Vacation Rentals by Owner

Everyone Arrived and Left Happy

Guest: Liz & Scott (Eugene, OR)
Date of Stay: 02/04/12 Review Submitted: 02/18/12

Our first trip to Key West was memorable and happy due to the wonderful time we had at Hollinsed House. We stayed there five nights in Feb. This is a large suite, with ample room for 3-4 people. Cute kitchen complete with Keurig coffee maker and anything else you might need. The unit was very clean. The front porch overlooking the pool was a favorite spot for all of us. You cannot beat the location!! Enough off Duval to be relaxing yet close enough to be in the mix in minutes. Both Tracey (manager) and Charles (housekeeper) were incredibly gracious and accommodating.

Owner response:Elizabeth and Scott we are so glad that you enjoyed your first trip to Key West so much! That is what we like to hear. Charles does a wonderful job at the Hollinsed House and I am lucky to have him taking care of my guests! I hope that you will come back to Key West and of course, the Hollinsed House again! Tracey, the manager.......

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

Perfectly located

Guest: Melissa (Carmel, NY)
Date of Stay: 11/25/11 Review Submitted: 12/01/11

My husband and I just spent 5 days in Key West, and we rented the Poolside Suite. It was much larger than a standard hotel room would have been. It has all the things that we needed for the 5 day stay. We were about 2 blocks away from Duval street. It was close enough that we were able to walk there for dinner every night. Charles we very friendly and very helpful. He helped us rent bikes and let us know where we could find a grocery store close by. I would recommend this suite for a couple who is travelling to Key West. My husband and I plan on going back!!!!

Owner response:Melissa, we can't wait for you to come back!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

We loved it!

Guest: D&J (Chambersburg, PA)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

We stayed in the Shangri La unit which is tucked in the back of the Hollinshead House. What a perfect little place! The location (2 blocks from Duval) couldn't be better - plus you could walk to either end of Duval very easily! It felt like home our unit - it had a little kitchen which was perfect if you wanted to make a meal - but with all the happy hours, we didn't really cook in! We would definitely return and stay in this same unit or try one of the other units if we brought more family with us!

Owner response:Didn't you just love the courtyard?

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

A Home away from Home!

Guest: Tampa Tropicals (Riverview, Florida 33569)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/18/11

One of the best kept secrets in Key West! At the last minute I found this listing by chance. Got in touch with Donna who was extremely helpful in getting me booked and set up for a late arrival at the property. Things went so smoothly and sounded so good I was afraid I may have fallen for a scam! To my utter delight the property was even better than I had imagined! My sister and I stayed in the Caribbean Suite. The pictures do not do this place justice! Our two bedroom suite had two king beds, a huge living/dining room area, a full kitchen and a very nice bathroom. The place was absolutely immaculate! The wonderful island feel you get from the vibrant colors and tropical decor added to the ambience of being in the Keys. The full balcony overlooking the grounds was a special treat. We had our coffee and breakfast outside each morning. A very inviting dip pool was a refreshing treat after a long day biking around Key West. The tropical courtyard is so serene you hate to leave. One of the most charming aspects of the entire property was "Charles". What a delightful man! Very charming, funny, knowledgeable, and just treats you like family. We met him while having our morning coffee and he immediately inquired if we found everything to our liking and if he could do anything to make our stay more enjoyable. We did monopolize his time for awhile as he answered all our questions and he gave us a brief history of Hollinsed House. A special thanks for looking after our bikes! The location of the property is fabulous! We got in late (Around 9:00) but were able to find "Pay and Park" street parking less than a block up from Hollinsed House. After we got our luggage in our Suite we went roaming about Duval Street for a few hours. By the time we returned (around 12:30am) there was plenty of parking right in front of the House and easily moved the car. Lastly, as we were sitting by the pool a young lady came to inquire about staying the night. We were delighted to show her around and recommend she call the number we provided her to book a room here. She did. We hope she had as great an experience as we did. Truly "our home away from home". I hope to return again soon.

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

Poolside Paradise !!

Guest: J/M (Barrington, RI)
Date of Stay: 04/02/11 Review Submitted: 04/10/11

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Poolside Suite! The suite was extremely comfortable, well equipped, and came as advertised. The grounds were awesome, the pool and sitting areas a private, relaxing respite in 'Old Town' ! After an afternoon of seeing the sites, we would return to the beautiful and peaceful grounds of Hollinsed House and felt like we were in paradise!

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

Fantastic Location

Guest: Janice (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 03/21/11 Review Submitted: 03/28/11

Just got back from Key West. We stayed in the Caribbean suite - the pictures really do not do it justice. The location is amazing - you can walk to just about everything. My only regret is that I didn't contact Tracey before hand to get discounts on our boat trip out to Ft Jefferson/Dry Tortugas. If you visit Key West - this place is quaint, and like the posters below state you are 2 blocks from Duval - but you feel as if you are in your own oasis. Really wish I would've had more time than the three nights !!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Charming and quiet place

Guest: swhit (Kansas City)
Date of Stay: 02/13/11 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

My husband and I recently stayed in the Poolside suite. It was a great place to stay. It was our first visit to Key West. This was a great place within walking distance of lots of great places. It was only 1 block off Duval street but when you were at Hollinsed house you felt like you were much futher away. The kitchen area in the suite was very nice to prepare lunch, etc. There is a little grocery store 2 blocks away on Fleming street that was very easy to get to. We loved the little courtyard and pool. Nice place away from home.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Wish we could provide a better report

Guest: Joyful1 (Fredericksburg, Va.)
Date of Stay: 01/12/11 Review Submitted: 01/18/11

We are giving this property 2 stars for location and for the attractiveness of the courtyards, and for the two off street parking places. Unfortunately the condo in which we stayed rates much lower. First, we discovered the condos are all individually owned, and the vrbo suggestion that there is a single owner is false. Hence our assumption that the reviews on vrbo would be representative of all of the units was also in error. I can only review our unit which was called Shangri La. The furniture is quite old, the bed was lumpy, one bar stool was in danger of breaking, the shower stall was peeling and cracked, the hot water trickled out of the hanging shower nozzle, and the only really clean things in the unit were the sheets and towels. Old, crusted food was under the stove burners, and when we remarked upon it as possibly being an attraction for the ants in the unit,we were told the stove is scheduled for replacment. In fairness to the manager who lives out of the area, we were quickly supplied with ant traps when we emailed her about them. We also accept that this is a tropical area. Key West is delightful, but this is not a property we can or will recommend to others. We do concur with other reviewers that Charles is delightful and helpful.

Owner response:As the manager of the Hollinsed House I have taken this guest's comments very seriously. My husband and I drove to Key West two weeks later (when this unit was open again) and replaced the existing hand held shower system with a regular shower head, replaced the mattress with a brand new one, the bar stool has been removed for repair and the stove professionally cleaned. The shower stall itself is not possible to replace at this time but with a new rod, curtain and hooks, I am hoping it will help. The furniture in this unit is less than five years old but with guests checking in daily or weekly some things do break. Letting management know about a wobbly bar stool would be very helpful. Again, in taking this guest's comments seriously I have replaced all the dishes, cutlery and wine glasses in all 5 suites as well as added new furniture this weekend to two of the suites! And, yes Charles is wonderful!

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Just Loved It....

Guest: Sharon (Palm Harbor, FL)
Date of Stay: 10/27/10 Review Submitted: 11/01/10

This was my first stay at this location and I couldn't have been happier. The location was ideal!!! We stayed in the Caribbean suite. The description on this site was perfect and the photos were accurate. The property was beautiful and very well maintained. Charlie was a delight and very nice (grounds keeper we believe). The only two things that bothered us was the large mat in the living room. It was very hard on bare feet and it covers most of the floor. Several of us didn't like it. The other issue was the bed in the guest room. There was a huge dip in the mattress. Three of us ladies slept on it (and it was the perfect size to fit all of us), but we kept rolling into the one in the middle due to the dip. Overall, it was an amazing place and would not only recommend it to our friends, but I would definitely stay there again and again and again. Truly loved it there and how we are able to stay there again next year. Cheers!

Owner response:Sharon we would love to have you back at the Hollinsed House every time you visit Key West. The grass rugs get softer with age. I know because my husband and I have had them in our home for four years now! You are right, when they are new they are rough on bare feet!! On another note, thanks for the comment about the guest room bed. I will have a support put under the mattress. Tracey, Owner, Your Vacation in Paradise (Manager of the Hollinsed House)

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

A Perfect Place to Propose!

Guest: Ian (Jacksonville FL)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 08/23/10

I've visited Key West several times in the past and I am familiar enough with the area to know the local hangouts vs the touristy spots. This place was absolutely perfect! The property exceeded its description listed here on VRBO in cleanliness, quietness, & overall charm. The place was a bit larger than the pictures illustrated. I am a hot-natured person so A/C in August is crucial for me. The two ceiling fans and the A/C was more than adequate. Most importantly, I planned this vacation to propose to my girlfriend. The owner / property manager was over-the-top accomodating! Since the proposal was a suprise to my girlfriend, the property manager went way out of her way to help me set up the place, make reservations, etc. Not only would I highly recommend this place, I would also highly recommend the owner / property manager. From price, to accomodations, to travel / booking agent helpfulness, this was without question, the best value I have ever found! Thank you and we look forward to our next visit!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect!

Guest: Karen105 (Raleigh, NC)
Date of Stay: 07/01/10 Review Submitted: 07/10/10

My friends and I (total of 13) rented ShangriLa, Caribbean Suite, and Victorian Delights for a long 4th of July weekend. It was wonderful. The accommodations were roomy and clean. The courtyard was beautifully landscaped - we even enjoyed delicious mangoes from the tree in the private courtyard. The pool was small, but was a great way to cool down from the humidity. Best of all, the location was fabulous. One and a half blocks to shopping, restaurants, and bars. We've found our place to stay in Key West.

Owner response:Aren't the mangoes the best? It is so nice to walk out of your unit, pick fresh fruit for your morning breakfast, a great smoothie or a fabulous margarita!!! You're right, no long distance laps in our pool but a great place to cool off from the hot days. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit and look forward to hosting you the next time you are in Key West.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Things to know about Michael's Retreat

Guest: Two short Texans (Austin, Texas, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/16/10 Review Submitted: 06/12/10

First it's important to know that the ceiling in the bedroom is VERY pitched. You can stand up straight in the middle of the room, but as you move about, you have to duck. My husband is 5'8" and I'm only 5'4" and we both walked around hunched over all the time in there. You cannot sit up in bed and read, the ceiling is that pitched. And there are "two skylights" right over the head of the bed that are framed like windows, so if you sit up suddenly in the middle of the night, it would be easy to crack your skull on the frame. We wanted to move the bed out from the wall to get more headroom, but it's on a heavy platform and we couldn't move it. The bathroom is tiny, also with a pitched ceiling. Another problem with Michael's Retreat is that the WIFI signal isn't strong enough; we had to sit outside on a lower porch to get an adequate signal. On the plus side, the living room is nice and spacious. The place was clean and nicely decorated, the AC works well and the kitchen has a microwave AND an oven, unlike the Victorian Delights unit (which our friends rented); that unit does NOT have an oven, so don't plan to bake pizza down there. The location of Hollinsed House is terrific, everything is close; and the property was well maintained. The garden was pretty though the pool is tiny and shallow. All in all, we felt like a tall person could not be comfy in Michael's Retreat and that there were enough drawbacks that it should rent for less than the other units in the house. We would only rent it again if we couldn't find anywhere else in that neighborhood. There are two futons in the living area so It might appeal to a group of people who were willing to make some compromises in order to stay together.

Owner response:Before I address the comments about Michael's Retreat I would like to address the comments about the Victorian Delights' lack of an oven. This unit does not have a classic built in range like you might think but it does have a high-end convection/microwave. I have roasted a turkey, baked a cake, brownies, etc in this oven. There is a manual in the unit. If the guests had called I could have told them where to look for it and where the cookie sheets were and how they could very easily have baked a pizza. We have guests that stay in this unit for a month or longer and never have a problem cooking! Now as to the "Two Short Texans" concerns about Michael's Retreat. This is an attic unit in a Victorian home built in the 1880's as was explained to the guests. As all attic apartments are, the ceilings are sloped. The pictures on the website reflect this and the unit was never mis-represented. But I have taken their comments seriously and we are undertaking a rearrangement of furniture in the bedroom so that the bed is not directly under the two skylights mentioned. The bathroom is not a two person bathroom but then again, not many small apartments have large bathrooms. When coming to Key West, people need to keep in mind that you are staying in homes that were built over 100 years ago to the standards of the time, not to our expectations of today. The WIFI signal in this unit is normally quite strong, the owner and his son using it for quite some time a few months ago, and no guest complaints since. Again, if the guests had called, I could have had Charles reset the router, check the antenna and we could have troubleshooted the problem. In my opinion, if a guest does not give me a chance to solve a problem, it is unfair of them to post their complaints on VRBO.

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Key West 100 race, May 2010

Guest: Alice G. (Bradenton, Fl)
Date of Stay: 05/13/10 Review Submitted: 06/14/10

We rented two units as we were five adults. Both accommodations were great! I especially loved the tropical garden feel on the property. The pool is small, but we enjoyed sitting in the cool water talking the night away.

Owner response:Charles, my right hand and I are so glad that you enjoyed your visit so much! You are right, our pool is small but it is wonderful, isn't it?

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Couldn't Have Asked For More

Guest: Aaron and Becky (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 04/28/10 Review Submitted: 05/06/10

My husband and I stayed in the Victorian Delights room for the annual Key West Songwriters Festival and we could not have been happier! The location was excellent, and with me being 7 months pregnant I felt we were in the center of all the events without having to go from one side of the island to the other. Tracey was a great help and Charles was a joy to talk to. We will definitely be back and have already recommended the house to several of our friends!

Owner response:Aaron and Becky were great guests and we wish them the best of luck in the coming months with the new baby!! Tracey

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Steve Elbert (Stillwater, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/09/10 Review Submitted: 03/09/10

My wife and I have been regular vistors to Key West for the past 20 years, and we have not found a place to stay that is as lovely and peaceful as Hollinsed House. The location is perfect; the accomodations are clean and bright; and the price is very reasonable. We were thoroughly delighted and the next time we vacation in Key West, we will choose the Hollinsed House again. I give this place and Charles 5 stars.

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/18/10 Review Submitted: 02/18/10

We have stayed at many B&Bs and houses in Key West. This was our first guest house stay. The location of the Hollinsed House is perfect. You are one block away from Duval Street. We stayed in the ShangriLa Suite. It was perfect for two people (it would be a bit small for three or four people). We especially enjoyed our private courtyard. The common area was lush and the pool was just the right temperature (our stay was in the winter and the pool was heated). With this being a guest house, there is no breakfast nor a person to check you in. That worked out just fine, though. There is a grocery store right around the corner and a person, Charles, was attending to the rooms most mornings, and he was very accommodating.

Owner response:Thanks so much for your great comments. Charles and I hope that return to the Hollinsed House in the future. Tracey (Manager, Hollinsed House)

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Great first visit to Key West

Guest: Dell (Lorton, VA)
Date of Stay: 11/08/09 Review Submitted: 07/25/10

We stayed in the poolside suite- the room was clean, air conditioning was strong and we had a very nice stay there. The king sized bed was comfortable, room was small (as advertised) modern bathroom and kitchen. We had friends staying in Michael's retreat and it was a perfect set up for friends traveling together. Close to everything in Key West. We are returning to stay again this year.

Owner response:It is great that you enjoyed your visit at the Hollinsed House. Our location is perfect for enjoying all the activities in Old Town....from enjoying the Sunsets at Mallory Square to bars, restaurants, museums, etc. Charles, my wonderful housekeeper and I look forward to your return this year. Just let me know when you would like to come back!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The Victorian Delights

Guest: DanSandie (Clearwater, FL)
Date of Stay: 10/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

My Husband and I have stayed in a lot of places in Key West but our stay at the Hollinsed House was by far the best trip to the Keys we have ever had. My husband had just returned from a 16- month tour in Iraq and we needed some good quality time together. The house is beautiful the room was incredible and did I say I love the pool. It was quiet and romantic. Old Key West at it’s best. Your stay is not complete with out Charles; he is amazing and keeps the Hollinsed house and grounds beautiful. We will definitely stay there again. It is truly a perfect 10.

Owner response:Thanks Dan and Sandie for a great review. I will certainly pass your words along to Charles. He is truly an asset to the Hollinsed House! Tracey

Recommended for:People with disabilities, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Bob70 (Florida)
Date of Stay: 04/20/08 Review Submitted: 04/20/08

My wife and I have stayed at the Hollinsed House at least a dozen times over the past 10 years. Each visit has been better than the last! Whether we are lounging by the pool, walking to sunset at Mallory Square or to our favorite "boat bar" the Schooner Wharf, we always meet the nicest people from around the world. If you are looking for a great ppllce to stay with a ffaabulous ocation, the Hollinsed House is that place!!

Owner response:Bob, thanks for this great comment. The Schooner Wharf is my favorite place to send guests that want to experience "Key West"!

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