KDH010-Shades of Blue

This visit in September 2024 was our Eighth stay at the Outer Banks Blue property, Shades of Blue (KDH010). The house is adjacent to the 5th Street beach access, close to large stores and fine restaurants, and has a beautiful beach and ocean view. OBB's online process for rental agreements and payments was easy to use. There was no additional charge for our dogs! There was a level, roped-off area in front of the house for toileting our dogs (no more trolling through beach sand.) The home featured a touchscreen information center and a Nest wireless thermostat (very modern). Upon arrival, we found a handwritten note from the owners welcoming us to the home for our eighth visit and a welcome message on the information center. The property was clean and ready for our arrival. OBB put fresh linens on the beds and left several neatly rolled towel bundles. OBB also left a gift bag for us and a Shades of Blue souvenir blanket. Check-out instructions popped up on the information center on the day of our departure. We experience minor maintenance issues which OBB resolved within hours. Fantastic customer service.

Bob V from Salem, Virginia - Guest's stay: 9/15/2024 - 9/22/2024

Bob, We love having you back every year. Thank you for your comments and we look forward to having you back again next year for your 9th visit to "Shades."

Outer Banks Blue staff

We fell in love with the home and location as soon as we walked in! We wanted a little getaway week with Christine’s mom and our little 25 lb terrier dog and Shades of Blue was just right! Even with all of the rain (OBX made the national news that week) there was still plenty of room in the home to play games, cook together and enjoy each others’ company, all while the proximity to the beach made it easy to walk our dog and enjoy the sand between raindrops! We brought a kite to fly in memory of Christine’s dad on his birthday (he loved flying kites and OBX was the last place he flew a kite many years ago!) The location of the home near the public beach access made it really easy to fly the kite on a sunny afternoon. We appreciated a smaller home, in the center of OBX- it made us feel like a local and everything we wanted to do was very easy to travel to. The touch screen with local information- attractions, shops and dining as well as instructions for the home was such a great idea. They really thought of everything and it made us all feel so welcome! The second story sitting area was a great place to do some work when need be and Belle our dog enjoyed the views from the second story when we would go out to dinner. Highlights of the week- bowling, Swelsa Brewing (down the street from Shades of Blue) local trivia night, the local escape room, shopping at the outlets, Buffalo City Distillery, the Wright Brothers Memorial, the horse tours in Corolla, live music at the pier (also down the street from Shades of Blue) and very peaceful nights of sleep staying at Shades of Blue right on the water. We highly recommend this home anytime of year for your smaller party or family, but especially in the off season- still lots to do and you feel right at home staying in central OBX in this lovely home!

Greg and Christine G from Pittsburgh, PA - Guest's stay: 3/3/2024 - 3/10/2024

Greg and Christine, Thanks for taking the time to let future guests know about "Shades of Blue." Sorry for the crummy weather, but it sounds like you had a great time in spite of the liquid sunshine. Please come back and stay with us again soon! The owners of this property live locally and work hard to be sure their guests enjoy their time at the property. We are glad you had such a great time!

Outer Banks Blue staff

Ever since finding this house, we have rented it every Spring -- have already booked 5th stay for next year. I'm able to enjoy the upper & lower level oceanfront decks with my dogs and can see the ocean from the master bed. Since it's oceanfront, we still get to enjoy the ocean views even when the weather is less than ideal. The house is small enough to be cozy, but still has plenty of space for the 2 of us & 2 dogs. Target is just steps away for supplies or Starbucks. The owners are super nice -- always send personally written thank you notes & leave a gift. The price has increased quite a bit since our first stay, but we like the house so much that we still choose to stay there. (Despite increases, it's still reasonable compared to other properties.)

Patti L from Louisa, VA - Guest's stay: 3/24/2024 - 3/31/2024

Patti, We enjoy having you back every year, and we appreciate you posting this review. Shades of Blue is a hidden Gem that our guests all enjoy very much. We look forward to having you back again next year!

Outer Banks Blue staff

We loved our stay at Shades of Blue, we would highly recommend this house. The house is beautiful - furnishings, decorations, and the kitchen is well stocked. It is steps from the beach, and the balconies are dog friendly. We will be returning soon!

Sara M from Aldie, VA - Guest's stay: 8/6/2023 - 8/13/2023

Just finished our third fantastic stay at Shades of Blue and are already signed up for two weeks next year. It's by far our favorite place in OBX. Perfectly located, and perfect size for a couple or small family (as opposed to so many places down here that are gigantic). Cozy, nicely appointed, three bedrooms, two great decks, hot tub, easy beach access. Close to Avalon Pier and the Wright Brothers. We plan to be regulars for years to come. Highly recommended

Tom M from Coraopolis - Guest's stay: 6/4/2023 - 6/11/2023

Returned from my 5th stay at Shades of Blue and have to say this is my favorite house to stay in while in OBX. When friends stop by or spend a couple of nights they all comment on what a perfect location and wonderful house. We all agree that it is beautifully decorated and yet very comfortable. It is just the right size and the views from both Oceanside decks are fabulous. My Bichons love to be in the deck with us and enjoy the ocean breeze and seeing people go by on their way to the beach. I started staying for 2 weeks and it Is so easy to just “feel at home” during that time as it is such a wonderful place. This year the weather was cooler and very windy a number of days but I was able to enjoy the deck on some of the days I wasn’t able to sit on the beach. When it was too cold or raining we went shopping or just stayed in the house reading, watching movies, relaxing and eating while still enjoying to views of the ocean. I look forward to my stay in 2024 and 2025! I have people say why not stay at different houses and my response always is why do that when this house is perfect.

Kathy O from Newport News, VA - Guest's stay: 5/14/2023 - 5/28/2023

My family of 5 had a wonderful week at Shades of Blue. We found it to be an ideal rental for our family. The location can’t be beat, and the house itself is well-appointed and comfortable. We’ve stayed in several different Outer Banks rentals in the past few years, and I don’t think we need to look around anymore. We’ve found the perfect one!

Kate W from Farmville, VA - Guest's stay: 3/6/2022 - 3/13/2022

We stayed 4 nights, and found Shades of Blue to be comfortable, clean and quiet. Loved the hot tub! And since it's pet-friendly, our dogs loved it too!

Dennis B from WASHINGTON - Guest's stay: 11/14/2021 - 11/18/2021

Shades of Blue has everything you need for your family and pet to enjoy the beach. Fabulous ocean views, hot tub on deck overlooking ocean, nicely decorated rooms and well equipped kitchen. We would love to return! Thanks for a great visit.

Regina O from Stephens City VA - Guest's stay: 3/26/2021 - 4/3/2021

My husband, Molly (our dog), and I love Shades of Blue! The most stunning aspect of this home is the breath-taking view of the ocean as you enter the home. We have come to OBX for twenty years with family and friends and by far this is our favorite place during the off seasons. We try to come at least six week a year to Shades of Blue. This property is a true diamond in the rough. It sits just below the dunes with the ocean only a few feet away. Shades of Blue has many charming attributes. We totally enjoy morning coffee from the high-top chairs on lower deck to observing at night the ships deep at sea and the constellations from the upper deck. One of the unique activities we enjoy is watching a movie, projected on a sheet outdoors, while relaxing in the hot tub. Fishing on the beach and riding bikes on nearby trails keeps us busy. Many excellent restaurants and local shops are only minutes away. Shades of Blue has an awesome layout. It is a cozy smaller home with an open-air feel of a loft with a high ceiling and balcony. It has three nice size bedrooms with two well maintained bathrooms. The house is tastefully decorated with little clutter. The white trim and accent walls with the blue gray walls give this home a warm and welcoming beachy atmosphere. Whether you are in the kitchen preparing food, sitting at the large country table, or relaxing in living room the beautiful view and sounds of the ocean are always in view. We often think of Shades of Blue as a second home and like it to be neat and clean on arrival. The owner always responds quickly and responsibly to all cleaning issues and home repairs. It has a great new outdoor shower with hot and cool water. The laundry room is wonderful and well maintained. The kitchen is well stocked with just about anything you might need to eat in house. We cannot say enough good things about the Outer Banks Blue and this home Shades of Blue and its owner. We hope that all who visit respect and enjoy this home, a diamond in the rough, as much as we do. As always, we enjoyed our stay at Shades of Blue and made many memories.

Debra G from Mechanicsburg - Guest's stay: 9/27/2020 - 10/18/2020

We were so lucky to have this house for 2 weeks this year. Last year we missed getting a week and were disappointed. Weather could have been better with the unexpected Nor’easter that developed Thurs- Saturday. When the sun came back out on Sunday but high winds prevented us from being on beach or back decks, the large front deck was the perfect place to sit and enjoy the sun fully blocked from the wind! Our dogs enjoyed the front deck watching people coming to the beach access. The new outside shower was great. As always the hot tub was great, especially when the beach wasn’t so great. This was our 5th stay at Shades of Blue. Never disappoints! Luckily we have a week for 2021.

Judith J from Henrico, VA. - Guest's stay: 9/13/2020 - 9/27/2020

Fantastic oceanfront property 200 feet from the surf. Centrally located between Kitty Hawk and Nags head and within minutes of fine dining and shopping. Watch the sunrise from the newly renovated and painted lower or upper deck. If you don't like to walk on the burning hot afternoon sand, you can enjoy the beach from the decks. New, modern furniture on the decks. Large sliding glass doors facing the ocean. Newly renovated with modern kitchen and appliances. Nice techie features like touch screen info board, Nest thermostat. fast and reliable Wi-Fi. Large flat screen TVs in living and master bedroom with excellent cable service. There is a flat roped off area for toileting our dogs (no trolling through the sand dunes). The parking area in front and under the home was free of sand. Brand new hoses for mid deck and parking area. Water bucket for rinsing sand from feet before entering the home. New modern hot tub with modern clamshell cover for ease of opening. Water clarity, temperature and chemical levels in hot tub were perfect. We enjoyed our evenings in the hot tub watching the star-filled sky. The owners really made this a nice experience with new renovations and attention to detail. We booked this home for spring and summer of 2021. In our 6 years visiting OBX, this was the 4th home we rented and by far the best!

Bob & Sue V from Roanoke, VA - Guest's stay: 5/31/2020 - 6/7/2020

We would rent Shades Of Blue again in a heartbeat! Right smack on the beach, gorgeous sunrises from the balconies, super clean home, all the comforts and amenities we could want in a beach home for our small group. Even the wild horses made an appearance on our day trip up to Corolla. Thank you so much. Exceptional!

Mary Lou M from Adrian, PA - Guest's stay: 2/22/2020 - 12/29/2020

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Shades of Blue. The house is in a great location to the many amenities and restaurants. The best part is that the dolphins seem to congregate right in front of the home. You literally do not have to leave the home to watch them or you only have a few steps to go down to the beach to see them.

David C from Richmond -

Just returned from our first stay in OBX. This house provided everything I had hoped for; great location and view, nicely maintained, clean, and spacious. Loved sitting out on the deck in the evenings and sitting in the hot tub watching the waves. We were able to see dolphins n two occasions. The $250 beach supply credit was great, and although we were not able to use the water park tickets, it was a nice extra. My ONLY recommendation is that this property install some smoke detectors for safety of the occupants. We will definitely be back!

Pamela E from Vienna - Guest's stay: 8/18/2019 - 8/25/2019

Thank you for your reveiw. The property does have two smoke detectors and CO2 detectors in place. They are Nest Protect which do not look like your traditional smoke detectors. Sorry if this caused any confusion, but if you ever have any concerns please reach out to us. We definitely want you to always feel safe.

Outer Banks Blue staff

I just returned from my stay at Shades of Blue and will say that I love it as much now as I did the minute I pulled in and entered the house. There was a hand written note from Outer Banks Blue welcoming us and i received a text late afternoon from them checking to see if everything was okay. Also received a text the next morning stating they hoped i had a great 1st night and to contact them if needed. Location is wonderful as the house is in the center of everything and quick and easy to get to light for the Bypass Rd. The decor is lovely - light and airy with fabulous photos of historic OBX. The 2 decks are the best to sit and have your coffee or late night drink. Kitchen is well equipped with lots of space. The light fixture over the dining table is so unique. Bedrooms re spacious and comfortable. My 3 Bichons loved the house and throughly enjoyed the deck watching people coming and going. The added plus of an attached fate in the deck on the main living level was a fantastic surprise. Perfect for my pets. Quick access to the beach and an outdoor shower with hot water! We truly enjoyed everything at the house and have rebooked it for next year. We had a glitch with the combination lock not working right when we finished loading the card and I went to gather my dogs and head for home. Called the office and they were so nice with walking through a fix but had to send one of their people out which only took 20 minutes. Turned out it was the batteries on the lock. Can’t say enough about the house, location and the Outer Banks Blue staff.

Kathy O from Newport News -

Shades of Blue is by far the best rental we have stayed in! It is super clean and comfortable and has everything you could possibly need to make your vacation perfect - plus more! It is hard to believe this place is dog friendly as it is so beautiful and clean. Watching the sunrise from one of two decks, walking on the beach with our English Springer, Coco, every morning to Avalon Pier and relaxing in the hot tub in the evening are things we will miss but always remember - being able to check the Shades of Blue webcam at outerbanksblue.com keeps those memories alive!! We only slept in the king bed which was super comfortable and the flat screen tvs were an added bonus although we were so busy taking advantage of all the things to do so close to Shades of Blue we didn't watch much tv. Shades of Blue has beautiful decor without being cluttered. We loved the interesting photos and wall art. We would highly recommend Shades of Blue to anyone heading to OBX, whether they have a dog or not. You will NOT be disappointed!

Carol E from Negaunee - Guest's stay: 3/24/2019 - 3/31/2019

Shades of Blue, to date, is our favorite place to stay during the off season. We come two or three times a year because we just love this house. It has a beautiful beach and a dog friendly atmosphere. Shades of Blue is always well kept, clean and uncluttered. Everything you need to entertain or dine in or outside is provided in the adequately stocked kitchen. The only difficulty we had was with the grill. Breezy days blow out the pilot light. We always marvel at the beautiful view of the beach and the ocean from any angle on the main level. The sounds and sights of the ocean from the King bedroom is to die for.....so awesome! We have only slept in the king bed and found it comfortable. The rooms have plenty of clean storage areas for clothing and other accessories. It is within walking distance of the K-Mart and many local restaurants and taverns. We enjoy fishing on the beach and the nearby fishing pier. Our fourteen year old dog, who acts like he is seven, loves taking long walks on the beach and digging for crabs. This is truly a hidden gem on the beach which is a fantastic place to make memories.

Debra G from Mechanicsburg - Guest's stay: 3/17/2019 - 3/24/2019