But he deserves greater glory than Moses in the same way that the builder of the house deserves more honor than the house itself. Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.

Hebrews 3:3-4

I promised the folk at Airbnb a more complete review of our UK accommodations once we arrived home, so this is going to be it. Then I plan to follow up with our guesthouse on the Isle of Wight in a couple of days.

Reviews are a tricky exercise, especially when the house belongs to regular people rather than a big corporation. There is necessarily communication with an individual who has a name, and communication is the beginning of relationship, and then it is not so easy to be forthright if anything is not up to snuff.

But it’s also true that respect, and a business model based on accurate reviews, demands honesty.

Our rental at Camber Sands:

First, let me say that all the queries I launched at the owner, Karl, found positive, friendly, timely, and helpful responses. He was patient and thorough in terms of clearing up all my questions.

In a nutshell, the house was great, just about everything we wanted and more. The cottage was spacious, it was comfortable, it was affordable, it was well-equipped, and it was perfect for two families including a very active three-year-old.

Three good-sized bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living areas plus a kitchen. So much space.

The kitchen was bigger than we expected, and it had everything we needed to fix our own meals. This is a huge plus because it meant that we didn’t spend that much more on food than we would had we stayed at home. Consequently we were able to treat ourselves more generously when we did go out.

The sunroom at the back was amazingly well stocked with children’s toys, so much more than we could have hoped for. Toys, more toys, train tracks, books, and all in abundance. Our grandson had enough to occupy him in the house that we did not once even think about turning on the television.

In the garden, as you can see, grass and a swing and more room to play.

Then proximity to the beach. Out the front door; walk a few yards to the park; make our way through the park and over the dunes; right onto the beach. Then back, if we didn’t want to climb the dunes, directly up a footpath between houses and back to the cottage.

And what a beach it is! Maybe a quarter mile deep when the tide is out. Miles and miles in each direction. Lovely dunes. Expansive views. Just perfect.

Grade for a solid “A”:

Okay, so the grill needed more help than we could offer, the housekeeping service forgot about the espresso machine, and the pantry shelves were begging for a wipe down… but we cleaned the espresso, we bypassed the grill, and we stored our food on the counter top. Not a big deal. And everything else about this Airbnb exceeded expectations so I will grant them a solid “A” and recommend the cottage without reservation (although you will need to make one if you want to stay there!).

Like I said in my first Airbnb review (“Updated Review – Maggie Valley“), I am now definitely sold on the “rent a whole house” idea. So it is “two for two” now and no looking back.

If you find yourselves heading to England, then I would absolutely recommend a week or more based in the Camber Sands, Rye, district of East Sussex.

And, to our host Karl, a heartfelt “thank you” for a great week with our family.

Peace, more peace, and Godspeed in all your travels – DEREK