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"Not recommended (especially during winter season)
Pros:
Great beachfront location on a quite beach
Clean rooms
Plenty of rooms/space for a party of 12
Reasonable rental rates
Lots of reminders and clear instructions
Pet friendly
Cons:
Thermostat on the main floor was broken (would not even turn it on) and the floor was quite cold during the entire stay
Thermostat on the top floor did not work properly either and we could not increase the temperature on that floor. All the rooms on both floors were quite cold during the night. The only floor with the thermostat and heater working properly was the basement.
We tried to reach the company that manages the property by phone and also using the app, but no response during the entire stay
Not enough blankets were provided though it was quite cold (because the broken heating)
The house is very old and quite dated, several bathrooms doors do not close completely. Even when some doors could be closed, most of the bathroom door-locks did not work properly, we had to use chairs to block these doors when using some of the bathrooms
Water was dripping from the main-floor living room ceiling (on one of the days, not sure of the source, possibly from one of the upstairs showers)
Not all bedrooms have full bathrooms attached, you need to use separate shower rooms near the entrance"
Dec 12, 2023 - Balu A., Cary, NC
"One week Island Birds rental
The Islandbirds ocean front location in Atlantic Beach is ideal, and our stay was very enjoyable. However,since this year's weather during the 2nd week of October was mostly cool and windy, it was difficult, at best, to attempt to adjust the HVAC "warm weather" temperature settings. Other than that, the Islandbirds was a perfect home for the 4 of us plus our Golden Retriever. "
Nov 01, 2023 - Les C., Landenberg, PA
"Great Oceanfront Cottage - Islanbirds
I love Islandbirds so much that I come here for church retreats every year. It's safe, you can walk to the sea and it's quiet. Above all, Cannon & Gruber are friendly, communicative, and strive to provide the best possible service."
Sep 07, 2023 - Dong l., Winterville, NC
"Group rental
Over all we enjoyed our stay. The house was Great for our large group. The rental was clean and had all pots and pans that we needed for our meals. The house is slightly dated needs quite a bit of updating. And it would have been useful to have four full baths and all the bathrooms. House only has two full baths and 2 half baths and two shower rooms. This did accommodate all of us we had 13 staying in the house. Just be aware that the apartment downstairs you have to walk through the bedroom from the sleeping room to get to the bathroom. In saying all this I would rent it again. It was a great location and fun was had by all."
Nov 02, 2022 - Angela C., Granite Falls, NC
"Islandbirds-Great Place
Great vacation home, lots of space, lots of sleeping space, great location right on the beach. The public access is right beside the house and comes in really handy when carrying all the kids “stuff” in the wagon. Both kitchens were fully equipped with all cooking needs. Overall great place, we’ve already booked for next year. The Cannon and Gruber staff were amazing to work with, they answered all questions and resolved concerns we had. "
Jul 04, 2022 - Brad G., Rocky Mount, NC
"Very roomy comfortable older home
Overall we enjoyed staying at Islandbirds. The location is great and the house has lots of room and a big kitchen. However there needs to be some updates done to the bathrooms. The apartment bath\shower fixtures and the upstairs bath\shower fixtures did not work well at all. In fact we could not use the apartment shower at all. However, the shower rooms on the main floor were really great. Many of the doors in the house and the gates on the deck need to be fixed\updated."
Jun 13, 2022 - Renee Y., Raleigh, NC
"Good beach location
The house was very clean, but it is really old. Doors don’t close, there us only 1 shower for all the bedrooms. There are 2 showers by the front door for rinsing sand, etc & is usable for older kids/adults. Dining room/family room is super nice with great views of the ocean. Very spacious for multiple families, as there are 3 floors of bedrooms. Overall, a nice house, just prepare for it to be very old & unkept. Also, bring your own coffee/filters/detergent, as this was not stocked. Not a big deal, but i wish i knew. "
Apr 03, 2022 - , Wheaton, IL
"Lots of potential
A good location for beach lovers. Not much parking space for so many guests. The large rooms on the ocean side are great for gatherings, playing cards, eating, etc. Plenty of bedrooms, but not enough showere (the bedroom we slept in didn't have a shower). Lots and lots of stairs. I wouldn't recommend for eldery people or those with walking difficulties. Just too many stairs for those to navigate easily. Very few electrical outlets in the bedrooms, usually just one per bedroom so pluging in your cell phone charger, computer or games my not be possible in the bedroom. Overall I would rate this property as just adequate. Not fancy or well lighted, but a good place to sleep, cook (lots of dishes, pots and pans) and easy access to the beach.
The knotty pine paneling is dated, but pretty. It's also very dark and requires more lighting than is in the building."
Dec 30, 2021 - , Lexington, NC
"Christmas get a way
IslandBirds was spacious and basically clean. Not enough towels provided. For our stay. House has some neat older home features. The lighting in house needs improving, too dark
It meet our needs for weekend "
Dec 22, 2021 - , Wilson, NC
"Great House
First, the house has plenty of character. From the cypress wood to the many rooms, to the great open spaces, Island Birds will sleep a large family.
Ideally situated by the public access to the beach, it gave our Pug the opportunity to welcome beach goers from the wide and spacious porch where we could sit back and enjoy the ocean breeze and watch the sunset."
Oct 18, 2021 - John N., Belhaven, NC
"Old School Vibe
Old school cottage. We had 4 generations staying and plenty of room. Loved the Butlers pantry for storing our food, drinks, etc. large kitchen table for group dinners. We loved the showers on the downstairs back porch. "
Sep 06, 2021 - , Cincinnati, OH
"Islandbirds
There was plenty of space for all of us. Would be great to have more TV’s for those storm/rain days"
Aug 02, 2021 - , Jarrettsville, MD
"UPSETTING BEACH HOUSE
Unfortunately pictures can be so deceiving. The beach house was nothing like we expected. Outdated, dirty furniture, urine smell in one of the bedrooms, broken porch furniture that was not usable, showers that were evidently later added and located on the front enclosed porch, etc. The property was advertised as beach front, however no view of beach unless you were on the top level of house looking out the bedroom window. It's unfortunate that many people vacation once a year and walk into situations like my family did. We asked for some sort of a refund, but owner refused to do so, which it what we expected. Being said, we still enjoyed being with family. "
Jul 28, 2021 - , Dayton, VA
"Old charm!
Loved staying at island bird. Roomy, clean and delightful. "
Jul 26, 2021 - Jeanette L., High Point, NC
"Some bumps in the road , but a good stay
Older home with lots a character, the wood and history was wonderful. We had a really bad storm and had some leaks, which we made the rental company aware of. Plenty of roo., had all we needed in the kitchen. We really enjoyed the house Islandbirds and we will probably rent this home again."
Jun 16, 2021 - Melissa C., Vale, NC
"Great Stay
Wonderful ...easy check in and no surprises "
Jun 03, 2021 - David A., Battleboro, NC
"Our rambling warm beach house
We had a wonderful time in Islandbirds. The house is huge and comfortable and while it may be old we enjoyed the trip immensely. 4 generations of our family stayed together there and found the arrangement to work well for us."
May 31, 2021 - Karen M., Louisville, KY
"Great experience, fun house, helpful management
Our group really enjoyed our stay at Islandbirds, and appreciated the prompt and professional management staff when addressing a couple of typical issues during the week. This older house is large and full of rustic charm; a few rough edges and quirks make it feel like it's full of stories. Some details that we think might be useful to share: There was a small vacuum but no broom; a decently stocked kitchen *upstairs* but a severe lack of cereal/soup bowls (two, maybe?); and a Keurig coffee maker *not* a regular one. The house keys/locks were also difficult to use, but eventually did the job. Overall, location and beach access were phenomenal, and we had a wonderful time."
Apr 13, 2021 - Ben J., Fairview, NC
"Awesome Location and view!
Even though the weather was cold, the house was warmed by the laughter and love of our kids and grandkids. The house was charming. The bathrooms AND kitchen could use a little TLC. "
Apr 06, 2021 - Anita D., Troy, NC
"Great
Great place"
Oct 20, 2020 - , Hurdle Mills, NC
"Beautiful old school beach house
Bbeautiful, spacious old-school beach house with lovely wood throughout!Hope they maintain the flavor of the house as they update. Spacious house, big covered porch on the beach side. The house seems to be in the midst of updating, Unfortunately, there were a number of issues that need resolution including kitchen not properly equipped & downstairs kitchen not equipped at all. Screen doors not working, dryer knob is a pair of vice grips, construction stuff about, blinds that don't work. Minor, but need addressing. Fantastic location and downstairs apartment is HUGE!"
Jul 06, 2020 - , Pinehurst, NC
"Great house for several families, very convenient
We had a great last minute trip with another family and stayed in this wonderful house. The location was perfect and the size of the house was just right for two families. We could have slept another small family too! So nice to be able to bring our pups to the beach too! Thank you to Cannon & Gruber for making this so easy!"
May 20, 2020 - , High Point, NC
"Island birds house
This is an excellent large house that is ideal for 2 families. The views of the beach and sunsets are amazing. We had a great experience."
Jan 04, 2020 - , Goldsboro, NC
"Island Bird House Rental Was Great!
We had a big party of guests who were in town for a wedding. The house is very big and fit us all comfortably. We had one small issue, and contacted the rental agency, and they took care of it immediately. "
Oct 01, 2019 - NICHOLAS S., RALEIGH, NC
"Fabulous Family Get away
We really enjoyed our stay. All 10 of us and 2 dogs. We rambled around the house had good food and visited with old friends. Our only complaint was uncomfortable beds. "
Nov 06, 2018 - Jane w., Clarksville, VA
"Island Birds May 2018
Kid-friendly, with plenty of space for our family. We love the traditional architecture. Great view and easy access to the ocean. Could use some TLC in maintenance. But we had a great time."
Nov 06, 2018 - , Zionville, NC
"Would stay again! Had a great time!
There only two negatives about our stay. There was no mention of the share the bath rooms in the add.The first night we were there a roach crawled out from under the chair in the living room. "
Nov 06, 2018 - Chuck B., Derry, PA
"Family vacation
Overall very good. Couple request that were dealt with very quickly. You should replace the toaster oven. Door does not work very well and the top of the unit gets very, very hot. note on top warns that it gets hot which only serves to admit that it is a hazard and you know about it. Seems like an admission of liability. Someone is going to get burnt"
Nov 06, 2018 - Tom R., Lexington, NC
"Islandbirds
Loved this beach house! Lots of room for our extended family of 10 and one miniature schnauzer! Loved all the wood paneling, shuttered doors, and moldings. Great ocean porch! This was the perfect house for us. Was disappointed the beach was inaccessible due to dredging, but as we spent time at Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout, it worked out fine. Would definitely enjoy staying here in the future!!"
Apr 24, 2017 - Barry R., Statesville, NC
"Islandbirds
Weather and water were delightful. House was clean, but there were problems with the second floor air conditioning which had to be fixed, a leak around the tub in the upstairs bathroom that leaked to the first floor bathroom if you let water stand any length of time in front of the upstairs tub, and at night very large black waterbugs would appear on the walls. The flyswatter was definitely useful. Actually, this is a terrific old style beach house, and is generally well maintained. The rental agents were prompt and helpful."
Sep 30, 2016 - , South Boston, VA
"Wonderful family vacation at the beach
We spent a week in this beautiful house. There were 13 of us and yet because of the way this house is laid out we never felt crowded. Wonderful vacation! "
Sep 20, 2016 - Denise A., Richmondville, NY
"Wondeful Experience
Wonderful, clean house - easy access to the beach - close to everything we needed. We brought families from all over the country to this house and EVERYONE loved it!"
Sep 07, 2016 - , Biddeford, ME
"Great vacation place
We had a great vacation rental experience. We were provided with everything we needed to know ahead of time, payment was easy, and the place was perfect for our family (11 of us)."
Aug 29, 2016 - , Asheville, NC
"Islandbirds
Aside from the air conditioning breaking down several times over 2 days, our stay was very pleasant. The Cannon & Gruber staff was always extremely helpful, especially in seeing that the air conditioner was properly fixed. "
Feb 18, 2016 - , Williamstown, MA
"Family of 12.
House has character and the old beach house feel. It does require some updates that could be made inexpensively. The downstairs AC is nonexistent and could really use a window unit or standalone AC. Couches and chairs are musty and stained to the point they make you feel dirty. The rugs need replacing or removed. The family was disappointed the beach was not visible from porch, but it encouraged everyone to go down to the beach."
Jul 29, 2015 - , Clayton, NC
"Vacation Review
Pleasant after the AC was fixed on Monday afternoon for top floor. We did have a problem with water bugs. In one night we killed probably 15 bugs. Upstairs did not appear to have been cleaned such as floors swept, carpet vacuumed and furniture dusted. "
Jul 16, 2015 - Todd H., Rocky Mount, NC
"Spacious, clean and great location!
We take a family vacation every year on Memorial Day weekend. This house had all the space we needed and was in a great location. Enjoyed it very much! Only negatives were air conditioning issues and problems with doors, particularly bathroom doors, closing a locking. Great rental for large families!"
Jun 11, 2015 - Rhonda S., Sanford, NC
"Average
Average....could use a really thorough cleaning. "
Aug 20, 2014 - William G., Clayton, NC
"Stayed for Hurricane Arthur, house is wonderful, mgmt didn't care
The house is a beautiful home, gorgeous wood paneling and wood floors throughout, huge rooms, amazing views. We loved this house! Location was perfect. It was clean and wonderful. BUT...We were shocked that the rental agency never contacted us before, during or after Hurricane Arthur. We saved the house from tremendous damage from 2 windows bursting out. We held them together and wedged them closed with found lumber. We closed all hurricane shutters and moved all outdoor furniture and moved our cars to higher ground, although no one called ahead to provide instructions on any of it. Not a single call was received from the management office during this Category 2 Hurricane involving one of their ocean front properties (!) When I reported the damage to the rental office giving her a written list of items, the receptionist didn't even bat an eye or ask a single question. She just moved the paper to the side and said thanks. Had we not been there to close the shutters and secure the windows, this house would've had interior damage to the woodwork and walls. Furthermore, I was surprised that the company never even made a phone call to check on our welfare. I asked other neighbors on the street who rented and their companies had checked in and provided instructions and reassurance. I guess this company just doesn't care a lot for the actual homes or the families, just getting the money. "
Jul 09, 2014 - Hilary F., Chapel Hill, NC
"rat
Have rented IB for lot of years. Cannon & Gruber are great to work with but, The air in basement should have been ckd, did not work. CG got it fixed by Mon noon, but very uncomfortable 3 days!!!! Reported that outside shower not working had been turned off due to pvc leak near shower. NO response all week. We repaired but still leaked. That shower is necessity to keep sand etc out of house!!!. Other than that it has been a fun house for a lot of years. "
Jul 02, 2014 - , Parksville, KY
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