holden Beach, NC
  • Place, Holden Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Magic Mountain Fun Park
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, North Myrtle Beach Beaches
    ‪49 min drive‬
  • Airport, North Myrtle Beach, SC (CRE-Grand Strand)
    ‪54 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

1 Twin Bed and 1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed and 1 Child Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed and 1 Child Bed

Porch with single bed

1 Twin Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Soap · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Dining area

About this property

Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach

Looking for the best "rocking chair" porch on Holden Beach to enjoy a panoramic ocean view, the sound of waves, and cool breezes while you relax and unwind? This classic cottage has all this and much more. The "Mary J" is great for families with comfortable furniture and an open floor plan. Each of the three bedrooms sleeps two adults and a child and there is an extra bed on the porch for napping. Open the windows like people used to do to enjoy ocean breezes or turn on the window air conditioners if needed. Outside areas include a deck overlooking the ocean and space under the house for the children to play, adults to relax and grill, and the family to picnic. Also downstairs are two showers with hot and cold water and a large storage room for your beach toys. There is room for parking three cars in the yard in front of the house. The short walk from the house to the beach access is only about 3-4 minutes.

This home has everything for the perfect beach vacation ! The beach slopes gently to the water and is perfect for outdoor fun. Walk towards the east end of the island to swim in the tide pools at low tide and search for sand dollars and sea shells. If you are up for a longer walk, you can walk around the end of the island to discover one of the Holden Golden Memory Mailboxes situated on the intracoastal waterway where you can read other peoples' memories and perhaps share some of your own. You will feel like you are vacationing in an island paradise with the gorgeous ocean in front of you, pristine beaches, and no crowds.

This is the eleventh year we have listed our house with VRBO, however, we have rented it privately and have had many renters coming back year after year. What renters like best about the house are the beach front location, the comfort of the house, the fact that the house is extremely family friendly and it has a vintage feel with its pine floors, walls, and ceilings in the living areas, and a well equipped kitchen with basic spices provided.

Please note that during the prime weeks of the summer--May 31 - August 16--we have a 7-night minimum stay running Sunday to Sunday. Before and after Prime season, we have a 3-night minimum stay. These stays can begin on any day of the week.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 26
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Will need to bring a portable crib for an infant.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Property Registration Number 833013

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Supply

Located in Holden Beach, this cottage is near a water park and on the beach. Lockwood Folly Country Club and River's Edge Golf Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Holden Beach and Sailfish Park. Magic Mountain Fun Park and Planet Fun are also worth visiting. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Holden Beach, NC

What's nearby

  • Holden Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Magic Mountain Fun Park - 3 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Ocean Isle Beach - 28 min drive - 34.2 km
  • North Myrtle Beach Beaches - 49 min drive - 59.9 km
  • Riverwalk - 52 min drive - 71.2 km

Getting around

  • North Myrtle Beach, SC (CRE-Grand Strand) - 53 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Silver Hill Grill - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Lonerider at Oak Island - ‬43 min drive
  • ‪The Sea Biscuit Cafe/Pepe’s Pizza - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Plantation Grill - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪The Cove Restaurant - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach?

As of Mar 20, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach on May 10, 2026 start from $356, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Charming Oceanfront Cottage on Holden Beach located?

Nestled on the beach, this Holden Beach cottage is steps from Holden Beach and 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from Magic Mountain Fun Park. Big Beach and Lockwood Folly Country Club are also within 6 mi (10 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 44 out of 48 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 48 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 48 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 48 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 48 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Suzette A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a lovely house and location! I’ve never stayed at a cleaner vacation home - spotless. Claire was lovely to chat with and was clear on everything. Thank you! We hope to return!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kory G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Short stay

House was great with a good location and close to beach access.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

America R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

2nd year of comfort

It’s our second year staying here and again had an amazing week! Everything we need and more! Owner is amazing and kind.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Levi A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation experience

Had a fun time and enjoyed the house
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

SCOTT S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

MJ Stay

Very enjoyable stay. Short walk to the beach with provided wagon was a nice bonus. Highly reccomend.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gina D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Beach cottage

We had a wonderful time at the Mary J ! Took us back to our times at the beach as children- there was plenty of room for my grandchildren and adult children- the best porch ever and steps away from the beach ! We loved it and will be back !
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Natalie P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

We had an amazing time staying at the Mary J. The view is amazing and we had all the supplies we could possibly need. There were 5 adults and two children and the space was plenty big enough. I would highly recommend staying here!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kara K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming and cozy

We had horrible weather but the sun room facing the ocean saved the trip! Great location and cozy house. Very clean and well stocked kitchen.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful time at this charming oceanfront property, Claire is always available to meet any needs or answer any questions that you have.It is easy to access the ocean and is a wonderful ocean for walking and for enjoying the surf.The view from the front porch is wonderful. You can see up and down the beach and even if it’s raining, you never are away from being able to see the ocean.The house is wonderful and I’ve never seen one so fully stocked with any items that you need,This is now one of my favorite places to stay, and I heartily recommend it, and you certainly will not be disappointed
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay at Holden Beach

This is a wonderful home on the beachfront in Holden Beach. The owner is so helpful and available. The house is well stocked with everything needed. The views from the porch are wonderful and it is a short walk to the beach. Holden Beach is a wonderful beach for walking and sightseeing. Highly recommended and I hope we can come again!!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice house with plenty of room

House was spacious and clean. Has a "Grandma's house" feel to it and it's very cozy! Just a short walk to the stairs access to the beach. We really enjoyed the Mary J!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Michael K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Late summer vacation.

Had a wonderful time at this house on the beach second year in a row everything was amazing and was absolute perfect.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Candace M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mary J like home away from home!

This was our 2nd year at the Mary J. We love the location. The breeze on the porch is unbelievable! Can’t wait for next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

America R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

Our stay was nothing short of amazing! The view from the porch was the best part of it all, rocking in the rocking chairs in the morning while drinking coffee and looking out at the ocean was absolutely breathtaking. The house had everything that we could've ever imagined needing for our vacation. Everything was very comfortable and the area where the house is located is perfect if you want a lot of time alone on the beach and not a crowded stay. Would definitely stay there again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

James B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

First-time vacation on Holden beach

The impression i first encountered was camp like. The wood on the walls and floor were similar to a camp we used to own but the Mary J is very spacious and fully equipped with everything you need to enjoy the stay. The only thing that i would change is to have some type of elevator to at least handle the luggage
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

diana s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome family vacation hangout.

The communication with the host was great. The check in was easy. The AC was so welcoming after our long 2 day drive. The kitchen facilities were great. We loved the long bar and the large table for our breakfast and dinner meals; even did some crafts on the table. The bedrooms were more than adequate. The large living room was nice. Access to the beach wasn't far away. Loved to seat on the front porch, raise the windows and listen to the ocean waves. Watched a few pelicans dive bomb the water in the early morning. Or seat below the house and feel the breeze. The beach chairs, wave boards and beach cart came in handy. The beach at this end of the island was less crowded. Could use some deck lights on the main upper stairs instead of having to count each step. (We didn't want to turn any porch lights on; didn't want to distract the turtle migration.) Also the porch outside windows could use cleaning. It was a really great place to enjoy our family vacation, just wish it wasn't so far away.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eric D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Getaway

Great property, great location! Don’t load your car up, this place has everything you need. The most well stocked VRBO property we have stayed at! Kitchen is better stocked than our own, every cooking device, utensil and many spices, seasonings, sugar,etc. Dishwasher, ice maker, coffeemaker, washer, dryer, individual AC units and much more worked perfectly. Comfortable beds, comfortable furniture, loads of games, puzzles and books. Perfect location, uncrowded beach, easy beach access, great views and awesome screened in porch facing the beach. Great restaurants, seafood stores, pharmacy and supermarket within short driving distance. Just remember to bring your own sheets, pillowcases and towels. If you don’t, Walmart is a short drive away. Overall, 5 stars isn’t enough. Property manager was easy to get ahold of before the trip and we didn’t need anything once we arrived. Highly recommend! We will be back with the whole family next time.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michael K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Heaven on Earth

We totally enjoyed a relaxed warm vacation. Perfect time of the year we did for the first time. The space at this location was wonderful. Even though it was only two of us we loved it. The walk to the beach was very easy. So thankful to this rent this great place!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Traci M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay!

we had a mini vacation! Kids loved the water! House was perfect for us! Thanks Again
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

KENNETH G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Hostess was absolutely wonderful to work with.

This property was totally awesome. Everything from checking in until our day of departure. The house has a southern feeling thru out. Pine boards thru out added to the charm. Plenty of everything, utensils, dishes, pots and pans , board games, puzzles and much more. The beds were so comfortable also. The ocean view from the covered porch were also breathtaking. Looking forward to renting Mary J's in the futere. Thank you Claire.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Keith M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

Wonderful location!! Loved it!! Would definitely stay here again!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

8/10 Good

Nick M.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful stay

Nice getaway for the family before school begins! It was quite and not many people which is exactly what we wanted. Nice views and really great naps on the porch!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

laura k.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The perfect family gathering house!

The Mary J is the perfect beach house - so much charm and character - this will be a new tradition for our Georgia/Maryland family beach week - the hosts have literally thought of everything you could possibly need
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great getaway

We enjoyed our week at this sweet yellow beach house. It was spacious enough for our crew of seven. The kitchen had everything we needed. We enjoyed the selection of games, books, and beach equipment which was used often. The location, ocean front, was phenomenal. It was also not to far from several little restaurants. The island as a whole is noncommercial so it was not overly busy. The owner was very friendly and helpful.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

8/10 Good

Shannon D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation

We had a very pleasant experience at this location. It did get a little warm in the main part of the house during the day, and the beds were a little uncomfortable, but we would definitely come back and stay here again. Claire was very warm and friendly, and was very helpful. We had a wonderful week here!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

About the host

Hosted by Claire Carlson

Host profile image
Holden Beach is the perfect get away. Within driving distance and but once you get there, you will feel like you're miles away from your everyday routine.

Why they chose this property

This was our family vacation home. Such great memories were made here. We are now sharing it with renters to enjoy and make their memories as well !

What makes this property unique

Unobstructed view of the ocean and beach. Our beach is not a crowded beach...yes you may have to share it with the occasional sand crab, sea turtle nest, pelican or seagull ! Plenty of seashells to collect and sunrises and sunsets to be seen. We always made our vacations about family and we hope you do as well.

Languages:

English

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