Having stayed on Dauphin Island for over 6 years, I feel I have a good "litmus" test for what you can expect when renting a beach home. I will share with you the pros and cons of our week-long stay at Relaxation. In our party were middle-age adults, elderly parents, and teenage kids.
PROS
- location (so close to the West End where you can walk for a long time and see no houses)
- Views (you have a beautiful view of the bay and unobstructed view of Gulf, which is unusual)
- Plenty of space to spread out and share family meals. Large front deck and large back deck.
- great washer and drier that hold big loads
- I was in contact with the rental company a few times and each time someone answered my phone call
CONS
- cleanliness of the home was a big issue. We found hair stuck to shower walls and in the corners of the home. Pieces of dog food here and there on both floors. It rained on the fourth day and with the humidity the carpets smelled strongly of pet urine (they were also very visibly stained). Hard surface floors had not been vacuumed or cleaned well. No matching sheets on beds, two were missing a top sheet, and upon check out we were told NOT to wash the comforters (which were the only blankets provided). I realize that I could have called the rental company and asked them to come out and clean the home, however, we had driven 11 hours and unloaded our cars and wanted to start our vacation. Additionally, each review on VRBO mentioned that cleanliness was an issue, so I don't think it's any surprise to the rental company (and I suppose not to me, either).
- the home is in great disrepair. Carpets are stained and smell strongly of pet urine. Downstairs bathroom smells of urine even though we cleaned it. Crumbling ceilings, patchy paint, dripping faucets. The screened-in porch is not screened-in because upon arrival 4 large panels were ripped. The kitchen utensils and dishes were mismatched, poorly organized, and many rusted or not safe to use. The banister is quite wobbly. One of the upstairs beds is billed as a queen and I am certain it was a double. Many of the windows were open at checkin & when we tried to close them it was impossible because they were stuck. Overall, this stay was nice only because we were together as a family and could be outdoors in the beautiful weather. The home was a great disappointment.