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Reviews of “The Fishbowl” - The Perfect Surf City Intimate Beach Cottage!

“The Fishbowl” - The Perfect Surf City Intimate Beach Cottage!
Surf City, NC

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 30 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 30 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 30 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 30 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 30 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Danielle D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice winter getaway
My daughter and I were in town visiting my three sons who live on the island. This was a perfect location for us. Close to EVERYTHING! The owner was very prompt with communication. Nice touch to have a basket of holiday goodies upon arrival. One big plus is to have linens, towels, kitchen supplies etc all there. Thank you for a nice stay!!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Angel E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Thanksgiving trip
We wanted a nice little getaway for Thanksgiving and our dog had recently been diagnosed with heart failure and had never seen the beach so we wanted to include her. We were glad we found a pet friendly house so close to the beach! A nice lil basket awaited us at the house with dog treats and snacks for the kids. Whole town was very pet friendly. House was a super close walk to the beach and in a quiet area but close enough to some good restaurants. Definitely recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kevin R., jonesville nc

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect get away!!
We couldn't have picked a better pet friendly place at the beach! Crystal was a great host and the fishbowl had everything anyone would need for the beach and I mean everything from toys to fishing rods to a surfboard. A great place for pets complete with a tie-out and a big yard plus a nice treat basket for us and our pets!! A very short walk to the beach! The house was stocked with everything as well from linens to a completely stocked kitchen..a screened in back porch with a gas grill and big table to enjoy dinner outside...Can't wait until next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

James B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Loved The fishbowl!
Thanks for the amazing place to stay! My girlfriend and I and our german shepherd had an amazing time! We loved the house! Everything we needed plus more was furnished. Easy unloading/ loading the vehicle. The back deck was nice to place for our chairs, etc because of the sand. And the water hose on the side of the house was nice to spray off before we went inside! Short walk to the beach! 10/10 would recommend to anyone! Thanks for the opportunity!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joseph V.

Liked: Cleanliness
Labor Day stay
Property was in good shape and very close to beach access. Very cute bungalow. We would definitely stay again. Communication with host was very helpful and timely.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chrishana W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay
We enjoyed our time. Sweet house, close to beach access.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Steve B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Surf City
Cozy, close to beach and walking distance to everything.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amanda C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Such a cute place!
We really enjoyed our trip to “The Fishbowl “! It’s a great location close to the beach and to lots of good food and shopping. Plenty of room and we loved the porch.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tricia S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect Beach Cottage for Family of 4
This little beach cottage was perfect for our family of 4. Beach access was so close! We had everything we needed to have a great week. We enjoyed having the kitchen and 1 bedroom for the adults and 1 for the kids. Crystal was good at communicating with us. She provided a cute basket of treats for the kids. We would rent from her again.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Oren H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Don’t Expect Tajmahal
Easy beach access 1/2 block; 3/4 mile walk to “old town” Surf City; 2 blocks to High Waters Sports Bar and Grill and to Herring’s Outdoor Sports. Furnishing style is “single surfer dude second hand store”. Kitchen is functional and propane grill works. Internet is serviceable and each tv has Roku streaming with the Roku channel - you’ll have to use your own login for Netflix,etc. The bathroom is about what you would expect in an old double wide unit. Good place for the dog and served our needs for a week.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

James J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Home away from home
Truly enjoyed my stay at this cottage convienantly located to the beach and restaraunts. Will stay again. I recommend this cottage for your getaway.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kayla H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful
We loved our stay. Very clean and dog friendly! Short walk to the beach 10/10 would definitely stay again!!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Darryl W.

Disliked: Cleanliness
The fishbowl
The only positive about this property is thats its a short walk to the beach. A bed pillow had blood stains on it. The faucet in the shower had black and green mold. There was thick soap scum on the shower walls. We found a dead cockroach in one of the bedrooms. The ceiling fan/light in the living area didn't work. Several light bulbs were burnt out. Thick, black dust around vents and light fixtures. We have emailed the host and have heard nothing from her.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cale F., Winston Salem, NC

Liked: Cleanliness
Great beach stay
Perfect for a family beach trip. Its got enough space, great outdoor area, and is very close to the beach access point. I hope to return again soon.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Jason B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place
Place was good. Had some issues getting checked in but it was worked out and our stay was nice.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany Y.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful house!!
While not “on” the beach, this house is a perfect beach house!! The public access to the beach is a short 2-minute walk. There’s a surfboard, boogie boards, and lots of shovels, buckets, etc. for the beach, and an outside hose to rinse off when you get back!! The kitchen is fully stocked with every gadget you might need. Both bedrooms have TVs as well as the living room!! My only negative is the burners on the stove are uneven, which was a tad frustrating when cooking, but not so bad that we won’t be back again next year!! This house is PERFECT for a family!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jessica B., Pineville, NC

Hidden gem
Crystal was great with communication, and very helpful. Home was cozy and a short walk to beach access. Already booked another trip! Thank you to the owners for sharing their home and providing a place to make memories with family!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mindi W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Loved the Fishbowl!
We loved the Fishbowl. It was so close to the beach making it easy for us to roll out of bed and hit the sand. It was also nice being able to leave the beach and come grab something to eat/drink. We had a great time walking to get dinner some nights. The fishbowl was great for what we were looking for and came equipped with anything we could have needed. Beds were comfy, house was cozy, all made for the perfect trip.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 9 July 2023
Thanks Mindi for the great review! Come back soon!!

10/10 Excellent

MYRANDA C.

Wonderful Stay.
So first I’d love to say, you can’t beat the value of this property and it’s proximity to entertainment ie the beach, ice cream and places to eat. Our biggest complaints were the cleanliness and the shower head. The place was “clean” but it was all the small stuff that was annoying: left over shrimp in the freezer, the grill was horrendous, the back porch could use some “love”, window sills were dust. Don’t get me wrong it didn’t spoil our vacation but maybe the owner can have a talk with their cleaning company? And the water pressure in the shower was HORRIBLE! Despite those “discrepancies” we loved it and plan to come back.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 9 July 2023
Myranda, Thanks again for booking your stay with us. We appreciate the feedback and do what we can to improve the stay for our guests in Surf City. We are using a different cleaning company now and hope this will improve the overall cleanliness and small details that make the Fishbowl so special to us. We didn’t notice the issue with water pressure, so we’re hoping that may have been due to some factor outside of our control? But we will certainly keep an eye on it! Thank you again and please consider booking with us again in the future! Sincerely, Crystal & Matt

10/10 Excellent

Nathan C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful place to stay. We will be going back. We give the Fishbowl 5 stars.
Very easy to rent and jump right on any problems you may have.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

corwin g.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
Wonderfully close to the beach with a fresh seafood market that will steam our selections with in minutes walk. Great house, clean. Good stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Avery M.

Liked: Cleanliness
As Described
Perfect little house for my fiancé and I celebrating our engagement. Crystal was very responsive and check in and check out were very easy. Thank you for letting us stay and we can’t wait to return!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Daniel M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very pleasant stay
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The house was just the right size for a family of four. We were able to cook many meals and enjoy them on the back porch. Very close to the beach access and walking distance to many shops and restaurants. Thank you for renting your beach house to us.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Robert O.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fishbowl feedback.
Very nice small house , close to beach access. No hassle parking. Would stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Richard M., Fuquay Varina, NC

Liked: Cleanliness
Birthday Beach Trip
Each year I plan a beach vacation around my birthday. This year I was fortunate enough to book The Fish Bowl property. The location is great, 2 minute walk to the beach access. 15 Minute walk to Surf City pier. The house looks small but is surprisingly spacious. The kitchen is well stocked for cooking meals. The bedrooms are reasonably sized with TVs in each. As the listing states the property does not have a washer and dryer so plan accordingly. The one thing I would like to mention, during my stay it rained very hard for a couple days. The front and side yard pooled with water about 10 inches high. Luckily I drive a lifted truck. If you drive a car and starts raining for an extended period, you’ll want to park close to the road. But overall I really enjoyed my stay at The Fish Bowl. Definitely would book the property again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021

8/10 Good

Maria B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Surf City New Years
The Fishbowl is great place to stay at Surf City. Very close to the beach and loved the back porch. Hope to go back again.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Suzy R.

Liked: Cleanliness
It's a great little place with a great location, I really enjoyed our stay
very easy
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kristin W.

Liked: Cleanliness
The Fishbowl was everything we hoped it would be.
Crystal was awesome, and very attentive. The Fishbowl was the perfect beach get away for my son and I. I would love to have a house just like this in Surf City. My soul was truly able to rest and renew and I was able to enjoy quality time with my son. We will certainly stay here again given the chance.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2020

8/10 Good

Ashley B.

Surf city trip
The fishbowl was very nice to stay at. It was nice for my fiancé, future sister-in-law and I. It was nice to have the beach just a short walk away. Would stay there again.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2020

10/10 Excellent

Hannah R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Enjoyed it!
The property was the perfect size for my friends and I. The house was so clean and we had everything we needed right there. I can’t wait to stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 9 July 2023
Thanks Hannah! You are welcome back anytime!