Our family needed a getaway from our home in Seattle, Washington when good friends pointed us to…read more"Holy Mackerel."As someone who is more a mountain person than a beach person, I didn't know what we should expect, but as we arrived, we were instantly excited to spend a few days at the house! The house itself was welcoming and comfortable from the moment we walked in and the view of the water was a constant treat. We didn't understand how much the close proximity to the beach would shape our time at the house. Since it was so easy to get to the beach and into the water, we relaxed in the surf much more than we expected to. The key words there are "relaxed...more than we expected"! Our first night, as we settled in and noticed the unexpected amenities, we remarked to ourselves, "They thought of everything!" Our older daughter- who is an avid reader- loved the little touches like the reading lights connected to the bunk beds. Frankly, we are not used to being so well taken care of! Our family got to create some easy and meaningful memories during our time at the house. From dinner and games around the family-sized table to quiet moments of reading and reflection on the Adirondack-type chairs on the porches, there are many moments that we will look back on as special times in our lives together as a family. In the background of each of those moments was the thoughtfulness of the hosts who put the house together in such a way that we simply just enjoyed ourselves! We would definitely love to stay at Holy Mackerel again and we highly recommend the house for anyone who wants to enjoy simple comforts and drink deeply of the culture of the Gulf coast.

These reviews have got to be outdated! The next generation has taken over Coastal Sisters. Houses…read moreare well managed. The team is super responsive! Houses are clean. Their individual descriptions and photos seem to match. Nothing edited or fluffed. What you see is what you get. Houses are mix from new to 1960s beach bungalows with lots of character. If there's a problem - unexpectedly the A/C goes out. They are super fast to respond. Hurricane coming in- they will advise you and often work with you. Check out their places. Nice choices. Convenient to Houston and Galveston. Nearby Lake Jackson is brimming with places to shop, eat and street names to amuse you.

Check out Surfside Oasis & Surfside Oasis Too! Love Love Love this place! These houses are new to…read morethe market & they are wonderful! The pool is awesome & you are literally just steps from the beach. Had a great time with the family! We had both houses & there was plenty of room for everyone. The kitchens in both houses are furnished, have granite countertops & plenty of room. We ate most of our meals out on the deck overlooking the beach. The houses are surrounded by Palm Trees. There are BBQ grills, adirondack chairs, loungers & games for the kids. The big house even has an arcade video game that takes no quarters. New TV's, Direct TV, WiFi & nice furniture. Not your typical Beach House. It is even totally fenced in so we could corral the grandchildren. There was room for all of us to park inside the fenced in area & the guys even parked their boat underneath the house & we could lock the gates for added security. Both houses have outdoor private showers & foot washing stations & outdoor refrigerators so you don't have to go inside to get a beverage. It was great sitting at the swim up table under the umbrella & watching the kids swim. At first glance it seems pricey but when you average out the price it is very affordable. I can't say enough about this place. This is our FAVORITE new vacation spot! We can't wait to go back! :)

My family/ friends and I have lodged at The Heavenly Views properties several times. We especially…read moreenjoy the secluded beaches during the latter Holiday times. The staff is attentive and welcoming. The rental properties are brilliantly designed. The attention to details is incredible. My grandkids literally shrieked and gasped with delight when they entered. The owners designs puts the other properties to shame. I highly recommend The Heavenly Views rental properties for those who want to get away and unwind....I mean c'mon just the memory of the sound of the ocean puts me in a wonderfully peaceful mood. Do yourself and your family a favour, check them out....you deserve it!

I am going to make this short and sweet or not. The house itself was lovely. No real issues…read more However, when we got there, someone else's flip flops were waiting to say hello at the top of the stairs...so to the bottom of the stairs they went...there were clothes left in the dryer from a previous tenant. There were dirty dishes in the dishwasher. The house has a lovely beach feel to the house, until you pull back the covers on the bed and then the sheets look like my great grandmother lives there (ok no big deal) however, I don't know if someone else has been sleeping in those sheets?? We stay in Surfside 3 or 4 times a year. We have stayed at various houses and they always put the sheets folded at the end of the bed to ensure the house guests knows the sheets are fresh. At any rate, the house that we normally now rent at was booked. So we chose Mr. Zuhair Hillail's property, Truly Heaven on the Beach at 123 Carlton, Surfside Beach, Texas 94103. When we got there and got all set up, we went to turn on the tv in the master bedroom upstairs and it wouldn't work. After about 1 hour, we texted Zuhair, the owner, and he said he would be "on the island later", he lives in Houston, and would come by. We then got it working and told him never mind, we got it worked out. Next thing we know, we are outside and this jeep pulls up and someone starts hollering at us. IT IS THE OWNER. What? What is he doing here...ok maybe he didn't understand we didn't need him. He comes upstairs and my husband shows him the tv is working ok and then he leaves. A little while later he drives by again!!!! (oh and then tv quit working again....we spent the whole week using our laptop. And let's not even discuss the internet....hardly ever worked...so we didn't have TV most of the time (no big deal) but I also needed to get some work done, the internet SUCKED). The next day what happens? Well glad you asked! The owner shows up again, this time to just to get fishing gear out his garage. I told my husband then and there that I thought this behavior was very strange, to the point of CREEPY. In my humble opinion, he had no business, unless it was an emergency, coming to the house that we rented, without some kind of notice. And then he drives by trying to be discreet...dude we see you! Anyways, we leave and leave the house in better condition than we got it. He calls my husband and BEGS him to talk to me to not leave him a review. Anything less than a 5 star would kill his business, he says. My husband tells him, just call my wife let her tell you her concerns and she won't even leave a review. That was June 4 and today is June 9. I'm writing this because he never called me. Oh and I cannot leave a review on the booking website VRBO because he cancelled our reservation so that I couldn't leave a review. So I am leaving reviews everywhere else I can think of. Happy traveling to Truly Heaven on the Beach!

My first trip to Matagorda and I lucked out being able to stay at JJB Cabins, with my dog, as the…read moreAirbnb I'd rented turned out to be a nightmare. Patti, the owner, personally rushed to clean up one of the lovely cabins for me, which wouldn't normally have been available as guests had just checked out after the Fourth of July weekend. I wanted to come here for a little writing retreat because of the chill vibe I'd heard about--small fishing town, beautiful beach and nature, friendly people, not super touristy. (As much as my family loves Port Aransas the vibe in the summer is anything but chill.) The neighborhood where the cabins are is the kind of place where everyone waves as you're passing each other on the road. There are some beautiful cows across the street that came RUNNING to greet my dog and me, miniature horses, lots of birds, chickens, and a cat or two roaming around. The cabin is super comfortable in every way, with multiple places to work on my laptop (porch, dining table, couch, chairs on the porch, bed) and even in the heat of summer it's been cool and comfortable with multiple air conditioners and ceiling fans. I love that JBB is family-owned and operated, and Patti is just one of the best people you'll ever meet.

this place and the ladies that own it. Only place I will ever stay in Matagorda. I highly recommend…read morestaying there. Very Clean and so close to the beach.

So amazing, we stayed in early March. Lovely home, so close to the water. Everything you need to…read moremake your stay wonderful. Weather made for many lovely views of the gulf. Lots of excitement surfing contest, fishing on the jetty, sandcastles on the beach and seashell collecting.

From the owner: Just steps from the waves, this beautiful, family friendly beach house rental is located in the…read morequiet beach side community of Surfside Beach, Texas. The rooms are very spacious as is the large lot and is just 2 blocks from the beach! There is plenty of room for Volleyball, Horseshoes, etc. on your breaks from playing in the surf. The home consists of 3 large bedrooms and 2 baths with an open concept living area and lots of custom touches. There is a huge deck where you can enjoy sunrises and sunsets while enjoying the gorgeous beach and jetty views. Watch the big ships and tugboats traveling on the Intercoastal Waterway from the deck while sipping your morning coffee.

Lazy Daze is the best. Plenty of room, great amenities, beautiful view of the Gulf…read moreand close to convenience stores. What more could you want? This is a perfect place for family reunions, corporate retreats or private getaways. One of our best family vacations ever. We can't wait to come back.

We had our family vacation here and it was wonderful! We had 3 small kids and 9 adults and everyone…read morehad the room they needed. The house was spotless when we arrived, and all of the beds dressed. It was a quick 1 minute stroll to the beach! The large kitchen was perfect for cooking meals for 12 people without stepping on each other's toes. We really loved the decks. The lower deck had a large table that we could easily sit around for some quality time! The upper deck (we fondly nick named the crows nest), had great views of the beach and sunset. We will go again!

End of the year! We booked a house last Dec for this Dec 27-Jan 1st. It was a cute lil house called…read morethe Mint Julep. But some long term renters had stayed on so Denise with BRS emailed us and gave us the option of three other properties and it was so hard to chose because they were all great. We settled on "Octopus's Garden" right on the beach. It was a large house with decks on both side and screened in porch in the middle. We rang in the new year in style! Denise always takes care of us and we ALWAYS have good service and response times from her and her staff. We have been renting from her for years and she is our go to every time for Surf Side Beach. Most folks only write reviews when things go bad. But we have never had a bad time in a house we booked with Denise.

I booked one of their houses through VRBO back in May. I was told today that the property was…read moredouble booked and they were moving me to a "comparable" property. The size is comparable but that it is. the property is not near as nice as what I booked. Since it was their fault for the double booking I asked for a refund and they declined. I should had known not to use this company after seeing all of the one star reviews on Yelp. I would recommend to not book through this company weather it is through their website or Air B&B or VRBO.

We rented with 979 Vacations on multiple occasions. They have a variety of beautiful properties to…read morechoose from and the service has always been excellent. The check-in process was seamless and the home was spotless. We even requested a special pan and they were quick to deliver! I would definitely stay with them anytime we area visiting the Texas coast.

We rented a house in Freeport, TX. It was unsafe with the fire detectors cut and two battery…read moreoperated ones stuck on the downstairs walls. ZERO smoke detectors upstairs at all. Window blown out upstairs over master bath. They boarded up the outside and left huge hanging shards of glass exposed above the tub inside. Whole bottom deck was boarded up and labeled danger. We had no access to that 20% of the house the whole time we were there. Five days in they sent a crew of two guys with loud equipment to fix the driveway. It was loud and inconvenient. When done, we still had the entrance to lower deck, outdoor shower and the elevator blocked off with a danger sign. Who rents out a house in that condition and doesn't fix it or offer a partial refund? They literally don't care about your SAFETY. It doesn't get worse than that. This was a tired, worn out home that hasn't been properly maintained in YEARS. You can tell when you get inside. RUN from this company. They truly do not care once they have your money.

Stop taking money for a house that's filthy.Trashed out house and grounds, sewer overflowing. Water…read morefrom the faucet was blackish in color . I do not recommend this place or management

Beach Bunny - Thanksgiving 2013 - 1 week stay, family of 4, from Austin, TX…read more We've stayed here before, and knew essentially what to expect: CLOSEST house to the water! So, it's not the fanciest of accommodations: it's a no-frills beach house in Surfside (which is not a "luxury" area). If you know Surfside, then you know the area. If you are expecting luxury, pick a different beach. Beach Bunny: yeehaw, some nice improvements since our last stay! The kitchen is SO much nicer after renovations - it's usable! Great fridge, oven, & microwave. Coffee pot: annoying break in the pour spout made for dribbled messes. Other than that, kitchen is totally in working order, and well-equipped with the essentials. They have added a kitchen table, which is nice BC we brought our kids this trip (previously, there was only a bar). Living room: yea to the nice futon-couches! If you've seen pics of wicker furniture, be happy that they've been replaced! Nice coffee & end tables. TV in good working order with Satellite. Bedrooms: where you sleep & keep your clothes. Absolutely nothing fancy, but the beds are comfortable & the dressers/wardrobes were plenty for our week's stay. I call it a bonus that there's a TV with Satellite in the master bedroom. Bathroom: all in working order (although a big "#2" might need some help! LOL! Plunger provided, but wasn't needed). Nice amount of space for toiletries. Cleanliness: I, saw 1 roach (not a"billion," as I read). Have no complaints. I didn't inspect deeply: this is Surfside! I washed what I thought should be washed, trusted what I thought could be trusted. Didn't take notice to any cobwebs, or notice anything gross (per other reviews). Porch/deck: AWESOME! I really miss the porch swing! Be sure to bring chairs: the built-in bench faces the house, not the water. Nice picnic table! Be aware of the entry rug: it WILL be wet (seaspray), but nice to wipe off feet! (Tip: bring a wash-tub & keep a towel handy to lessen the sand coming into the house!) The portion that wraps around was a welcome respite from the biting cold wind! Our bag of linens was there as promised: I chuckle that it's all just left together in the bag (sheets, pillow cases, towels, etc), but no matter! Our challenge: it was frigid the first 2 days of our stay. I had verified there was heat (via window units), however, none of them worked (to provide heat). Thankfully, there were 2 space heaters, but needed a 3rd for each of the living areas. Since we arrived late, we were given extra blankets (to make it thru the 1st night), and a nice custodian arrived the next day with another space heater. (also used the oven to heat up the place "ghetto-style" for 1st night - thanks for the tip! Odd to me, but functional!) Water: do NOT drink, threatened illness/death! Ok, it's brown & foul-smelling; wash clothes at your own risk (it's a nice thought to provide washer & dryer, and they are nice units!). The water: not the fault of the Beach Bunny, & we were well aware of this before we arrived (but signing the part about "possible death" for drinking the water is daunting)! Kinda funny: my biggest disappointment = no one informed us we couldn't park on the beach! Last time here, we parked right next to the steps leading up to the house. Apparently, the beach was washed away - 50% gone from our last stay, and no driving on the beach this time. That means: you park "far away" and must hoof-it over the boardwalk to the house...makes for an exhausting unloading & loading! But, this is Mother Nature, not Beach Bunny/Beach House Associates. Kinda cool to have to trek over the boardwalk to your house, vs. trekking over the boardwalk to get to the beach! Though some may not find this desirable (but as a mom, I did!): this house is"kid-central!" The location is PERFECT for kids to gather, as the main boardwalk leads from a houses farther back, so there are quite a few passers-by next to the house. I'm all about welcoming kids to play, so the Beach Bunny became "the place" for gathering (this was all my encouragement, BTW!). If privacy is important: just don't invite anyone up! (last stay here was our anniversary, so no kids, & we had no problems!). What else? This is by far the BEST beach house on Surfside to be in! From the proximity of the beach, to the cozy but simpleton accommodations, if you want to be close to the water: this place rocks! Hope ya'll have a great stay at the Beach Bunny, we sure did!!!

This is our second stay at Diamond Beach. We've stayed in 2 different units, and both have been…read moreextremely nice. Comfy furniture, large bathrooms, and roomy spaces. The balconies are gorgeous--the higher floor this time has a better view above the palm trees. Both times we've been here have been in January, so we haven't been able to use the outdoor pools or the lazy river. The indoor pool is large! There's a great game room, a movie theater, and a gym on the property. Everything is access-controlled, so you feel safe. Getting to the beach is about a 5-minute walk. This is a beautiful place! We booked through Ryson Vacation Rentals both times. Great communication, easy check-in and check-out process.

We stayed at the Diamond Beach Resort in Galveston for a long weekend. It is a fantastic resort…read morewith many amenities. Greg, the Director of Operations is the ultimate professional. He sincerely cares about his residents and renters and is willing to go above and beyond to accommodate everyone's needs. Specifically, we stayed in Diamond Beach unit 218. Great condo. Clean. Well equipped. Lovely. Pretty. Good location. Beautiful. It was a terrific unit at the end with an awesome balcony and great views. We booked through Sand n Sea. Great company. We booked with Jolene. She was terrific. We loved working with her. She was fantastic. Will book with her again AND will recommend her to friends and family! Very nice and professional! A very good company! Overall, we had a wonderful family getaway and will be back for sure!!