I loved our stay at Carolina Dream. It was the perfect location for me. Close enough to grocery stores for stocking up on bottled water and necessities (paper products, dishwasher tabs, etc) but far enough from the touristy areas/traffic. In a 45 min dog walk on the adjacent street, I'd see fewer than 10 cars drive by. Save for the neighbors this week having a friend with a Harley, I couldn't hear any traffic noise, or anything besides the ocean. The hot tub was a nice addition that I hadn't even noticed in the listing but was enjoyed by all. And of course, the reason for me after the past 1+ year of pandemic stress: the ocean. It's a beautiful view even from the main level deck, but a short walk out to the beach or when viewed from the master suite balcony, and the stress melts away.
My only criticisms are more personal preferences: the lack of screens on windows and doors, and the mattresses.
Since several of the days were low to mid 70s, I'd much rather turn off the HVAC units and open the slider or windows, but they didn't have screens to keep flies out.
The mattresses are probably only an issue for those with bad backs; or who are used to foam or sleep # mattresses with uniform support. Innerspring mattresses users probably won't notice. All 3 adults had trouble with the innerspring mattresses. I didn't mention it to Robert as it's probably our own peculiarities. I'd recommend switching to foam mattresses when they're due for replacement, as it's usually easier to adjust to foam that has uniform support than it is back to an innerspring's pressure points.
For real issues, please call Robert. I got the sense he preferred calls vs texts, as he would respond right away to a call. We had some trouble with the slider leaving a gap and Robert was very quick to respond despite being in the middle of a wedding. He had people look at it the next morning.
Overall, you really can't beat the combination of value and location, and the flexibility to bring dogs. I searched SE coast for beachfront properties from NC to FL, and there weren't many at all that allowed >1 dog, and those that did were either 2-3x more or not nearly as nice or had poor ratings. Thanks to Robert for allowing us to bring all our family (including the 4 legged members) and not charging exorbitant fees like some others. I definitely want to return ASAP, but looks like it will be next year based on demand.