Tidal House #10

I stayed two nights with my two kids. The bedrooms get a lot of natural light, and one has a door for privacy. We liked the foldout couch for movies, and the kitchen had the basics for cooking, including a small bottle of olive oil. Beyond salt and pepper, there weren’t other spices. Coffee and tea were provided, but this felt more like an extended stay hotel than an Airbnb or VRBO, and not really set up for more than 2-3 days. I was most disappointed that there wasn’t a washer and dryer. After beach days, we had to rewear clothes more than we wanted. The place markets itself like a beach chalet, but it’s closer to an extended stay hotel without maid service. We didn’t get fresh towels or tidying, and the kitchen and cookware suggest longer stays, which makes it feel a little undecided about whether it’s for short or longer visits. It’s comfortable, with a decent location that’s walkable to the beach and town, but there’s no view. The walls are thin, and we could really hear people on the stairs, though our neighbors were pretty quiet. The fireplace is decommissioned, so maybe a sterno candle would make use of it. The TV had logins for several streaming services. To add value, I’d suggest basic seasonings, more coffee, and less generic shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I don’t usually stay in Ocean Shores, but next time I might look for a place with hotel maid service or a house with laundry, since this had neither.

We celebrate our anniversary in Ocean Shores every year, and this was number 15. I couldn’t be happier that we chose Tidal House. The chalet felt romantic, quiet, and private, and had everything we needed for a cozy stay. Being able to walk to everything in town was a bonus. The door code made getting in easy, and we’ll stay here again.

The place hadn’t been cleaned properly. There were wet, dirty towels in the tub, a damp dish towel in the sink, and only one clean bath towel. No paper towels in the kitchen holder, no clean dish towel, and both the floor and bathtub were dirty. The door code didn’t work at first, and it took a while to get one that did. They also billed me a pet fee after I’d paid in full, even though I had no pets. They reversed it, but sorting that out took time and was annoying.

I wouldn’t book this in the cold months. The upstairs bedroom only had a portable oil-filled heater, and it took a while to warm the room.