Having been raised on the West Coast, but living near the mountains of North Carolina for the last couple of decades, we wanted a week of no tourists, quiet, and decent weather at the beach. We also wanted to take our dog this trip. The kitchen is large, rooms spacious, no complaints on the home. We were even able to wash the dog outside after a trip in the ocean. Although we brought water, mainly for the dog due to some reviews, we didn’t need it. The water in the home is clear, clean and good. For coffee drinkers, water may not be a big issue. However, for me as a hot tea drinker and the dog, it can be a major deal on a trip. Suffice it to say not only was my tea great, the dog couldn’t get enough of the water. The owner responds to emails quickly, shows concerns for any issues and met all our needs. The beach was an easy walk. We only had one concern due to our ignorance of OBX. We would caution any dog owners to bring tweezers or hemostats to remove sand burrs from pads as well as any paddle cactus thorns. One large burr was embedded not in the yard, but on one of the many walks a day around the block. We don’t see how the owner could ever keep these out of the yard as they are easily spread by wind. Just be prepared. Speaking of dogs, if an owner gives you the privilege of vacationing with your dog, follow the rules and pick up after them. We had two glorious days of warm weather, one rainy day and the others cold and windy. It didn’t stop us from being responsible pet owners. It in no way stopped us from enjoying the many activities available off season. We found a great little local restaurant, Josephine’s, within walking distance that is visited by mainly locals. We also discovered a doggy day care part of Holistic Pet Shop School for Dogs. Our young dog was able to enjoy new friends for a day while we went on excursions she could not go to. She enjoyed playing in the yard, the house, liked the sand, did not care for the Atlantic, but loved her outing with the big dogs. All in all, an enjoyable trip. We would rent from this owner again.