After years of beach vacations, my husband said our time at "The Mews" was the absolutely best and most relaxing vacation he's had. The house is like a step back in time in the best sense. It was cozy, nostalgic and sweet. With 3 kids, aged 10-15, and family joining us for much of the trip, we never felt overcrowded. Surfside is laid back and casual. The House is just west of the main Surfside beach so their was little to no traffic, and the beaches were uncrowded - even in August. Nice size yard for the kids with plenty of room. Only 3 houses from the beach path, it was close enough for the kids to walk back whenever they had had enough sun or needed a sandwich. The Wave into town was only a few houses away at Surfside beach. Great breeze off the ocean meant the house stayed very comfortable, though we occasionally needed blankets at night! -And we never needed bug spray -EVER! Loved the morning walks on the beach with the dog, and stargazing at night. The kitchen was new and well stocked. The owner, Frank, called to make sure everything was taken care of for us and was very helpful. Can't wait to go back!!

My family and I stayed in this house in July of 2013. This is the fifth house we've rented on Surfside beach in the last six years. The location of this house is great. It's a very short walk to the path that takes you to the less crowded part of Surfside beach. That being said, we had many issues with the house. I would liken the house to an old sneaker, I'm sure the owner loves it and finds it comfortable, but no one wants to wear someone else's old sneaker. 1) Cleanliness- This house did not meet our standards for cleanliness for a rental house. It had not been professionally cleaned prior to our arrival. The floors and other surfaces were very dirty, there was perishable food left in the refrigerator, the bathrooms were not adequately cleaned, there were dirty towels in the hamper, there were hairs on the bed linens, and there was lice shampoo in the shower. 2) Hot Water- the above description states there is endless hot water. In fact, there is endless lukewarm water. No matter how long you wait you cannot get water hot enough to properly wash dishes or laundry and it makes for an unpleasant shower. 3) Outdoor shower- the outdoor shower is not fully enclosed. It's enclosed on two sides by a bush that is somewhat see through, and the remaining side can be covered with a towel to create a door. There is a hot water valve, but the hot water has been disconnected. If you are comfortable with the lack of privacy it is nice inside the shower. 4) Kitchen- the kitchen is nicely updated but we found dirty dishes in the cabinet and the lack of hot water made us wary of the overall cleanliness. In addition, there was a persistent leak in the half bathroom coming from the sink or toilet. We notified the owner, but he wasn't concerned. We continued to use the bathroom because one bathroom wasnt enough for our group of five, but the floor was covered in water and smelled like urine. In addition, the deck is nice but has no dining table and does not have a water view as stated above.

My family of 5 were lucky enough to discover this jewel about 6 years ago, each summer we look forward to our week or weeks (if lucky enough) at Surfside. This house is perfect for a short walk to the best beach in the world, or a short walk to the bus stop if you want to go into town. The Deck has been home to some lovely evening cocktails with friends, watching the kids play wiffle ball in the yard. It's a classic Americana vacation and anyone that stays is lucky to have the chance. Oh, if it were only July now,I can see the stars and hear the surf. Great family house or friend house, my wife and her girl friends spent some time here and had a blast as well.