Royal Retreat SUMMER SPECIALS:

$200 off any full weekly rental in June or July

You will truly feel like visiting royalty at Royal Retreat, a lovely second-row vacation home-away-from-home on beautiful Topsail Island. You'll be just seconds away from dipping your toes into the Atlantic Ocean, strolling the beautiful Topsail beaches, or taking in the delights of restaurants, shops, art galleries, and bookstores just a few blocks away. And don't forget to visit the pier to see what wonders the fishermen are pulling in.

Living/dining area: A spacious L-shaped living, dining, and kitchen area is on Royal Retreat's top level, with sliding glass doors that open onto a generous deck that affords sea and sky views between first row dwellings. Two double windows expand your view and let in the brilliant Topsail Island sunlight.

Snuggle into the comfy blue sofa upholstered in a fish print with accents of pink, green, purple, black, pale yellow, and beige, or stake out the matching chair or one of the pair of rockers for your relaxation spot. There's plenty of room for perching your beverages and snacks on the coffee table and two end tables, one of which holds a delightful sea turtle motif lamp. An étagère holds books and a bookshelf music system for CDs and cassettes, along with Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit for your game-playing pleasure. Two carved parrots on the top shelf hover over the TV, DVD, VCR, and the generous stock of videos.

In the dining area, there's seating for eight on pale pickled wide-backed chairs around an artistically-designed ceramic inlay top table. More seating is available at the four swivel bar chairs, where comfy cushions match the sofa print. Light up your dining experiences with the chandelier over the table.

Kitchen: A fishing net holding a catch of whimsical green, pink, purple, yellow, orange, and blue fish decorates the top of the roomy kitchen cabinets. Toast your fattest bagel in the extra-wide four-slice toaster; filet a fresh fish with a knife from the well-stocked butcher block. There's also a coffeemaker, built-in microwave, dishwasher, side by side refrigerator/freezer with icemaker, and a convenient telephone on the bar.

Bedroom 1 (top level): Dream in luxury here in the ecru wicker king-sized bed dressed in a navy windowpane spread with green and blue floral coordinating shams, and wake to peek-a-boo views of the Atlantic Ocean from your private deck. If you like, enjoy a movie or catch the morning news on the TV/VCR. Grab the shorts or swimsuit you've stashed in the six-drawer ecru wicker chest, with a wall mirror above, and head to the beach. A tan lamp and telephone sit upon your wicker night table, and there's also a large display clock with AM/FM radio.

Understated elegance is the theme of the adjoining bath, with eggshell ceramic tile and a delicate gauzy white curtain stitched with palm trees and accented with palm tree hooks over the large shower. An extra-wide vanity with a large wall mirror, a porthole to let in the sun, and a linen closet complete the picture.

Bedroom 2 (lower level): This oceanside room features vertical blinds over the sliding glass doors that open on to your private deck, where palm tree fronds wave gently in the breeze just to your left. Eggshell walls and white trim make an elegant setting for the queen-sized bed covered in stripes of navy, sea and baby blue, and white. Two wicker bedside tables hold palm tree lamps and an alarm clock with AM/FM radio. There is a matching six-drawer wicker chest and mirror, TV/DVD, ceiling fan, and a spacious closet with two bifold doors.The adjoining bath features a nautical curtain depicting a compass and map covering the molded shower with one seat, a roomy linen closet, and a mirrored white medicine cabinet. A window gives on to a view of the property's tidy lawn, gravel paths, and three picnic tables.

Bedroom 3 (lower level): Patchwork quilts with striped, plaid, and solid squares in red, blue, green, and tan set off pretty pine-framed bunk beds here, with the lower bunk wider than the upper. A matching pine five-drawer chest holds a lamp and alarm clock with AM/FM radio. Sliding doors open onto a rear deck.

Bedroom 4 (lower level): Swashes of purple, blue, pink, green, and tan on a cream background cover the spread on the queen-sized bed here, which features a scallop shell motif on the headboard. The scallop pattern is repeated on both the night table, which holds a stainless lamp, and the dresser, where an artful shorebird wades in a faux pool; scallop shell drawer pulls perfectly accent these pieces. Above the bed is a decorative and educational North Carolina sea turtle poster. Sliding glass doors open onto a rear deck.

Bedrooms 3 and 4 share a roomy bath, set off by an underwater sea life curtain with realistic fish and coral covering the shower/tub combo. Charming handpainted walls with blue swashes are alive with seahorses, crabs, swordfish, puffer fish, and an octopus. Double bifold doors open to reveal the washer and dryer, as well as an iron and ironing board.

Other amenities: Covered parking is available on the ground level of Royal Retreat. A convenient outdoor shower lets you leave all your beach sand outside. Feel free to enjoy the book selection at Royal Retreat, and if you don't quite finish one, do take it with you and leave one you brought along to take its place.

Your check-in location is our Surf City office. Linens are provided. Royal Retreat Duplex gladly welcomes pets with deposit. Smoking is not permitted in the property. Maximum occupancy is 10 at any time. Your check-in time is 3:30 pm unless you have confirmed and paid the early bird check-in option. Please be sure we have received complete payment within 30 days of your arrival to avoid can