Vacation Rentals by Owner

BEST EVER FLORIDA STAY

Guest: Michele H.
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 04/11/12

All of our arrangements were conducted on line and from the very start of our communication Sylvia was very professional and prompt in her responses. We arrived hoping for the best after traveling across the united states, we got more than we could have imagined! The home was spotless!!! All up to date technology, cable, internet, air conditioning, appliances. It was very centrally located with easy access north or south. All the bedrooms were comfortable with bathrooms for everyone. A wonderful deck equiped with a BBQ for fresh seafood every night. A quiet neighborhood setting for relaxing after a long day. This was our dream vacation and Sylvia really made that dream come true. I can't thank her enough for being honest & trustworthy with the listing.

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Beautiful Home

Guest: TD (Hanover, NH)
Date of Stay: 02/19/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

Our family -- two adults, two older teens -- had a fabulous time in this spacious, clean home. Plenty of room to relax inside and out, every amenity taken care of, perfectly situated to take full advantage of everything to do up and down the Keys! Host Sylvia was a wonderful resource in advance as we planned a number of activities for our visit. Far exceeded all expectations -- and we're eager to return!

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

Great Vacation

Guest: Ruth F. (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 02/12/12 Review Submitted: 02/21/12

We were delighted with this lovely home at the end of a canal in a peaceful neighborhood. The pictures, description of the property and other travel reviews were very accurate. This home is beautifully maintained, tastefully decorated, and comfortably furnished. The beds were exceptionally comfortable. The high quality bed and bath linens a very luxurious touch. It was very easy to feel at home, completely relax, and enjoy all that the area has to offer. We especially enjoyed our visit from a young manatee, who was as curious about us as we were about it, the kingfisher's antics as it fished for breakfast each morning, and the beautiful snowy egret who frequented the grounds. The Tiki Hut hammock and loungers were a much enjoyed refuge. The bikes and bike path were a convenient and much enjoyed bonus, as was Anne's Beach, especially when an afternoon dip in the ocean called to us. We did not use the separate downstairs guest suite. Our preference was to share the main living space. The guys had a great day fishing on the reef with Capt. Gabe Nyblad, Tail Chasin' Charters, out of Dolphin Marina on Ramrod Key. We took some fresh catch a mile south to a restaurant called The Wharf, where the chef prepared coconut crusted snapper with mango jalapeño chutney that was delicious. All in all it was a great week and we would recommend this rental highly. Finally, the owner, Sylvia Hernandez was a delight to work with, has provided a wealth of information for her guests, and has created a spot for vacationers which feels like home away from home!

Owner response:It's a great pleasure to hear that our hard work is appreciated. We really try to provide the most pleasant environment for our vacationers and to respond quickly to any suggestions for improvement.

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Spectacular home close to everything

Guest: Annette (Miami, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/12/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

This home was wonderful. The decor is modern but has lots of island touches that helps you escape from the mundane of every day life. The rooms are spacious especially the master bedroom and the living room accommodates many people at one time if entertaining. The high roof ceiling is beautiful and provides excellent lighting throughout the day. Although I did not have a boat with me on this trip the outside dock was perfect to have a boat and literally seconds away from the bay and ocean. The location of the house is right where you would like to be. Perfect for a nice ride to key west for an evening out or just staying close to one of the great Islamorada restaurants. We chose Island Grill which has spectacular Shrimp and grits that is a must. Plenty of room for multiple cars and easy to find off of US1. Great communication with owner.

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

Wish I could live there!

Guest: Lindsey (Palm City, Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

My friends and I had an absolutely perfect stay there this July. The home was close to our favorite fishing spots and several other areas we frequent. It was very clean and inviting. I have stayed in countless homes in the Islamorada area and this was one of my favorites. The owners were very attentive, and made sure that we had everything that we needed for our stay. I would definitely stay there again. Perfect for a group of friends or any family group.

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

Excellent Home, Amazing Condition ! Exceeded Expectations !

Guest: Jim & Family (American- in Ukraine)
Date of Stay: 12/13/10 Review Submitted: 01/26/11

I looked at all the houses in the Upper Keys in the same size and generally with the same amenities and kept coming back to this listing. I liked the architecture - very high ceilings, wood accents, bright, sunny, huge deck, covered-protected parking, quiet street, easy location to everything. This house delivered all promises and even a bunch of pleasant surprises. First, the house is fantastically clean and maintained to the highest standard. Next, the house is appointed to an Executive's level of comfort. The kitchen is a good size with everything needed ( and more ! ). Everything in the house, EVERYTHING is high end quality. The deck is huge. The gas grill cooked the caught fish and shrimp to perfection. The lot is big and although you are in the keys, this lot placement and landscaping gives the house and deck a lot of privacy. The Shell gas station is a 1 minute scooter ride north and has A LOT ! There is a CVS 12 minutes to the North. Bud & Mary's Marina- about 7 minutes north, has all the snorkle / diving trips needed to great locations, We dove the Eagle - a huge wreck. We snorkled the reef and saw too many turtles and rays to count. All from Bud & Mary's. In addition, I caught a tuna that could have fed a small nation - from Bud & Mary's. There are great restaurant's minutes and seconds away. ( Don't forget about " Uncle's " ) The bike / running path located at the subdivision entrance ( 200') is safe, well paved and leads to the Shell gas station or to a bridge with spectacular sunsets. The time that I went, I saw a spectacular sunset at the bridge, then walked across the bridge to Ann's Beach and saw a spectacular Moon rise. Thanks Sylvia - we had a great time ! Jim & Family

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

Perfect vacation rental

Guest: First-timer (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

On our first visit to the Keys, we lucked out in finding a perfect place to stay. The house is charming and spacious and immaculately clean, well-equipped and well-furnished. It has all modern appliances, convenient laundry facilities, three bedrooms (each with its own full bathroom), and some additional special features like a tiki hut with hammock and a small canal right in the back yard. Although the house is just a few short turns off the main highway, the location is quiet, scenic, and private. We enjoyed our breakfast on the large deck, as we watched the birds fly among the palm trees, the sailboat masts moving in the distance, and planned our day. Sylvia, the owner, is very accessible and has known the Florida keys for many years. She treats you like a welcomed houseguest and provides you with up-to-date recommendations for restaurants and activities and places to visit, as well as seamless instructions for using the house. There are many activities close by, but Sylvia has also stocked the house with some tempting books, games, puzzles, and, of course, TV. We will always remember beautiful Anne’s beach (a short walk from the house), our trip to see wildlife at Pine Key, several great restaurants, the excitement of catching (and later cooking) mahi mahi, and snorkeling at a nearby coral reef. We will definitely return to the Keys and would love to stay here again. This rental delivered more than the listing promised and was an important part of making our vacation special, and we recommend it.

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

What a wounderful place

Guest: Janos&Camilla (Sweden)
Date of Stay: 05/18/10 Review Submitted: 06/09/10

The house was beyond our expectations. It was very clean and tidy and whith great location close to both shopping and beach. Very nice interior with great kitchen and bathrooms. The owner was very helpful and everything felt proffesional. I would warmly recomend it. The canal on the back was a great spot to fish with the kids, a lots of small fish and crabs that they just loved. We will be coming back

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

May 2010

Guest: ElJohn (Sewell, NJ)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/19/10

Had a great vacation experience at Tarpon Cove! Sylvia, the owner, is a pleasure to work with -- very helpful and accommodating. The home and the grounds were immaculate and situated in a cozy neighborhood. One of the bedrooms is somewhate separate from the main house, which is nice for extra privacy, and opens up to a great Tiki hut with a hammock and lounge chairs, which overlooks the canal and is a great place to just hang out and relax. We were able to dock our boat right there at the house, and got in some incredible fishing. There were three bikes (in great condition) for us to use, and a path that'll take you as far as you want to go for walking or biking. Just up the road is Robbie's, if you want to do a little outdoor market-type shopping or feed the tarpon -- also has a restaurant/bar where you can eat outdoors (pretty good breakfast). Pennecamp for snorkeling and Key West are driveable distances, and of course you have to go to World Wide Sportsman -- great shopping and outdoor eating. Tarpon Cove met all of our expectations and more -- you won't be disappointed!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great Vacation Home for Family

Guest: CFlo (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/15/10

Had an excellent time staying in this beautiful home. House is perfect for those who have husbands that are out fishing all day :) Everything in the house is well maintained and clean. We had 6 adults and each couple had their own bathroom, which was great. Favorite part of the house was the tiki hut, which we read books and relaxed under. And the great room was perfect for family dinners. I highly recommend this house!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Carol and Gary (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/13/10

Oh my gosh, I can't begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our vacation and being able to stay at this house as a central location in the Keys. We vacationed with our adult children and their spouses and EVERYTHING was perfect. It was so nice to be in a home setting as opposed to a resort or hotel. The house and grounds are very roomy, clean and very well kept. We stayed up late playing cards and laughing every night, were able to eat breakfast and pack lunches when we needed to. We even cooked up the fish on the barbecue that we caught on our fishing excursion. We spent one very hot day in Key West. That was interesting. And we snorkeled out of Key Largo at Pennekamp - that was incredible!! We all had a fantastic time and left with many wonderful memories. Sylvia, the owner, was wonderful to work with and made everything very easy for us. I would recommend this home to anyone looking for a nice getaway in the Keys with a central location.

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Tarpon Cove

Guest: Carole D. (Clearwater, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 07/21/09

We truely enjoyed Tarpon Cove, The home is in a very convienent location. We were easily able to get to dives in Key Largo and fishing charters in Marathon. The house is neat, clean and very nicely appointed. The owner is easy to work with and extremely helpful. Her "guide book" for the house was very informative and a great source for everything to restaurants to boat rentals. We had a great week at Tarpon Cove.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Guest: Laura Lamb1 (Odessa,Fl)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 07/10/09

Your home is so welcoming! Your attention to detail shows in everything. The decorating, stocking and helpful hints binder are excellent. This home is in a great location, is the cleanest we've ever experienced for a rental and we will definitely go back again. The owner is very accomodating and professional. This was the best experience ever!!!

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Highly recommendet

Guest: Wuschi (Austria)
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/24/09

We enjoied our stay very very much and every thing was just like in the description. We highly recommend this property!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Great quiet place for Christmas break

Guest: kz illlinois (glenview, IL usa)
Date of Stay: 12/25/08 Review Submitted: 01/07/09

our family had a much needed peaceful time at Tarpon Cove over the Christmas break. House is exceptionally clean. the uncluttered decor & new furnishings adds to the ambiance to relax and enjoy. the owner, sylvia, is wonderful & responsive. she's also great with recommendations of things to do and see in the area with her helpful binder at the house. we hardly cooked since there's a lot of great places to eat... and besides, the cook's on break too! :-D. the mackerel we caught was simply delicious though over the grill. we only wished there are quicker ways to go from key to key other than the single lane highway.... speedboat taxis would be fun and exciting :-D though don't believe there's such services.

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

Great for boaters

Guest: F Family (Stuart)
Date of Stay: 06/02/08 Review Submitted: 06/20/08

We thoroughly enjoyed our week at your home. We have a 22' foot boat, so the dock was perfect. The hammock and tiki were great rest areas! The layout of the house worked for us ,with the apartment downstairs being a big plus.The house was spotless and had every amenity you could think of. Great kitchen, as we did cook a few nights and other nights visited the great restaurants close by. We would certainly stay again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

A wonderful vacation

Guest: Carol and Gary (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 05/20/08 Review Submitted: 06/21/08

Oh my gosh, I can't begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our vacation and being able to stay at this house as a central location in the Keys. We vacationed with our adult children and their spouses and EVERYTHING was perfect. It was so nice to be in a home setting as opposed to a resort or hotel. The house and grounds are very roomy, clean and very well kept. We stayed up late playing cards and laughing every night, were able to eat breakfast and pack lunches when we needed to. We even cooked up the fish on the barbecue that we caught on our fishing excursion. We spent one very hot day in Key West. That was interesting. And we snorkeled out of Key Largo at Pennekamp - that was incredible!! We all had a fantastic time and left with many wonderful memories. Sylvia, the owner, was wonderful to work with and made everything very easy for us. I would recommend this home to anyone looking for a nice getaway in the Keys with a central location.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Keys Vacation

Guest: Teresa (Orlando,Fl)
Date of Stay: 06/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/04/07

Just wanted to tell you how very much we enjoyed our stay at your rental. The layout of the home is very spacious and yet so very cozy. It really was so relaxing and fun staying there. The pictures on your website are great but it is much better in person to see. It is immaculately decorated and furnished. The down stairs suite was a great little hideaway also. My children enjoyed fishing in the canal. They caught a baby shark and other fish. I enjoyed relaxing in the hammock and sitting out on the patio grilling out. A wonderful central location in the keys. Just a quick drive to great restaurants and state parks and beaches. Hope to stay again next year. Highly recommend this place to all family and friends.

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Guest: Ruth Lawandales
Date of Stay: 05/09/07 Review Submitted: 05/08/07

"Tarpon Cove was the ideal vacation house for us. Your home is kept beautifully and had the perfect layout for our family. We had everything we needed there and felt relaxed the moment we arrived. The location on Islamorada is great, very close to nice beaches and great fishing and restaurants. You were so helpful in giving us guidance on where to go and what to see. It was our first trip to the Keys and all of us thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your home" The Lawandales

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Guest: Kim Baron
Date of Stay: 03/26/07 Review Submitted: 03/25/07

"We had a wonderful stay at your property, the house and grounds are immaculate, and the layout of the bedrooms, baths, deck and downstairs apartment work beautifully for a group of family or friends. We are looking forward to planning our vacation next year and hope you have availability for us"

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Guest: Jim Limberakis
Date of Stay: 03/11/07 Review Submitted: 03/10/07

"We had a wonderful time. The house and setting were perfect. Thanks for allowing us to rent your home. We are already discussing coming back next year for two weeks. This was the first time in the Keys for all of us and we loved the area. We took a day trip to Key West and when we weren't fishing explored the area. We found the restaurants to have good food and all of us enjoyed sampling the local fare. All in all it was a great trip"

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