Emerald Isle - Swansboro - Friendly City by the Sea

I am so glad that you had wonderful weather for your stay. We love having repeat guests and hope to provide you with a 'home from home' again soon

The house is over 120 years old and very difficult to maintain a low temperature in! The house has a smart system which is not based in saving a few dollars but is environmentally conscious! Perhaps in future you would probably be more comfortable in more conventional accommodation like a Best Western or similar !

The guest did not follow the check in instructions which clearly stated that the access was with a smart lock on the back door - a code was provided. This would not only immediately open the door but also activate the smart home system. Secondly they did not follow the VRBO instruction of contacting the VRBO help center or host through the app. Contact telephone numbers are for office hours and host private details are protected which is why guests need to use the VRBO application. Which was not done. The guest broke into the lock box on the wall that has a spare key to front door - a violation of the house rules. At check out instead of using the back door with the smart lock to activate the smart home and security system the house was left with the door open - resulting in damage from a rain storm. The house is obviously older as it is advertised as being over 120 years old in the historic area - historic houses are maintained according to historic standards and most guests love the charm of their quirky features. Had the guest followed the instructions as per the notification the day prior to arrival this unfortunate experience from both a guest and host perspective would have been avoided. Fortunately she took the insurance to cover the damage to the property caused by leaving a door open - costly with rain damage to a historic property.

Thank you for taking time to write your review We have tried to make the house welcoming for multi generational families - looks like we were on target for your family! Sounds like you were able to get a lot into your long week-end Hope you are able to visit for longer next time

As we had issues with the state of the house after your stay I was expecting a nasty review so your comments are no surprise. However as you had left glowing comments about your wonderful stay in the guest book this is your n fact contradictory We rent the house out constantly and most guests are delightful. It too my cleaner almost two days to restore the house to order after your stay as the house was left in a messy and less than hygienic state. During COVID we require extra cleaning and precautions and your party did not comply with this The house is certainly not dusty although it is over 110 years old. There is a tankless water heater and this takes a little longer to reach done areas but there is certainly hot water in all areas. I would hope that in future you treat the homes of others with more respect and consideration. I certainly would not wish this experience we had on other hosts

We enjoyed hosting you and so glad you had a good time with your friends.

I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay and were able to get some family time on the beach. Come back and stay with us again sometime - it was a pleasure hosting you!

The property description clearly states that there are 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6 people in beds. In addition the guest questioned the accommodation and was told the size of beds in each room. A sleeper couch is never ideal accommodation for more than a night - with a party of 8 adults it would probably have been more appropriate to have rented a 4 bedroom property. With regards to furnishings - this is a historic property and as such the antiques and throw rugs are part of the charm. That is certainly the response we have had from other guests.

We are so glad that you had a great stay and enjoyed the house. All feedback is welcome - but we especially love it when our guests plan to return Make it soon! There are lots of fun things to do in the fall - Mullet Festival is a wonderful time to stay in the Historic downtown area - music, food, shopping - a really good time

Thank you for your kind words - we LOVE having return guests and look forward to your next visit. We did a few upgrades again last year - including getting a fun tricycle and bike that is there for the use of our guests. I am sure this is going to be a wonderful summer.

We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay - and that the weather was wonderful this year! Thank you for the gumbo and bisque you left in our freezer - it was delicious! We look forward to having you with us again - it is wonderful when our guests return time and again. Carla Reed

We are glad that our house provided a comfortable welcome home for your son. We are honored to have the families of our Marines use our house as their 'home from home'. We look forward to a return visit sometime soon!

I am so glad you enjoyed your stay. We have just freshened up the decks and porch for the Summer and I am glad that you were able to take advantage of the outdoor facilities. We look forward to having you back as our guests in the Fall - Mullet Festival is in October!