Welcome! You’re on beach time at The Chatty Dolphin!
Rest, recharge and relax. We’re all about having fun in a casual beach setting and hope our home away from home provides this for you too! The area has so many things to offer and this location is unique to the island as a nature and animal lover's delight! Pet friendly with additional fee. Restaurants right around the corner, and 41 acre park just outside the backyard!
A private hot tub overlooks the wooded backyard, gazing up into the tree canopy. Turn on the jets, changing color lights and waterfall and take in the abundant sounds of nature. For additional ambience, string lights adorning the sky can be turned on as well, and LED tiki torches come on each night.
An outdoor shower makes post beach clean-up of your family (including the four-legged ones) a breeze with hot and cold water, along with a nearby hose for cleaning up beach gear.
With the addition of an outdoor dining table, family seating for six is adjacent to the wood fired pizza oven. The pizza oven is a fun and fantastic way to make dining an experience without ever going out. Dough, sauce and cheese to get started with are provided along with all the tools and some books for how-to and fun recipe ideas. Also great for baking bread, cedar planked salmon, pizookie cookies, cobbler, cast iron cinnamon rolls and more! Yum!
Winding down? Enjoy hot cocoa and cider provided while roasting S’mores on the firepit. S'mores materials all provided! Firewood and hard wood for cooking are available for purchase at local grocery stores, Ace and Walmart; a bundle of complimentary hard wood is included to get you started.
On the back deck are the soothing sounds of the fountain coupled with handcrafted cedar bench and planter full of fresh herbs for your cooking pleasure. A stainless grill is on the back deck and ready to make your next meal.
Inside the kitchen we have an Instant Pot, Ninja Blender and Bread Machine. The bread machine can be set on a timer to make and bake so you wake to the enticing aroma of fresh baked bread. Sourdough boxed mix and additional bread flower and yeast are provided along with a recipe ideas book. Nothing like fresh sourdough paired with the local catch on a coastal evening, or paired with some traditional local chowder.
Some of the kitchen appliances are a little older, but American made and still going strong. Nearly any spice or cookware item you’d wish to use while cooking is probably stocked in this kitchen, as we love to cook and try new local recipes! Stainless pans, pots and cookware. In the summer the Ninja hooks us up with refreshing smoothies after visiting the nearby farmers markets and in the fall and winter we find ourselves making soup with the Instant Pot and Ninja which saves time and money to spend on the fun stuff while traveling. A Kuerig, k-cups, tea, sugar, honey and creamer are provided.
In the master bedroom is a King size bed and attached bathroom with large shower. Plush bath towels (XXL bath sheets), hand towels and wash clothes are included two per each room. The other bedrooms are each Queen beds with a guest bathroom separating them (shower/tub unit). All linens are provided, and everything is washed between guests, comforter/duvet covers and all throw blankets too!
In the Laundry Nook you’ll find beach towels, and spa towels for the hot tub. Broom and dustpan, handheld broom and dustpan, handheld vacuum, detergent, wool dryer balls, first aid kit. A stand-up vacuum is in a guest room closet also.
In the living room you’ll find two plush sofas that are extra soft and cozy! Apple TV device which you can login to your subscription channels, i.e., Netflix, Prime, Disney +, Hulu and more is ready for you. In addition a DVD player with DVD’s is ready for use, and a CD player with CDs. Board games, books, an electric fireplace and cozy throw blankets make the space ready to enjoy. The fireplace can be enjoyed with or without heat.
Munchies are covered with sweet and savory complimentary snacks on-hand in the snack tower.
Beach access: A few minutes drive to the public beach accesses on Ocean Drive (which has golf cart parking too, if you're renting a golf cart) or a ~14 minute walk.
Parking: Plenty of parking on the driveway with room to park a boat also. (Please, no parking on the grass/yard).
Location: A tad inland on the Sound side of Emerald Isle, adjacent to 41-acre park with dog-friendly trails, disc golf and kayak launch. Dining such as Gaffer’s and Lazzara’s Pizza and Subs, ice cream and candy are just around the corner. Water park, fuel and go-karts nearby. We love all the cool wildlife we get to see and experience with this location that we otherwise wouldn’t see elsewhere on the island; it’s a special place.
Emerald Isle is full of so many fun things to do that it’s essential to have a quiet place to recharge! We’re that place, cozy and on a quiet street. Thank you for considering your next stay at The Chatty Dolphin!
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House Rules 1) Pets are allowed WITH an additional Cleaning Fee and must be fully potty trained. Animals are not permitted on the beds or furniture unless this is required for an ADA Service Animal to perform its task. 2) House needs to be locked when you are leaving the house unattended, guest is responsible for securing the house doors. 3) Hot tub must be locked at all times when not in use. 4) No commercial photography or filming. 5) Additional cleaning charges accrued by 'excessive and or unreasonable' mess will be passed on to guest, falling outside a 'standard turnover clean'. 6) Please be aware check in for this property is 4pm-9pm EST. Please plan on arriving prior to 9pm. For questions or help please reach out via the platform's messaging to Host, thank you!
*Please note, we are making upgrades throughout 2025. Some furniture, decor, paint and color schemes may change but function will remain the same. Feel free to message with any questions!
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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A private, wooded home in Emerald Isle, NC, 5th row from the beach (5 min walk)
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The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Lock the doors and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
House needs to be locked when you are leaving the house unattended, guest is responsible for securing the house doors.
Hot tub must be locked at all times when not in use.
No commercial photography or filming.
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Emerald Isle
Located in Emerald Isle, this holiday home is near a water park and near the beach. Salty Pirate Water Park and Emerald Forest Golf are local attractions and those in the mood for shopping can visit Emerald Plantation and Beach Wheels Bike Rental. Emerald Isle Adventures and The Sweet Spot are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
New Bern, NC (EWN-Coastal Carolina Regional) - 51 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 5 min drive
Velvet Anchor Bottle Shop - 16 min walk
Starbucks - 5 min drive
Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits - 5 min drive
Dunkin' - 7 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows pets (limit 4 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub?
As of 1 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub on 25 May 2026 start from £242, 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 at Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Family Entertainment Beach House, Hot tub located?
Situated by the sea, this holiday home is within 1 mile (2 km) of Salty Pirate Water Park, Emerald Isle Beach and Emerald Isle Woods Park. Emerald Plantation and Emerald Forest Golf are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Perfect place for us to stay and have our son, his family and dogs visit. We felt very comfortable and at ease. The property has seen some love. We liked that, made us feel like we were house-sitting. I especially enjoyed turning on the electric fireplace in the evenings.
Spent 2 weeks with 4 adults and dog, overall great stay. Host is super good with communicating and the house has lots of amenities. Quiet hours are 9p-8a if I remember. There are some restrictions to pets, such as not being on furniture and the risk of noise complaints for excessive barking but if you travel with your pet often this is a nice place.
The house was clean and well stocked with linens and snacks which was great for kids. We did find ants in the house and a few roaches outside around the hot tub. Overall it was a good stay but not convenient for beach access unless you have a golf cart. There is public parking available about 5 miles down on the main strip.
Nice home close to the beach. We rented a golf cart for the short trip back and forth, which in itself was fun. The back yard was awesome and everything needed to make the best of it was provided. Made pizzas with my granddaughters that turned out very ugly (LOL), but incredibly delicious wood fired! Cut through the back yard to a beautiful hiking/disk golf trail that is partially ADA. Really a family fun time!
This house was a great place for my first Vrbo booking. It was private enough to be restful but close enough to everything we wanted to do to be super convenient as well.
Had a great stay! Perfect location for what we needed it for. The neighborhood is really cute and everyone is very friendly :) short drive to the beach and to local bars, would definitely recommend
My daughter and I have been coing to Emerald Isle for years, and love staying along Coastguard Road. This was our first visit to this property and we loved it! The house, the ameities, the neighborhood were wonderful!
We loved the house and plan to stay again! We were only there a few days, so would love to enjoy it longer! It's in a great spot near the beach and other fun things to do.
Loved the place and closeness to the park to walk our dogs. The owners included so many extras to make you feel at home! Definitely would recommend for pet loving family!
We had a good time at the house. Spent two days at the west beach and walked through the park. Glad we hadn’t planned to kayak since the kayak launch was broken and not accessible.
The house had everything we needed and more. Many little extras - snacks, bathing supplies, beach towels. It was a superb location for a lovely morning or evening walk in the woods and close to many amenities.
This was the perfect spot for our dog Tucker’s first beach vacation! The house was located in a quiet neighborhood that allowed for daily walks which he enjoyed. The house was also very close to many restaurants, shops, and the beach. The house was the perfect place to come back and relax after a long day out in the sun. We can’t wait to come back!
Perfect! Every detail has been thought of, even my teenager was impressed! Exactly as described and pictured! Will stay again!
Vanessa G.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Verified
6/10 Okay
Carol L.
9 Jul 2022
Liked: Check-in, communication
Island Escape
The property offers sufficient space with ample room for a family of six, but many features need to be updated (appliances, bathrooms). As a pet friendly location, it would have been nice to have access to a broom or vacuum to clean up dog hair. The trees surrounding the house result in a significant amount of debris, spiders, and mosquitoes on the back porch.
The only thing that should be addressed is “Entertainment: TV”. There is neither cable nor satellite—our stay was during the ACC tournament! No games, books or movies and the weather, not controllable of course, was stormy all weekend. Guests should be alerted to bring their own entertainment! Everything else was wonderful— the house is clean, pretty, and very comfortable! We did enjoy our visit.
Mary A.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 23 May 2022
Hi Mary, I’m so sorry you missed this detail that our house is TV device-only, no cable services at time of this booking. This additional service is being added for summer season, but was advertised as device-only, with HDMI cable provided for connecting personal devices like a tablet, smartphone or roku. Glad your stay was enjoyable otherwise!
We had a wonderful stay in Emerald Isle with the perfect home base. The beach was beautiful and sparsely populated, a manageable walk away though we enjoyed renting a golf cart and I’d highly recommend that for families with children. The house was the perfect size for our family and well appointed with nice extras that had the kids happy from the moment we arrived. The pizza oven was a fun dinner night and we regularly enjoyed the hot tub and fire pit. The tree canopy over the backyard was a great escape from the sun. Great amenities all around make this a gem!
The smart lock stopped working mid trip and the previous week’s storms had left some branches and trees down. Just mentioning these to the owners resulted in quick responses and seamless remedies. Their staff is great.
A great place to relax and enjoy the outer banks!
I really can’t say enough about how wonderful the Chatty Dolphin is! Tucked away on the edge of Emerald Island Woods, this beautifully decorated three-bedroom house has all you need — from comfy beds and linens to household supplies and a fully stocked kitchen. The hot tub was perfect for cool mornings and evenings. And the wood-burning pizza oven was a fun culinary adventure. The complimentary snacks as well as ingredients for pizza-making and root beer floats were added bonuses! This was an ideal location from which to explore the area — close to many great restaurants and a short walk to the beach. Not too big for a single person and highly recommended for a family, small group, and/or those with pets. Hosts were helpful and accessible. I would’ve extended my stay if possible and hope to be back soon!
Macy K.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
John Kermit M.
9 Jan 2023
Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Run down rental in great area
The property needs a lot of TLC. The outside stairs and decks were covered with sand and leaves. It was obvious that the inside has not been freshly cleaned. The toilets had mildew rings. The shower doors had mildew or mold. The blind in master bedroom just fell apart when I wanted to get in light. I left them in the up position. The strings just fell from the top frame. However, the beds were very comfortable. The towels were very nice. We were there to visit family for short time. We did not use the outdoor items. However, if we had chose to use the pizza oven; there was only one piece of wood left. With some updates, the rental could be very nice.
John Kermit M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Jan 2023
Hi John, I’m very sorry to hear you felt the house was not up to cleanliness standards for your stay. As always, we encourage guests to reach out to us immediately if there is any concern or issue. Our policy is if there are any cleaning issues we send our cleaner over right away.
I reviewed the outdoor security cameras and see the outdoor areas had been given a day-of touch up on the day of your arrival, but this is also a heavily treed/wooded area and normal leaf fall is to be expected. I also reviewed the post cleaning video we require of our cleaners which took place four days before your arrival and did not see any issues with toilet or shower in the video. The pre-cleaning video post stay of your visit also did not show these issues. I reached out to my cleaner to verify these items had been cleaned verbally as well.
The listing description includes where to purchase wood locally; wood is not included as wood sitting outside becomes too moist- wet wood will not fire/light. Wood was not listed as included at this time though we hope to offer complimentary wood at a future date.
We appreciate your staying with us, and I’m sorry you didn’t feel comfortable reaching out during your stay to ask about some of these items so we could have assisted you sooner. After receiving your review we attempted to call and reach out for more information on the quality of your stay.
About the host
Hosted by Alex Mullenax
Hello! We're Alex and Ernie and we own and operate a regenerative farm & ranch in the mountains of California. Ernie is also a firefighter, and we are both animal lovers with an appreciation of beautiful places and new adventures. We are the owners and hosts of The Chatty Dolphin and we hope you love your stay there as much as we do. It's our pleasure to share our refuge to be your refuge too!
Why they chose this property
This house is in the perfect location for removing the hustle-bustle of busier areas on the island. It's quiet, calm and relaxing which is why we love it! Right after crossing the bridge, turn on Coast Guard Road and avoid the summer traffic and get to relaxing that much sooner. This a dog-loving neighborhood and restaurants and attractions are just a few minutes drive away. Emerald Isle Woods Park can be accessed through the backyard also, featuring 41 acres of dog-friendly trails, disc golf and a kayak launch. Beach accesses on Ocean Drive are convenient via golf cart with golf cart parking, or a ~14 minute walk to the nearest access.
What makes this property unique
We didn't realize how much we would fall in love with this area. The area has so many fun things to do, great dining, local water rentals, museums, tours, plus ways to enjoy casual family time at The Chatty Dolphin that include four-legged family members as well.