I really hate to use my blog this way ... BUT,

Look, I'm a paying consumer. You know me, I'm honest. I don't try to get something for nothing. I do; however, expect quality services when I am paying out our hard-earned money for them ... which leads me to my point. I preface ALL of this by saying that I rarely let anything ruin a family vacation. It's all about attitude, and we had a great time with my Mom and Dad and sister down in Chincoteague at the beginning of July. I wouldn't trade a single second of that week, BUT ...


We stayed for a week at a house called Island Haven, based on some decent reviews.  When we went into the house, we were appalled by the filthy condition the house had been left in.  Throughout the house, the floor was dirty, but particularly so in the kitchen.  We found food wrappers AND food left by the previous tenants, which had not been taken care of by the cleaning service. Additionally, there was sand left over in the master bedroom from previous tenants. The refrigerator was disgusting and the freezer smelled like fish.  During our stay, the air conditioner broke on two occasions, and we were only able to get it fixed by constantly bugging the owner, as if paying customers were an inconvenience. The worst part is that we did not get our full deposit back.  The owner arbitrarily withheld money for "excessive cleaning fees," despite the fact that we left the house in far better condition than we found it.


While the total dollar amount was fairly trivial, it was apparent that once the owner had our money (full payment & deposit in advance), he did not care about us.  If you're looking for a place to crash near the beach, have low standards for cleanliness & maintenance, and don't care about throwing away money, by all means, stay at Island Haven.  If, on the other hand, you'd rather have a stress-free visit, you might want to go elsewhere.


Seriously, vacation rentals down there are a dime a dozen. I should have known that I would get what I paid for. Just a word FROM the now wise, read reviews carefully. Take them to heart, and finally, in spite of a bad experience, don't let it affect your attitude. Life is what YOU make it, don't let other people make it for you.