Vacation Rentals by Owner

Girlfriend Get Away

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/03/12 Review Submitted: 05/13/12

We LOVE this cottage! We have made it our winter escape for the past three years and plan to do so for many, many more years to come. We are high school best friends and each year we have a mini reunion with classmates that live in the area. What fun! Mother Nature puts on a display of beautiful sunsets each evening on the perfect beach that is only steps away from the cottage. The pool is perfect and it's an ideal girlfriend retreat or family vacation spot. Life is Good at the cottage! The 'Son' Girls

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Our Home Away from Home

Guest: Dick & Dixie
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 05/14/12

We are pleased to reflect on our experience at the “Key West Fantasy” cottage in Bradenton Beach. This past winter was our third consecutive three month stay at the cottage (January, February and March). We love the place! The location is ideal, in the center of the island with easy access to all three bridges to the mainland and only a very short walk to either the Gulf or Palma Sola Bay both of which are visible from the cottage. We feel very safe and secure in a neighborhood that is a nice mix of full time residents and several rental properties. Over the years we have become acquainted with many of the very friendly neighbors, so our annual visits feel much like “coming home”. The cottage itself is quaint, cozy, clean and comfortable. The remodeling was tastefully done and blends well with the original design of the building. The kitchen has all the amenities, new appliances and a delightful corner dining area that is bright and airy from the many windows. The bathrooms have also been remodeled and are clean and well maintained. The convenience of an on site washer and dryer cannot be omitted. The newly completed pool, deck and landscaping were a welcome surprise and are particularly useful and inviting. We appreciate the utility of the carport. The television cable and telephone service are also an added benefit. My wife in particular loves the free unlimited long distance telephone benefit since she can keep in touch with her 90 year old mother, sisters and granddaughter at home in Pennsylvania as well as transmitting her medical data to her heart doctors. We plan to continue our annual visits to the cottage for as long as our health and other conditions permit. We fondly anticipate our return to Florida in January. It is truly our “home away from home”!

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This is the place to stay in Anna Maria !

Guest: Mario (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

This was the perfect beach cottage for a nice vacation in Anna Maria. It was spotlessly clean when we arrived and you can expect it to be exactly like the pictures show. No bad surprise or deception. We were a party of six and we found the cottage was roomy enough. The interior is bright and well decorated in soft tones. All the beds are soft and very comfortable, with very good quality bed linen. The half bathroom of the master bedroom is very small but practical. The kitchen really looks brand new and has top-notch appliances and is well equipped. The large backyard was a lovely place to relax. It has a nice patio set with an umbrella, a BBQ and a wonderful pool (which was also kept very clean). However, the small palm trees don't provide much shade and it can get really hot in the backyard during summer time. We liked the outdoor shower after coming back from the beach. The area was very quiet day and night. The cottage is located in a residential area of Anna Maria. By the way, the island has no high-rise or condo tower and has an old florida vibe. We really liked it ! What makes this beach cottage a real gem is its proximity to the beach. From the door to the beach, it's a three-minute walk, no more ! And the powdery white sand beaches are among the best I've seen. Don't miss the wonderful sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico. A couple of shops and restaurants are within easy walking distance. Don't miss the blissful and "oh so cool and relaxed" beach bar of the Gulf Drive Cafe & Tiki, or the famous Beachhouse restaurant. There's a Publix supermarket and and ATM about 5 minutes by car. Don't look further, the Key West Fantasy is the place to stay in Anna Maria !

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Paradise

Guest: Christy S.
Date of Stay: 07/26/11 Review Submitted: 08/31/11

If you are looking for a place to call home while visiting Bradenton Beach look no further. We had our first visit here this summer and plan to return as often as possible. The house was absolutely adorable and it felt like a home away from home instantly. It was so clean and well taken care of. We were so excited when we realized how short the walk to the beach was... even closer than we were expecting! And after a morning at the beach there is nothing better than coming home to the private backyard getaway. The pool is WONDERFUL and it is a fabulous area to hang out and relax, eat, drink, BBQ, etc. As for the bedrooms, they are very welcoming & comfy. We stayed in the home for a couple's getaway, but plan on returning with our 3 kids because the house will be perfect for all of us. I could go on & on about how perfect our stay was but I will stop here by saying if you are looking for a great place to stay at beautiful Bradenton Beach look no further. And to the owners of the home thank you for opening your home for rental... we will be back!!!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Location

Guest: Jackie B.
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 11/07/11

The cottage is as close to a wonderful beach as advertised. We all had a difficult time deciding whether to spend the day at the beach or in the large back yard pool area. We were also a short drive to a Publix supermarket and a Walgreens (Walgreens also sells beer, wine and spirits). A short drive the other way is the fishing village of Cortez where we found a nice fresh seafood market. While on the island we rented a 18 foot pleasure boat for 6 hours of boating on the inner coastal. Just wonderful! My husband spent another morning on an offshore fishing trip and caught several grouper (he fixed them that night on the back yard grill...they were awesome). We were able to find several nice restarants on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. The cottage was perfectly clean inside and out and the manager was very helpfull (he lives next door). I recommend this vacation cottage for anyone. It was ideal for us and our children, but would be great for a couples get away. The area is quiet and has an "Old Florida" feel to it.

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Great Beach Cottage !!!!!!!!

Guest: Nate (West Lafayette , IN.)
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 06/30/11

My family recently stayed at this property. It is an absolutely fantastic beach cottage ! Just a couple a steps from the beach ,very nice pool and great location close to restaurants. The owner makes staying here just so easy . We will be coming back for longer for sure !! Thanks !!!!!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Paradise!

Guest: Sue (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 06/04/11

This adorable house was spotless. It is well-stocked with everything you need. Beautiful and relaxing pool and patio in the back yard. Just about 1/2 block to the beach and trolley stop. Many nice restaurants within walking distance. Grocery store and more restaurants easily accessible by riding the free trolley. Owners answered all my questions promptly and were very helpful. Our time here ranks right up near the top of our list of favorite vacations! We hope to return soon!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Poor

Guest: unhappy vacationer (Rockaway, new York)
Date of Stay: 04/19/11 Review Submitted: 04/19/11

I'm here my first night with no A/C with the house temperature 85 degrees. The trash can are full from the previous rental. no supplies in the house paper towels, toilet paper and napkins. Why do I have to pay a cleaning fee when I came here things were dirty. Last time for me and I still have 4 days to go.

Owner response:In response to this posting I would like to say that the A/C was fixed the following morning, the guest contacted me late in the day after arriving and we were unable to get the repair team out to fix the a/c that day. The unit is being replaced completely in May. As for the garbage, that was simply an oversight by the cleaning crew. My appologies. It is our policy to leave one roll of paper towel, one roll of toilet tissue on the roll and one for backup in each bathroom. When speaking with the cleaning crew I was informed that this is how the supplies were left. Napkins are not generally supplies at vacation home rentals:) Again, my appologies, we have never had a complaint on this rental and every guest in the past has loved the Key West Fantasy!!

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Beautiful Beach Cottage!!

Guest: Karen (Bradenton, FL, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

I stayed here for three nights with my daughters (16) and (14) and their two best friends. We were so comfortable in each of the three bedrooms...and slept wonderfully after three great days at the nearby beach (walk to it takes less than a minute). The kitchen was large and updated...so meals were easy to prepare...but the nearby, delicious restaurants also called our names. The owners were just putting in a beautiful new pool while we were staying there...so NEXT time we will enjoy that too. The outdoor shower helped clean off all of the sand...thereby keeping the interior nice and tidy. GREAT beach cottage, and GREAT location. Would stay there again for sure!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Cozy Beach Cottage

Guest: Angie P.
Date of Stay: 07/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/01/11

This beach cottage home was very accommodating to my family of four. It was comfortable and easy to relax here. Futhermore, it was very clean and nicely furnished. The beach was just a short walk from the house. There were great sand reefs where we enjoyed hours of snorkling! The neighbors were friendly and offered great advice on the area attractions and restaurants. I would highly reccommend this cottage to anyone!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Girlfriend Get Away

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 10/18/10

Wooo Hooo on the pool! We did a 2 week girlfriend getaway last April and it was FANTASTIC! Beach and weather was perfect and the accommodations are outstanding. We can not wait to see the pool and enjoy our next stay in 2011!

Owner response:Thanks Susan:)

Recommended for:Girls getaway

Guest: Blane1 (Alpharetta, Ga)
Date of Stay: 08/22/09 Review Submitted: 08/22/09

What a wonderful vacation home!! We had 6 adults and 2 small dogs and never felt cramped!! Was very homey and nicely decorated! We really enjoyed the kitchen, which was furnished nicely, since we cooked several times during the trip. Our favorite thing about the house was the outdoor shower!! Was really nice to get the sand off before going inside!! Very convenient!! Also, the home is a very short walk to the beautiful beaches!! We will definitely come back!

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Guest: Jennifer163 (Columbia, MO)
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 08/03/09

I brought my daughter, son-in-law, and their three children (ages 9, 4, and 10 months) to stay at Key West Fantasy in July 2009. We had a great time and loved the location. We could set up our spot at the beach in the morning and go back and forth all day. And how handy is it to be able to wash off the sand before you come inside! The location was great - close to everything and just far enough away to keep the little ones from sneaking back to the beach. Instead, they found a great yard to explore! For the kids besides being in the water, the best part of the vacation was lizard hunting - they became quite adept at catching them. The house was quite comfortable and we were at home there. Thanks so much for providing a great place for us to enjoy our vacation!!!

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Guest: Jessica56 (-)
Date of Stay: 07/27/09 Review Submitted: 07/27/09

This place is an absolute must! Stayed here over Christmas and it was absolutely amazing! The beach was just across the street and the home had everything we needed. The place felt like our own, it was very clean and comfortable! I would recommend it to anyone!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/05/09 Review Submitted: 06/05/09

Second time here and loved it. Great Beach, Great fun.

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Guest: Laura and Clive (Berkshire, England)
Date of Stay: 05/15/09 Review Submitted: 05/15/09

We had our honeymoon here, and could not have been happier! The location was brilliant - and it was so quiet and peaceful. The villa is well-stocked with everything you could need, even beach loungers and parasols, and a gas bbq... The island itself is wonderful; everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Could not recommend Key West Fantasy highly enough - Kathy's communications are very helpful and reassuring!

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Guest: Pam34 (Springfield, IL)
Date of Stay: 04/09/09 Review Submitted: 04/09/09

We enjoyed our stay at the Key West Fantasy. We found the home inviting and easy to access all the places we wanted to go. Having been at other places on the island, it was great to have a home in a neighborhood that was friendly and quiet. We enjoyed our stay and the island.

Owner response:Thanks Pam!! I appreciate how clean you left the house!! Kathy

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Guest: Tim8 (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 02/13/07 Review Submitted: 02/13/07

Very nice vacation rental. All new and very clean. So close to the beach! All amenities. A definite yes.

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