OCEANFRONT 4 bedroom home near the Ocean Crest Pier

I am glad you found the house cozy and clean and that you enjoyed your stay. We had a brand new hvac system installed at the beginning of July so I’m not sure what was seen that was perceived as dirty air filters. In fact the filter to the upstairs unit is in the owners closet and not visible to guests. We also purchased a new mattress and bed for both downstairs bedrooms the week prior to your stay. However, I understand everyone has different preferences for softness/hardness. We will purchase some mattress toppers so future guests can utilize those if requested. It is true our house is not new. We feel like the pictures adequately show that. I’m sorry we missed the mark for your expectations.

Our goal is to make sure our guests always have a positive experience. This is evidenced by the many reviews noting our outstanding customer service. In the past 17 years we have been renting this house, this was one of the most outrageous guests we have ever encountered. She also left out some key details from her review. Our cleaners were at the house for four hours cleaning the day she checked in. This is documented with pictures and the ring camera. Within 15 minutes of this guest arriving she sent a message saying the foundation had issues causing the house to “shake” and she feared for her safety. I immediately responded and offered to send our caretaker over (who by coincidence due to his regular job is certified to do foundation inspections in the state on NC). She replied that it wasn’t necessary but instead there was now a leak in the bathroom that needed addressed. Our caretaker arrived within 1 hour to find the guests at the beach. He observed no leak, but did note they had unpacked, the kitchen had groceries and their entire party was comfortable enough to go on down to the beach. Odd behavior for someone who claims the house is unsanitary and unsafe. No one heard anything else from the guests the rest of the evening. The next morning I was notified by vrbo that she had filed a complaint about foundation issues and bugs. We have documentation the house was treated for pests the Saturday prior to her check in. At this point, I reached out again in an attempt to calm her fears and do what we can to satisfy her. I was met with a series of absolutely absurd requests. In addition she was requesting compensation for her fears and troubles. At this point, recognizing she was not going to be happy, we offered the guest the opportunity to leave and receive a refund. This was with 24 hours of her checking in. She refused to leave. She then said her father had looked at the foundation again and “he decided they would be ok to stay this weekend” with compensation. We ended up giving this guest a generous $500 refund. At which point, all complaints and requests stoped. This guest also had an additional guest that they did not disclose on their reservation. We acknowledge that the house has some minor repairs needed and those are in the process of being addressed. We have also consulted with our cleaners about being a little more thorough with the details. We have 17 years worth of reviews on vrbo with an exceptional rating. There are 10/10 reviews within weeks of this guest. If this guest feared for the structural integrity of the property and cleanliness, why did she choose to stay when she was offered a release from the contract and a refund with 24 hours of arrival? Unfortunately, some people know how to work the system for a discounted vacation.

Thank you for your review. I apologize the grill was not available. It was destroyed during the hurricane, but it has since been replaced.

I am sorry you found some issues with the house. I'm not sure who you spoke to about the locks, but it is true that the oceanfront environment is hard on them. We do replace them regularly, but occasionally they need a little wd40 in between. Our caretaker would have gladly addressed this if notified. Thank you for the suggestion on the pan. We do provide a variety of cookware, but I will be sure to add another non stick pan. As for pricing, we offer a very competitive rate compared to other homes on Oak Island. Our rates are established using pricing software that generates the average rate for similar 4 bedroom, 2 bath oceanfront homes. In fact, the rate you paid was below the suggested average. I am glad you enjoyed the location and views and found the home bright and clean.

I am glad you found the house nice and well furnished. I apologize that you saw bugs during your stay, but as you noted an exterminator came out to address the issue on the same day. It is not uncommon to see additional bugs for a few days after a spray. Roaches or “palmetto bugs” as they are locally known are very common in an oceanfront setting. We do have the house treated on a regular basis. The lockbox does have the ability to be changed and each guest is given a unique code. I’m glad you otherwise enjoyed your stay and we would welcome you back in the future.