Onsite parking is available at the property.

Coastal Holiday Retreat: Luxury Waterfront, Hot Tub & Private Beach Reviews, Deals & Photos 2026

Q: Is Coastal Holiday Retreat: Luxury Waterfront, Hot Tub & Private Beach pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

Q: Where is Coastal Holiday Retreat: Luxury Waterfront, Hot Tub & Private Beach located?

Located in Branford, this beachfront vacation home is in the city center, 2.9 mi (4.7 km) from Stony Creek Brewery, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Double Beach and Branford Supply Pond. Polished and Stony Creek - Thimble Islands Historic District are also within 6 mi (10 km).

10/10 Excellent

Mike S.

Aug 29, 2025

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

We had a wonderful vacation!! The house was perfect, check in couldn’t have easier and the views couldn’t have been better. A perfect summer getaway.

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Leanne B.

Jun 17, 2025

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

Father’s Day Family Meetup

Great family get together where we all were very comfortable.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dee H.

Jun 24, 2025

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

Perfection

Our family stayed at Carols house while attending a wedding in the thimble islands. House is perfect- beautiful location and the views are stunning. We had plenty (more than we needed) space and the whole trip was luxe. Thank you Carol for an exquisite VRBO

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Leslie D.

Aug 5, 2025

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

Beautiful home

The home is very beautiful and comfortable. Plenty of space and great outdoor areas. Well appointed kitchen. Our children loved the big bath tub, hot tub, and beach. My only complaint is the owner showing up unannounced three times to work on the outside of the property (clean hot tub, water plants, etc.) over our 9-day stay. Otherwise communication with the host was great - she even went out of her way to accommodate a request.

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristi P.

May 26, 2025

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

Fantastic stay

This home was perfect for a quiet stay on the Connecticut coast. Every couple had their own bed and bath. Beautiful view. Very clean. Open floor plan. Lovely area to walk or jog. If we return to this area, this is where we will stay!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hannah K.

Jan 21, 2025

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

Beautiful views and amenities

We very much enjoyed our stay and were pleasantly surprised by how great the views were from practically every room in the house. Check-in was very simple and there were many nice touches awaiting us at the property.

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Beth U.

Nov 13, 2023

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

Great stay at carol’s

Beautiful property and neighborhood! The beds were super comfy and the kitchen well- stocked with essentials.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rob C.

Aug 18, 2023

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

Perfect Getaway

We all had a wonderful time. We had everything we needed, and the property was beautiful!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susan W.

Jun 30, 2024

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

Beautiful home

The home was gorgeous with beautiful furnishings. The view from all windows was spectacular. A very relaxing home with beautiful views of the water.

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan D.

Sep 15, 2022

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

Beautiful Branford

This beautiful home overlooking the sound and harbor fostered a wonderful time spent with family. There is so much beauty in the views, the wildlife, the water, all the beautifully designed and kept landscapes and gardens throughout the surrounding area… And many great restaurants nearby, along with the oceanfront country club and private beach.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sarah B.

Jul 11, 2022

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

Branford

We had a wonderful time! The home was extremely comfortable and appointed. The owner was very responsive when we had a question. We enjoyed the area and we would definitely come back!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Iris M.

Aug 27, 2022

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

Lovely house with amazing views!

It could not have been a better experience. From the first contact with Carol to the arrangements for our stay to a memorable family holiday, no one could ask for more!

Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Marc L.

Apr 26, 2023

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

Wonderful waterfront stay

Our family had a truly wonderful long weekend. The house was everything advertised and more. We were hoping for a few days of water views and the views were fabulous and manifold. Lots of classy comfort throughout the home as well. Carol was as good a communicator and supportive owner as one could ask for. Would stay there again!

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lee Ann S.

Dec 27, 2023

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

Wonderful Christmas in Connecticut

Everything was perfect!! House is amazing for family/friends gathering. Spacious, clean and great views. The home was everything we needed to celebrate the holiday. Thank you to host for communication and special touches throughout the home. Highly recommend

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gregory J., Louisville

Feb 22, 2022

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

Family Gathering

After an extended period of no contact we were able to get together for long overdue gathering in the incredible surroundings Indian Neck. Our family has long ties to this area and could not have enjoyed Carol's Beach House any more.

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Beth T.

Aug 11, 2024

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

The bird watching was wonderful with beautiful views of a marsh

We loved our stay here. The views were like watching a wonderful panorama of life on the sea with marsh views and sail boats moving from different windows. The seating was comfortable with lots of places to sit and talk with old friends and the kitchen worked very well. All and all it was a great time. One suggestion, provide shore bird books to identify all the different birds to be seen. Also a plus the central air conditioning was effective at keeping everyone comfortable throughout the house.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andrea G.

Jul 22, 2025

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

We’ve been traveling back to Connecticut for 18 years and have stayed in a wide variety of homes. Without a doubt, this is the best one yet. From the moment we arrived, it felt like home, probably because she and her very helpful husband raised their family here. You can feel it.Carol was an exceptional host; responsive, welcoming, and genuinely invested in making sure we had a wonderful stay. The home is immaculate, clean, cozy, and huge! Every detail has been considered, from the spotless hot tub (not always a given, we've found!) to the room-darkening blinds that allowed us to finally sleep in on vacation, something most rentals overlook.The kitchen is gorgeous, well-stocked, and functional, making it easy to cook and hang out. And the private beach is absolute heaven. Peaceful, quiet, and just across the street.The neighborhood is lovely. We walked every day, taking in the beauty of the area. Neighbors were what I call "New England friendly", and not at all intrusive. We’ve stayed in many vacation homes over nearly two decades, but Carol’s absolutely stands out. It was SO hard to leave. We’re already planning our return next summer.

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sepehr K., Stamford, CT

Jul 15, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Lovely House for 10 people

Pretty nice house, not exactly beachfront, but a lovely house nonetheless. Good space for entertaining 10 adults. A lot of bugs so tiki torches would be a good addition. Would certainly return.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joy W.

Aug 7, 2018

Nice large house for extended families to gather

We were expecting a very nice rental based on the photos and previous reviews, and were happy all were accurate. Kitchen and grill worked well for preparing meals for our group. We did not use the small beach across the street from the home, opting instead to use the guest membership to the local beach club that the owner arranged. The beach club is also in the neighborhood, has a restaurant and bar and is beautiful with shade trees to get out of the sun.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Milana T.

Sep 29, 2024

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

Beautiful home

Overall the house was great. The beds were so so comfortable and the house has everything you need to cook and grill. Unfortunately weather wasn’t ideal but we still got to enjoy the hot tub and at least check out the private beach. The beach is across the street and it’s not too bad, just a lot of sharp shells so I’d rec wearing some sandals to and on the beach! The house is a lot bigger than we realized and beautiful views all around. Owner was great and responsive. The master was awesome and the jet tib and shower were awesome

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan d.

May 23, 2019

Perfect!!

My family stayed here while in town for my son's graduation from Yale, and we could not have asked for a better experience. The home is absolutely beautiful, with amazing views from every window. We found it easy to drive back and forth from New Haven for events, and enjoyed having such a peaceful and scenic respite from the hectic graduation festivities. The kitchen is extremely well-equipped, and we were able to cook some memorable family dinners. Carol was wonderful to work with and made the whole process very easy. I only hope we have the opportunity to come back someday!

Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

8/10 Good

Kari B.

Aug 29, 2024

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

Beautiful water views for family vacation

Gorgeous home overlooking the marsh with short walk to very small private beach with water access. Spacious, beautifully decorated home with four bedrooms. Everything is meticulously clean, kitchen is extremely well stocked for cooking, and there are comfortable open concept seating areas. Deck was particularly enjoyed with a serene marsh setting and was great for viewing wildlife. Only drawback is that some of the outdoor photos are dated and do not include the large building being constructed right next door. The construction noise every day did detract from our relaxation. Understand owner is not responsible for neighbor's construction, but updated photos and a heads up would have been appreciated. The deck was our favorite feature of the house with its breathtaking marsh and water views.

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christopher S.

Jul 2, 2023

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

Perfect break by the water in Branford

An idyllic setting on the mouth of the Branford River, this beach home is meticulously kept and well stocked for visitors (just bring food!). A private beach adjacent to the home is the perfect launch point for water activities or just relaxing in a beach chair, and affords the best view in town of the annual fireworks display. Back on the deck is a hot tub with an amazing view of LI Sound, Branford River and surrounding wetlands. Carol the property manager is attentive and very responsive with lots of local knowledge. New visitors shouldn’t miss having a meal (or two) at the legendary Lenny’s Indian Head Inn just a short drive away. Also highly recommend a visit to the Thimble Islands via tour boat or water taxi from nearby Stoney Creek (Outer Island is a nature reserve and the perfect spot for a seaside picnic). The icing on the cake of a perfect week was access to the Owenego Inn, including its lifeguard attended beach and Friday evening festivities.

Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

May 1, 2023

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

Girls weekend

Absolutely perfect! This was my first experience renting a VRBO property and I was not sure what to expect. The reviews were helpful so I wanted to return the favor. Carol's home is just that...a home. It doesn't feel like someone's rental property. It is beautifully furnished and very well stocked with everything you could possibly need (and then some) The beds, pillows and linens were very comfortable and good quality. Carol was very responsive answering my questions in advance of our booking and with one small question during the stay. Otherwise, everything was clear from the listing materials and as pictured and described on the site. The one thing that can be hard to convey is the beautiful views from every room. There are lovely view of the Long Island sound from one side of the home and entirely different harbor views on the other side. On the first floor you can look out at both side and feel surrounded by the water. We marveled at all of the interesting marine birds both out the windows and on walks around the lovely neighborhood. One of the nicest things that I can say about the comfort of the home is that the weather was not cooperative, yet we were so happy in our surroundings, we barely left and had the most wonderful time! We would definitely rent this property again.

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

2/10 Terrible

Liz M., Easton, MA

Sep 13, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in

Disliked: Communication, listing accuracy

Buyer beware owner unreasonable with no compassion

The beach is not attached to the property it is down the street. View from deck is of a marsh...the pictures are deceiving. 4 days prior to check-in, 2 out of 4 couples had significant health issues they were just recently diagnosed with. Two had a recent cancer diagnosis so couldn't travel, 2 people tested + for covid and another had a death in the family. The months of Nov and Dec were totally available on owner's calendar yet owner refused to switch to another weekend. Owner lied to us and told us that VRBO told her she couldn't refund or change to another weekend. VRBO urged her to give us another weekend or refund but the owner refused. Half of our party wasn't able to go and the ones that did had to leave a day early. Owner was slow to respond to our emails about this as well. Kitchen was not gourmet and slightly outdated but functional. Visitors are asked to wash sheets and linens at end of stay as well as take trash out. Because of the owner's lack of compassion and the fact that our dear friends who needed this weekend the most were unable to attend there was a dark cloud over us during our stay.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

Coastal Holiday Retreat: Luxury Waterfront, Hot Tub & Private Beach

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