I was a guest at Elysium Breeze in July 2026. The mattresses were terrible, too soft! There were no large coffee mugs, just small ones. There were very few usable pots and pans. When I started to make my bed, which was a queen, there were large yellow stains on mattress pad! I was afraid to take it off to wash, as the mattress could have had who knows what! I made the bed and slept on the other side. I used the hallway bathroom, which had terrible water pressure and nothing to hold onto, in case I slipped. The pool furniture was mediocre at best. The grass around the pool area needed cutting. When we arrived, there were dust bunnies all in the hall? Better Beach Rentals need to educate their owners. The devil truly is in the details. read more

It took 2 1/2 weeks for them to get the internet working in this rental. Water was cutoff to the property during my stay due to non-payment. When calling about the water cutoff, the agent I spoke with sounded as if she could care less. I will say Brett, the manager, was very helpful once I spoke with him. read more

**1 Star - Disappointing Property Condition and Response** Three By The Sea-Unfortunately, our experience with this beach rental was far below what we expected based on the listing and the amount we paid for our week-long stay. When we arrived, the home was not clean. We spent approximately **two hours cleaning** ourselves. Even after the floors were mopped twice, our feet would still become dirty from walking barefoot, and I eventually kept my shoes on inside. We found **stained bedding and hair throughout the bedding**, which we photographed. Housekeeping eventually came that evening and changed the bedding. We also photographed **areas in multiple rooms that appeared to be mold**. After we reported our concerns, maintenance came the following day and painted over one of the areas. However, other areas we photographed remained and were not addressed during our stay. Approximately **seven lights were also not working** when we arrived and were addressed after we reported them. There was also a significant discrepancy with the sleeping arrangements. **The listing advertised two king beds, but there was only one king bed in the home during our stay.** Sleeping arrangements were an important factor when we selected the property. We spent much of our first evening calling and emailing about these issues, with communication continuing until approximately **11:00 p.m.** The following day, after not receiving the response we felt the situation required, **we drove to the rental company's office ourselves** to try to get the matter addressed. While staff members were at the home addressing the cleaning and property issues, **we were told that the homeowner had previously been made aware of some of the conditions at the property**. I cannot independently verify exactly what the homeowner knew or when, so I am only sharing what was communicated to us. What is difficult to convey in a review is how much this affected our vacation. **A good portion of our first three days was overshadowed by cleaning, documenting the conditions, communicating with the rental company, waiting for issues to be addressed, and trying to get to a point where we could simply enjoy our stay.** When you rent a beach home for only a week, losing that much time and enjoyment at the beginning of the trip matters. For us, this was about more than compensation. Had the situation been met with greater understanding, ownership, and acknowledgment of the condition in which the home was provided to us, our feelings about the experience could have been very different. From our perspective, the focus seemed to be on reaching a quick resolution and moving forward rather than fully acknowledging what we had experienced. After raising our concerns, we were offered a **small amount of compensation that was contingent upon signing a nondisclosure agreement (NDA)**. We declined because we did not believe the amount adequately reflected our experience. To be fair, the company did send housekeeping that evening and maintenance the following day, and we appreciate the employees who came to the home and attempted to address some of the problems. However, that does not change the condition of the property when we arrived or the time we lost dealing with these issues. We have **photographs (only a few attached and the dirt on the paper towel reflects the floor) documenting the stained bedding, hair on the bedding, and the areas that appeared to contain mold**, and we have limited this review to what we personally observed, experienced, or were told. We did not expect perfection. We expected a **clean, properly maintained vacation home that matched the accommodations advertised to us**. Had there been genuine acknowledgment and ownership of what happened, our overall impression could have been very different. Based on the condition of the property, the impact it had on our vacation, and our experience with how the situation was handled, **one star fairly reflects our stay. After this experience, we will not rent another vacation home managed by this company.** read more

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We stayed at Pelicans Perch a week ago. Submitted review and it was not posted on site. No reviews have been posted in 2026 for that location so we should have been suspicious. House was OK however not well maintained. 2 of 3 umbrellas pictured around pool were broken and not usable. Furniture was stained and should be cleaned or replaced. Grass was over a foot tall ans we had to call mid week to request it be cut. Pool was awesome, but overall the rental needed some attention read more

This was our 5th year renting a Better Beach Rentals property. They have a large selection of houses to meet varying wants and needs. The properties have always been clean and ready for us to enjoy our week. We look forward to continuing with Better Beach Rentals to make more family memories! read more

Better Beach Rentals - View from this year's rental. - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Unfortunately, the rent at Trott St in Oak Island was very disappointing. When we arrived, we discovered that none of the beds were made--the sheets were left in bags, and we had to make every bed ourselves. Considering check-in isn't until 4:00 PM, I found it surprising that guests are expected to do this. If you rent through this company, be aware that making your own beds is part of the check-in process. The biggest issue was the overwhelming mildew smell throughout the house. I contacted the property management company and requested an air purifier which they brought. I did email after realizing that didn't help but no one ever responded. We were in town on a busy schedule looking at homes, not on a leisure vacation, so we didn't have time to spend our trip calling the office and trying to resolve the issue. We would have preferred to move locations. Based on the persistent odor, I suspect there is an underlying moisture/mold issue, possibly in the crawlspace. There was also a significant ant infestation on the side of the house, with ants crawling into the electrical outlet near the kitchen. Another frustration was that there wasn't even dish soap provided for washing dishes, yet guests are expected to wash, dry, and put away all dishes before checking out rather than simply running the dishwasher or leaving clean dishes inside. The outdoor space was the best part of the property and was very enjoyable. Unfortunately, the condition of the house, the mildew odor, the pest issues, and the lack of responsiveness from the management company outweighed that positive. I would not stay at this property again and cannot recommend it in its current condition. read more

We really enjoyed the location of the home, and the pool was a big hit with the kids. Unfortunately, several issues with cleanliness and general upkeep made the stay feel less comfortable than we expected. It was clear that housekeeping doesn't sweep under furniture between guests--there was a lot of dirt and sand underneath, along with a few stray socks left behind. The kitchen supplies also left a little to be desired; most of the pots and dishes were extremely old and worn out, which made cooking less enjoyable. A handful of maintenance issues added up as well: multiple toilet paper holders were broken, one of the blinds was damaged, and the attic ceiling cover had fallen off. The pool itself was fun, but the pool technician left an open bucket of salt/chemicals and the covers off on the pool deck. With little kids around, that felt unsafe, and it wasn't clear whether the pool had actually been balanced. We also didn't love having to make all eight beds upon arrival, especially after getting in around 5 p.m. and trying to settle in and get dinner going. We don't mind a dated home at all, but this one just felt unclean in several areas. Overall, the home has great potential thanks to its location and layout, but it would benefit from more thorough cleaning and attention to basic maintenance. read more

"These are the Days" is a beautifully located holiday home with its own direct access to the beach via the dunes. This well-equipped house has two bathrooms, one of them with a new, excellent shower setup. The kitchen has everything you need. The bedrooms are well furnished. The dining room has a wonderful view of the sea. So far, we have booked this beach house already three times--and it definitely won't be the last! Susan Owen-Leinert & Michael Leinert June 15, 2006 read more

"Serenity Sands" indeed! Can't say enough about Better Beach Rentals and our recent stay at "Serenity Sands." The communication with the office personnel was prompt and helpful. Check-in and check-out were fast and simple. And the house? Fantastic!! The home has been expertly renovated with stylish touches, new appliances, and comfortable furnishings. We especially enjoyed the salt water pool and beautiful decking. This is our second consecutive year and couldn't be more pleased. Thank you for a great week! read more

Zero stars was not available. I paid for my house in full, months ahead of time. I called Wed. the Sat before we arrived to ask if service dogs were allowed and stated if not it was fine. Woke up the morning we were leaving and they just cancelled my reservation without speaking to anyone. Then had the audacity to tell me it was my fault and that they were busy and didn't have time to mess with me. So finally 6 hours later the manager called me back and talked to me like I was a piece of trash. Surprise her name was Karen. It was our first trip to Oak Island and it was ruined. Horrible customer service. Please find someone else to rent from. read more

We stayed at one of the Better Beach Rentals & Sales cottages in Oak Island, NC during the first week of June, 2026. We had a great time. The view of the water over the dunes is beautiful, and the path through the dunes to the beach is literally just a few steps away. There are excellent restaurants nearby, and several grocery stores just a few miles away. The cottage itself is well appointed and quite roomy, and pet friendly! read more

Rental canceled less than a week from arrival due to having a documented service animal for a disabled veteran.

They've really gone down hill. Have been using them for about 10 years. This time around, communication was absolutely terrible.

We had a wonderful time as usual!!! Our AC stopped working and by the end of the day it was fixed and cool in our condo!! Thankful for quick service and help! read more

We always have an amazing time at Oak island! This year check in went smoothly and our golf carts were charged and ready upon arrival. The house was very clean and ready for us to start out vacation. read more

We loved our stay at Oak Island Villas!! Great location and very nice dealing with Better Beach Rentals! Thank you!

great, beautiful house! nice pool! very clean. rental agency easy to deal with and make it easy to check in and out. Responded quickly to a stopped up sink. overall great experience with Better Beach Rentals! As far as the house, a few suggestions- more comfy seating in the great room. Garbage disposal didn't work consistently and sink drained slow all the time due to this. Elevator was difficult to use at times. read more

We have been using Better Beach for about 5-6 years now. They have some beautiful properties and they are usually clean and if not they take care of anything amiss. This year I have had the hardest time trying to speak to someone in the office. They haven't answered my questions via email and no one ever picks up the phone. It takes days for someone to get back in touch. They need to improve their communication with customers who pay large amounts of money to rent the properties. read more

We have used Better Beach Rentals for several years. They have clean houses with up to date amenities. If we do have a problem, which is rare, they take care of it quickly. We will continue to use them for our Oak Island vacation rental needs.​ read more

The home was clean and beautiful! The view is amazing and close access to the beach! We will be staying again.

The owners used a piece of wood to hold the door closed because the lock doesn't work, the mini blinds are broken, no screens so you can't open the windows to get the breeze. The carpet on the porch is disgusting and I don't even dare sit on the bench because it's unsteady. The company refused to listen as they kept saying the problems found did not warrant being moved to another unit. I subsequently asked for a full refund and have disputed the charges with my credit card company. Highly disappointed. I have never encountered a place so unclean/unsafe in all of my travels. Unit referenced is #107 Oak Island Beach Villa Stars and Seas read more

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We have rented from Better Beach Rentals for years and have been extremely happy. Check-ins are relatively easy and their quick turn around on service requests or questions is always appreciated. Their service team is friendly and very professional. Karen in the office is extremely helpful, as are most employees at Better Beach Rentals. We have rented the same house, Sea 4 Days for over 5 years but have been coming to Oak Island for 30 years and have used Better Beach Rental exclusively for over 20 years. I would highly recommend Better Beach Rentals. read more

Better Beach Rentals - The views! - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Better beach rentals has been great! The Almost Heaven house we have rented the past few years has been fantastic, clean, well appointed and close to the beach, restaurants and shops. They also offer the ability to rent a golf cart, bikes etc with their partnerships so makes everything for your beach week super easy. read more

Customer service and responsiveness is nearly non existent. Phones at the office will go unanswered along with follow up emails. Our house had cockroaches and was filthy and not cleaned properly. Requested pool heating which wasn't provided or ensured working correctly. Overall experience was sub par read more

I want to say that I appreciate the kindness of the rental agent when renting. She was very polite and professional. I appreciate not being charged a fee for our dog that is an ESA dog. The emails and the text messages before and during stay were very helpful. Here are concerns: we must be spoiled since other beach towns that we have vacationed and stayed provided a better care package for essentials which included more paper products and seasonings for food. We stayed in 2628 E. Dolphin. Here are the positives which were the location, the size, and the view! The view was spectacular, but I foresee with all the construction that being lost soon. Sadly! The size was perfect for our needs. The dishes and cooking items were fabulous to cook. There were a lot of options for seating inside and out which was nice. Porch was nice for the view and did not need to use our baby gate since enclosed. This was all that was positive about the place. The furniture needs replaced or new upholstery. The windows need new screens so that can open them to enjoy the breeze which we sent pictures of how damaged furniture was and how damaged screens were when we got there and never heard back. The bathrooms were awful and need it be redone including fittings for plumbing. The shower in master felt like the bottom was going to fall. Thank goodness nobody was 6 foot tall in our group, but the shower heads in both bathrooms were so low that no way a large man could fit under them. At least, the water pressure was good. The mattresses were AWFUL. They were not relaxing at all. We debated on having Amazon overnight us some pillow top mattress pads. The bed sheets barely fit the mattress. Lastly, the last day there, the cockroaches must have gotten used to us, because we saw two which that means more. We did not contact anyone since last day. read more

We've stayed with better beach rentals for over 5 years consecutively now and this year was by far our worst experience. I'm not sure if management changed or what happened, but as soon as we got to the property, our beachfront property wasn't beach accessible. Instead of offering compensation or even letting us know ahead of time, they sent two workers down to fix the path for us. It washed away the next day. We even went down to the office and talked to a very nice receptionist about solutions, but nothing could be done. We noticed a lady stomping around like a toddler in the back and figured that was the manager since she refused to come out and talk to us. Not to mention we called several times, asking for a call back from the manager, and she never called back. On top of this, the fire alarm at our house went off EVERYDAY AT 10:30 am. They did nothing about it when we told them. We called the fire department the last day we were there because it got so irritating. Upstairs, it smelled like feet. Might've been mold in the floor, or something else but obviously the cleaners didn't clean if it smelled horrendous. Please take your money and spend it elsewhere like an Airbnb. The treatment of their guests is awful and if there are issues they do not care. Again we've stayed here for 5 years+ and never had a bad experience until this year, and obviously they don't care anymore. They are an evil monopoly, and you should take your money and business elsewhere. read more

Better Beach Rentals made the process easy. We stayed at Southern Comfort this year. Big house, great view of the Ocean. The house was clean when we arrived. We had a problem with one of the two central air conditioning units on the second day and they had it fixed within a couple of hours. The were very responsive. read more

Better Beach Rentals - Great view from Southern Comfort. - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

the house was great, size, bedrooms, living rooms, balconies. internet was weak and spotty, Not strong enough for the number of people listed for use. could not use the internet as usual. The cleanliness is poor, the upkeep of the house is poor. carpets looked very unclean. stairway walls were dirty. bathroom toilet seats were old and damaged and didn't want to sit without covering the whole seat. as we enters from the front door, it smelled musty. outside, was not kept up for the price of the rental. very basic, front entrance looked neglected, pool was clean however the garden around needed some TLC. the parking area under the house was not cleaned up. sand and rocks, I had to clean. bbq grill was not cleaned. I had to clean the grill inside and out before using. the balconies had not seen a paint in a few years. the beds were quite creaky, and had trouble sleeping through the night due to noise. all and all, didn't get a restful sleep. for over 1000 use/night, it was not worth it due to the condition of the house. overall, looked and felt neglected house. would not come back to this one for sure. read more

We came down for a family vacation and this place was amazing it was able to fit our whole family to sleep and there were 36 of us. Definitely will stay here again read more

Better Beach Rentals - Pool area - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

We have just spent the weekend at Seaclusion on the ocean front. A new house and an outstanding house. Perfect for our 48th year reunion at the NC coast. The beach is great here and close to everything we need. Absolutely wonderful!! read more

Better Beach Rentals - Beautiful sunsets at Oak Island! - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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We thoroughly enjoyed our time at our rental. The home was beautiful, the view was amazing, everything was clean, and there were plenty of linens. BBR made the process seamless and was quick to respond to any questions we had. I highly recommend Better Beach Rentals for your vacation rental needs. read more

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My wife and I are staying at the after dune delight location 3705 east beach rd. This place is gorgeous! The photos only tell part of the story! We have been up and down the outer banks staying at different places over the last twenty years. This house beats all our previous stays by a mile. We look forward to returning here many times over and would love to share our excitement with others for their enjoyment. Our only wish would be to have a way of reserving our week ahead of all others. This location is directly on the beachfront it is AWESOME! You wake up, walk out the back deck and you are on the sands. The sands of the beach reach far out into the water. No need for an old pair of shoes because it is not a rocky, jagged, or seashell bottom just soft sand 100 yards out. The second-story deck off the ocean side of the house has a built-in swimming pool. It is located directly off the Kitchen. This makes for a premier entertaining location. What is everyone's favorite room to congregate in? The Kitchen Of course! So while the host is preparing the meals of the day. The spacious countertop can display provide a self-serve appetizer area. While guests enjoy their appetizers or meals at the very large dining room table they can just as easily venture out onto the deck and enjoy the soft warm ocean breeze as they watch the waves roll in. But most of all. All three levels of decks provide the most awesome opportunity for watching the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see in your lifetime. My advice is, don't hesitate to make your plans and book your stay today you won't be sorry. read more

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Can't control fan in 3rd bedroom with the twin beds. Fan is on high and couldn't shut it off or slow it down Overhead light in master bedroom doesn't work and couldn't control fan. Not small medium dog friendly area. Lots of gaps in between gates and under gates for a smaller dog to escape. Gap on left hand side of stairs that a dog could fall in between and get hurt. Overgrown yard and big woodpiles in yard that could attract snakes or others. Gates don't latch like they should. The railing going down the stairs to the backyard is unstable and loose There is a plank under the walkway there is a board not attached properly and could result in a serious fall risk. Backyard was completely flooded and unusable during the rain Saturday and still completely folded Sunday Foot of the king size bed slopes down and when u sit on it it sinks about to the floor. Soft spots in the floor. Especially near the full bathroom. Why did we pay $175 cleaning fee and we had a list of all the cleaning u expected us to do before we left. We sent an email regarding damage to one of the comforters by our dog and no response back about the situation. The king comforter has some kind of powder on it in several place and had a weird smell to it as well. The coffee table is very wobbly and needs to be tightened up. Overall I would give it 2.5 out of 5. I would definitely look somewhere else for the amount of money we paid. read more

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Immaculate home with all the amenities that you could want. Beautiful pool and hot tub. We would love to go there again. Only err from Better Beach was we asked if they had Keurig and they said No so we brought ours but found there was one. Best vacation ever. read more

We stayed at the Chill Switch on Oak Island, North Carolina and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The rental was nicely decorated, well-equipped, and conveniently located. We highly recommend the Chill Switch for your Oak Island vacation, and we look forward to our next visit! read more

The house size and layout was perfect for our family of 18. However the windows needed cleaning , the rugs are filthy. the lights under the house and some of the lights upstair didn't work. Two of the bedrooms didn't't have linens. It was listed no pets- We had the clean pet poop off of the porch. The house was just generally dirty. Very disappointing. But the house when clean is really nice. read more

RENTERS BEWARE!! Our family rented this company's Beach Landing property for the week of July 9-16. We paid $11,892.87 for the week. On July 9, ten hours into our drive from Ohio and just hours before we were to check in, we were told the property would not be available until Monday. The company offered to put us in the last two homes they had available until Monday. No other options were offered. Although they were fine homes, they were more than a mile apart and our family was split up. We paid a premium to be on the beach and have a pool, neither of which these houses had. The rental included linens and they did not give us enough linens for the beds. We were told that Better Beach Rentals would assist us with moving our things when the house was ready on Monday. When the house was finally ready late Monday afternoon, no one offered any assistance. We had to figure out how to move the crib we rented along with all of the rest of our things. When we arrived at the house, the pool was filthy and had a cigarette butt floating in it. (See photo). A garbage bag full of the neighbors' dirty linens was sitting in the middle of the kitchen. When we reported these things to the manager and asked that someone come clean the pool so we could use it, we received no response. The pool was therefore unusable until Tuesday when someone finally arrived to clean it. The company has offered us $1000 as compensation for their failures. However, given that three days of our vacation were ruined as a result of this, it hardly seems appropriate. This amount doesn't even cover the rent differential between the house we paid for and the houses they put us in for the first two days. Add in the stress and massive disruption of having to move houses mid-week, only to find that the house we rented is not fully clean. The actions (or lack thereof) and refusal by this company to take responsibility are unconscionable. If you're thinking of renting from them - go elsewhere! read more

Better Beach Rentals - Dirty pool - Vacation Rental Agents Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

We love this house. It is clean and comfortable. Room enough for all of us without. wing on top of each other, yet great places to hang out together. Better Beach office staff was very helpful throughout our booking and stay. I will definitely recommend using them and we will be back. read more

Definitely jumped the gun on my previous glowing review. Prior to our trip, we weren't notified about the deadline to reserve for next year. I was sent an email on the 10th, middle of the week on my vacation, letting me know that I had until the next day to book the property. I don't check my email on vacation. That's kinda the fucking point of a vacation. On Sunday when I returned I reached out to Kim to reserve the house for next year. Crickets. Reached out again days later. Crickets. Finally got an email from Gary that my right to refusal had expired and that the place was not available. So no, Better Beach Rentals, I'm thoroughly unimpressed with your lack of communication and consideration for your clients and will be avoiding your properties. read more

We have rented from Better Beach Rentals for the last 5 years. This house was clean and the location to the beach was perfect! We had toddlers with us and they enjoyed the outdoor pool. With 7 bedrooms there was plenty of room for everyone. read more