Wilmington and surrounding were once my home for many years and I met my late husband there. We married and had our first place there in 2003. He passed suddenly, so I brought our 3 children and my mother back for a long trip down memory lane and this was the best home base that we could have asked for. My mom is elderly and isn't as able to move around as she used to be, so staying in a hotel with long hallways or a multi-story house with steps would have been terrible. It is close to the beach, Island Market, the golf cart rental kiosk, and Kure Beach Pier. Easy walking distance, super easy biking distance, and since we went with a golf cart to save gas on the island, everything was fast to get to. Beach access is free after 5pm during the season and there are cart spaces. The deck was our hang out spot and there is not much shade, but there is a table with an umbrella. If I were to make suggestions to the owners, one would be to install a mister system along the roofline above the back door, but that creates a new set of rules and maintenance. The patio string lights are no longer there and what looked like a fire pit is now filled in with flowers. All of which was fine for us. There was one digital clock in the kitchen, so if you're used to a device such as an Alexa or Google, you'll have to bring one. I would say that another suggestion would be to install an Echo Show, that people can't remove, to speak to loved ones, hear the weather, etc. Oh, and I did buy a wire wisk and left it in the kitchen drawer. My 8 and 11 year-olds stayed in the former sunroom and were very comfortable. My 14 year-old was also super happy in her room with the day bed and desk. There is a difference in the mattresses in the two larger bedrooms. I took the middle room with adjoining, shared bathroom. It was very soft. My mother took the bedroom with the private bath near the rear entrance, and the mattress was firm. They suited our needs, just know there is a difference. The house was very clean (!!!), but this is the coast and we have critters that the owner clearly does their level best to control. We saw several palmetto bugs, which are coastal cockroaches. 4 alive in the house, 1 dead, and of course, many outside. There was also a small snake and a mouse by the trash cans. This is normal, but be aware with kids at the coast. Mine are mini Steve Irwins, but the adults may want to handle the trash. The artwork is beautiful and the house is comfortable and cozy.
