Testimonials
Great place for a Family Reunion!!
Review Submitted: July 6, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2009
we had our annual family reunion at Carol and Brian's house,,,they were
so accomodating and friendly,,,Brian was there to meet us and walk us
through the extrordanary rooms while explaining all of the fabulous
features. he also was available at all times to explain anything we may
have missed on the initial walk thru!
each room gave the guests a sense of privacy which was great, yet
we all came together daily in the kitchen/great room and pool area. the
fishing was consistent, and we saw dolphins and manatees daily. the
location was perfect if a run to Publix was (always) necessary.
this is an extremely secure house, in that we had a big weather
front come through while there, and the house is so solid, windows,
everything, that nothing moved, it is just solid.
Wonderful home, wonderful ambiance, just great!
Beautiful Home, Great Vacation!!
Review Submitted: July 14, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2009
This was one of the best vacation experiences we have had. Everything
about this home is perfect, from the stunning views to the first class
amenities, to the owners themselves. Carol and Brian were a pleasure to
work with. Our two girls (6 & 3) can't stop talking about all of
the dolphins they saw from "their beach house." And Brian and Carol do
everything they can to make it feel like it is your own home while you
are there. I could sit in that pool all day and watch the boats go by.
The location is priceless. There is nothing quite like waking up in the
master bedroom and looking out the giant windows onto the intra-coastal
waterway. Or the huge plasma tv on the bedroom wall. And the plasma in
the great room is nice too!
The gas grille (infrared) on the lanai was so good now my wife wants to buy one. The gourmet kitchen is top notch too!
The pool, complete with fountains and mini-waterfall cascading from
the hot tub, gave the backyard a true resort feel. There really was no
need to leave the house. But we did rent a boat from Dolphin Rentals
(great people) for the day and went to Shell Island...highly
recommended.
Overall, we wouldn't have changed a thing about the house and we
will certainly be back. Thanks again, Brian and Carol, for a great
vacation experience!!
Outstanding Vacation Home
Review Submitted: June 22, 2009
Date of Stay: May 2009
We can highly recommend this amazing home. From the moment we walked
into this home to the final moments of our stay, all was beyond
expectations. The location was great, quiet upscale neighborhood, close
to beaches, restaurants, and stores. Our two young children ages 6 and
8 had a blast in the pool. Our Champion German Shepherd says two paws
up. Our son's graduation from Stetson School of Law was the reason for
our stay at this vacation home. The customer service was terrific. Pat,
the gal who met us initially at the home and showed us around also
helped us hide our son's graduation present. And that wasn't so simple
as the gift was a full size pick up. She found us a hiding place at
another home in the neighborhood. We hid it for the full week. Thanks
to her help, we were able to completely surprise our son at the
graduation ceremony. I can whole heartedly recommend this property to
the most discriminating vaction rental seekers.
Celeste from California.
Perfect, in every detail!
Review Submitted: April 6, 2009
Date of Stay: March 2009
While I’ve had many positive experiences in renting luxury villas/homes
around the world, I would say that this house is at the top of the
list. Truly, the house is amazing and the pictures, while detailed and
accurate, simply cannot provide the actual experience that seeing the
home first hand provides. Every room is tastefully and luxuriously
appointed. We travel with a fairly particular group who sometimes can
be overly finicky regarding amenities, however everyone was blown away
by this house. The spaciousness of the bedrooms, coupled with the
en-suite bathrooms, combined with the gourmet kitchen, on top of the
fantastic pool/spa/lanai areas all added up to an incredible experience
for our group. Brian and Carol were onsite on Day 1 to welcome us, show
us the systems, and answer any questions. Then they quickly departed to
let us settle in and enjoy the home. When a thunderstorm knocked out
the power and wireless signal, Brian was immediately reachable and
walked us though resetting systems. He also came by the house later
that morning to ensure that all was functioning normally. I’ve never
experienced a home owner more willing to be available to ensure that we
had a pleasant, stress-free, and wonderful vacation. This home, and the
owners, earned and deserve a 5 star rating from this group of world
travelers! Thanks once again for a perfect vacation – we’ll be back!
Like staying at the Ritz with added benefits!!
Review Submitted: February 17, 2009
Date of Stay: February 2009
Our family stayed at this gorgeous property while in town to celebrate
our daughter's wedding. The home was fully stocked with every amenity
we could imagine, and the hospitality extended to us by Carol and Brian
was beyond our wildest dreams. We thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent
views of Boca Ciega Bay and it was wonderful to watch the dolphins swim
by as we sat in the spa and swam in the pool. We felt that we couldn't
have stayed in a more perfect place!
The house was immaculate and we felt as though we were at home from
the minute we unpacked. We especially enjoyed Brian's greeting as we
arrived--with wine in hand, a thorough tour of "how everything worked",
and a sincere offer to call at any time if we had any problems or
needed anything else.
We will never forget our stay in this beautiful home ( nor will our
family members) and we will make a point to let all of our friends know
about this incredible vacation home.
Thanks to Brian and Carol for making the week leading up to our
daughter's wedding the best that it could have been. We will treasure
our vacation in your home always.....
Sincerely,
Julia and Ron
This must be Paradise
Review Submitted: January 6, 2009
Date of Stay: December 2008
We had the most wonderful time here over Christmas. What a beautiful
place and the owners are perfect. They did their best to make us feel
welcome. Before our stay they made sure we received all the information
needed for our stay and all our questions were answered. They really
make you feel like a guest in their house. During our stay they
contacted us several times to make sure we were having a good time and
if we needed anything. We would most definately recommend this property
(and the owners!) to a friend. This place is all it's said to be and a
lot more!
The BEST Vacation Home!!
Review Submitted: April 22, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2008
We had a great stay with the famlily, the well maintained house has
everything you need including the location, it will be hard to beat
this custom home on the water with great views and the occasional
dolphin.
The owners took good care of us and were very prompt to answer any
questions, they are the nicest paople you would ever meet! would
recommend to anyone.
The lap of luxury
Review Submitted: August 28, 2008
Date of Stay: August 2008
My family and I have been renting vacation properties in the USA for
the past seveteen years, and in that time have stayed in everything
from tiny apartments in Kissimmee to luxurious lake homes in Virginia,
but nothing could have prepared us for the sheer luxury of Carol and
Brian's home in St Petersburg.
Photographs can be misleading, but the reality of this house is
that it is every bit as spectacular as the images on the website
suggest - and then some.
We arrived a few hours earlier than expected, and met Pat (the
owners' representative) preparing the house for us. Without being
asked, she invited us to unload our luggage into the garage, directed
us to the nearest mall (which, incidentally, was well up to
expectations in the US), and invited us back a few hours later. True to
her word, she was waiting for us in order to show us all the features
of the home, and had even unpacked our food shopping and stocked the
fridge ready for a welcome cold beer!
The appearance of dolphins in the bay went down well with everyone
and yes, they could even be seen from within the lovely warm pool.
Indoors, things were even better, with the most comfortable beds
we have ever slept in abroad, and certainly the best quality bedding
and towels.
In short, this property was not only an exceptional holiday let,
but also gave us the real feeling that we were staying in someone's
home, not just a house rented for vacations.
If you have ever hankered for a bit of luxury on Florida's Gulf
Coast, you could do a lot worse than to book this home as soon as
possible - as long as you don't get it before us!
What a great place to stay!!!!
Review Submitted: August 19, 2008
Date of Stay: August 2008
Visit dates 8/9/08-8/15/08: Our group was large with 9 adults & 2
teens & 1 baby. We did make use of the futon & sofa sleepers.
The bedrooms were beautifully decorated & allowed privacy for
individual families with 2 master suites.
The house itself was beautiful- way beyond pics or expectations.
The view was amazing & we also saw dolphins almost daily. The
fishing was great from the dock & we actually made dinner from our
catch one night.
The local activies were perfect for all age groups- something for
everyone within 30-45 min drive. The highlight was a Jet Ski Tour up in
Clearwater Beach- ask for Pauly at the docks behind Crabby Bills. What
a BLAST!!!
My ONLY negative was that the home is SO nice, I constantly worried
about the 18 month old touching or breaking the decor & vases.
Enjoy!! We did & will be back...
Beautiful home, great location, wonderful view!
Review Submitted: June 3, 2008
Date of Stay: May 2008
We stayed in this lovely home from May 24 - May 31 2008. We had 5
adults and 2 children. Everyone had plenty of room to relax and enjoy
all the amenities this home offers. The house was clean and well-cared
for with simple yet beautiful furnishings and decor. We loved the pool
and hot tub sitting practically on the waterway with a peaceful view
and lovely palm trees. We saw dolphins swim by several times,
especially in the mornings.
The owners and the property manager were all lovely people with
kind dispositions and a true desire to meet our needs. There were a few
little maintenance issues which we brought to their attention, and they
reacted with immediacy and compassion. The customer service was
excellent.
We took full advantage of the home's location, only a few minutes
away from a public beach, John's Pass, and the necessary shopping (like
groceries). You can check out the Pier and other points of interest in
downtown St. Petersburg which is only about 20 minutes east. We enjoyed
a trip down to St. Pete's Beach and Fort Desoto's Beach, only 15-20
minutes away. We took a 30 minute jaunt up to Clearwater to check out
that beach as well. We made the 40 minute trip into Tampa to explore
Busch Gardens Africa. In less than one hour, you can find yourself
enjoying the Mote Aquarium (one of our favorite's in the country) and
shopping at St. Armand's Circle. OR, you can just stay at home in this
grand and tranquil house on a wide waterway.
We stayed in the home for most of our meals which we cooked happily
in the spacious kitchen. We used the grill on the lanai and enjoyed a
fantastic view while preparing our meals.
We highly recommend this vacation rental for your Florida vacation
time. Please take care of this lovely home when you stay because we
would like to visit again.
This home exceeded our expectations!!
Review Submitted: April 8, 2008
Date of Stay: March 2008
The functional layout of this spectacular home easily accommodated our
group of nine. The owners have done a wonderful job of furnishing the
home in an elegant yet comfortable style. We truly felt as if we were
on our own private island oasis during our stay. We loved sitting
outside in the hot tub watching the many boats pass by and spotting the
dolphins swim by throughout the day. The kids loved fishing off the
dock and feeding the great blue heron that frequented the property.
Words cannot accurately describe the sense of relaxation, rejuvenation,
and pure enjoyment we experienced while staying at this top-notch home.
We look forward to returning next year!
Perfect!
Review Submitted: March 25, 2008
Date of Stay: March 2008
The pictures do not do this home justice. It is incredible in every
way. The walls of windows overlooking the water give you the feeling of
being on your own luxurious yacht. It is also a short drive to the
marvelous beaches, restaurants, and downtown.
It was a magnificant vacation and we can not wait to return to the area, and this wonderful home.
