KDH010-Shades of Blue

We really enjoyed returning to this rental. We love the personalized note cards left and for us. The house is very clean and accommodating. We did have an issue with the dishwasher not being secured so we were unable to use it due to it tilting forward when the door was open to load it. We would also recommend upgrading the beds as the mattresses were not very comfortable and one of the bed frames was broken still from a prior trip 3 years ago. We will return and booked for next summer but are hoping a few upgrades will make this next visit more wonderful as good sleep is important on a vacation! Thanks again!

Jackie A from Chesterfield - Guest's stay: 3/20/2025 - 3/23/2025

Jackie, Thank you for your comments. As you noted the owners live locally and are constantly improving the property. For 2025 they installed a new hot tub, new hardwood flooring throughout, new carpeting, new sliding glass and entry doors, and there is a new couch and love seat. The mattresses are being replaced per your comments. The bed frame has also been taken care of. We look forward to having you back again soon.

Outer Banks Blue staff

Very nice

Travis R from Alexandria, VA - Guest's stay: 11/27/2024 - 12/1/2024

We loved our stay at Shades of Blue. The house is as cute in person as it is on the website. The views from both decks will take your breath away - it felt like we were looking at a postcard every day. The hot tub was perfect for the cold December weather - and the view of the stars was an added bonus. The only thing I'd change is to add a lock to the bedroom sides of the Jack and Jill bathroom for privacy. Overall Shades of Blue is adorable, the location is fantastic, and the owners go above and beyond to make you feel welcome. We'll definitely stay again.

Elana M from Ormond Beach - Guest's stay: 12/1/2024 - 12/8/2024

Elana, Thank you for your feedback about "Shades." One of our most popular properties for all the reasons you mentioned. We've passed your suggestion along about the bathroom door and we are certain that will be solved by the owner in the off season. Please come back again soon!

Outer Banks Blue staff

We rented Shades of Blue for a few days before Thanksgiving. The house is great for our small family and being dog friendly is a huge bonus. The house is centrally located and close to several restaurants, grocery, & hardware stores. Being right on the ocean, the view of the morning sunrise is wonderful. We sat on the balcony for hours just watching the waves roll in. All the bedrooms are updated and the kitchen is nicely stocked all necessary items. The personalized note & gift card from the owners was a nice welcome to the home. Now for the bad. Within the first hour of arriving at the house, we saw a mouse run across the living room and up the stairs. Being concerned we went to buy a couple traps and peanut butter. During the first night we caught 8 mice and over the next two days we caught another 7. Making it 15 in total in our three-day visit. Overall, it’s a great house and location, but will probably not return due to the mice.

Eric S from Raleigh - Guest's stay: 11/24/2024 - 11/27/2024

Eric, We regret that you did not have a 5-Star experience like the majority of other guests have experienced at this property. It is one of our most popular properties for all of the reasons you stated. We were unaware of the issue regarding mice in the house until you brought this to our attention. The owner lives locally and maintains the house to the highest standard each week and when advised of your comments he contracted with a pest extermination company to ensure no one else would have an experience like this. We understand the owner reached out to you personally about this situation to apologize as we do as well. We hope you come back soon to have the 5-Star experience that others have enjoyed at this property for years.

Outer Banks Blue staff

Our family visited Kill Devil Hills for the first time (Shades of Blue) during the off season. The location is fantastic. Beach/waterfront location that is also walking distance to the Target. We enjoyed beautiful sunrises each morning and the stars in the evening from the upper deck off of the primary bedroom. There was plenty of space for our family of four. We will look to book again in the future!

Sara S from Fairfax Station, VA - Guest's stay: 11/2/2024 - 11/3/2024

Thank you Sara for letting future prospective guests know what to expect when they consider "Shades of Blue" for their vacation. We appreciate you taking the time to provide this 5-Star review.

Outer Banks Blue staff

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