Summer Paws

Convenient and easy to make a reservation and communicate any questions/requests with the host. Received all the information needed to know exactly what to bring, arrival/departure expectations, and how to use the amenities. Cannot speak highly enough of the host and cannot think of a more prefect way to spend a week on the beach than SummerPaws - 5 minute walk (you can drive as well) to watch a sunrise or a sunset on the beach or otherwise enjoy the ocean; 5 to 7 minute walk to the local volunteer fire department to buy t-shirts, ice and other goodies; a hot tub and a pool for those times when you feel like staying closer to the house; a fantastic screened-in outdoor eating area off the uppermost level (enjoyed most of our meals there); and, most importantly for us, SummerPaws is a focal point for wild horse activity! The horses love hanging out all around the yard at SummerPaws. Was amazing! Highly, highly recommend SummerPaws as the place to stay for anyone wanting to vacation on Carova Beach.

Manager's Response

First and foremost this place is CLEAN! That is the main reason we return because I know that this house is very very clean, including all of the upholstered furniture. Laura and her husband are extremely available and attentive should any issues pop up which is a rare and much appreciated.

Manager's Response

This is our 4th year staying at Summer Paws, and we can't wait for our 5th! The location is great, and we feel right at home in this beautiful cottage. The house offers everything we need for a perfect vacation: a pool, hot tub, beach chairs, games for all ages, smart TVs in every bedroom, grill, screened in porch, outside shower, washer/dryer, and so much more. Our sweet english bulldog, Berta Mae, has come with us every year and loves Carova just as much as we do. We also have had horses visit every year, which we love!! Thank you for sharing your piece of Carova heaven with our family!! See you next year!

We love this rental and have used it year over year. The house is always so clean and well supplied. It's the most peaceful and restorative week of the year for our family.

Laura was very helpful and answered all questions. The location was great. We couldn’t have asked for more. Only thing I would suggest is to have manuals or directions for things like hot tub and pool if something is wrong.

Manager's Response

Oh, where to begin....Summer Paws is AMAZING and holds a very special place in our hearts! If you’re looking for a low-key, laidback, quiet place to stay - look no further than Summer Paws. This was our 2nd year in a row at Summer Paws as the house is perfect for our family of 4 and 2 fur babies! We loved our week so much last year that we decided to stay for 2 this year! The house is clean, well maintained and has everything you could possibly need. The horses visited every day and we even had a few sightings of a beautiful albino deer. This house is so perfectly located that you can easily walk to and from the beach if you don’t want to pack up and drive back and forth every time. We’ve worked with both property managers Laura and David between this year and last and they are both the absolute best!! So down to earth, kind and responsive. Already looking forward to 2025

Manager's Response

We have stayed in Carova for several years and this was our first experience with Carova Cottages. Laura was extremely responsive, available and helpful. The property was perfect for our week and I was blown away at how clean and maintained this house was. The house was well fit with amenities and supplies. We stayed for a week and contacted Laura on the first day to rebook for next year. Thank you!

Manager's Response

This was our 3rd summer in a row vacationing at Summer paws cottage, and hope to continue renting it each summer. It fits our families needs and wants perfectly.

Manager's Response

Laura was amazing and very responsive when contacted prior to our stay and during.

Manager's Response

This was our second time at Summer Paws and it was just as good as the first. We’d originally stayed in 2019 and were set for 2020 and we all know how that went! Aside from a different color the house was as clean and welcoming as we remembered.

Manager's Response

We had an amazing experience, and Laura has always been so helpful and kind. We had a wonderful time this year with our three children and fur baby!

Manager's Response

Love ❤️

This was our 2nd year in a row, staying at Summer Paws for our weeks vacation.The cottage is located right at the beach,super clean and well stocked. We love the swimming pool too. I would recommend this cottage to anyone. The property manager, Laura James makes the entire process of renting so easy. She also communicates with you and checks on us to make sure we are comfortable and have everything we need. She is awesome!! In fact I am getting ready to contact her now about our 3rd stay at Summer Paws next summer. Great place,great people, great times!

My family and I loved the cottage, the view, lots of horses visited, and location. Also Ms.James took such great care of us through the entire renting/staying process. She kept a check on us via text through the entire week, just to make sure we were good and had everything we needed.Hoping we can rent summer paws again for our vacation next year!

Thanks for another great week in Carova! House was clean and very comfortable. Looking forward to next year!

We absolutely loved our week at Summer Paws. The house has more than you could possibly need to enjoy your beach vacay to the fullest- pool, hot tub, grill, lots of deck seating, beach chairs, corn hole, games, puzzles, movies and more! Kitchen fully equipped to do a week’s worth of cooking. You’re on the beach within a 5 minute walk or a 1 minute drive. Our communication with Laura was quick and easy. She was super responsive with any questions. WiFi/cell service was pretty spotty even with the house instructions for router/connection tips, but I personally didn’t find this to be an issue. You’re on vacation! Unplug and RELAX. This house met and went beyond our expectations, and we may just make it a yearly tradition!

amazing vacation with our family! What really made it special and different were the horses that came to visit us almost every day. They were the same 3 horses that came to the house all week. If you want to see more horses I suggest you drive on the beach close to sunset or earlier in the morning. Another really cool thing was driving on the beach. Our house was perfectly located right next to the beach access, which was perfect when we wanted to drive back to the house mid day to go to the bathroom or grab something that we needed. This is not an ideal location if you want to quickly run into town for groceries, go to a restaurants, or do any activities other then sitting on a beach or driving around looking for horses. The house is situated about 9-10 miles away from a paved road meaning if you need to get into the main town, you are looking at a good 35 mins just to get off the beach. This was great for our family due to COVID, but in the future we plan on staying in the 4x4 section but definitely closer to the paved roads. The house was great, so clean and nicely decorated. The enclosed deck was a plus at night when we ate dinner out there, or played games at the table. The kitchen was well stocked, I only wish there was a pancake griddle. The upper deck to the left off the kitchen had amazing sunset views. The laundry room was so convenient to have and we all enjoyed the bottom deck as we rinsed off our bodies from the sand and then had a refreshing swim in the pool. The lounge chairs around the pool were great! My only suggestion would be to put small stones in front of the house instead of just sand as the weeds were tall, and there was a lot of poison ivy coming out of the fence around the pool area and right next to the driveway. This is definitely a perfect house to stay in if you want a relaxing beach week with hardly any crowds. However, miles down closer to the paved roads definitely gets more crowded with trucks. WE LOVE SUMMER PAWS!!

Manager's Response

Summer Paws saved us from a June without Carova when we had to cancel our other stay out of an abundance of caution when this madness hit back in March. THANK YOU to Carova Cottages (best rental company in OBX!) for finding this little cutie so that we could get our toes in the sand after all. We are spoiled, as we usually rent Sands of Time from the same company and it is ocean front. This property was clean for sure and just a short drive over the dunes. The beds are a bit firm but everyone is different on that. The kitchen could use a bit more stocking with plates etc. but we made due. Great outdoor shower, cute pool. Water purifier could be beefed up but that's getting picky. Overall great house for a small family get together. And again, can't say enough positive things about the rental company! (oh and yes, the horse really are RIGHT THERE!)

Manager's Response

Outstanding stay.

Manager's Response

Outstanding stay.

Manager's Response

We had a wonderful time in Carova staying at Summer Paws. The house is perfect for a single couple or family. It has all the amenities you would need, especially in the kitchen. Also, it is great to have personalized attention from Laura who quickly responds to any questions.

Manager's Response

We had a wonderful time in Carova staying at Summer Paws. The house is perfect for a single couple or family. It has all the amenities you would need, especially in the kitchen. Also, it is great to have personalized attention from Laura who quickly responds to any questions.

Manager's Response

Hurricane Dorian interrupted our vacation causing catastrophic floods, tornadoes, etc. The governor issued a complete mandatory evacuation, so we were only able to stay 1 night out of the 7 nights we booked. I asked the property manager (Laura) if they offered any type of reimbursement, since there was a mandatory evacuation for the entire week. She advised that we go against orders and sent me a to-do list for “riding out” a hurricane (stock up on non perishables, bolt down furniture, prepare to be stuck for a while)... I told her that I wouldn’t put my family’s life at stake over attempting to finish our “vacation” by riding out a life threatening natural disaster. A man up the beach actually lost his life the day we were leaving! She told me that they were not worried about our situation and that it was our choice to leave, and emphasized that they have a ZERO refund policy, and that even if the house burned down from a fire, there would be no refund.
I didn’t purchase travel insurance, so that part was our mistake, but it baffles me that neither the property manager nor the owner were willing to have mercy during such an event and a mandatory evacuation! And that she would go as far as advising her guests to “ride it out” rather than putting their safety first!

I personally won’t be renting this house again or going through Carova Cottages in the future, because I care about who my money is going to- and it’s clear that they put the money above the well being of their guests.

Manager's Response

We love love love Summer Paws, this was our 2nd year at summer paws. It’s literally perfect for our family. It’s clean, cozy & only a short walk to the ocean! We really have nothing but great things happen here. The owner obviously cares about their property & the management is the best I’ve seen in the service industry. Our trip couldn’t have went better, the only things that were brought up were when our grass was cut everything blew into the pool area & pool, and they didn’t blow it back out & there was pet hair from the last person still lingering but we have pets & love that we have an option to bring one year & it really wasn’t horrible.. really hard to complain when your surroundings are beauty & love! Ty so much & we will definitely be back!!!

Manager's Response

Awesome cottage, was equipped for all our needs. Loved being 5 minutes away from the beach. Will be coming back next year!!

Manager's Response

We loved everything about this house. The house has been beautifully decorated and seemed to have everything we needed. It’s clear the owners are invested in taking care of this house and providing a first rate vacation experience. The bottom deck is especially inviting and opens up another area to enjoy. Quick tip, back your vehicle close to the deck and always put the rope up! Horse hooves on deck boards @ 4 in the morning can be a little disconcerting. The area is quiet and an easy drive or walk to the beach. The pool is wonderful and the screened in porch off the top floor was great for all meals or just sitting. The desk area in the living room was immediately taken over by our 8 year old artist in residence daughter. She enjoyed being able to color and draw in her own spot. We also have become avid fans of Goblit Gobblers! Don’t know, you’ll just have to go and find out. This isn’t our first rental with Carova Cottages, Laura & David couldn’t be nicer and have always been quick to help if there is an issue.

Manager's Response

We loved everything about this house. The house has been beautifully decorated and seemed to have everything we needed. It’s clear the owners are invested in taking care of this house and providing a first rate vacation experience. The bottom deck is especially inviting and opens up another area to enjoy. Quick tip, back your vehicle close to the deck and always put the rope up! Horse hooves on deck boards @ 4 in the morning can be a little disconcerting. The area is quiet and an easy drive or walk to the beach. The pool is wonderful and the screened in porch off the top floor was great for all meals or just sitting. The desk area in the living room was immediately taken over by our 8 year old artist in residence daughter. She enjoyed being able to color and draw in her own spot. We also have become avid fans of Goblit Gobblers! Don’t know, you’ll just have to go and find out. This isn’t our first rental with Carova Cottages, Laura & David couldn’t be nicer and have always been quick to help if there is an issue.

Manager's Response

Perfect house for a relaxing beach vacation. Great views, close beach access, updated interior. Picture perfect retreat.

Manager's Response

We had a great week a Summer Paws! It was a perfect family vacation, the house was clean an comfortable and we were steps away from the beach. I can't wait to come back.

Manager's Response

good overall stay. Only issue for me was that i wish there were some first level storage, but we managed our kayaks and equipment and jeep pieces (doors, top). Vacation rental in a great location.
The home clean and in good shape. The vacation rental management staff was helpful

Manager's Response

We had an excellent time spending a week away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Mom, dad and our 10 month old daughter truly enjoyed Summer Paws. The property was clean and well maintained. It was as closely baby proofed as a non-baby proofed house was. There are some games and puzzles for rainy days, as well as direct TV. Next time, we'd bring more to keep the baby occupied because pouring rainy days were a little rough. It was too cool for the pool, but the hot tub was perfect. The kitchen had pretty much every thing we needed. We brought our own crockpot to make freezer meals, which worked out very well. In the future, we would be better planned for the beach driving; tire gauge, quarters for air, etc... We would also be more mindful of the tide times. We would very much recommend this to friends, we already have.

Manager's Response

We had an amazing time at summer paws it was the perfect size for our family and really made us feel at home. We had everything that we needed for our stay and everyone was willing to work with us to make our trip fantastic! The manager was so wonderful and really made this trip a breeze. Only thing that we had a little trouble with was we have small children and the 4x4 beach was tough with them wanting to play and run but that was nothing against summer paws.

Manager's Response

Excellent vacation rental. Amazing location and views. Management team is great. Honestly couldn't have asked for more.

Manager's Response

This is the 2nd time that we have stayed at Summer Paws! I can't say enough good things about this house! We have 4 young kids that range in age from 13 - 4! There is something for everyone at Summer Paws! We noticed several great improvements with the new ownership! The deck underneath the house is awesome! We spent many nights playing corn hole and grilling! At one point a horse even fell asleep underneath on the deck!! We saw horses every day! So much fun!! There were a ton of sand toys and a great big sun tent (that had seen some wear but still worked awesome) that we used every day at the beach! Laura was so great! Always there to help with recommendations and going the extra mile to make sure everything is just right! We travel all the way from Mn and it is so nice to have such a fabulous house to stay at! We plan to travel back to Corova every other year and will only book with Corova Cottages!!

Manager's Response

We rented this house last-minute after our vacation in Avon was cancelled a day before our check-in date due to the disastrous power outage. I am so glad we happened upon this place. The house was very clean, the pool and hot tub were awesome after returning from the beach. And horses, if you're into them, every day, all day. This place must have the sweetest grass in OBX. It got to the point where they were 10 feet from us while we would grill every night. And the entire surface on the ground level under the house is a wood deck - great place to hang out. If you're worried that the house isn't on the beach, don't be. It is a close walk.

I have nothing but positive things to say about the house and our stay. And Laura was awesome to deal with as well! Very friendly and responsive.

Manager's Response

Nice area to vacation. Pool is big enough to cool down when not on the beach. Carova Cottages was very responsive and friendly to any issues or questions we had. We will definitely bookmark this for a future vacation.

Only issues/suggestions encountered are there is poison ivy in the area, so just watch your step around the grill. Be nice if the grill could turn so that wind could be blocked while grilling.

Manager's Response

My wife and I and our 2 daughters, and Sunny the dog had a great time. We were looking for a place that wasn't crowded, had a beach, allowed dogs, and was fun and relaxing. Summer Paws checked them all!!

Manager's Response

This was our fourth summer staying at the Home known as summer paws. We love this home. We have three little boys ages one, three and seven. We also have a German Shepherd. We like this home because it is the perfect size for our family. We love having our own pool and our own hot tub. My sons love the surrounding nature, the horses of course especially. I personally enjoy the home the air-conditioning in the master suite with a separate bedroom. The that's were so comfy and my sons love sleeping in the bunk beds. Even our one year on his own room where we could put his pack and play and he could sleep comfortably. Honestly there is no where you can beat the price of this house.

Manager's Response

Everything was perfect. Yes there is sand. Sand on the beach, on the dunes and on your toes. Clean, quiet and away from the crowds. Remote but with all the comforts of home. Bring your family and the dog because all are welcome. A rare little piece of paradise.
If you are looking to go out for dinner every night or shop with the tourists you may want to stay closer to Duck. If you want privacy and seclusion this is the area for you. See you in 2017! Dan, Joanne and Ripple
And Laura you are great! Thanks for everything! Every question i had from towels to weather conditions were answered within minutes.
I would love a gas grill next year ;)

My 2 children and large dog visited the Outer Banks for the very first time this past August and stayed on Corova Beach in Summer Paws. I plan to return to Corova Beach every year, God willing, and would most definitely stay at Summer Paws. There was more than enough room for us with opportunity for 2-4 additional people. The house was beautiful, so cozy and very clean, offered privacy with no houses on top of it, very short walk to the beach, great ocean breeze being in the 2nd row, loved, loved, loved the top story screened in dining area, very accommodating to our beloved dog stocked with food and water bowls and mat, attractive to the wild horses that visited us twice that we saw, amazing property managers, Laura and David. who sympathized and helped immensely when my son lost his ONLY eye glasses and my daughter her ONLY retainers in the ocean on the SAME day and we needed to make emergency purchases from home and ship to an alternate location Corolla, great laundry room which came in handy, like new appliances, including the washer, dryer and dishwasher - I could go on and on as I hated to leave Summer Paws. It was very inviting and offered everything that we wanted and needed this family vacation! After staying on Carova Beach, I can not imagine staying anywhere else. The 4x4 experience was very exciting and exactly the environment I prefer - more relaxed, close to the ocean, 1 minute drive ONTO the beach and thrilling drive up and down the beach, all while being close to the town of Corolla with groceries, gift shops, restaurants, family friendly activities and more.

Great house and perfect location! Close to volunteer fire department where you get ice and just a very short, less than 1 min, drive to the beach. The pool was clean and very refreshing! There was a wonderful breeze from every porch. Very clean and homey feel. My only suggestion to the homeowner would be to upgrade the mattresses. They were not the worst I have ever slept on but they weren't the most comfortable either, even with the mattress toppers. Overall though wonderful vacation home and I would not hesitate to recommend this property to a anyone and plan to rent again in the future!!

Manager's Response

We enjoyed our stay at Summer Paws. Laura was very helpful with questions we had. Location was perfect for us. Far enough down the beach that you did not have many day trippers and a short walk from the house to the beach. The property could use some upgraded furnishings. The mattresses are not comfortable (much better with the mattress pad) and the dinning set has seen better days. We loved the pool, used it every day. Loved the screened in area on the top deck. Loved the lay out of the house. Great view of sunrise and sunset from the deck. Plenty of star gazing. Horses came to visit almost everyday as well as deer, frogs and a snake!

Manager's Response

For my family it worked out well. Although the beach travel to and from the house kept us from any unnecessary trips - returning to Corolla for groceries on only 2 occasions. So we occupied our time with beach and pool activities

The house was great, really nice and clean, we got to enjoy watching the wild horses come up to the house every day. Laura and David were a pleasure to deal with and provided many tips and suggestions. There is a 3 min walk to the beach and if you wake up early you can be alone on the beach enjoying the sunrise with the wild horses.

Loved the house and the location. It was a great experience.