Stayed June 2024
"This was our second year at Ms Joy Bell, after 6 or 7 years next door at the Daydreamer. Best views on Ocracoke. Pet friendly. When we arrived, the inside Acorn Stairlift was stuck on the floor, blocking access to the bedroom. OIR responded quickly and the repairman fixed it in an hour. (Puzzle pieces jammed in the base) Half of the house's rain gutters have been missing for, several years. When it rains, a waterfall comes down over the only exit door in the house. Rain has damaged the door that exits from the 1st floor bedroom to the deck. The door frame is rotted. The hinges are falling out and the door cannot be safely opened. The first floor bedrooms have mattresses that need to be replaced. They collapse in the middle after half an hour sleeping on them. Very uncomfortable. A few other minor issues, but, otherwise, we have enjoyed our stay. We're moving on to another house next year."
Stayed April 2024
"Wonderful house and location. We all had a great time. We were there with my parents and my family. Ocracoke is a special place for my parents. They were happy to share their vacation with their grandchildren. "
Stayed September 2023
"Okracoke VRBO - Great!"
Stayed September 2023
"Too many (2) stairways to get to main living level in rental house. Would have preferred to get to main living level after one stairway. Otherwise, the rental was nice and the stay overall was great."
Stayed September 2023
"Ocracoke was great! Our house, Ms. Joy Bell was nice, clean and met all of our needs. We needed something that was pet friendly and we didn't have prior reservations but this house was available and we took it. The beds were VERY comfortable..everyone commented on how comfortable they were and that was a big plus. The dishes and pots and pans were adequate and met our needs for cooking for a family of four. We cooked a lot while we were there too, since we have two teenagers. The only downside were all the stairs. The kitchen and main living area were up two flights of very high pitched stairs. I would not recommend this house to anyone who has trouble climbing stairs. They do have a chair lift installed which would be nice for someone who can't do a lot of stairs but we didn't use it at all, so you need to confirm it's in working order before you rent it. But the view from the main part of the house is beautiful and well worth all the stairs. Thanks again to Ocracoke Island Realty for a great time and being so accommodating!"
Stayed July 2023
"The island is ALWAYS perfect. The people are great. The house needs a lot of tlc. The decks are green and the furniture is pretty old and beat up. The screened in porch has lots of holes and you have to be super careful opening the door. The kitchen needs more utensils and new pans. Most of the pans are warped. The upstairs ac is struggling, it would not get below 75 at the end of our week. It’s the little details, this house has so much potential. The views are beautiful. At the end of the day it’s not that deep, we spent our days on the beach and we went to our favorite spots. However, you want to feel good about the large amount of money your spending to stay in the house. "
Stayed July 2023
"Two weeks at Ms Joy Bell was enjoyable (despite 4 days of rain). After 6+ years staying in the Daydreamer, the new owners chose not to allow dogs, so we switched to Joy Bell. Similar. Decks are not as nice, and it needs some work done, but the larger living room makes up for it.
We've been coming to Ocracoke for 50 years. Using OIR for 30+ years. We hope to continue on Ocracoke for many years to come. "
Stayed May 2023
"Ocracoke is always my favorite"
Jane from Snow Hill , Md
"Visited August 2021
Amazing Views
With its eight large Living room windows, Ms. Joy Bell puts on a vivid display at both sunrise and sunset- the only Ocracoke property I’ve rented (and there have been many) where you can see both from the same room. The marsh and beyond it, the sound, are right in front of you. In addition, all the beds are comfortable and have reading lights, the appliances work, and there’s plenty of seating for six at the dinner table. Each bedroom has its own bathroom.Yes, as another review mentioned, the furniture is well worn and some of the blinds are broken- we just left them up. The kitchen faucet makes a weird high-pitched sound when you use it. If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t the best place for you. But for our group of six adults and two dogs, it was wonderful."
Robert from Durham
"May 2019 Stay
Nice place to stay. Was great for the dog since floors were not in great shape. Very well stocked house. Spacious and nice screen porch. Good location close to coffee shop, Back porch Rest, Flying Melon and some shops."