first stay in Virginia beach

canyon (clinton ny USA)
Review submitted: May 15, 2013   Date of arrival: April 14, 2013

We found this place on the internet and lucklily it was available on short notice. We found the location prime and were able to visit area attractions and restaurants with ease. The weather was great and the house offered many amenities from the accomodating owner.
The kayaks, bikes ,etc offered our family recreation and being able to buy fresh oysters down the street a bonus.
The people showed us Southern hospitality and made our first visit to Virginia beach a memorable one.

Recommended for: families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Wonderful Escape

CJ (Georgia)
Review submitted: October 8, 2012   Date of arrival: September 22, 2012

I would first like to compliment our host on making sure our stay in his home was a pleasant experience. This was our first VRBO experience and I must say that anyone that follows this experience will be hard to come close to the wonderful service and home we got to use for a week of pure pleasure.
The home has every convenience imaginable. It's location is close to many attractions people want to visit. If you like the outdoors like we do there is crabbing right off the dock, fishing, the beach, and many other activities then you will love this place.
When the owner learned that I liked oysters the next thing I knew I had a bushel bag of fresh Lindhaven oysters at the front door. We have experienced many places but I can say that this home is one place that we will definitely be going back to.
I would just like to thank the owner once more for making our stay an exceptional experience.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 6

Relaxing Vacation

David Robert E. ()
Review submitted: September 4, 2012   Date of arrival: August 25, 2012

We had a very relaxing vacation at Absalom Dr. Home was clean; swimming pool was wonderful; dock provided good fishing; quiet neighborhood; nice view from sunroom. Our dogs took immediately to ringing their bellls on the sliding door to go outside. It was their first encounter with ducks!!!

We ate dinner out every night. We liked Smoke and Cooler the best. Don't be fooled by the condition of the shopping center. Fantastic kobe burger and pot stickers. Of all the restaurants we tried, this one was the best. We found that the Citrus diner provided better meals during the week than on Sunday. Probably due to volume of customers.

Every place we went was within 15 minutes of the home. Our idea of a vacation is to destress. This home definitely provided us the ability to do that.

Both my husband and I could have used a two step stool to get into the master bedroom bed. It is very high. One was good - two would be better. I absolutely loved the bed linens and would like to know the brand. Very very comfortable.

Home owner was accommodating and patient when we needed assistance locking the house; connecting to the internet; and turning off the security system.

All in all we would vacation here again.

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

Wonderful house

Benthe (New York, NY)
Review submitted: July 16, 2012   Date of arrival: June 30, 2012

We just enjoyed a wonderful week in a very luxurious house. The house is amazing and everything (especially the kitchen) was sparkling clean. The owner, Steve, is very nice and attentive to your needs. We also enjoyed the pool and the deck and found the outdoors furniture to be very nice also. We enjoyed watching the duck family every day (mom, pop and 5 ducklings) and the other interisting birds.
We can only recommend this house and have given it a 5 star rating. Thanks again Steve.

Benthe

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 6 / 7

Awesome, As Usual!!!!!!

Lynn & Family (Springfield, VA)
Review submitted: July 2, 2012   Date of arrival: June 10, 2012

Time just seems to go more quickly each year! This was our fourth year at 2012 Absalom and the best yet! .....and we can't think of any other place we'd rather spend our summer vacation! Steve and Shirley....you're the best! Had such a wonderful time with you and, again, our weather was perfect!!!! The added guest bedroom allowed us to have my in-laws visit for a few days and they now see why we think of this as Paradise! Can't wait til next year!!! The Pines Family (pictures on the way soon!)

Recommended for: age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 2

A perfect 10

Alicia B. ()
Review submitted: July 1, 2012   Date of arrival: June 23, 2012

This property is wonderful ! It met all our expectations. It was clean, well appointed, and beautifully decorated. Everthing we needed was provided, up to & including dog bed and bowls. A comfortable family oriented space that was close enough to beach attractions if you wanted excitement, and peaceful enough if you just wanted to relax by the pool and enjoy the view. The owner was attentive and delightfully entertaining. We enjoyed him throughly and feel like he is as family oriented as we are .We appreciated the notebook with the history of the home and local activities and restaurants. After a evening storm, I called to ask him about ME hooking up the pool cleaner & he said " no problem, I'll be over in 30 minutes, if that's ok with you." That is EXCELLANT customer service. We enjoyed a trip to his store "THE GOLD MINE", all us girls came home with beautiful treasures .We look forward to coming back next summer. Thanks Steve !!

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Helpful votes: 1 / 2

Relaxing Vacation Home

Gretchen (Delaware)
Review submitted: May 28, 2012   Date of arrival: May 12, 2012

We had a great stay at this home. The homeowner is very welcoming and responsive to any need or question. We never had a problem getting a hold of him.

The home is in a very nice and quiet neighborhood. We spent the day sitting on the deck and dock and relaxing in the pool. The house has binoculars, so we used them to watch the birds and boats go by. Nights were spent grilling and enjoying the hot tub (the hot tub cover is the easiest cover I've ever used).

The entire house, including the pool and hot tub were very clean. The beds and pillows are very comfortable. There is a TV in every room and they are nice and large. There is a nice variety of movies to watch. The sound system in the house is easy to use and has individual room/section volumes for indoor and outdoor areas. Also, the use of the key pad code for house entry is very convenient.

Our two dogs also loved this house (and chasing the ducks :) ). The house is great for dogs and was well stocked with food dishes for both indoors and outdoors and a dog bed.

We enjoyed our stay and recommend this vacation rental.

Recommended for: age 55+, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 2

Interesting!

Rhea (Northern Virginia)
Review submitted: May 8, 2012   Date of arrival: May 4, 2012

The house was very nice and comfortable as long as you don't mind having cameras every where watching you. The outside cameras were visible and I hope there were no cameras inside. We didn't think much about it until the owner called to say "he sees we're having trouble with the pool cover". That made it very uncomfortable.

The rental says that there is room for six but please know that there are only two rooms with beds and I wouldn't say that they are separate bedrooms.

The house is well equipped with all the comforts of home. But please ask up front about the cameras.

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

Great house, great location

Mike (Charlotte, NC USA)
Review submitted: April 19, 2012   Date of arrival: April 12, 2012

This is an outstanding house... well furnished, clean and comfortable. It has all the amenities, including several flat-screen TVs.
The owner was very accommodating and helpful.
It was a great treat to sit on the back deck and look out over the water, and we frequently saw egrets, herons and ducks.
The house offers easy access to a number of good restaurants, and it's close to tourist attractions.
I would definitely rent this porperty again if I visted the area again.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 3

Great property!

tony (Virginia)
Review submitted: December 28, 2011   Date of arrival: December 23, 2011

Our family had a great time in Virginia Beach and Colonial Williamsburg for Christmas. Well positioned to see the surrounding historical sites.
House well stocked and appointed. The view of the inlet was calming, and we especially loved the sauna and hot tub-and the beautiful starts on the clear nights.
Would go again!!

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Helpful votes: 6 / 7

Peaceful and Serene

Janet & Jack (Catonsville, Maryland)
Review submitted: November 14, 2011   Date of arrival: September 11, 2011

Your place is perfect; very peaceful, comforting, and therapeutic. We couldn't have had a better experience. We loved the pool and sitting on the deck watching wildlife, birds, and boats go by. The immediate area with it's restaurants, shops, and state park is very nice and the neighborhood is beautiful, safe, and friendly. Our canine companion enjoyed it too. Thank you so much for your warm hospitality. We will miss your lovely home with it's incredible view and solitude. Life is good.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 6

Wonderful House

Heather (Charlottesville, Va.)
Review submitted: September 11, 2011   Date of arrival: September 4, 2011

Just returned home from staying at Steve's wonderful house. I can not say enough about what a great home this is and the location, it's beautiful. There are so many upgrades, beds are so comfortable, there really isn't anything else you could want for a vacation home. The icing on the cake with this great house, is I was able to bring my 4-legged companion. Thank you Steve! Also, thank you Shirley. I hope to return soon.
Heather

Recommended for: girls getaway, pet-friendly

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Helpful votes: 3 / 5

another vacation in paradise our 3rd year in a ro

Review submitted: July 24, 2011   Date of arrival: June 20, 2011

Title: "Another Vacation in Paradise"

Arrival date: June 20 (to July 1)

We absolutely LOVE your home on Absalom Drive and look forward to it each year (this was our THIRD visit!). I was just uploading pictures of our vacation to share with friends and got so homesick for that wonderful pool, beautifully appointed house, gorgeous view and peaceful island. The time just goes too quickly when we are there. If I'm repeating myself I'm sorry, but a true testament to this wonderful place is that our 'adult' kids also look forward to joining us each year....priceless! This year, they even used the kayaks!....wonderful photo ops! Now one of us just needs to get a boating license so we can actually take advantage of everything you offer:-)

Thanks so much Steve & Shirley. YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!! See you next year? Lynn

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Helpful votes: 6 / 7

DD, Jacksonville Fl

DD (Jacksonville, Fl)
Review submitted: March 23, 2011   Date of arrival: March 18, 2011

The house is very nice, spacious and it has a lovely view however, it should be noted that this is only a TWO bedroom house (not 3 as this web cite states). The 2nd bedroom has two queen beds (which one is a convertabed). We had 3 couples in our party and were surprised when we could not find the 3rd BR. One of the couples had to share a couch to sleep (it did not convert to a bed). The "loft" mentioned in the description is a sun room in the back of the house which is pictured in the web cite. If you only need 2 BR then this is a very nice place to stay.

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Helpful votes: 12 / 13

Fantastic Place!

Bentley (Richmond, Virginia)
Review submitted: March 2, 2011   Date of arrival: February 26, 2011

What a gem! Your house offers a rare combination of cozy charm and luxury. Being in the fabulous hot tub while whatching our dogs view ducks on the water was a joy. Cooking in the gourmet kitchen....yum. Overall.....bliss....a delicious experience!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 6

Great House With A View!

Rich (Pennsylvania)
Review submitted: July 19, 2010   Date of arrival: July 10, 2010

Hi Steve

Our family enjoyed being able to bring our boat from Pennsylvania and have it right out back. We beached and dined by boat at Bubbas and Dockside Inn - great food! We enjoyed being on the poolside deck with the outdoor speakers and watching the ducks sun themselves and pass by daily. The pool was refreshing in the late afternoon when we arrived back from a day on the water. The steam shower was also a nice treat. There was plenty of room to relax and we loved the peaceful neighborhood. Kayaking was interesting too. We didn't even get to the downtown beach, as we beached by boat and loved being on the water. The only thing we needed was more time.
Hope to be back again!

The Davis'
Pennsylvania

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, pet-friendly, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 6 / 7

Absolutely perfect, again!!!

Lynn & Family (Springfield, VA)
Review submitted: June 30, 2010   Date of arrival: June 9, 2010

Steve & Shirley...

Well, we thought we would be satisfied by extending our stay this year to 1-1/2 weeks, but your wonderful home just keeps us wanting more time! Once again, we had wonderful (albeit warm) weather which, as I keep mentioning, just makes it so much more difficult to 'pull away' and go do other things in the area. We were, however, a little better this year:-) Took advantage of the wonderful hiking trail nearby...delightful (pups loved it too!) Also, upon Shirley's suggestion, we did visit the incredible art show on the boardwalk. Our daughter joined us for the entire time, and we were thrilled to have our son fly into Norfolk from NY to spend a few days as well. We all love it!

You remain the perfect 'host & hostess' and we are (of course) already talking about returning next June. Have a great year....we WILL be in touch!

Fondly,
Lynn (& Family)

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW

Review submitted: March 18, 2010   Date of arrival: March 18, 2010

WE KEEP GETTING RAVE REVIEWS 5 STAR
GREAT SERVICE GREAT QUIET COMFORTABLE LUXURIOUS HOME WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT A VERY FAIR AND AFFORDABLE RATE
WE STILL HAVE SOME WEEKS THE END OF AUGUST SEPTEMBER -DECEMBER
ASK ABOUT SPECIAL DEALS PET FRIENDLY FANTASTIC VACATION PARADISE PACKAGE. THANKS TO OUR LOYAL SATISFIED CLIENTS ALWAYS GREAT REVEIWS.

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Helpful votes: 3 / 4

Tired of Winter retreat!

Thawed Pennyslvanian (Central PA)
Review submitted: March 15, 2010   Date of arrival: March 6, 2010

What a lovely home! My family of 4 (2 older boys) and our small dog thoroughly enjoyed our week. The property is beautifully kept, and has the advantage of being simultaneously in the "center of everything," yet, the quiet neighborhood is blissfully private and "away from it all." Despite the early March timing, we lucked into 65-70F days, sunned on the deck, visited the nearby Cape Henry lighthouse, and hiked at First Landing State Park. We visited Colonial Williamsburg, which is just an hour away, and of course, took in the Va Beach boardwalk. Owner is easily contacted and responsive. Kitchen is well equipped and a pleasure to use. My sons thoroughly enjoyed the large TV's & electronics (they brought their own PS3's to use). The steam shower removed all traces of winter chill, and was a real treat. The home provided us with a very restful and enjoyable vacation week. Thank you Steve & Shirley!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 4

what a terrific home the best value

Review submitted: January 10, 2010   Date of arrival: July 1, 2009

Hey, Steve



Can't tell you HOW much we loved your wonderful home at Absalom Drive!!! Very much hoping we can return again next year. Just wanted to pass along a few pics I took that may be a little different than ones you already have posted. Feel free to use any or all.



The girls (the Korean one is mine:-) ) had a great time fishing, but we threw them all back because no one could stand to "kill" them. And my 'city slicker' pups were inside most of time due to very HOT temps, but enjoyed sitting by pool with us later in the day. They're tethered because I was afraid of losing them to the Bay if an errant duck came by:-)



Shirley is a delight and I'm absolutely thrilled with the necklace purchase she helped us with when we visited your store.



My best,

Lynn

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

Would Love To Go Back!

ks2cents (Illinois)
Review submitted: August 29, 2009   Date of arrival: August 23, 2008

my family stayed here in Aug 2008 and I meant to leave a review back then and forgot. I was just recommending the place to a person which sent me back to the site. We had a great stay at this property, the best experience we have ever had renting a house. The pool is perfect to keep kids (dogs) busy while getting ready for the day etc. We fished right off the back,caught crabs and grilled. The owner had excellent recommendations for local resturants. The house was spotless. The beach is a quick drive and parking is plentiful. I hope to go back one day. As the entire family enjoyed the area and lodging.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 4 / 5

Great Place to Stay

Mike and Ruth (Richmond, VA)
Review submitted: August 11, 2009   Date of arrival: June 20, 2009

Our family had a great time on Bay Island Father's Day weekend. This home has a beautiful spot on the bay, very quiet and peaceful with a wonderful view! We were visited by a mama duck and her seven ducklings trailing behind. Our four-year-old grandson loved the pool. We all enjoyed the hot tub. The wrap around couch and big screen TV were a big plus. We saved money by cooking meals on the high tech grill on the deck. Nearby Bubba's has great seafood when you do want to eat out. The master bedroom and bath is very comfortable with lots of storage. We hope to come back again.

Recommended for: age 55+, people with disabilities, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 4

Terrific VA Beach Vacation

09FamVac (Wolfeboro NH)
Review submitted: July 14, 2009   Date of arrival: July 6, 2009

What a wonderful vacation getaway we had at this home. A beautiful setting, beautiful home and terrific ammenities!

Having a grilling area, pool, hot tub, and beautiful surroundings all on the deck of this home made for such a relaxing and enjoyable time.

Highly recommend this home for family vacation or a wonderful getaway for couple!!!!

Very attentive and accomodating owner.Excellent customer service!!!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 8 / 9

Wonderful Surroundings and Great Home

Presteau (Chicago)
Review submitted: June 26, 2008   Date of arrival: June 10, 2008

This home is very comfortable, well equipped and beautiful. The owner is responsive to every need. The view is amazing. You can sit in the hot tub or swim in the pool right on the bay and look at the beautiful surroundings. It is very close to anything you need and just a few miles from the beach. But you are still on the water in the bay so you get the wonderful view all the time.
There are great places to eat very close to this home.
We stay in Vacation Rentals at least 5-6 times a year and this is one of the best we have stayed in yet. We received our deposit back right away, that is always nice!
We would highly recommend this home.
Eric and Pam

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 17 / 18