'Brookside' Waterfront Home w/ Kayaks & Deck!

Reviews

• Needs work

  2/5

  View is amazing. No dishcloth no kitchen towels. Ice maker did not work. Bugs in house. Need to get rid of dirty furniture. Blinds in terrible shape.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Thoroughly adequate

  4/5

  Pros:

  - lovely view with wildlife right on display. We saw herons swooping and fish jumping right from our seat on the couch.

  - wonderful kayaking & fishing

  - plenty of linens, paper supplies, and toiletries

  - affordably priced

  Cons:

  - home is very outdated and several things needed repair including a doorknob that kept falling off, blinds that are old, dusty, and difficult to open/close, sliding glass door difficult to open/close)

  - a/c struggled to keep up with hot days although the window unit helped.

  Overall would stay again because my active children loved the outdoor space.

• Awesome and relaxing view...but some things to know going in...

  3/5

  I recently stayed at this property and had a mixed experience. The view was absolutely stunning, offering a fantastic opportunity to watch the tides and observe local wildlife like spoonbills, egrets, ibises, and even gators. The kayaks were easy to launch, and I enjoyed using the charcoal grill every night. If you’re looking for a peaceful nature getaway, this location is wonderful.

  However, the property’s condition was disappointing. The interior feels dated and somewhat cheap, with broken and bent blinds and kitchen items that felt like they came from a college dorm. The sliding glass door, which an earlier review mentioned, was indeed hard to open and wouldn’t close properly.

  The deck is large but lacked outdoor furniture, which made it less enjoyable to use.

  To improve your stay, I’d recommend bringing camping gear like fold-up chairs and a table for the deck and shaded areas by the water. Binoculars can enhance your wildlife viewing, and packing your own towels and large cooking pots would be beneficial.

  While the property’s condition might be due to cost constraints, the location and view are exceptional. Just be prepared for the dated aspects of the house.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• CAUTION

  1/5

  Caution: this rental had (and might still have) health and safety issues. We booked 21 nights from March 6 – March 27, 2024, but only stayed there for four hours! As we were bringing in our personal items, we decided to open the living room door wall to access the deck and look at the water. The door wall door would not open. We called the host who sent his handyman to repair the door, but he could not fix it. Since this door wall is the only exit door on the north side of the property, it is considered a fire exit and did (does?) not meet Florida Building Codes: 2020 FLORIDA BUILDING CODE, BUILDING, 7TH EDITION | ICC DIGITAL CODES (iccsafe.org) – Chapter 10. We disputed the total cost of this rental which the Credit Card Company investigated and agreed to and refunded all of our money. During the dispute communications between the property host and the Credit Card Investigators, the property host continually provided untrue statements regarding the ordeal. We provided proof that his statements were not true. Therefore, we would suggest believing the comments of the other renter’s reviews and not the host when deciding to rent this VRBO. If you rent this VRBO – GOOD LUCK – you will need it!

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Owner's Response: "Tom and Lupe, our exterior security cameras, and photographs taken before your stay demonstrate a different story of your stay. Brookside is on 125 ft of water, on the Pottsburg Creek, with a view of 450 ft of water. There are two decks: 1 unscreened deck, with 2 doors, and 1 screened patio, with a fully functioning wood door. Additionally, we provide complimentary mosquito lotion for mosquitoes.
  
  We take photographs of Brookside before any guest checks in and the 2 sliding glass doors to the unscreened deck opened and shut as normal. Before your arrival, the property was expertly cleaned and the many linens and towels were washed, fresh, and fluffy. We sent the handyman over to photograph and verify the state of the doors and home, and there were none of the issues you claimed.
  
  The Florida statute you've tried to quote is for multi-story condominiums. Brookside is a single-floor home, with 2 doors, 2 decks, and 5 first-floor windows. Hence, there is no requirement for a fire exit because Brookside is a single-family, one-story home, with essentially 9 exits, all on the first floor.
  
  Brookside features wonderful waterfront views, revealing Florida wildlife and birds such as flamingos, storks, manatees, and beavers. Kayaks, safety gear, and fishing equipment are provided at no additional charge. The fishing is spectacular, especially within two hours of high tide, featuring largemouth bass, red drum, spotted seatrout, and black drum. While kayaking is easy on the Pottsburg Creek and Arlington River, guests should avoid the St. John River, where the currents are strong. We look forward to many guests enjoying wonderful waterfront views, kayaking, and fishing at Brookside."

• Great property but home needs updating

  3/5

  The property was great but entire home needs to be updated. It is also extremely dark around the home at night without any flood lights or even a front porch light.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Shane, thank you for saying Brookside is "great" because Brookside is on more than 100 feet of shoreline, with a view of 400 feet of water on the Pottsburg Creek. Also, Brookside is on navigable water, ideal for kayaking and fishing. We look forward to providing vacations for families that want to enjoy water sports and the beautiful waterfront views of Brookside.
  - All Brookside has been updated including all new luxury vinyl planking in all rooms, which replaced the carpeting. The photographs that are on the website are exactly what you find at Brookside. Nearly, the entire side of Brookside facing the water comprises glass windows, and light is everywhere. Also, the current flood lights work very well. Did you turn on the light switches in the waterfront bedroom? In addition, you did not have any complaints during your entire time at Brookside. We look forward to providing an excellent time for families to enjoy the Jacksonville waterways.