WV19 Sunset Haven by First Flight Rentals

We had such a great vacation week! The unit was so spacious, clean, comfortable and nice (but slightly worn) furnishings. The deck furniture wasn't very comfortable and looked weathered but watching the beautiful sunsets from the hot tub was amazing...a big benefit from staying on the sound side. We liked the open concept and the kitchen had plenty of room to move around and lots of storage. We cooked in the majority of the time and we were a bit disappointed the kitchen was lacking in some basics such as a strainer for pasta and some other utensils. Otherwise it had nice stainless appliances and tons of counter space. The living area was comfortable . We liked that the unit wasn't "over decorated" but noticed it lacked small touches like a lamp that plugged in even though it was placed on an end table. And I know we weren't there to watch TV but we don't go out at night so movie channels would have been nice verses basic cable. There was a fireplace as posted, but it was just for show which seemed odd. The master bedroom was also very spacious and lots of closet space. My only complaint there was the mattress. The actual mattress was thin and cheap with a Tempur-pedic topper. My back was bothering me toward the end of the week. And lastly, the one thing that was annoying that really can't be helped was the noise from upstairs. Who ever was above us walked heavily at ALL hours. They woke early and went to bed late. It was loud like they were in our unit. Also adding to the noise was construction outside even on the weekend. But in spite of all the minor issues we really enjoyed our stay! Everyone was very friendly, the pool was sparkling, the weather was perfect. We loved watching the kite surfers and all the activity on the sound. The restaurant and shops next door were very convenient, as we got in late the night we checked in and didn't feel like cooking. The food was good and service great. We loved the remote wild beauty of Rodanthe and really look forward to returning!

My wife and I really enjoyed the condo. The only thing I was unhappy with was the condition of some of the furniture. The leather sofa was ready to be put the curb. It looked as though it had been left out in the weather too many times. Other than that, it was just we needed. It was our first vacation in 30 years without children. Thank you.

Loved the location - away from the more touristy areas of the OBX. We're not kite boarders, but loved sitting on the balcony watching them. Condo was in good shape when we arrived, though it could have been a bit cleaner. Beach is only a short distance away and was never crowded. Biggest problem was WiFi. It was basically unusable during our stay. ISP had been out to work on it during the week, but didn't see any improvements. All-in-all, it was a nice vacation.

I rarely spend time on these surveys because the owners/managers never post negative comments. I’ll provide a balanced, accurate review and see if it gets posted. In some ways, this place gets 5 stars, in others it gets 1 star. Pros: * The kiting setup is fantastic. ** It’s literally across the lawn from the Kitty Hawk Kites school. ** The lawn can get a little crowded, but it’s super convenient for setup, take-off and landing, and all just 60 seconds from your front door. ** There’s an air compressor at KHK for the kites, although it needs a little TLC. ** There are lockers at the garage level for your kite gear so you don’t have to haul it up and down the stairs every day. * The local staff are super friendly and helpful. * There are a couple of restaurants within walking distance * The unit as a whole was clean, spacious, and had a fabulous view of the sunset. * The kitchen was a great space for preparing meals. Cons: * You’re sharing walls, ceilings and floors with your neighbors. If they are noisy (e.g. barking dogs, running kids, etc) you are pretty much stuck with it. Cross your fingers for good neighbors. Frankly, given how little money they earn from letting tenants bring dogs, the owners would be better off just not allowing dogs at all in order to prevent the headaches for everyone all around. * Calling the pool shower a “shower" is being generous. It has no water pressure and you need one hand at all times to run the water - requiring gymnastic balancing skills to use it. * Although they provide a pool, they do not provide pool towels. * Depending on the unit you rent, there are windows with no blinds, so be prepared for some bright mornings. * The WiFi is spotty and will disconnect you fairly regularly * Watch out for the welcome letter you’ll get about 1 week before your stay. It’s not very clearly written and it may make you think you’ll need to pack a couple extra suitcases of stuff. Call ahead to find out what’s actually in the unit and what’s not so that you know what to pack. We will definitely return to the OBX for the amazing kiting, but we’re on the fence about whether we would rent this place again, the biggest problem being noisy, disrespectful neighbors. Maybe we’ll have better luck with that next time.