Please do not be alarmed that I do not yet have any reviews. I am new to VRBO, but please see my 70+ 5-star reviews on A i r b n b for my lovely home
I know you have many great options for your vacation & reading through a listing is time consuming, but I've made an honest list of all items that could be an issue for guests, so that you book the right place for you & have the best trip possible:
To see virtual tour: please see info in the cover photo to be lead to a virtual tour or go to @sweethideouts
The home is truly an 8 minute walk to the beach, so it is longer than homes that are only 2-3 rows back, which may be an issue for you in the peak summer heat (July-Aug. are the hottest months). The rest of the year, it is such an easy walk that you don't notice it. All homes in Corolla also have really high dunes for flooding protection - so you will be lifting the beach carts/other gear up and down the boardwalk that goes over the dune. I made a walking route map that you will find in the "additional photos" section. The map view of it is accurate. I personally love its location - it's minutes from multiple shopping centers with good restaurants and grocery stores, a quick & flat walk to the beach, and far enough from the Hwy, so you aren't listening to traffic while enjoying the decks.
The Timbuk II shopping center, with 30+ stores, Food Lion shopping center with stores like Dairy Queen and Dunkin' Donuts, and Super Wings, and more are a 20-minute walk from the house via sidewalk.
From Memorial day through Labor day, I will not be able to do early check in before 4 pm or a later checkout than 10 am. I am usually 100% booked, so I truly need that time in between groups to get the home in spotless shape for you and to fix any damage that guests may have accidentally caused or fix any issues that have come up in the home. You may have noticed many of the homes here get bad reviews on cleaning - I never want guests to feel like this home isn't clean, but it's a big house and cleaning takes a lot of time. Sorry! Otherwise, happy to do free early check in or late check out if the schedule allows.
The outdoor tub is a large soaking tub - has hot and cold water for a max of 2 adults.
Many homes in the OBX don't include linens, towels, soap, etc., so here is what will be waiting for you: all beds will be fully made with freshly washed linens (beds will look exactly like the do in photos), two pillows for each person, and a comforter blanket. Each bed has an 1 extra microfiber blanket. Beach towels and bath towel sets will be here for every guest, plus some extras. Laundry detergent and dryer sheets for your entire stay will be here to wash towels or personal items. The kitchen and bathrooms are fully stocked - toilet paper, paper towels, soap, dishwashing packs, and so much more.
Guests will be asked to wheel the trash and recycling bins to the curb - literally takes 1 minute - and to complete a short check out list. I will send an VRBO message and text message reminder. It's really important because the bins fill up really fast.
Beach gear provided: beach chairs for every person, 6 beach umbrellas - they are 8 ft wide, so they cover 2 people, beach carts, boogies boards, plastic sandcastle buckets, shovels, and toys, and 3 inner tubes, and three coolers. I tried providing a large beach canopy, but pieces got lost after a few groups, so you would definitely want to bring that if you have one. Please expect some wear and tear and rust on the beach gear - I replace the beach gear every year, but it gets used pretty hard and the chairs and umbrella rust after just a few weeks of use.
Groups over 6 may want to plan on sharing the master bathroom, as the second bathroom is small. I do all the renovations myself and did not have enough time to get to the second bathroom remodel this year.
As I show in photos, the bottom level has gates to create a fence for pups greater than 30 lbs. All of the deck railings also have 4.5" between spindles, so that is big enough for small pups to fall through, so this would not be the right house for small pups outside without supervision.
The living room fireplace is electric - it puts out heat and mimics the light and sound of a fireplace. There is also a small tabletop fire pit that is great for roasting marsh mellows and the fuel (cotton balls and isopropyl alcohol) is provided for your enjoyment! Sorry, true wood fire pits are not allowed in Corolla due to the high winds and past brush fires.
The 30 interior steps and 40 exterior steps could be a safety issues for people and pets with mobility or heart issues because of the height. It has 30 steps inside, is four stories, and has 4 levels of decks. Most homes in Corolla are like this.
Infants and children are absolutely very welcome, but please be aware that there are no special safety measures in place, such as outlet plugs, corner guards, pack-n-play, or a toddler gate. The reason for this is as follows: nearly 100% of bookings during May to September are same day check in and check out, so there is not enough time to check that every safety feature, such as an outlet plugs, crib, pack n' play, or gate, are fully functioning and safe. Any homeowner knows little things can fail at any time, even on new items, and because safety items are so vital, I do not want to falsely advertise. With Corolla being a remote area, there isn't someone I can hire for safety checks. For your child's safety, it is much better to bring your own items, so that you are 100% sure that they work properly and are the safest on the market. If hosts are providing these, it's a great idea to ask whether they check their safety/functionality after every stay. I completely understand this will cause many guests to book elsewhere, as I know its tough to fill up a car with all these items. The multiple decks could also be a fall hazard for children who love to climb.
All of the TVs are smart Roku TVs, so you will be able to pull up all of your subscriptions. I don't have any TV subscriptions, and it has nothing to do with the cost - I was happy to pay it. What I learned was that guests wants to use their own subscriptions, so they logged out of mine. Netflix, Hulu, etc. make is so that I have to give guests my password, validate the the sign in on my personal phone, and I can't hide my credit card info, so this just is not feasible. The second issue was guests accounts remaining on the TVs and later guests using their accounts - I even had some situations where guests made purchases on the accounts of former guests. I have fixed this by setting up "guests mode" on all TVs, so you will be automatically logged out of all accounts at check out and will not need to worry about your account remaining open.
I love hosting pets and nearly all are amazing. I have had very minimal pet damage in over 6 years of hosting. There is a reason why you aren't finding many homes that accept pets in the area - it's very tough to clean up all the hair to the high standard that guests rightly expect and deserve. I ask that all pets are 100% house trained or that you bring their crate(s) or a play pen with pee pads. Most guests will leave their pups in the house while they enjoy the beach - from mid-day in June through early Sept., it can hit over 90 degrees and the sand is scorching. If your pup doesn't travel much or isn't house trained, they will pee on the carpet. If we find that a pet used the bathroom inside or damaged the home, I will have to note it in your public review to give a heads up to other hosts. My ability to offer great stays for groups with pets is that they are house trained, since I'm also hosting groups with no pets.
The cancellation policy is strict and there are only exceptions for a natural disaster hitting the area or the home is unsafe in some other way. Sorry, no exceptions. I recommend travel insurance. I am able to deliver a 5-star experience to you by planning the cleaning schedule, the deep cleaning schedule, and improvements to the house throughout the year based on when it's empty.
I designed the beach house to be very comfortable and clean. Nearly everything is brand new! The beach house incorporates the feel and décor of the historical beach boxes of Corolla and Outer Banks homes, but is updated to have all the things you would want to be new, including new appliances, furniture, beds, bedding, towels, central heating and air conditioning, and outdoor furniture. I have 100+ photos of the house to give you a detailed and honest look at the home.
Map of easy 5 minute walk to beach in the "additional photos" section.
The house is a total of four stories, so the bedrooms are nicely spaced out, so that you can't hear your neighbor. All of the beds are brand new 10" gel memory foam mattresses with new soft cotton linens. All three bedrooms have a 36" HD Roku TVs. The top Bedroom (Bedroom 1) in on the third story and has a king bed with with a master bath off of the bedroom. Bedroom 2 has a king bed. Bedroom 3 has 1 queen bed and one bunk bed. Both are on the second story of the house. In every bedroom, there is a large dresser, two nightstands with reading lamps for each person, outlets for easy phone charging, two luggage racks, and large closets with many hangers in every bedroom. I know it is really nice to have tables, luggage benches, and other places to put your stuff, so I've set each bedroom up to do that.
There are two full baths. The top bathroom (Bathroom 1) with the beautiful stained glass window is located off of Bedroom 1. It has a double vanity, a wonderful two-person jacuzzi tub, a brand new double shower head, and brand new faucets. Bathroom 2 is on the middle floor between Bedroom 2 and Bedroom 3. It has a single vanity and a shower/tub combo. It has a brand new double-head shower head and a brand new faucet.
