My friends and I learned a lot from our first-time VRBO stay on Cape Cod, where home rental practices are quite different from other areas of the country. Few homes on Cape Cod provide linens and bath towels, so this was a selling point for four women flying in from across the country. (Still bring your own beach towels.) Read the fine-print about what is and is not provided in the “starter kit,” which is minimal compared to any other VRBO rental I’ve stayed in. Know before you go, and you’ll have a five-star stay.
Pros:
* The property managers were quick and helpful responding to my questions before our arrival, and once on site.
* We had the info we needed for an easy key-less check-in.
* The home is spacious; there was plenty of room for four women to have their own bedrooms and share two full baths, along with the powder room off the kitchen. It’s very easy to see how two families of four would have plenty of room to vacation in this home.
* The sun room and outdoor deck were each great spaces to dine or “chill out,” and there were some nice amenities, like the high-quality blue-tooth speaker we could hook up to from our phones with our playlists.
* The home is very much off the beaten path, but not too much hassle to drive into town, and it is possible to walk to the nearby beach.
* The drive to the National Seashore and to bike rental places near the Rail Trail is pretty quick.
Cons:
* We didn’t cook any dinners at the home because we never found a conveniently located grocery store to buy fresh vegetables, etc., just small delis or a “suprette” for breakfast-type foods and snack items. Fortunately, most places offer take-out or eat in. Our favorite place: “Local Break.”
* The upstairs twin bed mattresses are rather hard; likely fine for kids, but not comfortable for the older adults who slept in them. (The downstairs queen beds were just right.)
* With the minimal starter kit in mind, bring/buy coffee filters and napkins, and extra roll of paper towels; only one roll is available. We could’ve used more than just two kitchen towels. Dry condiments are also minimal. Hand soap is provided, but not bath/shower soap.
* We had to throw out all the ice in the freezer upon our arrival because a soda pop can left in the ice tray had burst.
* Watch out for what looks like poison ivy along the foot path on the way to the beach.