Once we arrived at the rental house and saw the rundown condition of the place, we refused to stay at "A Cat Named Vivian", and we left. MAYBE I would have stayed in the house if had belonged to a friend who was going to let me stay there for free, but no way was I going to pay someone nearly $2000 to stay in that house for a week. We were three small families with little children, so we arrived in three cars. There was no place to park except for a small spot in the grass next to the road. The yard was unkempt. The wooden exterior of the house was unmaintained and the siding was covered in black mold and green algae. The porch screen was ripped and there was a filthy old throw rug tossed on top of the picnic table on the screened porch. Inside the house, the couch cushions were strewn all over the floor living room floor with the upholstery covers removed. Without the covers, the uncovered couch cushions were filthy, covered in large yellow stains that looked like dog urine. We found the couch cushion covers to be in the still running washing machine, being laundered. At least they were trying to clean them! The kitchen counter tops were covered with crumbs and liquid (water?). The aged kitchen stove was covered with blackened dents and scuff marks. The stove burners were lined underneath with old, torn, burnt and crusty aluminum foil. The bedspreads were haphazardly spread on the beds and the unemptied bathroom trash cans were sitting in the hallway. We approached the owner of the rental unit, who lived in the house nextdoor. While apologetic and helpful, he assured us that the cleaning crew had finished their work and that our rental unit had been "cleared" by the rental agency for check-in. We told the owner that we didn't consider the home acceptable, and he offered to find us another house on the island to rent. Being early August, that was a tall order, but a more acceptable replacement house was furnished. We had to pay an additional $100 for the replacement house, but I consider it money well spent, as we did not want our small children climbing around on the questionable carpets and upholstery at "A Cat Named Vivian", as I believe Vivian may have been the culprit for the yellow stains on the couch.

This house was lovingly built and lived in for thirty years by the owner, a master craftsman and artist. The energy is great and each room has a feeling of being designed and built with thoughtfulness and intention. The kitchen is well equipped and with quality cookware (I'm a cook and was concerned about this). The decks are great for chasing the sun throughout the day. The skylight is just right for brewing your morning cup. The couch is situated perfectly for an afternoon nap. The master bedroom is like sleeping in a maritime forest. I recommend an afternoon outdoor shower, which is positioned for privacy and the afternoon sun. The master bath feels spa-like. And while Jackson Circle is already off the busy path and with views of the salt marsh, the house itself is nestled in its own private surroundings, so it's easy to do yoga or sunbathe or eat out on the deck without walkers and tourists interrupting. If you're booking this place, I'm jealous of you already. We'll never stay anywhere else.