Corolla Vacation Rental house: Oceanfront

Three of us spent a wonderful week in the Outer Banks, enhanced in no small measure by how comfortable we were in Somerset. Entering through the back door into the kitchen, the cottage contains one very large open area containing an eat-in kitchen with many well-outfitted cabinets and really good counter-space. The kitchen contained every appliance that you could want - dishwasher, stove, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, etc., all in good working order. There was plenty of hot water to take care of the few things requiring hand-washing. There was a long table seating eight comfortably. Beyond the counter was a very large, well-lit great room containing a sofa, four arm chairs, hassocks and tables, great lamps for reading, and two large sliding doors opening onto the porch running the entire width of the house. In the living room, and bedrooms the floors were covered with shag carpet which, unfortunately, was not as clean as the rest of the cottage (this is the only negative).

On either side of the great room were two bedrooms, small but with adequate closet and dresser space. On one side of the cottage, there was a master "suite" of sorts containing one of the two bathrooms, the other bath being off a small hall. Lots of hot water for showers. The washer-dryer set was in this hall and it also worked very well.

The long front porch contained many teak Adirondack chairs as well as another eating table and chairs.

Off the front porch is a boardwalk leading to the walk that goes over the dunes to the beach which was only sparsely populated - never, ever crowded. Being that close to the beach, when the tide came in the cottage would sort of vibrate but it was never unpleasant and the sound of the surf was wonderful.

Having air-conditioning didn't hurt either and every room was artistically decorated as well.

Somerset is not as big, modern or imposing as newer properties, but it typifies a beach cottage and could not have been more comfortable.