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Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe!

Family-friendly cottage in Kitty Hawk with a water park

Photo gallery for Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe!

Front of Shifting Tides, screened in porch and upper deck with ocean views.
Living Room swivel chairs.  View from Front Door.
New Sofas and ottoman (dog and dog bed not standard amenity). :)
View from Dining Room and Kitchen.
Living area

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10115.9 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

View map
Kitty Hawk, NC
  • Place, Kitty Hawk Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Sea Scape Golf Links
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Place, Duck Boardwalk
    ‪15 min drive‬
  • Airport, Manteo, NC (MEO-Dare County Regional)
    ‪39 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

3rd Bedroom with Queen Bed

1 Queen Bed

4th BR Twin over Full Bed with pull out Twin bed

1 Single Bunk Bed

Bedroom #1 Front

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom #2 Front

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Back Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Front Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe!

Great Views! Screened-in Porch! Upper Deck! Under House Tiki Bar area! Fenced Yard! Just a short walk (350 Feet) you are at the public beach access.

Clean, cozy, charming beach made for relaxing time with families, friends or couples.

Perfect Outer Banks get away for your family to enjoy all that the beach offers. Our home is located on North Virginia Dare Trail in Kitty Hawk around the 2.5 mile marker post. You'll be able to enjoy the view from the large screened-in porch with a swing to relax or the large sundeck to catch some rays or amazing sunsets! Large deck under the house to relax out of the sun, play darts, cornhole or just hangout and enjoy a cool beverage or spend time with your dog. Mini refrigerator in laundry room.

Nice split floor plan with 2 bedrooms with Queen size beds located in the front (ocean side) which opens directly onto the screened-in porch. These two bedrooms share a hall bath. In the back of the house, there are two additional bedrooms which include another Queen size bed and Twin over Full bed with pull out Twin mattress. The 2nd bathroom is located in the hallway.

The central living area has plenty of seating for everyone to be together comfortably watching TV, playing Wii games or just hanging out. Each bedroom has its own TV with 2 with cable and two with Roku and DVD players. Free internet access. Lots of books, board games and DVD's to enjoy. Family game nights are a must!

This location offers close proximity to two fishing piers, a short drive to Corolla to see the wild horses or to Oregon Inlet for a deep sea fishing trip. Many attractions within a 30-45 minute drive such as the aquarium in Manteo, Escape Room in Southern Shores, miniature golf, Wright Brothers Museum, Zipline, Grave Diggers, water park, etc. Short distance to Art's Place for great burgers, Rundown Cafe and other restaurants. Breakfast fans - Bob's Eat and Get the H out is one of our favorites.

The cottage is dog-friendly up to two 50 lb. dogs only. Pet fee is $125. No other pets allowed.

Due to additional cleaning measures additional time may be needed to clean the property between guests depending on check-in day and when last guest checked out, etc. Check-in time is 4:00 PM. However, if our home is ready earlier you will be notified of an early no additional fee check-in. Our cleaning person will contact us to let us know when the house is ready for your stay. I will then send you a message to include the lockbox passcode. Please note, our check-out time (10:00 a.m.) is firm because our fantastic cleaning lady needs time to ready the house for our next guests.

All carpet has been replaced with LVP flooring. Comforters, pillows and blankets are provided.

Guests to provide their own towels, linens washcloths, shampoo, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. as well as other consumable items. There may be some items at the home to get you started when you first arrive.

There is a linen service close by if you choose to rent linens instead. They are located in Kitty Hawk. Here is their contact information. Moneysworth -1-800-833-5233.

Some other items that are provided include vacuums cleaners, hair dryers, x-large dog crate, medium dog crate, doggie play pen, beach chairs, tons of beach toys and a couple of beach carts.

Book your OBX trip now before we fill up for the season. 3 day minimum. 14 day maximum.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
2 sets of bunk beds. Lots of DVDs, books, WII.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
Dogs only. No other pets.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Absolutely no smoking allowed.

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
Please check trash pickup schedule on refrigerator. Trash cans must be placed on the curb the night before. Once empty, bring empty cans back and place under the house.
After rinsing off beach supplies and placing back on laundry room, turn off water to outdoor hose which is located in laundry room.
Latch all gates so they don't bang in the wind. Place key in lockbox.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Minimum stay 3 days. Respectful of property and neighbors. Check-in time 4:00 PM.
Our cleaning person works very hard to get the house ready for our guests. Limited time between guests. Please help by taking out trash/general pickup
Pets - only dogs allowed. Must be housebroken and owners must clean up after pets.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Kitty Hawk

Located in Kitty Hawk, this cottage is near theme parks and near the beach. Monument to a Century of Flight and Wright Brothers National Memorial are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Outer Banks Beaches and Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve. Travelling with kids? Consider Children at Play Museum, or check out an event or a game at Pine Island Racquet & Fitness Center. Looking to get your feet wet? Kayaking, parasailing and surfing/body boarding adventures can be found near the property.
Map
Kitty Hawk, NC

What's nearby

  • Kitty Hawk Beach - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Sea Scape Golf Links - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Kitty Hawk Pier - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Duck Woods Country Club - 5 min drive - 4.7 km
  • Duck Boardwalk - 15 min drive - 10.2 km

Getting around

  • Manteo, NC (MEO-Dare County Regional) - 39 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪7-Eleven - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪The Black Pelican - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Hurricane Mo's Beachside Bar And Grill - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Jimmy's Seafood Buffet - ‬2 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Family & Pet Friendly Cottage -- Clean, cozy, and relaxing vibe! located?

This family-friendly Kitty Hawk cottage is located near the beach, just steps away from Kitty Hawk Beach and Outer Banks Beaches. Sea Scape Golf Links and Monument to a Century of Flight are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 97 out of 102 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 102 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 102 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 102 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 102 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful property with plenty of space and an enclosed backyard. Hosts are extremely thoughtful. We love it there!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Matt S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
House was Great, location was excellent, communication with host was great and responded quickly. Check in and out was great as well. Excellent for our dog who had a great time as well. Would definitely come back again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lori M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Christine and Paul are wonderful hosts and their home is perfect for multiple family members, children and pets. The weather at the beginning of the week was not great, but we still enjoyed our family time. Our granddaughter LOVED the upper deck crow’s nest. Weather improved as the week went on and my husband caught enough fish for dinner. Life is good at the beach! Thank you for your hospitality. #blessed
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cathy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Labor Day Weekend 2020

Enjoyed our time at this house with great access to the beach and great local eats!!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

helen s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

great end to summer

we had a great time. good walking distance to water and nice views.. would like to come back again.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

DONNA M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just Perfect!

Great layout, very clean, fenced in back yard, breezeway under house, lots of parking, great location, tasteful beach decor, AND anything you could possibly want or need for your family and dogs was provided! Cant wait to go back.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

David F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Late Summer vacation

The property was an outstanding value. We were very lucky to find it and will definitely be returning soon.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lori M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great October visit to Kitty Hawk

This is our second year staying at Shifting Tides. The house is perfect for families and pets. Love the gate systems as well as the upper deck and screened porch ocean views. The owners are responsive and accommodating. Wonderful location and a great October vacation in OBX!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Zachary M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay, great location.

We had a great stay and the property was expected, close walk to the beach and everything is within 10 minutes. We had our dogs and the yard was great, except some prickers that got stuck on my dogs multiple times, I would recommend to have someone do a better job on the landscape to make it more dog friendly, hopefully they can get this fixed and then I would have no issues. Overall great pick and would book again if the yard is cleaned up a bit. Easy check in and very clean property.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Beverly R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy stay.

Was like being at home . Provided everything you could possibly need for a beach vacation. When it rained, we had board games and a wii provided by the host. Would definitely recommend. Beach access was walking distance.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Hilda D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome house and location!

This house is clean and spacious and across the street is the beach. We love the screen porch, plenty of games and under the house great place to gather with the Tiki Tiki bar, darts, cornhole boards... The yard is fenced in for your pets, which is awesome!!. The owner is very responsive and kind. Our family loves this home and will be returning for our 4th year.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brian O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

End of summer fun

We really enjoyed ourselves . The location is perfect - steps to the ocean. The screened in porch was ideal especially with a cool ocean breeze. The top deck has amazing views for star gazing and watching the waves. Paul and Christine were very accommodating and the place is very spacious for kids and adults . Will certainly book this place again
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

tamara s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay in this sweet beach cottage

We really enjoyed our time staying in this beach cottage. When at the house, we spent the majority of time on the screened in porch listening to the waves and feeling the ocean breeze. We also loved the roof deck; watching the sunrise in the morning and having a cocktail in the evening. The cottage is laid back just like this section of OBX. Thank you Christine and Paul!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jenny M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love this House!

This was our fourth year staying in this property, and we just love it. The owners are so sweet and so quick to respond. The property is always clean and provides everything we need. It is a VERY short walk to the beach access. Now there are two outdoor spots to hang out; under the house at the tiki bar (cool breezes on the hottest of days) and always love the screened in porch on the front of the house! We always have fun here, and are so thankful to be able to bring our dog!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carla R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome time and great location!!!!

We had a great time staying at this house. It was convenient to the beach, which is where we wanted to be, and the house had everything we needed. The top deck was great and the outdoor shower came in handy. The laundry room was stocked with lots of things for the beach. Loved that it was dog friendly but needed a bigger cleared area for the dogs to go. All in all, we would definitely stay there again. Owners responded quickly to questions and were easy to communicate with. Thank you so much for a great vacation!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic Dog Friendly Vacation Spot

We had a fantastic stay at this Kitty Hawk vacation rental! The house was spotless upon arrival and featured thoughtful touches like local recommendations and tips that made settling in a breeze. The kitchen was well-equipped with dishes, utensils, and spices, and we appreciated the various sizes of dog crates and beach gear available. The layout, with two bedrooms and one bathroom on each side of the house, provided great privacy and comfort. The spacious backyard and tiki bar were perfect for our dogs and for relaxing mornings. The owners were proactive and responsive, ensuring a smooth check-in process. We’re already looking forward to renting again in 2025!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kendra C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic house

This property is fantastic. It was clean and stocked with games and outside items(lawn chairs, sand toys etc.) The outside screened in porch was our favorite part. It includes dog bowls(which was great because it was an item we forgot to bring with us). The location is great as well. Very close to grocery stores and restaurants , and not far from Duck(we drove up to the lighthouse), or the Wright Brothers memorial. The owners were super responsive and helpful. Thanks for a great stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jenny M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great House and Great Beach Access

We so enjoyed our time at this property. It was the first time I have ever rented on VRBO with no prior reviews, but I was not disappointed. The property actually looks better in person than on the website, if you can imagine! It is a GREAT location in Kitty Hawk and just steps from the ocean! Cottage is well equipped! We loved using the front, screened in porch at night (could use a little more lighting, but we brought extension cords and plugged in a bedroom light), to play games, and the top deck for star gazing! The owners were very responsive and they have LOTS of great things like umbrellas and beach toys in the shed downstairs; a little risky with only one key, but we didn't lose it! We were 5 adults and one dog and it was perfect. We didn't use one whole bedroom, so could be more people, but we truely enjoyed and would love to come back!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Lynn C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A great getaway!

My family ventured down to the OBX from VA and DC for a few days to celebrate my husband's 70th birthday. While the weather was not on our side, we still had an incredible time thanks to Shifting Tides! It's the cutest house and has everything you need and steps from the beach--roomy and clean as well. The front screened in porch is great for hanging out, drinking coffee, playing games, and the dogs loved the outdoor area. The house is in a great location, so we were able to adventure out to both Oregon Inlet and Corolla easily. Since our fishing trip was cancelled due to weather, we look forward to staying again in the spring when we come back for our trip. Would recommend to anyone. Thank you! -Lynn Campbell
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

tamara s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Shifting Tides is A++

We just finished up our fourth straight year at Shifting Tides and each year just keeps getting better and better. The addition of the Tiki bar and extension of the deck on the lower level reminded me of our own Tiki bar set up at home. I mean, I could go on and on about how superb the place is, as well as how awesome it is to deal with Christine and Paul. But I think the best compliment that I can give is you know you’re in a great spot when everything feels very familiar. I love saying “hello” to Mr. Shark when we bring our stuff in, and I give him a fist bump when the week is done and it’s time to go home. Shifting Tides is a gem. See you next year! Todd and Tamara
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emily V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

location, location, location

My sister-in-law and my 2 kids (14 and 12) had the best week at Shifting Tides. It was basically centrally located to everything we wanted to do and has amazing ocean views. Paul and Christine seem very nice and answered all questions asked within a very short time period. The house has everything you need and probably more (seriously, check out the laundry room for everything you need to go to the beach). With the 4 bedrooms, we had room to spread out and relax and not be on top of each other all the time. We also loved the porch. We arrived to Shifting Tides in a downpour and the next day we also had rain. It worked well to have the enclosed porch so we could still be "outside" and enjoying the ocean views despite the rain. I've already recommended this house to a friend and would stay again should we find ourselves in the Outer Banks again. Thanks for the great stay!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Mary T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for us

As newcomers to the Outer Banks, we lucked out! The home was warm and welcoming. The exterior photo doesn't do it justice. The beach was super easy to access. The beach is gorgeous, broad and sandy, and the lifeguard is stationed a short walk away if you are going in. The sea was too choppy this week for swimming but we had a blast just wading in the waves. We went to the beach several times a day. We had meals on the screened in porch, and sat on the roof deck in the evenings with a bottle of wine to enjoy the sound of the waves. It was a great location. I was pleasantly surprised at the availability of Asian and South Asian restaurants, as we are mostly vegetarian. If you are keen on barbecue and burgers, they also abound. Plenty of good seafood. The street traffic was busy during the day but it did not negatively impact our stay. The backyard was nice when needed for the dogs, and they loved the beach. I heartily recommend the rental; and Paul and Christine were wonderfully quickly responsive to any little question we had about the area. It's great!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brent A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

As Described

Paul and Christine's place on the beach was just as described and seen in the pictures they provided. The house was clean and well-stocked (except for items removed due to COVID-19; the only one that threw us off was hot pads for getting things out of the oven; we forgot to bring those). The living area is quite big. The kitchen and bathrooms are a bit small, but what one would expect in a house that old and that size. The 4 bedrooms were a good size and we all found the mattresses to be very comfortable. We went to KH for the beach and this house was great for that purpose. It takes less than a minute to walk to the beach, and it is an easy walk. It was great to be able to go back and forth for meals, bathroom trips, etc. When we were not at the beach we were relaxing on the screened-in porch where you can see the water across the street. The neighbors on either side are fairly close, but we all enjoyed the view and time together. Finally, Paul and Christine were very nice and responsive. They seemed to genuinely care about about us and our stay there. We would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Cory Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great stay here and everything was as described. Our host was in communication with us to make sure everything was going well and was responsive when messaged. Beach access was great, the dartboard got a lot of use, and our pets were happy :) Thank you!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Philip C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing location!! The tiki area in the shade was a favorite outdoor spot.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

About the host

Hosted by Paul and Christine Shiflett

Host profile image
We have 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren ranging from age 7 to 22.

We love both the beach and the Blue Ridge mountains where we live full-time. We love country music and try to go dancing at least one night every weekend. We like to visit with family and friends and go on motorcycle rides as time permits. Paul does a little farming. He has 15 angus cows, 1 bull and a number of calves depending on time of year. I recently retired from the workforce after working for a defense contractor for the last 23 years.

We have two dogs. Bonnie is a 14 1/2 shih tzu and Ellie is a heeler/collie mix. Ellie helps to control our ground hog population.

We have been going to the OBX for more than 20 years and feel very fortunate that we were able to purchase this property in December 2019. We have been updating and putting our personal touches on the home since we purchased it.

Why they chose this property

We have been enjoying the beaches in OBX for more than 20 years. Many of those years have been in the same Kitty Hawk area. When this home became available we jumped on it without even seeing it. This location is perfect for us. Easy access to and from 158. Our cottage is located around the 2.5 mile marker on N. Virginia Dare Trail.

It is the perfect location and size for our family. It is large enough to accommodate 10 people comfortably with 4 bedrooms - 3 queen size beds and 1 twin over full bunk bed with a pull out twin bed, 2 full bathrooms and a outdoor shower, a screened porch with access directly from two front bedrooms or from side deck, upper deck for sunbathing/ocean views and patio/deck area out back where a breeze is always blowing. Perfect location right across the road from the beach and great views. Beach access is only about 350 feet away at the Bennett Road crosswalk.

Close to everything you may need including grocery stores, restaurants, family entertainment including movies, putt-putt golf, Wright Brothers Museum, Corolla Wild Mustangs, outlet stores, water parks, etc. If you are on the adventurous side, you can book deep sea fishing trips, offshore/onshore fishing and a nice boat tour to see the dolphins in Manteo.

What makes this property unique

Screened in front porch with bar height stools so you can see see the ocean, people watch or just relax under the ceiling fan. Located in a nice family area. No motels/hotels close by.

Upper deck for exceptional beach views and stunning sunsets. Easy, walking distance to public beach access (5th house from access). Under the house, there is a ground level deck which has a nice breeze with chairs, ceiling fan, tiki bar, picnic table, park-like grill, and outside shower. Fenced in backyard for relaxing on the back patio, sitting on the swing while enjoying the nice breeze. Dart board under the house and full size cornhole boards available with a spotlight on the back yard to play after dark.

(Just watch out for sandburs and/or cacti which are native to the area and difficult to control.)

We manage our property ourselves with the help of a great team of locals who we count on to clean our home and make necessary repairs that need attention before we are able to come down and take care of it ourselves. We met these two wonderful people because of an unfortunate accident the week before our first guest was to arrive. They have been a true blessing to us. If there is a problem that they can't handle, they have put us in touch with someone who can. We can't tell you have much they have helped us since 2020.

We pride ourselves on being very hands on and responsive. We want our guests to have a wonderful experience in our home so they come back year after year.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests