I've been torn about what to write in a review and waffled back and forth on the rating. There are things we really enjoyed, but certain improvements would make a big difference.
Pros:
- Location is excellent--very close to beach.
- Layout and functionality of unit is nice--great for two couples.
- Unit has been updated fairly recently.
- Owner responded quickly to reservation request and responded fairly quickly to text reporting two issues during our stay--one issue was resolved promptly.
- Ability to park in garage is a big plus. Street parking is hard to come by.
- There were some beach towels and beach chairs, but only two chairs were in proper working order.
Cons:
- BIGGEST ISSUE -- the terms of the listing are deceiving. This was my first HomeAway reservation, so I'm not 100% positive if this issue relates to HomeAway or the owners. In the later stages of booking the reservation, I had the unpleasant surprise that I had to either agree to an additional refundable deposit charged to my credit card (significantly larger than the deposit disclosed in the listing) or buy equivalent damage insurance for an extra cost. The lack of transparency of this extra deposit is unacceptable.
- The cleanliness was so-so at best; unit looked okay at a glance, but it's in need of a deep clean. Immediately upon arrival, I took my shoes off and walked around in new white socks; after a short while, I noticed my socks were now brown on the bottom, and we saw crumbs underneath some furniture. Granted, the same will happen at my own house, but when I'm paying a cleaning fee at a rental, I expect a little better. One shower curtain was nasty with mold/mildew at the bottom. I texted the owner, and she said she would bring one. I understood it would be the same day, but it didn't happen (granted, I texted a little over 24 hours before check out, maybe she was waiting until we left). Most of the bath towels were older; some had a smell of mold.
- The kitchen is only somewhat stocked with necessities. We chose this unit over a hotel so we could cook our own meals. We were able to do so, but it was a challenge--few pans/bowls for cooking, utensils were weird (lots of forks but only a few spoons), no spatula for flipping eggs/pancakes, dull knives.
Overall, we had a pleasant stay. I would probably consider this property again (with lower expectations), but I will also shop around. Owners need to get after the cleaners and disclose extra deposit.