Is The Boat House on the Bay - On the water; Pet Friendly; WiFi pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 3 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

The Boat House on the Bay - On the water; Pet Friendly; WiFi Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Where is The Boat House on the Bay - On the water; Pet Friendly; WiFi located?

Nestled on the beach, this Norfolk villa is within 3 mi (5 km) of Sarah Constant Shrine Beach, Ocean View Beach and Community Beach. Oceanview Fishing Pier is 1.4 mi (2.2 km) away.

4/10 Poor

Hassan N.

17 Jun 2025

Liked: Check-in, communication

Disliked: Listing accuracy

Property listings is misleading

the beach there is not swimmable, the water is dead dirty and there are fish net all over. you share the deck, the rooms are small, and there is no oceanic view only highway bridge with a lot of construction and cars noise. check in was easy and the host is responsive. I think clarifying the listing will help people understanding what they are renting.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Miranda T.

26 Aug 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Boat house

Location was perfect. Loved that it was right on the water

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth S.

16 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy

Nice vacation

Another fun vacation in the books.

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roland L.

27 Jul 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay at the boathouse

This was a great little place right on the water of the bay. At low tide we had a private tiny beach. It was in a great location and although it was in a very bisy area, it felt secluded. Everything we needed was there at yhe boathouse. It was clean and bright. The host was friendly and responsive immediately. He gave precise directions and we found the place easily in the dark. We had a lovely stay and would absolutely stay again. and was fr

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

9 Jun 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, location

Disliked: Check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Unbelievably disappointed.

First off... George sends directions the day of the stay so you have to pull over to read his convoluted directions. the property is run down tall weeds, broken fence, termite riddled tree stump, unsecured and less than professionally installed electrical. Broken windows!!!, majority of windows are sealed shut and are inoperable. The main ac (big window unit) did not work at all .. small bedroom ac kept icing up. The window frames were rotted and haphazardly painted over. The trim is falling off of the windows at the front left windows! Rat trap with poison in it was in top of the refrigerator. The mattress was the cheapest possible mattress. 6'2” 225 lbs and my body was laying on the metal frame. I was highly upset and disappointed that a host would leave a property in this condition and expect guests to be fooled by a poorly constructed deck and dangerous railings. Also there are open electrical junction boxes in the closet with the water heater (no approved discharge pipe on the tp safety valve! And the electric panel was in the same closet with no means of egress...I'll check with the code office to see if they care about guest safety. I have more pictures than I can upload here.

Love, open electric connections in fully accessible closet.

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Megan H.

28 Mar 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

032024

The positives first the property manager was very friendly and helpful the check in process was easy property was clean had an nice time especially loved the wildlife in the bay! Something's I wish I knew before I booked the pictures are pretty outdated so the dock that we were hoping to fish on was in complete dis repair it was not safe to go on at all a little disappointing but it is off season. We did also have a random couple ask us on our first day what we were doing there because he said he rented it which was odd but I think he was just confused and nothing ever came of it parking is TIGHT but there isn't much anyone can do about that its a small driveway, and it's not serious, but just an fyi the bottom of the shower takes a long time to drain so your shower can't be too long or one immediately after another despite these few small things it is a relaxing space we over all enjoyed our stay

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

4/10 Poor

Darrrn E.

18 Nov 2022

Liked: Check-in, communication

Disliked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Location, location, location?

We were expecting a quiet view of the bay, but instead, we encountered a noisy highway bridge running over the bay. This was not mentioned in any of the reviews, nor we’re there any pictures of the highway in the ad. We felt it was not worth what we paid. We could’ve stayed at a hotel on the other side of the bay which would’ve been cheaper and much more peaceful. Lesson learned.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Luke L.

13 Feb 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay in the Norfolk Area

I stayed here for 20 days while I was attending a training course on the Naval Base. Everything I needed was there. The deck outside gives a good view of the sunset and you are just a couple blocks from the beach on the other side of the spit. There is a outdoor grill near the entrance built into the brick. I never used it but give it a shot if you like cooking. This place has plenty of space for a couple, plus a child or maybe two. The water heater is very capable. Don't turn the faucet or shower too far your first time or it might be too hot. Shower only needs a quarter-turn to the left. Smart TV works great and you can log into all your accounts. Don't forget to log out before you leave. Ducks like to hang out on the sand next to the house, including a couple big muscovy ducks. You can get a good look at them most mornings. Definitely go check out Fort Monroe and the Casemate museum just across the bridge if you are in the area--there is a cell there where Jefferson Davis was imprisoned for a couple of years after the civil war. This is not a five star hotel, but if you just want somewhere comfortable to sleep, eat, watch tv, plus a good view and location, it has everything you need.

Stayed 21 nights in Jan 2022

4/10 Poor

Mary F.

3 Oct 2022

Liked: Check-in

Disliked: Location, listing accuracy

Accuracy of listing is questionable

It is a private house on a dock but we had no access to the beach from where the picture were taken and I find that to be quite misleading. I paid quite a bit of money to stay here & the dock had wood that was soft / rotted we weren't able to access most of the dock and part of the porch. We had to walk thru a unlit alley way between abandoned houses to get to the rental, that's a safety hazard. The back door didn't lock, it just had a stick wedged in the sliding door, i don't consider that to be a safe & effective lock. The front door locked great. The house had ants. I have a picture of a dead roach, so there's a potential pest problem, but the house was obviously cleaned just seems to have some pests. And my boyfriend couldn't stand up in the shower & could barely fit in the bathroom, so not for tall people. There was flooding in the area and we left because of flooding. The process of canceling our reservation was quick and easy. I found the host to be quick with communication and easy to get ahold of. The birding was great, we saw several different species of bird. I just really wish that I would have known I didn't have access to the beach with live oaks & the rest of the dock. I didn't mind the bridge and crane views, nor the noise from the highway, so much as not having acess to the the supossed private beach location.

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

6/10 Okay

Mary S.

23 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Really enjoyed my stay despite all this

The property was nice, but the deck needs to remodeled completely. There were some renovations but not the entire deck was finished. There is a pier right off the home that is advertised but it’s use at your own risk. One of the pillar is almost completely rotted through and when you walk the thing creaks. You can not go all the way to the end of it because it has collapsed at the end. None of this is disclosed in the details of the listing. The pictures are misleading the beach area is nice, but the neighbors harassed my kids and told them it was their property. The listing says private but we had over 5 people walk up on the deck outside the home ( I have young daughter windows cover this home) and said they were staying at a different house and they had access to the area. It was NEVER disclosed that the deck area like I mean patio right outside the boathouse would be shared. The house is covered in windows it’s a complete lack of privacy of not knowing who is going to walk up when your sitting eating breakfast trying to enjoy the view. The neighbors watch you because anytime you leave for a second they come and poke their heads around and their younger children will harass your children and make them feel unwelcome. Beware their are nails rusted stick out out in areas kids need to be watched a lot. To add to all this the shower was broken. The hose was leaking to the shower head and just poured out the back not pressure to even feel water on your scalp.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Eli C.

28 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great family time on the water

Good respite from the grind

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sylvan A.

22 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Awesome experience. The owner was super responsive. It’s as advertised right on the water and very private. Plus the main beach was a super short walk away. Will definitely book again when we are in the area. My only suggestion, not a complaint, maybe put in a few hooks for towels. Other than that it was great!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kevin N.

15 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Everything we needed...

The place was exactly as described in the listing. The fenced in yard was great for the dogs and I caught dozens of fish directly from the deck. The owners were very responsive to all my inquiries and I would highly recommend this property if you need a place to stay in Norfolk/Va Beach, especially if you have animals with you.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth S.

15 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Definitely a fishing spot!

Nice stay! Family had so much fun! Can’t wait to get back Next year..

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Ellinger m.

4 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Charming and clean…

This property was very charming and clean. The owner was very prompt with messages. Some details were not revealed in the listing such as; dock is heavily damaged and not to be used. The patio/deck is being repaired and is mostly user friendly., stairs leading down to the beach are not safe and some are missing. Unfortunately, Husband had a torn acl on this trip and wasn’t able to access the beach. Plenty of space for our family of three, plus dog to spread out and enjoy the boat house. Tv was a bonus, coffee and coffee maker with all the fixings was perfect! Bathroom was clean but extremely small. Once the Small repairs are finished up inside and the larger repair of the dock outside are complete, this place will be a perfect escape for a small family! We will definitely keep this on our list!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Edgardo J.

12 Jun 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend getaway

Really great

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

2/10 Terrible

Mittie G.

3 Apr 2022

Disliked: Communication, location, listing accuracy

The Property Was Not What It Appeared to Be Online

The property is 50 yards across the water from an interstate bridge. It was very loud inside with doors and windows closed. This was not told in the information on the rental site. The dock has many warped boards and it did not look safe to walk on. The only source of heat was a window unit that did not keep the cottage warm even when turned up high. There was a strong draft coming from the windows over the bed. It took me over 3 hours to reach the owner. He moved us to an apartment with no water view. It was disappointing as the whole point in renting the property was to be on the water.

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Colleen F.

28 Mar 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very convenient

This property has everything you need for a short stay. It’s clean, secure and quaint. Owner is responsive. Safe parking. We enjoyed a short visit to see Art galleries and drive to Richmond one day to check that out. It was a great visit.

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

shelbie m.

27 Mar 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Clean rental

Overall, we were pleased with our stay here. What we liked: Quiet- no direct neighbors. Clean- super clean rental The owner was really responsive. But there were some things that we weren’t crazy about. The bathroom was small. Like really small. It also wasn’t really kept up with. The shower tile was broken and uneven, the water doesn’t drain well so you’re always standing in water. The hot water is HOT. I made the mistake of turning it on and getting in before checking. There’s no ventilation in the bathroom so it gets steamy and everything damp within a minute or two. The yard wasn’t really dog friendly. I was looking forward to my dogs being able to be off leash. Every time they’re out, I’m out with them to keep an eye on them and clean up after them. Thankfully so, because there was stuff back behind the shed they started to eat. One dog came back to me with a rusty nail in his mouth as a toy. After that, I kept them on leash and walked them. The gate is piece together with some random straps and the latch is a cloth tied in a knot to go over the post. The deck outside of the rental looks nice in the photos but is really weathered and bad in some places. I didn’t bother walking anywhere out on it because it didn’t seem safe. The view of the water is nice. But the bridge to the tunnel is within throwing distance and sometimes gets noisy. Overall, it was nice for the price. The unit was really clean which I appreciate.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Donald

22 Feb 2022

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2022

The Boat House on the Bay - On the water; Pet Friendly; WiFi

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