The Coral Cottage was just as described. Very close to the beach, which was perfect for the stormy, overcast weather we had all week! When the storms would subside, we quickly grabbed chairs and walked (1-2min!) to the beach access across the street. The house is west a bit from hustle and bustle of PCB, which we loved! The beaches weren’t crowded at all - maybe 2-3 other families within 100ft of us. Bonus: it’s less than 5min to Thomas’ & the Carousel!
The cottage was decorated nicely. The furniture was sufficient for a beach vacation. The beds had very firm, foam/Tempur-pedic mattresses that we did not find comfortable, though some people may! The laundry was great to wash sandy towels and swimsuits during the week!
The kitchen had ample storage for groceries and enough cookware for a few meals. The dishwasher did not dry and was mildewed badly, but it came clean when we sprayed with bleach and run. Better door mats would be great to prevent so much sand getting tracked in on the floors. We ended up putting towels by the back door.
It was great having a fenced yard for our dogs, though nothing special. The fence wrapped in an L-shape along the back and left side of the house. There were a grill, outdoor shower, and picnic table. Since we had rainy weather, we would have liked a covered area to let the dogs out or sit outside during rain showers. The landscape was maintained, but the bushes could have been pruned a bit. LOTS of little lizards, which the dogs loved. :)
There was a beach cart, beach toys, and beach chairs for use. 3/5 beach chairs were broken and no umbrella. The cart was convenient to have!
Recommended: bring paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent, Tupperware, beach towels, and cleaning supplies (if desired). We had to go to the Carousel and spend $40 on these items to last the week. We left a big stack of paper plates, a couple of small Tupperware, and laundry powder - but housekeeping may have removed. We brought large blankets to cover the couch and were glad we did, so we didn’t worry about getting sand and dog hair everywhere.
We loved everything and only listed the minor cons for other visitors to know if those factors are important to them. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Coral Cottage and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet beach vacation!