Pros: Despite a few disappointing circumstances (see “Cons”), we did, overall, have a very enjoyable week-long stay here. It’s a cute little beach house with a lot of beach-themed decor and knick-knacks, which also made it feel very homey. I imagined it being someone’s grandmother’s house, a little cluttered but welcoming. There are outdoor patios both front and back to hang out on. It’s a quick walk down to the beach and located in a very laid-back, family-friendly neighborhood. The Keurig coffee maker was a bonus, and the washer/dryer worked great. The fresh flowers were a nice added touch. We were grateful for the outdoor shower, although no hot water, but not really needed on a hot summer day. There were plenty of fans and, with the windows open, a pretty constant ocean breeze that flowed through the house and kept us cool, but please note: there is NO A/C, as listed under amenities, so please update accordingly.
Cons: Let’s start with “essentials,” which Airbnb defines as towels, linens, toilet paper, pillows, soap. ESSENTIALS ARE NOT INCLUDED, so it’s bring your own sheets, pillow cases, towels (both bath and beach), and apparently toilet paper as well – even though only “linens and towels” are listed as not provided on the rental contract that the property management company requires you to sign right after booking. When I asked for more toilet paper, they said they provide a starter roll, which I guess means less than half a roll because that’s what was left for us, and then it’s up to us to provide for the rest of the week that we were there. I must say they did still drop off a couple rolls as a courtesy since we needed some kitchen trash bags anyway (there was only the one in the trash can when we arrived). I do understand they have essentials crossed out on their Airbnb listing, so that’s on me to have studied it more closely and verified which essentials were & weren’t included after reading the contract since, again, it was a bit conflicting with the Airbnb site. Also conflicting was the photo on the listing of the bathroom showing bath and hand towels! Airbnb CLEARLY notes on their site several times that essentials are part of their “host quality standards” as a “basic requirement” that is “strongly encouraged,” (also listed under “expectations”). True it is not required, but it is expected and really does make the experience a much more comfortable one, especially when it’s a family like ours with young children, who have traveled from across the country. The property management company continued to argue that not providing essentials is “common” in this area. NOT TRUE. At least not for Airbnb properties, which I confirmed with a couple different representatives at Airbnb as well as know from experience from previous stays nearby plus people I know from there – I used to live in the area, so it was easy for me to check on this. They recommended a company from which you can rent towels and linens from, saying it would only be another $40-$50 or so, but when I checked it added up to much more than that for a family of 4 and factoring in beach towels as well.
A few other overlooked details: a used bar of soap (with hair stuck on it) in the shower, dirty laundry in the hamper, and the floors seemed a bit dirty. There was lot of stuff, like some random used toiletries, and supplies everywhere, but I assume that’s because someone (students, perhaps?) actually lives there in the off-season. The sliding door to the back patio was broken with a piece of a LaCroix box haphazardly covering a hole, and a broken patio chair. Honestly, with a few repairs, some decluttering, and of course, including the “essentials,” this place could really be a huge hit!