Sandy Paws

Our first time at Sandy Paws, we were so excited we got to bring our dogs which made the experience better. Our family got to spread out in the many rooms which were very clean and comfortable, kitchen fully stocked and spacious for multiple people to be cooking at the same time. Outside the kids used the pool and hot tub every day, the adults loved to grill and of course the beach. What an experience driving on the beach!!!! A four wheel drive lovers dream and great to not have to lug all our beach gear. We had a wonderful vacation!
House managers are terrific, came right over when we noticed a safety issue with one of the beds, thank you again!

Wonderful adventure for our family of ten. The house was perfect with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms. The lay out provided room for everyone to spread out and spend time together or separately when they wanted to. The outside grilling area, hot tub and pool were great. A really nice sized pool with plenty of lounging furniture. View was obstructed a bit by the dune but that can't be changed. When they say you need a four wheel drive, believe them. Our family drivers had no problem but one of the riders (grandma) didn't exactly love the 9 mile drive on the beach. Luckily with all the refrigerators and freezers, we were able to take enough supplies that the only trip back into to Corolla was for sunscreen. Management team was so easy to work with and responded quickly when we needed some help with a smoke detector. The best part was the horses who came to visit almost daily. They truly are beautiful !!

Laura was awesome and very responsive! The pool was perfect and it was awesome to be able to drive all our beach supplies down to the beach to set up each day. The house was perfect with a huge table and large family gathering area. It was quiet and beautiful and everyone loved seeing the horses along the beach, on the dunes and even up around the house. As for location, this was our first time staying on the OBX and we decided it isn’t for everyone. We had two medical emergencies which meant a VERY LONG drive to an emergency facility. Also, plan to bring basic supplies like shampoo, hand soap, hair dryer, dish soap, toilette paper, paper towels, all spices starting with salt and pepper. Because of the drive we only left for our 2 emergencies and a couple of times to get supplies. I have been to drive on beaches before, but this was a totally different experience. You HAVE to have a 4 wheel drive vehicle with plenty of clearence below your truck to get through the soft sand ruts. As for returning, some loved being in a remote area. Some wanted to explore the area and have easier access to the amenities of Corolla, Duck and sites off the island. The only time it rained was at night so I don’t know what it was like to drive on the beach in the rain. Also, because the dunes are so high, there is not a clear view of the beach. You can see the water, but not the actual beach. Bottom line, we are all glad we went there for our family vacation this year. The house was outstanding and we loved being in a rental property that quickly felt like home. And it offered bit of adventure and sights that you would get no where else! Oh yes. There is a shed in the driveway that is FULL with beach and pool toys which was awesome.

Manager's Response

Perfect spot for family fun. The house is set up to accommodate a crowd of all ages. The pool and hot tub were perfect and the location was remote enough to not feel crowded.

Manager's Response

This house has absolutely EVERYTHING you need for your stay. It’sa welcoming space with great decor and enough room for everyone comfortably. Having your own bathroom for each room was a big plus. Only recommendation is to bring your own hand soap for the bathrooms.

Manager's Response

We had a fantastic time at Sandy Paws! The house was HUGE, the pool was perfect, and the direct access to the beach was great! The drive to get there was crazy (9 miles on the sand!) but as long as you catch it when the tide is lower it’s not too bad. Definitely an adventure! Saw lots of wild horses — a couple even came trotting through our carport at one point during the week. The one downside to the wild horses were the horse flies that bothered us on hot days both on the beach and at the pool — didn’t think to bring bug spray, though not sure it would have helped with the biting! Luckily it’s not like mosquitos where the bites itch afterward, they were just a bit of a nuisance. Other than that just make sure to bring your own spices as the house only has salt and pepper, though it was definitely a well-equipped kitchen and had all the equipment/utensils we needed to make meals (which was good because it was a 30 min back down the beach to get to any restaurants). My husband also enjoyed seeing military aircrafts fly by during the day — some came super close and made for a really neat experience!

All in all it was a great vacation and we were so grateful to have been able to make so many wonderful memories!

Manager's Response

Sandy Paws is a great property. Kitchen has every single thing you can imagine and settings for 20+ people. My bartender daughter was especially impressed with the completely stocks barware to include all the glassware and gadgets. Elevator was a huge plus for my Mom who had knee surgery in the Spring. Loved having the little table on the same floor as the great room and kitchen for games and puzzles. Even though the tropical storm came to visit, we had plenty to do inside with the game room and tv's o'plenty. House is staged with beautiful artwork and is very updated and well kept. Pool and horrible are top notch. My only suggestion would be to include more beach chairs to replace some of the Sandy Paws camping chairs. They are cute with the personalized logo on the back but not practical for our older family members. As usual, Laura is a dream and is available and responsive to answer questions and assist with requests. Best family vacation ever!

Manager's Response

We loved Sandy Paws, quick, walk over the dunes to the beach, kitchen was well stocked with all the utensils we needed, and beds were comfortable.
We are an older couple, and don’t have a lot of streaming apps on our phones, and the owner provided ESPN for us to watch the Little League World Series!! Much appreciated!!

Manager's Response

I’ve stayed in many rentals including in the Outer Banks. Sandy Paws is the best we’ve stayed at - well appointed, clean and just nice and comfortable all around. Location may be a bit far from Corolla if you like heading into town a lot. But if you want a relaxing time on the beach without a ton of people around, Sandy Paws is a truly lovely place to be. The kitchen is organized and had lots of things most rentals do not. The bed rooms are comfortable. We’ll loved the place. We loved our stay!

Manager's Response

We could not have been more pleased with our week at Sandy Paws. Beautifully decorated home with a wonderful location and fully stocked with everything we needed. It was the perfect size for our family, and the memories created there will last a lifetime! Great dealing with Laura at Carova Cottages. We loved everything about this house and hope to be back again!

Manager's Response

We have been going to carova for 15 years. This was our first year at paws. The first thing we lived was how clean they keep it. It was great to have everything there in the house. We loved the second couch on the middle floor. There was so much space for all of us.

Manager's Response

Our vacation to Sandy Paws was simply, perfect! The home, location, and amenities created a relaxing getaway from life! This was our first vacation to the Outer Banks and the 4x4 beach location is going to be hard to top! We were away from crowds and most days, had the beach to mostly to ourselves! There are so many positives this house has to offer: elevator, huge open upper floor, pool, hot tub, drive your belongings to the beach, beautiful views, and many more. But really, the best part was the daily visits from the many horses that roam freely. Most times, they were between the houses, on the dunes, or in our driveway! This vacation was definitely one of the best!

Manager's Response

Our family (6 adults & 5 children) all highly recommend Sandy Paws!
We loved all the space, beachy decor, boardwalk to the beach, wonderful views of the dunes, ocean, sunrises & wild horses! We saw wild horses everyday! One wild horse even pooped on the boardwalk that leads to the beach! How’s that for wild horse beach charm?! Funny!
The kitchen is perfect for 3 families. It has all the equipment you could want and then some! Three refrigerators, a freezer, 2 dishwashers, 2 stove tops, many quality kitchen appliances, a crab pot, and every imaginable kitchen utensil! Thanks, Sandy Paws owners!
The elevator was a life saver in getting all our supplies upstairs. It has safety features which we appreciated since our group included 5 children, ages 5-8.
The fenced in pool (we paid the extra to have it heated) was great! The outside pool seating & chairs on all the decks were plentiful & perfect.
Laura James, Carova Cottages, answered our many questions promptly. We appreciated her help!

Manager's Response

We had a great time and loved the house! Would definitely stay again.

Manager's Response

House is beautiful and stocked with everything you need. So close to the beach and the pool area with hot tub was great.

Manager's Response