| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 37 positive, 0 negative]
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| 09/22/09 |
Positive
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Merlin –
We had a fabulous time, very relaxing, very laid back, very restful, and my brother did make it down for a few days as well! Could not have asked for nicer weather or a better location. We enjoyed the house, loved breakfast from the upstairs balcony, and saw the sun rise every day. We enjoyed the beaches, the sound side park and sunsets from that vantage point, and also walked around the south side of the island. Scout loved the calmer Sound side of the beaches, but went in the ocean as well. We really had a great vacation!
The house was great, no problems and everything we needed in the kitchen. We will definately be back again!
Thanks for sharing your space, and also for the list of tips and your favorite things!
Julie, Liz, and Scout
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Julie, Liz and Scout, Fountain Hill, PA |
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| 08/23/09 |
Positive
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Merlin
We have enjoyed your beach house,this summer,and 2 yrs ago.Next yr ,we are hoping to be able to stay 2 weeks .We were able to take our dogs,not only to the house,but to the beach too.And it was a nice touch,for you to let us know some of your favorite fishing spots,and restaurants.We tried Crabby Mikes,Mollies,and the fishing spot you suggested.We lounged on the beach,as if we didnt have a care in the world !.Thanks again,and we will be back in 2010.
The Mills Family
Barbara ,Bill,and Nick |
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The Mills Family, Hamilton Twp,NJ
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Homeowner Response:
Thanks so much! And many thanks to all of you who help make my dream a reality...
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| 07/20/09 |
Positive
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Merlin,
Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed staying at your beach house!The house was awesome and had the feeling of being at home! As soon as we walked in, we knew we loved it! It was so clean and really made you feel like you were in the comfort of your own home!
The beach was absolutely beautiful, so clean, no seaweed or jellyfish, like we are use to seeing on the Gulf Coast of Texas. The water was so clean and clear!
This home is well worth the stay and you will be so glad that you did!
Also, Merlin was very accomodating to us, as our daughter is in the Marine Corps and she worked around our schedule to visit with her!
Thank you so much for your kindness! We hope in the future to return to NC to visit and would most definitely want to rent your home again!! |
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Vanessa, Lake Jackson, TX |
|
| 06/27/09 |
Positive
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| We had an awesome week at the beach. Merlin's was very comfortable and would do it again in a heart beat. Week of June 6th 2009. Thanks Merlin for sharing your home with us. |
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Rocco Colucci, Mooresville, N.C
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| 03/02/09 |
Positive
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| Friends and I stayed for a long weekend in early feb. The house was clean, well stocked with creature comforts(great pillows, pots and pans comfortable living space and outside chairs) and just perfect. Very close to the beach which was great for long walks and finding shark's teeth. I will definitely be back to this beach house....perfect escape close to home! |
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Caroline Butts, Wilmington,NC
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| 08/27/08 |
Positive
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We truly enjoyed our vacation. The house is the perfect beach house and the beach is absolutely wonderful. It is so easy to walk to the beach from the house, and it made it so convenient to come back and have a late lunch after hours of fun in the sun! All the comforts of home were at the house- thanks so much for a fun, affordable family vacation. We hope to visit again!
The Pringle Family from CT |
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Pringle Family, Southington, CT |
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| 07/13/08 |
Positive
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| Thank you so much for letting our family stay at your home! It had everything we needed and more! The beach was so close and not crowded. It was great being able to walk back for lunch. Our dog loved the beach as well - her first time! It's a very dog-friendly beach and everyone on the beach loved her. We ate out of a few times and also made dinners in the fully equipped kitchen. The turtle rescue was interesting and mini-golf was a great time. The south tip of the island was very beautiful as well. We took a day trip down to Wilmington and visited the battleship and cotton exchange. Thank you so much again for your hospitality! |
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Jozwiak Family, Reston,VA |
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| 05/04/08 |
Positive
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| Thank you very much Merlin! We had a wonderful vacation (late April) and enjoyed our stay at "Merlin's Magic." Your house is just perfect, clean, and very comfortable, and you provided everything we needed and more! The weather was fantastic.....sunny, warm in the 70’s and 80’s. We had a great time at the beach, not to mention the fun collecting shells and ancient shark teeth. We very much enjoyed our short trip up to Wilmington as well. Great location to all attractions and activities. We wished we could have stayed all summer! We look forward to rebooking soon. Thanks so much for your warm hospitality....it was truly a pleasure! |
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Ron Alpine, Fitchburg, MA
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| 01/02/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Comment:
Once again we totally enjoyed ourselves at Merlin's place. We spent a long weekend there Oct 19-22nd..the weather was unusually warm and we actually got a sunburn. We always feel as if we are "coming home" when we rent Merlins place. It's such a relaxing place to stay. Kathy McGinn
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Kathy and Bob McGinn
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| 07/31/07 |
Positive
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Merlin,
We would like to say thank you for the last week, it was a refreshing
get away from WV for us.The house, and the location were great. .It was very nice for me, my sister and our family's. The kids loved being able to walk to the beach and collect shells everyday. It was a very peaceful beach. Every one was very friendly and it was great not having to deal with the tipical crouded beaches and roads. You have made it very easy to arrive and relax. The house was full of every thing a "HOME" requires, that was not something we expected but made our week fantastic! So thanks again ,we loved the Island and would love to visit Merlin's Magic again.
The Finley's and the Harris's
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The Finley's, Bridgeport, "Wild and Wonderful"
304-518-9176 |
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| 07/16/07 |
Positive
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We just returned from a wonderful week on Easy Street!
The house: so well equipped. each time we would say, "We should've brought________________.", we would open a cupboard or a drawer and find it inside. Everything was comfortable, casual and clean. The outside shower was a godsend after a breezy day on the beach.
The location: I loved being so close to the beach. There was no packing and carrying. Grab a towel and head out. (For those who wonder......no need to bring extra beach towels. Lots there and they take so much packing space.) Just a hop, skip and a jump back to the house to grab a bite or to get the sand out of your pants! We even returned for a happy hour each day of wine and cheese......just a break before calling it quits for the day at the beach.
Enjoyable things: We walked around the southern tip of the island. It was so different there where the ocean meets the sound(bay?, inlet?). Areas of rough ocean and quiet "ponds" that change with the tide. Also beautiful shells and "barking" sand. (It makes a squeeky, barky sound when you walk on it! Awesome!)
We also discovered a roller rink straight from the 1950's. It was a blast. 45's on the record player.
The turtle hospital was very interesting. There was a wait to get in, but those turtles are so cool. Many college interns work there and anwered all kinds of questions and were passionate about their work.
The ocean: Being from New Jersey, I have spent a lot of time at the Jersey shore. There is something so different about the Atlantic in NC. For sure......the temperature. Very comfortable and warm. But the color. It is sometimes a beautiful light aqua greenish color......(can you picture that?) We would say......"Look at the color of the ocean now!" The color changes throughout the day. When the dolphins go by......it just makes you feel happy. They look like they are having so much fun. They were even "surfing".
We totally enjoyed our stay! Thanks, Merlin!! |
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bette, bellmawr, nj |
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| 07/15/07 |
Positive
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I wanted to send you a quick email to tell you how GREAT our family vacation
was at your beach house over the 4th of July. My family was visiting from
Michigan and they had never been to the NC coast. We really enjoyed our
stay the beach. It was perfect in every way. I was up every morning by
6:00 walking on the beach....life can't get any better then that!
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Samantha , Charlotte, NC
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| 07/02/07 |
Positive
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| My family and I had a wonderful time the week we spent at Merlin's Magic. The house was perfect for our family of five, providing enough room for everyone, including the dog. The neighborhood was quiet and the beach accessible and surprisingly not crowded. The kids had a blast in the sand and the surf (we saw dolphins every day!); and the island itself was an adventure. Couldn't have asked for a better time! |
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Steve , Youngsville, NC |
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| 06/25/07 |
Positive
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| Once again our vacation was nice and relaxing in Merlin's place. This is our fourth (?...I think, lost track)..year that we've come to Topsail and Rented Merlins house. The house is always clean and feels like a second home to us. It's so nice to be so close to the beach...this house is what real beach living is all about. See you next year! If you want to see pictures of Topsail, email me at summerkgw a t yahoo dot com |
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Kathy McGinn, Woodbridge, Virginina |
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| 06/19/07 |
Positive
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| My two best girlfriends and I spent a wonderful and relaxing "girls only" weekend at Merlin's Magic in June. We found the house comfortable and well-equipped. With plenty of space for us to be together and to get away from each other! Merlin's suggestions for how to spend our time were well-taken; I think we did everything on the list except leave the Island! Melanie, Chapel Hill, NC. |
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Melanie Maupin, Chapel Hill, NC
(919)384-7338 |
|
| 06/16/07 |
Positive
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As usual..our vacation at your place was super.We actually went to Popular Grove Plantation this year...which was great. The weather was perfect at the beach all week. We also ate at the Crab Pot this year and it had fantastic seafood..(actually ate there twice!)....looking forward to next year...(or this fall for a long weekend getaway if we can manage it!)
Kathy McGinn |
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Kathy McGinn, Woodbridge, VA
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|
| 03/22/07 |
Positive
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| We had an absolutely wonderful time and the house was great. Close to some great local restaurants and pier fishing. Thanks Merlin! |
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Marcos A. |
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| 02/28/07 |
Positive
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| Can't tell you how much we enjoyed Merlin's Magic. House was roomy and comfortable. Although we went in off season, we really enjoyed being so close to the beach. It was a great place to have our son's homecoming from Iraq. |
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Annette House, Horn Lake, MS
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| 10/17/06 |
Positive
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Merlin -
Rich and I had a wonderful time staying at your home. It was very relaxing and I was so happy to see Nena (our dog) have the time of her life on the beach. Thanks for a great vacation! |
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Michele Mejia, Hagerstown, Maryland
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| 08/24/06 |
Positive
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We had a wonderful and relaxing time at Merlin's Magic! The house was a good central location for everything on the island, more than adequate,
comfortable, and clean accomodations. It was great to be able to bring the dog with us.
We could not have ordered better weather. The beach and the ocean were great, I think I personally spent
more time in the water this week than I have in all my other trips to the ocean the past few years. The sand and the shoreline were so soft to walk on, the dog and I enjoyed early morning walks on a very quiet beach
every day, he enjoyed chasing the birds in the water! The guys even spent a couple of hours at the beach a
few days! The only questionable day for the beach was Thursday and by then we needed a day away from the beach so we didn't get too 'crispy'! That day we went to Wilmington, what a neat town!
Thank you for bringing the replacement TV, the guys appreciated it!
It was very refreshing to see local businesses and not large franchise restaraunts and stores all over the
place. Not fighting traffic to get somewhere in the evenings was a real pleasure.
We hope to be able to get back in the upcoming years. |
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Chauni S., Navarre, Ohio
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| 08/11/06 |
Positive
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| WE were at Merlin's Magic in June 2006. We had a great time, everthing was clean and in very good condition. This is a great place to make family vacation (I have 3 sons and they had a great time too). We are planing to come back next year. |
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Dirk Brassat, Clarkston, MI |
|
| 07/25/06 |
Positive
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Merlin,
Thanks for another wonderful vacation.
The renovations in the house only
enhanced our wonderful stay on Topsail.
I tell everyone about the beaty that
Topsail offers. If you are looking for
piece of paradise that lies away from
the hustle of other beach towns,
Topsail is the place for you.
Merlin's Magic always becomes our home
during our yearly retreat to the
Island. This house offers everything of
home - a place to prop your feet, sit
back and let the breeze carry your
worries away.
This year, our family took in the
southern tip of the island where we
picked shells and watched the sea
turtles. It was amazing.
From the dolphins to the incredible
people who call the island home year
around, Topsail and Merlin's Magic
offers it all.
Thanks again,
JB |
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Joshua Ball, Lovely, Ky.
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| 07/23/06 |
Positive
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| This is our third year staying in Merlin's Magic..and as always we loved it. I love the upgrades to the house....the loft is extremely relaxing...it's wonderful to get up in the morning and walk out on that balcony and see the ocean. See you next year!! |
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Kathy and Bob McGinn, Woodbridge, VA
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| 05/31/06 |
Positive
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| Merlin, we enjoyed your beach house very much. This was our second time to Top Sail and it was much easier and nicer than any motel. The gazebo worked great on the beach and your directions to fun places came in handy. Even the neighbors were very nice....and quiet. We hope to visit you again........soon! |
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Dave and Sandy Davenport, Norton, Ohio
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| 04/03/06 |
Positive
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| Our long March weekend at Merlin's was great. The cottage is comfortable, clean, up to date and a very close walk to the beach. The front porch is absolutely the perfect place to catch morning sun and have a relaxing cup of coffee before heading to the beach! The upstairs deck off the "loft" is a delighful, breezy place for teenagers to tan and relax. The best of all is Merlin's welcome of pets. Our golden retriever loved Merlin's magic and especially the front porch! Thanks for letting us bring the "newest addition to the family!" We would definitely come to Merlin's again. |
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S.L. Fonville, Raleigh, NC |
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| 11/07/05 |
Positive
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| I stayed at Merlin's Magic on a beautiful weekend in early November with three friends. The weather was spectacular, but the best part was the wonderful and cozy home that had been provided for us. It was ideal for our needs: an easy walk to the beach, and lots of space to stretch out and relax. Merlin did everything possible to make our visit comfortable. I recommend this lovely house to anyone looking for a hospitable place to settle in! We plan to meet up again here next year. |
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Laurie Maffly-Kipp, Chapel Hill, NC
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| 10/15/05 |
Positive
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| We dashed to the beach for "Parent's Weekend" with our college freshman. We had limited time, and found "Merlin's Magic" to be a delightful home, just steps away from the beach. Topsail Island is comfortable, not pretentious in any way, and a perfect place to just rest and take in the sea. The house was light, clean, and well appointed. The cupboards had more than any rental I have ever stayed in. Soaps, towels, spices, etc. were all supplied. Merlin was beyond cooperative...a delight to stay in her home, a delight to deal with her. |
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Margaret, Hudson, OH
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| 08/24/05 |
Positive
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| This was our second time vacationing at Merlins place. We are obviously hooked. This place is so peaceful and warm and comfortable and the week went by way too fast. We actually had the pleasure of meeting Merlin while we were vacationing this year. We plan to go back year after year! I have more pictures if anyone wants to see parts of the island! Can't say enough nice things about this vacation rental and Topsail! |
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K McGinn, Woodbridge, VA |
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| 07/24/05 |
Positive
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| Very nice house, very clean and neat. Short walk to the beach. The beach is beautiful and clean. There is a lot to do on the Island and within a short distance off the island. Good restaurants and cute stores. Great place for families. We had a great time and hope to come back. |
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Sue Rowland, Kalamazoo, MI
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| 07/19/05 |
Positive
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Sometimes vacationers (especially from
rural areas) have a misconception that
a beach house vacation is too high
priced. I, too, once thought so.
This house and vacation experience
proved that wrong.
Vacationing at Merlin’s place was an
awesome experience and one I will never
forget.
This house is more than affordable. It
is one of the jewels of Surf City.
The city and Topsail Island in general
is a great place to not only vacation —
but the grow and learn about the
culture of coastal Carolina.
Our family visited several attractions,
including the Turtle Hospital, the USS
North Carolina in Wilmington and
several shops.
Speaking of shops, the area offers many
different attractions; a difference in
mainstream shops that are in many
commercialized beach communities.
From candy/fudge shops to golf, this
place offers it all close to the home.
I want to thank Merlin for a great time
at a wonderful vacation home. This is
an experience I will never forget.
I am already making plans for the same
trip next year.
Thanks again for a great time and an
incredible vacation experience,
Joshua Ball
Sports Editor
Williamson Daily News
Williamson, W.Va.
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Joshua Ball, Lovely, Ky.
(606) 395-6976 |
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| 07/10/05 |
Positive
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July 9 05
What a perfect vacation we had this year at Merlin's Magic. The house was sell equipped and freshly updated. The week was spent golfing , kayaking,,visiting the shell museumand turtle hospital plus a tour of the USS Battleship. We went to the beach twice a day, and that was the highlight as the water was warm and we were fortunate wite the weather. We're hoping to gather our three generational family there again nest year. Thanks Merlin Mimi
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Anonymous, hickory NC |
|
| 03/30/05 |
Positive
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| Thanks so much for allowing us to stay at your beach house especially on such short notice. It was great. The view from the upstairs is awesome. Even though it wasn't a vacation we had a great time. You have a great piece of property. |
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Liz Corbin, Fayetteville, GA
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| 10/04/04 |
Positive
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What a beautiful house you have! Everything was so clean and convenient. My parents, who hadn't been to the beach in over 20 years really enjoyed it! They especially liked sitting underneath the house on the patio where a cool breeze was constantly blowing.
Thank you so much for letting us rent your home. Hopefully, we will be visiting again next year!
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Bobby & Susan Holt, morrisville, nc |
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| 10/01/04 |
Positive
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| We had a wonderful time on Topsail, and this beach home was a perfect spot for our family with 4 teens. The beach is the primary draw; you must see it to believe it! Solitude, beauty, change. . . The home was outstanding, as it had EVERYTHING needed for a week away from home. We look forward to coming back next year! |
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Vicki Zilke, Milan, MI
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| 09/21/04 |
Positive
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| what a perfect place to go!!! nice, quiet neighborhood and beach. could not have asked for better information about the house and places to visit. plan on going back again and again. |
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Paulette Webb, Charlotte NC
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| 08/25/04 |
Positive
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| The ad for this beach house doesn't do it justice. This beach unit is more than what you see on this site. The loft bedroom view is wonderful. The house was very clean and comfortable. The beach is only 1/2 a block from the house and is never crowded. The island of Topsail is one of the best beach areas I've ever been to. For more pictures, please email me and I'll send you the link (can't post it here). We plan on going back to Topsail next year....if you want a relaxing beach vacation, this is the place to go. |
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Kathy McGinn, Woodbridge, VA
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| 07/26/04 |
Positive
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Thank you so much for allowing us to use your wonderful home. We had a great time. Found many shark teeth and the ocean was wonderful. The island is so welcoming. Go visit the fire department-the fireman are friendly and have many intresting stories to tell. Support the department by purchasing one of their T shirts. Hope to make it back there sometime and hope to be able to stay at Merlin's house again. Thanks so much.
The Mallinsons |
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Elisabeth, Perrysburg OH
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| 07/13/04 |
Positive
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merlin:
your house was so warm and friendly, and I felt so comfortable the minute I walked in. You provided enough information about the area that we found our way around very easily. I hope when we're ready to come back to Top Sail, we will be able to stay at your house again. Thanks again for a great vacation!
rick and cindy |
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cindy senatore, randolph,n.j.
9733613719 |
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| 06/12/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We had an awesome time! The house is wonderful and so are the neighbors. All of your helpful directions, places to visit, restaurants to eat at and so forth were much appreciated. I can tell you have put a lot of effort into making your guest stay an enjoyable time. Topsail Island will definitely be one of our vacation places we return to.
Thank you from the entire Navin family, Marianne, Patrick, JP, Kevin, Maddy and Sam.
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Navin Family
Kentucky
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