Salty Escape: Newly Constructed Retreat

House was clean and comfortable. Close to main road made getting to Publix or restaurants very easy.

The internet was good. The condo was as close to be being home as it could possibly be....love it! Great communication!

Description was perfect! Very clean place to stay!

Upon our arrival, approximately 20 minutes before the scheduled check-in time, the house had not yet been cleaned. This was unusual, as we've never encountered this issue with other rentals in the area. What we found particularly odd was that the laundry, including sheets and towels, was already bagged. When the cleaning crew arrived, they stated they had been delayed and stuck on a nearby island. This seemed inconsistent, as someone had clearly been in the house to bag the laundry, and previous renters would not have had access to the cleaning crew's laundry bags. This suggests either there are two cleaning crews, or the crew was not entirely truthful. We recognize that we arrived on July 5th, the day after the Fourth of July weekend, and traffic in and out of the area was very heavy. Therefore, it's possible they did experience legitimate traffic issues; our only concern was the potential lack of complete transparency. Aside from the initial cleaning delay, the house itself was very nice and well-organized, with good furniture. The beds were a bit worn, but that's often expected in a vacation rental. The water pressure in the showers was a little low, especially after a day at the beach, but the water consistently got hot and cold, which was sufficient. We also found ants in the living room next to the patio door, and we were unable to block them from coming in. Our two main concerns, besides the cleaning issue and the ants, were the inability to lock the back patio door. Although we were on the second story and the patio was screened, making unauthorized entry unlikely without significant effort, the lack of a lock felt somewhat questionable. On a positive note, we really appreciated the clearly marked parking area. Many driveways on Ocean Isle Beach are gravel, or require tandem parking, which can be inconvenient. Having a paved, clearly lined parking lot was a significant advantage. We also really enjoyed the property's pool area. We liked that it was gated, ensuring only other renters were present, and it was large and deep enough for our child to have a lot of fun. The hot tub was also a nice amenity, even in the summer. Our only minor complaint about the pool was that some other renters tended to claim entire sections of the area. This is more a reflection on other guests than the property itself, but it was frustrating to feel the need to arrive early or "reserve" a chair with a towel if we wanted to use it later in the day. One of the primary reasons we chose this rental was its pet-friendly nature. We were pleased to find ample sidewalks for walking our dog and plenty of grassy areas for potty breaks. Most residents were considerate and actively picked up after their pets, which was a pleasant surprise. In conclusion, we would stay again.