The entire second floor of a beachfront Atlantic Beach home — three bedrooms, unobstructed ocean views, and a deck swing that guests mention in nearly every single review. Steps to the beach, walkable to Amos Mosquito`s and Island Grille, and filled with the owner Susie`s family heirlooms and personal history. 5.0 on cleanliness and location. 4.91 across 23 reviews. This one lives up to its name.
✦ AT A GLANCE
🛋️ Deck bed swing — on the main ocean-facing deck, the feature every guest writes home about
🌊 Unobstructed oceanfront views — from the deck, primary suite, and living space
🏖️ Steps to the beach — private boardwalk, one small step to sand
🍽️ Walkable to restaurants — Amos Mosquito`s, Island Grille corner restaurant all within minutes
🏡 Entire second floor — private living room, full kitchen, three bedrooms, your own front door
🖼️ Family heirlooms throughout — Susie`s personal history woven into every room
🚿 Outdoor shower — beach gear storage and rinse-off handled
🛌 Sleeps 6 — oceanfront queen suite, full bed with private patio, two full beds
🍳 Full kitchen — stove, fridge, full cookware, everything for real cooking
📶 Fast WiFi + Smart TV — Roku for streaming, dedicated workspace
🧺 Washer & dryer on-site — pack lighter, stay longer
Welcome to Serenity by the Sea — The Name Is Not Marketing. It`s a Description.
Michael came to Atlantic Beach on a scouting trip for future yoga retreats. He stayed at Serenity by the Sea, walked two minutes to dinner at Island Grille, spent his evenings on the ocean-facing deck, and left a five-star review that included the phrase `truly lives up to its name.` He`s already planning to come back next year.
That`s the experience Serenity by the Sea delivers — consistently, across seasons, for groups and solo travelers and families and birthday weekends alike. The entire second floor of a beachfront home on a quiet dead-end street in Atlantic Beach, with unobstructed ocean views from the deck, the primary suite, and the living space. A bed swing on the main deck that appears in more reviews than any other single feature. A full kitchen, a private entrance, three bedrooms, and the kind of cleanliness that earned Keith from Raleigh`s declaration that in all his years of home rentals across the country, he had never stayed anywhere this clean.
The owner, Susie, lives quietly on the third floor — her family`s history and heirlooms fill the rooms below in a way that makes the suite feel genuinely inhabited rather than staged. Her southern charm and local knowledge are available to guests who want them. Her presence is entirely unobtrusive for guests who don`t.
5.0 on cleanliness. 5.0 on location. The suite earns both.
🛋️ The Deck Swing — The Reason Guests Come Back
At a glance: Bed swing on main ocean-facing deck · Unobstructed ocean views · Furnished deck with dining and lounge seating · Rain or shine · Sunrises and sunsets both worth staying up for
The deck swing at Serenity by the Sea is not a decorative touch. It`s the centerpiece of the stay — the place where guests end up every morning with coffee and every evening with a drink, watching the Atlantic do what the Atlantic does. Jennifer called it awesome for relaxing, reading, or napping. Sarah called it a dream. Terry rocked on it watching surf and water birds. Janne and Chris spent evenings on it watching the ocean. Karen`s entire review was four words: `amazing time swinging on porch enjoying the ocean.`
The deck itself is large, furnished, and faces the ocean directly with nothing between you and the water. Lorie stayed through rain and praised the balcony as perfect in any weather. Justin woke up to sunrise over the ocean from the deck and called it a whole vibe. The deck dining area handles al fresco meals. The swing handles everything else.
This is the feature that converts guests into repeat guests — and the reason Serenity by the Sea`s reviews read less like Airbnb ratings and more like personal recommendations from friends who found something they didn`t want to keep to themselves.
🌊 Oceanfront — Unobstructed, Elevated, All Day
At a glance: Second floor position · Unobstructed ocean views · Primary suite faces ocean · Living space faces ocean · Deck faces ocean · Sunrise over the Atlantic from bed · Dead-end street with minimal traffic
Serenity by the Sea sits on the second floor of a three-story beachfront home — elevated enough above the dunes to deliver genuinely unobstructed ocean views from the deck, the primary suite, and the main living space. The dead-end street means no steady stream of traffic between the house and the water. The beach boardwalk is private. The path to the sand is one small step from the back of the property.
The primary suite faces east — sunrise over the Atlantic is the morning alarm. Justin described waking up to it as a whole vibe and left a four-star review only because of a door lock issue on arrival. The view itself was unqualified. Kathy called the views beautiful, Natalia called them unbeatable, Kelley called the location unbeatable on her birthday trip. The consensus across 23 reviews is consistent: the view from this suite is the real thing.
🏖️ Steps to the Beach — Private Boardwalk, No Logistics
At a glance: Private beach access boardwalk · Steps from the back of the property · Outdoor shower for rinse-off and gear storage · Dead-end street — no heavy public beach traffic · Easy walk to the water
The beach access at Serenity by the Sea is as straightforward as beach access gets — a private boardwalk from the property directly to the sand, steps from the back door. No street crossing, no parking lot navigation, no public access point crowded with day-trippers. The dead-end street keeps foot traffic minimal.
Keith praised the outdoor shower specifically for two things: rinsing off after beach days and keeping beach gear locked away out of sight between runs. Both are practical details that matter across a full week of beach use. The shower handles the logistics so the suite stays clean — which explains the 5.0 cleanliness score on a property that`s steps from the sand.
The combination of a quiet, private street and genuine walkability to quality dining is unusual on the Crystal Coast — most properties trade one for the other. Serenity by the Sea has both.
🛌 Three Bedrooms — Ocean Views, Private Patios, Dedicated Space
At a glance: Queen suite facing ocean with en-suite bathroom · Full bed with private patio · Two full beds with dedicated workspace · 2 full bathrooms · Entire second floor is yours · Owner on third floor — no shared indoor spaces
Primary Suite: Queen bed, private en-suite bathroom, faces the ocean — panoramic beach views from bed, morning light over the Atlantic, direct connection to the main deck
Bedroom 2: Full bed, access to a private patio — the quiet room with its own outdoor space, ideal for morning coffee away from the main deck or a solo sunset wind-down
Bedroom 3: Two full beds, dedicated workspace — the flexible room that handles kids, additional adults, or anyone working remotely during the trip
Two full bathrooms serve all three bedrooms. The entire second floor is a self-contained suite — private living room, full kitchen, all three bedrooms, both bathrooms, and the main ocean-facing deck. The owner, Susie, lives on the third floor. There are no shared indoor spaces between the guest suite and the owner`s residence.
🍳 The Kitchen — Full, Stocked, Ready
At a glance: Full kitchen — stove, fridge, full cookware · Coffee setup · Everything for real cooking · Dining area · Washer and dryer on-site
The kitchen at Serenity by the Sea is a proper full kitchen — stove, refrigerator, full cookware, and all the essentials for cooking real meals across a multi-day stay. Jennifer`s group used it fully across their girls` birthday weekend and found everything they needed. The dining area seats the group comfortably. The washer and dryer on-site mean packing lighter is a legitimate strategy for longer stays.
⚠️ THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BOOKING
The Staircase
Serenity by the Sea is a second-floor suite accessed by a flight of approximately 20-25 stairs. There is no gate or door blocking the stairway at the bottom — families with young children should be aware of this before booking and supervise accordingly. Kathy from Wake Forest flagged this specifically as something to keep in mind. The stairs are the only way up — the elevator in the building is reserved for the owner`s private use.
The Owner
Susie, the property owner, lives on the third floor of the building. There are no shared indoor spaces, besides the main entrance hallway — your second floor suite and patios are completely separate from her residence. The outdoor fireplace and seating on the ground level are reserved for the owner`s use. Guests may use the outdoor shower freely.
Quiet hours are posted in the suite and apply to guests and the building generally. Leslie`s August stay noted occasional noise from the floor above during quiet hours — this has not been a recurring concern per other reviews, but it`s worth setting the honest expectation that the owner lives in the same building.
The Elevator
The building elevator is reserved for the owner`s use only. Guests access the suite via the staircase.
Respect for Neighbors: Please be mindful of noise levels, especially during late hours, as the home is part of a shared property.
Private Access: The second-floor unit has a private entrance, but guests should be aware of shared spaces in the home and respect the owner`s privacy.
No Parties or Events: Due to the home`s structure, gatherings that could cause excessive noise or disturbance are not permitted.
Parking: Guests are allowed to park - 2 car maximum on the left side of the home. Please refrain from blocking access to the owner`s driveway on the right side.
