This was our first VRBO experience and it has us wondering why we have been staying in hotels. We were a group of 10, coming from different parts of the country to spend Christmas together on AMI. The home was brand new and truly beautiful. It was clear that the owners gave a lot of thought to what guests might enjoy when staying in their home. You can see in the photos that the decor is tastefully done. There is a large master suite and 2 additional bedrooms with king sized beds (lots of pillows) and private bathrooms, which worked great for our group as no one had to argue about who got the smaller bed. There is also a twin bedroom and bunk room, which worked well for the kids. The kitchen is totally stocked with everything you might need. We had planned a pretty simple holiday meal, but really could have done much more as there are 2 ovens and plenty of cookware & utensils. The washing machine is ENORMOUS, which made washing beach towels (plenty of them there) easy.
The location is also pretty great. It is a very short walk to the beach and there are plenty of beach chairs, toys, an umbrella and a big cart to transport it all. You can also walk to the shops and restaurants in Holmes Beach and if you want to go further, there is a free bus stop that is close by as well.
In addition to the home itself working out perfectly for us, Nikki at Once Upon a Beach was easy to work with and very responsive. We would definitely stay here again.