This was our 1st time in OBX, and we wanted a cottage close to the beach. I know when we were looking as to where to say i relied heavily on reviews.
Tidewater is a cute, quiet cottage with everything you need. The beds are comfortable for the most part. Furniture is a little uncomfortable but it didn't matter since the beautiful weather kept us outside most of the time. The overlook on the roof is awesome, you can definitely see the ocean from there, even seen some deer! Be very careful though, it's super slippery when wet. The house was clean, for the most part, dryer didn't work, but clothesline was fine. Outside shower great for rinsing off sand. The bathhouse does have warm water.
As for location, couldn't be more perfect. Beach was a quick and easy walk, it was more crowded than i thought it would be in mid August but it's so wide that there's pleanty of room. I found many neat things during my sunrise walks, such as sharks, jellyfish, shells, and orher things.
Avon is a perfect area, more so for adult's. There isn't much there to keep young kids busy, you'd want to stay more north for activities. The drive to other areas, such as Nags Head, can be an inconvenience for those (like us) who don't want to spend most of the day driving.
We had a wonderful experience and the owners were great with communicating! We definitely plan on staying again next year!