Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
BlackBeard's Retreat
Step back in time with us in our historic 3 Bedroom home located just across from the beautiful and haunted beaches of the Outer Banks. We are located right across from the beach access, no houses in front just cross the street, climb the dune and you are on the wide sandy beach.
This beautiful home is preserved in the same condition as it was built, showing the fantastic wooden floors, walls and ceilings. The Master Carpenters who built these homes constructed the entire interior (floors, walls and ceiling) with the same wood including the kitchen cabinets. Rustic, to be sure, but no worries about the sand that can follow you in and perfect for the little ones, including your 4 legged family members!
This comfortable home has Two Queen Beds with Pillow Top Mattresses, 4 Twin Beds and can comfortably sleep 8 (9 to 10 if some sleepers are little and can sleep on the couches). We have one full bathroom with a combination tub and shower. We have high speed WiFi and a 65" Smart TV to connect to your Netflix or other Streaming Video Services. Central Heat/Air to make you comfortable throughout the year.
We have a fully stocked kitchen for all you culinary needs.
Park right outside your front door and check yourself in and out with the lockbox.
This comfortable home has Two Queen Beds with Pillow Top Mattresses, 4 Twin Beds and can comfortably sleep 8 (9 to 10 if some sleepers are little and can sleep on the couches)
We have high speed WiFi and a 65" Smart TV to connect to your Netflix or other Streaming Video Services. Central Heat and air will provide the heat for the offseason and plenty of cooling for the summer. We have a fully stocked kitchen for all you culinary needs.
Even with a thorough modernization the property is a historical home that is now over 85 years old. It has some eccentricities that reflect building standards and designs from the turn of the last century that lends to its charm as an older beach cottage. But even so, we hope that you will love our older and charming home.
Park right outside your front door and check yourself in and out.
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Extra Charges:
Early Check-In $75 (if available)
Late Check-Out $75 (if available)
Pet Fee is $99
If not disclosed prior to your stay, the pet fee is $300 plus your security deposit
Pets must stay off of bedding and furniture
Check Out is 10 AM.
A fee of $45 per hour is charged beginning at 10:05 AM
(We can not keep the cleaners waiting)
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
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: subdued gathering only, ie family get togethers
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
Frequently asked questions
Is BlackBeard's Retreat pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at BlackBeard's Retreat?
As of 27 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at BlackBeard's Retreat on 27 Apr 2026 start from AU$449, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at BlackBeard's Retreat?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at BlackBeard's Retreat?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at BlackBeard's Retreat?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is BlackBeard's Retreat located?
Situated near the beach, this cottage is steps away from Kitty Hawk Beach and Outer Banks Beaches. Children at Play Museum and Holy Redeemer Catholic Church are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Reviews
8.4
Very good
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Hosts were excellent. Beds were very hard and uncomfortable. Only a few of the lamps worked. You get what you pay for. For the price the place was worth it.
The good: location to beach, clean, close to favorite restaurants. The bad: only 2 burners worked on stove, not crazy about smart TV. All in all we enjoyed our stay and had a good time. Liked walking dog on beach every day.
The only issue we had was with the little burrs (I guess that’s what’s their called) that kept finding their way inside the property. Very painful to step on. Other than that, we were very pleased with our stay here in Kitty Hawk.
This was a great spot for the 2 of us and our dog. You truly cannot beat how close to the ocean you are. Enjoyed the proximity to the beach the best. A lot of sand gets tracked in because it is on ground level. We had a broom but no dish pan so we just used paper plates to try and clean everything up. Kitchen was fine, nice fridge and everything worked. The only downfall was that there was not an outdoor shower! If you decide to stay here, bring a 5 gallon bucket to fill up with to try and wash your feet off.
Pros: Property was in a perfect location, right across the road from a public beach entrance. Cons: The burrs are so bad you cannot walk in the yard. The burrs get on your pats and worst they get into their paws. The grass has a up to your knees so please keep your dogs off the yard. A few porch rails are missing and about 5 are loose. The what use to be a screen porch knee walks are siding on 2x4 framing with rusted nail pertruding into the porch area. The bathroom sink is falling through the floor. Back door will not open and has a gap at the bottom. Kitchen countertop by sink the tiles are all cracked with sharp edges, someone tried to fix them with caulk. Microwave doesn’t work. None of the windows open. No broom. Welcome sheets says safe cleaning supplies under sink, only Clorox with bleach. Bedroom fan makes ticking noises. The lock box is a realtor box which is a pain in the a** to open and had only one key. Toilet runs none stop. Asbestos siding is cracked in many areas and one piece is missing completely. I hope the owners will read this and fix the safety issues.
When we checked in it was 83 degrees in the house. There was a window a/c unit in one of the bedrooms that only blew warm air and, in another bedroom, the ceiling fan didn't work. We contacted the host, and she said try turning off the a/c for 15 minutes to see if it would reset. We did that and the temps went up to 84 degrees. We let the host know and they said the soonest someone could come out would be the next day. We live just over an hour away and it was too hot in the house to sleep so we drove back home to sleep in our own house. We came back the next day and it had cooled down to the 75 degrees in the house. An a/c tech came by and said the main a/c unit didn't have enough tonnage to cool such an old, drafty house and suggested that we don't go in and out of the front door as that would let more hot air in. We tried to be as understanding as possible, but it was not a pleasurable experience. We messaged the host, but they stopped responding to our messages as soon as we checked out. We probably should have complained to VRBO and got another place, but we were trying to be understanding.
Corner lot,, with easy access to the beach, just cross street (hwy 12) over the dune and you're there. No frills unit, but cozy and clean, pet friendly, and great location to get to a view of sunrise and dolphin play after 2 minute walk. I would definitely return! The owner communicates quickly, and was attentive, making sure that we had information needed to enjoy the stay. My pregnant daughter and her dog of 13 years had a great time before her little family changes for a lifetime. I'm glad that we were able to spend the adult, girls trip together. This daughter has always loved the beach so I'm grateful that we were found this location in these times of COVID isolation ... it allowed us to embrace nature, family and creation of new memories. Thanks!!!
Fun and relaxing! Great place to stay, especially with our dogs. Beach access once walk across street. (There's a crosswalk/street sign so most vehicles will stop for you). When we arrived, wifi wasn't working and George/Kathleen were very accommodating and quickly pursued to fix. Didn't get wifi until our 2nd night but we didn't mind as it gave us time to play games if we weren't at the beach. Not sure who loved our weekend more...us or the dogs! :-)
Only one disappointment...we paid extra for early / late check-in / check-out and both times cleaning crew were there for our arrival time of 1pm (we got there at 1:15pm), and then 12:15pm upon leaving. I was just finishing getting dressed so we could be out before 1pm but thankfully my family came back inside to alert me. Just a little awkward and thought the cleaning crew would know not to be there upon our arrival / check-in.
Let's start with the good:
- location: right across the street from a public beach access with a walkway mark, so sometimes traffic will stop to let you pass. Great for beach access. Definitely the best selling point of the property.
- cleaniness: the inside of the property was clean. There were a few pieces of trash outside on the property when we arrived (a tube of caulk, a face mask in a tube). Could be better.
- retro: I'd describe the cabin as rustic and old school, which is charming compare to the mega mansions in this area. It's not huge, but perfect size for our family of 4 with a dog.
- availability: it was a last-minute spring break getaway with the kids, so the fact that it was available for some an awesome location is good.
- amenities: it's basic but has almost everything you need. The kitchen is small, note there's no dishwasher. It's not a huge issue, just something that easily missed if you aren't reading the list of appliances carefully. Being it's still covid, we cooked all of our meals in the kitchen and pots and pans were definitely handy and are in decent shape. It could use a baking sheet as we did a bit of baking but couldn't find a baking sheet.
The Smart TV has a lot of channels available. The bedrooms were comfortable. The washer/dryer combo was handy in the hallway.
Now the bad:
- Being so close to the beach, you can tell the house takes a beating from the weather on the outside. The doorknob facing the ocean is completely rusted out and wouldn't lock. There's a bar on the side to keep that door locked. The concrete step to the house has a big chunk missing, although this might be related to the weather. The inside area can also use some TLC. Paint on the window framing is all chipping off. Not knowing how old the house is, we were wondering about lead paint on the windows. With a window right over the sink, the dish sponge was placed on the window sill. The kitchen counter area was tiled but many of the tiles were coming off the wall or broken. Upgrading to these areas seem minor and shouldn't cost a lot, but will make the property a lot less rundown and more appealing. The bedrooms appear to be in good shape though. The beds were comfortable.
Overall, we were looking for a get-away from the crowds and my kids loved playing on the beach and even splashing in the cold ocean. We've vacationed in OBX regularly and looking forward to return post-pandemic.
Lei Z.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 4 July 2021
Thank you, we have made many improvements and hope to host you again.
This was a unique situation that lead to our booking this property. Our kid's school was delayed and we decided to pop on down to OBX for a last-minute stay. Options were slim since this was a Monday evening we were looking for a booking for the next day! But as our family continues to enjoy the beach each year, we find ourselves closer and closer to the water. This rustic property fit the bill. The property was insanely clean, and the pictures were representative of the overall condition. We were happy with the amenities and loved the proximity to the beach. Public beach access is directly across the street with no other properties on the beach front so sitting on the porch at night we could hear the waves. With the community and time of year, there were very few people walking by using the public beach access and the beach for that matter. We could not have been happier to stay here for a mid-week stay and was thankful for everything this place offered.
Do not rent here. During our July week’s stay, we had 9 visits by maintenance, plumbers and HVAC techs to fix 82 degrees in the house; no hot water; leaky pipes and no shower water in the one (and only) bathroom. I have rented for over 20 years, and I have never had to spend several hours waiting for plumbers/HVAC/Maintenance to deal with house issues during a stay. Even as the owner recognized HVAC and bathroom plumbing issues, he reneged on a partial refund offer after calling us “great guests for dealing with the issues” (Yes – I have text exchanges to prove it). The issues were real - why did the owner thank us for being great guests, yet ignore our contact after vacating the property? Very uncool! VRBO could not help us out. Save yourselves the hassle - avoid renting this property.
Dennis S.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Nov 2021
We bent over backwards to help this guest, sent over the AC technicians 3 times, only to find the AC working properly each time!! He spent more time trying to gain a refund than he did enoying the beach. Wow!
AC worked great prior to this guest and great after he left - Please note the 5 Star Reviews! We have an older home, but we love it and are very proud to offer this Historic home to the public. But if modern perfection is your goal, this may not be the best fit for you. If you want to enjoy a clean older home, and the beach that is just a few feet away, this may be the perfect place!
If you want a great little OBX cottage, very clean, rustic and steps away from the beach..this is your spot! It was absolutely perfect for our little getaway and a great place for pets. Great communication and stocked with everything we needed! Thanks for a wonderful experience ♥️
Do believe that maintenance should be done. Broken step, broken tiles in kitchen, caulking and loose tiles in bathroom. All of these are unsanitary. My son hurt his foot on front broken step
Judy B.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Nov 2021
Yes, we have repaired the steps and the broken tiles on the counter top. Fresh caulking has been completed in the bathroom. Thank you and we hope to host you again!
The cottage was quaint. Location was excellent. Right across from the beach and near great restaurants. We haven't had the opportunity to getaway in a year and a half due to Covid. This cottage fulfilled all our needs. Will definitely stay here again.
Wonderful quaint cottage right next to beach, great front porch views, very beachy vibe, we had a wonderful family vacation here. Thank you!
Bethany B.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Aug 2020
Bethany’s group was delightful! Her family appreciated our authentic beach cottage, and they knew exactly how to enjoy the beach. They set up a bucket of water outside on the porch to wash sandy, beach feet :). They left our cottage sparkling clean and they even had a pup with them! This family was so relaxed, easy-going and super appreciative of our cottage. Thank you for being our guests; please allow us to host your family again!!!
Just a walk across the street to the beach! The house is small but it does the job. We got up early and saw the sunrise, then set up our canopy on the perfect spot and returned back 3 hour later. People were doing the same thing so we knew our neighbors every time.
The location being very close to the beach was nice, and the weather was great during our stay. I suspect the owners had recently purchased the property as the house had not been updated in a very long time. While outdated, the house was mostly clean. We did appreciate that the owners allowed our pets to stay in the house with us!
Jeff E.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Nov 2021
Yes Jeff, it is an older home and is shown in the pictures and the description. Why would you have expected some type of "update"? Paying attention to the pictures may assist you in the future to understand what you are renting.
About the host
Hosted by Kathleen
Kathleen and I are very new to the hospitality business. We are so proud to share our little beach cottage with your family. The beach is wonderful here and I hope you will come and make lifetime memories here in our BlackBeard's Retreat. It will be fully stocked, clean and comfortable - We will stock it with all bed linens, towels, paper towels and toilet paper - just bring your tooth brush!
Why they chose this property
This beach cottage is just across the street from the beach. The beach itself is very seldom populated with crowds. It's a great place to fish and surf or just relax and enjoy the beach and sun!
What makes this property unique
If you love the original architecture of the "Original OBX Beach Cottages" you will love our BlackBeard's Retreat. Perfectly constructed with moisture and insect resistant Birch Wood, these cottages are being lost to the large Modern Vacation Homes. This is one of the few remaining originals and we hope you will love the character and stress free living as it was intended here on the OBX.