Horseplay

Very happy with the rental property. Our host was always available and friendly, providing us with good information.

This was our 26th year coming to OBX, so we've been in many houses. This is one of our favorites! Despite weather from tropical storm, we had beach time every day, loads of fun, and loved the layout and everything about this house. In fact, we are booking it again in 2025. Also, Laura was FANTASTIC from day one in communication, service, and professionalism.

What awesome accommodations, this house was wonderful. All 11 of us had plenty of room to be together yet a place to go to for privacy. Our view of the ocean was spectacular, saw dolphins jumping and loved seeing and hearing the waves. We all enjoyed the ocean and the horses were definitely a highlight. We even had some go right below our balcony! Highly recommend this house.

We had an awesome time with the whole family. This house is an easy walk over the dune to the beach, and being about 3 miles from the end of the road it's the perfect balance of not too much beach driving, but still remote enough to have lots of space on the beach. Driving on the beach was a fun novelty. The house itself has so many full bathrooms! And the top floor is great being completely open concept with great views. We had a great stay and highly recommend for anyone wanting a more remote beach trip, but still close enough where going into town for shopping or ice cream isn't too much of a hassle.

The entire family enjoyed Horseplay very much. There is plenty of room for our family of 11. Plenty of bedrooms and common area to make all of us comfortable. This is the 2nd time we've stay here in the past 5 years. This house is however starting to show wear and tear and could use some general maintenance. We had an issue with not having adequate ice. A commercial ice machine would be very helpful. We had an issue with the pump quitting and had to be repaired. A handle in the 1st floor bathroom was off the shower. The front of the a drawer in the kitchen came off and needs repaired.

Manager's Response

We had the entire family with us for the week. There was so much space escape from each other and big enough space for when we wanted to hang out together. Loved the location. We really loved seeing the wild horses roaming around. I'm pretty sure we saw at least 4 of them a day. We had a mom and her baby greet us on the patio when we arrived. So neat!

Laura is great to work with and our vacation experience was plesant. We have rented this home 3 times over the past 3 years and Carova Cottages does a good job with upkeep.

Manager's Response

We had a blast! Worked out perfect. Laura was great to work with the whole way through. The house had everything we needed and then some. Our children loved that we could park the car with all of our stuff on the beach! We also saw horses just about everyday, sometimes in our yard! Watch your step. A great stay , would highly recommend. Will definitely book again with Carova Cottages!

Manager's Response

House was as described and very clean. Excellent views and a great floor plan for a family vacation. We have rented other homes in the area that we were disappointed with the cleanliness and overall condition and Horseplay was a pleasant surprise.

Manager's Response

It was awesome! Perfect!

Manager's Response

This was our second year in a row renting a house on the beach. This house has it all! The setup is great. All the bedrooms have their own bathroom. The kitchen is well-stocked with all sorts of utensils and “tools”. They even had measuring cups and spoons! The house was clean and the property manager is excellent....very helpful and very responsive! I would definitely rent this house again!!

Manager's Response

We have zero complaints

Manager's Response

Great week at Horseplay. The house was well maintained and had plenty of room for our guests. The pool was great, not too big, but just right. Everything was clean and the service and amenities just right. Good location with just a short drive to the beach. Plenty of wild horses that actually set up in the back yard several times, cool. Laura was great and couldn't be more satisfied. Next time we plan to vacation in Carova, this place will be on our short list!

Manager's Response

This is our second stay at Horseplay. The accommodations were great for a family of 10.

Manager's Response

I was very impressed with the size, cleanliness, and location of this house! The weather wasn't great so we spent a lot of time inside playing games. It never felt crowded and the view was beautiful! We saw wild horses daily. Laura was great at communicating with us! She went above and beyond reaching out to give us alternate directions due to the weather. We enjoyed our stay immensely and hope to visit again next year!

Manager's Response

House was fantastic, location was ideal, wild horses were wonderful but the weather was awful. Thank goodness the house was so spacious and well-stocked because the weather kept us indoors for 5 straight days.

Manager's Response

Our vacation was more than we were hoping for. The house was/is clean, very well stocked with plenty of room.

This was our first time staying on the 4x4 beach & let me tell you it did not disappoint. This house was perfect for our family vacation & was very easy to find. The views were so pretty & the wild horses made it even better. Very clean and everything was easy to find. We would recommend this house to everyone.

Excellent Vacation Home! Some issue when we arrived all electrical surge related from a storm, Laura had everything taken care of by the next morning, and she was super helpful. Excellent to work with!!

Wow! What a fantastic week we had.(Oct 16-23, 2021) Horseplay met all of our needs and expectations! We had a family of 8; there was plenty of room for all of us! We enjoyed sitting on the beach, fishing and watching the horses. My son brought RC planes and did some flying both day and night. Laura did a wonderful job communicating with us prior to the vacation and even stopped by on the day we departed. It was sad for all of us to leave this beautiful place. We would definitely return to this area in the future. (Try that # in the title for interesting places folks travel to)

It was a wonderful vacation! Met all expectation! Laura the property manager was extremely helpful, very personable and so easy to work with. She made all the difference in the world. She answered every question and helped throughout our stay, always available. Thank you to her and to the owners. This place was clean, well taken care of and some occasions breath taking.. Our first day we woke up to the wild horses roaming and seen them probably 4 days while we were there. Sun rise was beautiful! The accommodations were excellent, very well stocked kitchen. Weather was a little rough first couple of days but this was expected we went in the off season. House was more then expected with decks almost all the way around 2nd and 3rd floor, the screened in deck on the 3rd floor was a great way to start a day. Beds were comfortable, pool and hot tub were the best... I would recommend this place to anyone, and already have...

great house! great location,! great views!

Beautiful weather, great accommodations and wonderful family fun! We truly enjoyed the natural habitat of Corova. Quiet and Beautiful location. The layout of Horseplay was perfect for our family and Laura was fantastic!

We were lucky enough to spend two weeks in Oct-20 staying in this wonderful home. Thanks to remote work and school, we were able to keep up with regular life while enjoying all the extras this home and the beach had to offer! There was plenty of room for our family to spread out in the house and the kitchen was great for serving up family dinners. The beds were comfy and we enjoyed both the pool and hot tub. We didn't have any maintenance issues that required assistance while we were there.

The beach is just a short walk away, and the horses made regular appearances! They surrounded the house one day, so it was like we had our own personal horse show. Sunrises and sunsets were beautiful. We also saw dolphins on the last day, which was fun, too!

Hope to go back someday!

We had a very nice time!!! The manager was really helpful and answered all of our questions very promptly. The facilities were wonderful and clean. I highly recommend!

Manager's Response

Horseplay was everything we'd hoped it would be - and more. Watching the horses graze and the dolphins swim was just magical.

Manager's Response

Horseplay is an excellent home and a great getaway. This is our 2nd year at this wonderful house and I would highly recommend this property. It is well appointed and maintained perfect for large families or multiple family vacations

Manager's Response

This was our first time visiting Corolla and it didn’t disappoint. A very short walk to the beach and a pool and hot tub at the house meant we barely left to go into town! This area is very unique and absolutely stunning. We brought along our dogs for a very reasonable fee. Certainly one of our best vacations ever. Laura was very helpful answering all of our questions and we appreciated this very much! We did see the horses very close to the house which was amazing.

Vacation was delayed for 2 1/2 days due to Hurricane Dorian evacuation. But that didnt stop us from enjoying the rest of our time there. It is an absolutely beautiful location on the 4x4 beach. Very quiet and relaxing which is what we were looking for. Property manager, Laura, is absolutely wonderful to deal with and kept us posted on the re-entry process. The house is a fabulous layout and very roomy. Loved the pool and short walk to the beach. Although this is our 2nd year at this home, I must say it is in need of some maintenance. Coat of paint on lots of areas, replace some broken pool furniture, repair 2 doors that are very difficult to lock and unlock....but still a very enjoyable place to stay.

This house met and exceeded all of our expectations. We saw the wild horses every day and we enjoyed the privacy and peacefulness of the location. Laura, the property manager, did an outstanding job. She answered all of our questions, was very responsive and took care of the only minor problem we had. We also enjoyed driving on the beautiful beach. Just know that 4 wheel drive is necessary. This may have been the best vacation my family has ever taken.

Manager's Response

The property was even better than as advertised. We had a great trip and enjoyed the solitude of Carova. Wild Horses were abundant and the beach was not too packed.

Manager's Response

We were looking for a beach get-away with our teens and their friends that was different than our past trips to the beaches of North Carolina. We wanted it to be something fun and like nothing any of us had done before... Carova Beach checked all the boxes and our stay at Horseplay made the week unforgettable! Working with Laura to arrange our travel was a breeze and she was very attentive throughout our stay. Once we hit the "beach road," we couldn't believe the ride! The beach and sand go on for miles and with no road, the experience of getting there was half the fun!!! Four Wheel Drive is a must! Each morning, we enjoyed coffee on the top deck with beautiful views of the ocean as well as the occasional wild horse or two. We loved spending days on the beach, using our Jeep like a giant beach wagon to carry all of our gear. Then heading back to Horseplay in the evening for some time poolside and games and laughter at the enormous dining room table once the sun went down. The house had plenty of room for four adults, seven teens and all of our beach gear. The kitchen is well stocked and having two dishwashers was a help with all of our crew. The beds were extremely comfortable and having a bathroom for each bedroom was wonderful! We really relaxed on this trip, had lots of family time and just enjoyed being away from it all! Thank you, Carova Cottages, for an amazing week!

Manager's Response

We enjoyed peace and quiet - had the beach to ourselves most of the time. The house is nice and seeing the wild horses was magical!

Stayed here for the last week of September. Woke up three separate mornings with several horses grazing in the yard. Add the sunrises and it was such a surreal start to each day. The houses is very adequate and would certainly rent again. Shows some wear and tear of a rental, but expected. Stocked with everything! Forgot a few items for preparing meals before we left home and always found what we needed in the house. Quick walk to the beach. Only 3 miles off the paved road was perfect for getting back into town when needed. Barely saw any neighbors all week. Pool and hot tub were great. For anyone who plans on watching some sports on TV, you might be disappointed. Cable is basic, there are no ESPN channels, FS1, etc. Wasn’t a big deal for us, but a heads up for the sports fan. Laura was readily available for any questions. She was outstanding and would be happy to rent from her again.

We arrived about the same time as Hurricane Florence was taking shape as a hurricane. She headed our way so our week was cut short. Arrived late Saturday night and by Monday they had issued mandatory evacuation. But the short time we had there was great! Beds slept great, number of bathrooms swas great also. We enjoyed the pool, hottub and even were able to see the wild horses before leavinng. It definitely requires a 4x4 vehicle!! For sure get insurance...we lost 4 1/2 days due to hurricane evacuation and couldn't get a refund without it.

Manager's Response

We arrived about the same time as Hurricane Florence was taking shape as a hurricane. She headed our way so our week was cut short. Arrived late Saturday night and by Monday they had issued mandatory evacuation. But the short time we had there was great! Beds slept great, number of bathrooms swas great also. We enjoyed the pool, hottub and even were able to see the wild horses before leavinng. It definitely requires a 4x4 vehicle!! For sure get insurance...we lost 4 1/2 days due to hurricane evacuation and couldn't get a refund without it.

Manager's Response

We had a wonderful time at Horseplay! This was the first vacatuon we’ve taken since having our son, and it was everything we expected. We vacatuoned with another couple who also had a newborn and the house was perfect. It was exactly as listed. The house was clean and provided every accommodation we hoped for! The staff was very responsive and helpful as we planned our trip.

Manager's Response

The house was perfect, the weather that week was perfect - couldn't ask for a better vacation! My family enjoyed all the space, was great to take a dip in the pool after a day at the beach!

Manager's Response

The house was perfect, the weather that week was perfect - couldn't ask for a better vacation! My family enjoyed all the space, was great to take a dip in the pool after a day at the beach!

Manager's Response

The house will not disappoint. Having the main areas (living room, dining room, and kitchen) on the top level with an open floor plan and lots of windows worked very well. Beds were comfortable too. Location is away from the crowded beach areas which is a big plus.

Manager's Response

The house will not disappoint. Having the main areas (living room, dining room, and kitchen) on the top level with an open floor plan and lots of windows worked very well. Beds were comfortable too. Location is away from the crowded beach areas which is a big plus.

Manager's Response

Great house to spread out the family on three floors. Great views, easy walk to the beach. Plenty of beaming sunshine in the house. Greatly appointed. Wrap around deck is huge with a great screened in porch on the side. Small pool but lovely. Master bedrooms are great but could use new mattresses and pillows. We would go back again and again but be prepared for not only the sandy drive but potential flooding on the “roads” if it rains. It’s a part of the seclusion though that we loved. We saw the wild horses day and night, it was magical!

Manager's Response

We had a wonderful vacation. There were many visiting horses, the home met the needs of our family and everything functioned. Property manager Laura and VRBO were extremely helpful. Be aware that you DEFINITELY need 4 wheel drive and the mile markers are difficult to spot. For the cost of this home, I did not expect rust in the toilets and tubs, knobs that fell off the bottom of the coffee table, dining room chairs that we kept reassembling or dishes (clean?) still in dishwasher upon arrival. These are minor issues, however - it is a beautiful location and great home.

Manager's Response

Horseplay was a great place to stay for our familys first trip to the outer banks! It had everything we needed. The hot tub and pool were great. We went in mid/ October so we added pool heat and it was perfect. It was an easy 3 min walk to the beach. Laura was awesome! We left a few things accidentally after our stay and she shipped them to us immediately. She was always willing to answer questions.

Manager's Response

Arrived at Horseplay to find everything in order. Laura James was excellent in insuring the home was ready and any problems were addressed. House is in great location to the beach (two minute walk). Kitchen was well stocked. Really enjoyed eating in enclosed porch during sunset. My dog had lots of space to play and relax. If you want to see wild horses, they frequently pass through and even stay on the property. Swimming pool and hot tub nice for a cooler day or when the ocean waters are rough. I highly recommend this property.

Manager's Response

Beautiful home, felt warm and welcoming. Saw wild horses every day, short stroll to the beach. Ocean view was breathtaking.

Manager's Response

We had such a great time at Horseplay! Laura, the property manager was always very responsive to all our pre-trip questions and the odd question we had while at the house.
Horseplay was clean, well equipped, comfy...exactly as others had reviewed. The pool was perfect - and take the advise of management - summer heat sufficiently heats the pool!
When we arrived on the beach to drive to the house, within a few minutes of our drive we not only saw some wild horses, we also saw dolphins jumping out of the water. All week long we continued to see playful dolphins and horses. The horses were both at the beach and around the house. Absolutely amazing.
A few notables - not negatives, more just nice to knows. Weekends are very busy on the island but if you stay out of Duck you will avoid most of this traffic. Arriving ahead of your check in time is advisable to get ahead of the weekend beach traffic. Also, for those with kids, cars do get the right of way on the beach...this is especially important during low tide.
Overall, our group of 8 (4 adults and 4 kids) had a fabulous week. We definitely recommend this house and the area. What an incredible experience we had!

Manager's Response

Great

Manager's Response

Our family of 11 aged 1 to 84 had a very peaceful week with perfect weather. The house was roomy enough that anyone who wanted quiet alone time could have it. The pool and hot tub were wonderful, the kitchen well equipped, and the views spectacular. Loved the horses and lizards too.

This vacation was way above our expectations.. Absolutely gorgeous !! From the moment we entered the sand road, to see horses walking by you on the beach .. Was just awesome .. The house was just as pictured ~beautiful ! We had our family with us and not once did we feel crowded.. Loved sitting on the deck watching the Dolphins .. And hearing the ocean waves .. The pool was perfect, our grandkids loved it ... We would love to come back, everyone's favorite vacation spot .. Thank you Laura for everything .

My Husband and I had never been to the Outer Banks. Seeing the wild horses was on my Bucket list.....and the result was beyond my wildest dreams!! Beautiful beach, house and horses!!We met Laura, the property manager. She was wonderful to work with and provided appropriate info for our trip. Can't wait to go back!!!! 4WD a must ....worked out perfectly!!

My Husband and I had never been to the Outer Banks. Seeing the wild horses was on my Bucket list.....and the result was beyond my wildest dreams!! Beautiful beach, house and horses!!We met Laura, the property manager. She was wonderful to work with and provided appropriate info for our trip. Can't wait to go back!!!! 4WD a must ....worked out perfectly!!

We had an absolutely wonderful time during our vacation. The house was beautiful and comfortable and we felt instantly at home. We are looking forward to returning next year for a longer stay.

We had a great time. Accommodations are clean and comfortable and perfect for a large family stay. We woke up to horses 3 out of 7 days right outside this house. Perfect place to unplug listen to the waves and get away from the hustle and bustle.