August 2009

Guest: hummer girl (Eustis, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/27/09

We truly enjoyed our vacation! What a great condo!! Even though we only live about 1 1/2 hours away, this year we just wanted to relax and enjoy the condo, beach, fishing, surfing, jet skiis and JB's. We did have a "once in a lifetime" experience when over a hundred sea turtles hatched right outside the condo!!! We were so thrilled to be able to be a part of seeing firsthand how God's creations work. That was worth the trip alone! Christina, thank you so much for supplying the condo with ALL the comforts of home. Thinking of all the "little things" made such a huge impression. And I definintely loved that Master bed!!! We definitely appreciated that you take the the extra time to make your guests feel the comforts and feelings of home. We will definitely be back! Laura

Owner response:Thank you so much for your kind comments ! We try to make everyone's stay as enjoyable as possible. We look forward to having you back ! Sincerely Mark & Christina

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Six Stars Out of Five (Part 1 of 2)

Guest: Jack (Northern Virginia)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 08/26/11

Our family spent 2 wonderful weeks in New Smyrna Beach, FL at Mark & Christina’s clean and beautifully appointed condo. Having vacationed at different beaches for the last 10 summers, we have a pretty good idea of what is “normal” in the way of accommodations, amenities, and ease of booking/departure. From start to finish Christina was accommodating, helpful, and sincerely interested in our well being to ensure we had a good time. Most places provide minimal starter supplies supplies such as a roll of paper towels, tissues, or small packets of laundry detergent/dishwashing liquid. The quantity of supplies in this condo is Costco-esque by comparison. We didn’t come close to running out of ANYTHING. Beyond convenience, this was a true money-saver. The only purchases we needed to make were for food! I echo all of the complimentary comments by other reviewers regarding the decoration, comfort, and convenience provided by the condo. Items provided for entertainment were super, including the movies on DVD, poker set, and beach gear. One small example of attention to detail is the condo’s sliding glass doors leading to the balcony. Due to the corrosive beach environment, metal framed doors don’t fare too well over time. Many condos I’ve stayed in have doors that are hard to move, or sometimes notes are attached not to use them. The sliders here have been recently replaced and were smooth as silk to operate. It’s indicative of how much the owners care about utility and upkeep. Review continues in part 2 below...

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Six Stars Out of Five (Part 2 of 2)

Guest: Jack (Northern Virginia)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

Review continues, part 2 of 2... A note about the beach itself: world class. At low tide, the beach is as wide as a football field is long. The sand is white and squeaks under your feet. The ocean is clean, and during our stay we had no issues with jellyfish, sharks, horseflies or other critters. Our kids really got into body-boarding this year, and surf conditions ran the gamut from almost flat to big enough to scare you. Each day brought something different and interesting. A note to the reviewer (“Shawn”) and others who might be concerned by that review – I saw no evidence whatsoever of Gestapo-like observation, intrusiveness, or nit-picking. Exiting requirements were far from onerous. Try staying in the Outer Banks where you practically have to clean the entire house yourself before leaving! Mark and Christina are thoughtful enough to stock disposable cups and plates for use on the morning of departure so you don’t need to waste time washing dishes and putting them away. They don’t have to make it so easy, but they do. Finally, if you think that a family “emergency”, hurricane, or whatever entitles you to a refund or other considerations by any vacation property owner, then I have three words for you: buy travel insurance. That’s why it exists. Once you sign a contract, honor it. There is no doubt in my mind that Mark and Christina go way beyond fulfilling their contractual obligations. They deserve responsible and considerate renters. Christina refunded my deposit within 36 hours of our leaving. Thanks again for a fantastic vacation. It was worth every minute of the 14 hour drive to experience such a relaxing time.

Owner response:Dear Jack & Family Wow ! We are at a loss for words. We do want to say Thank you so much for such a absolutley wonderful review. You are very special family and we appreciate families like you . We hope to see you again next year . All the best, Mark & Christina

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Six Stars Out of Five (Part 1 of 2)

Guest: Jack (Northern Virginia)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

Our family spent 2 wonderful weeks in New Smyrna Beach, FL at Mark & Christina’s clean and beautifully appointed condo. Having vacationed at different beaches for the last 10 summers, we have a pretty good idea of what is “normal” in the way of accommodations, amenities, and ease of booking/departure. From start to finish Christina was accommodating, helpful, and sincerely interested in our well being to ensure we had a good time. Most places provide minimal starter supplies supplies such as a roll of paper towels, tissues, or small packets of laundry detergent/dishwashing liquid. The quantity of supplies in this condo is Costco-esque by comparison. We didn’t come close to running out of ANYTHING. Beyond convenience, this was a true money-saver. The only purchases we needed to make were for food! I echo all of the complimentary comments by other reviewers regarding the decoration, comfort, and convenience provided by the condo. Items provided for entertainment were super, including the movies on DVD, poker set, and beach gear. One small example of attention to detail is the condo’s sliding glass doors leading to the balcony. Due to the corrosive beach environment, metal framed doors don’t fare too well over time. Many condos I’ve stayed in have doors that are hard to move, or sometimes notes are attached not to use them. The sliders here have been recently replaced and were smooth as silk to operate. It’s indicative of how much the owners care about utility and upkeep. Review continues in part 2 below...

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Family Vacation 2011

Guest: Donna (ocala)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

Wonderful time in NSB. Condo was beautiful, clean, modern, and had EVERYTHING and then some. The owner really makes this a home away from home. Kids enjoyed the boogie boards and beach toys. Pool and Beach were clean and quiet. Hoping to stay again next summer. Owner is friendly and helpful. Would recommend to family and friends.

Owner response:Dear Michael & Donna Thank you for your wonderful review. We were happy to have you and your family stay with us. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Sincerely, Mark & Christina

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Best condo we have ever stayed in!

Guest: CANDI B.
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

Let me start off by complimenting Christina on making us feel comfortable and at home. She contacted us several times to be sure we had everything that we needed. As other reviewers have stated, this is a fully stocked condo - all you need is your personal belongings and you are good to go! The beach chairs, boogie boards, sand toys, umbrella, fishing gear, beach towels, laundry soap, cleaning supplies and more dishes and small appliances in a rental that I have ever seen! The furnishing are first class and the master bedroom is the most comfortable that we have ever slept in. The second full bath is attached to the second bedroom, so our kids had their privacy and stayed out of our beautiful master bath! The beach is clean and close so you can easily go back and forth between the pool and beach with little effort. The views from this condo are breathtaking and we enjoyed our coffee on the balcony every morning. We will be back for sure!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Best condo we have ever stayed in!

Guest: CANDI B.
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

Let me start off by complimenting Christina on making us feel comfortable and at home. She contacted us several times to be sure we had everything that we needed. As other reviewers have stated, this is a fully stocked condo - all you need is your personal belongings and you are good to go! The beach chairs, boogie boards, sand toys, umbrella, fishing gear, beach towels, laundry soap, cleaning supplies and more dishes and small appliances in a rental that I have ever seen! The furnishing are first class and the master bedroom is the most comfortable that we have ever slept in. The second full bath is attached to the second bedroom, so our kids had their privacy and stayed out of our beautiful master bath! The beach is clean and close so you can easily go back and forth between the pool and beach with little effort. The views from this condo are breathtaking and we enjoyed our coffee on the balcony every morning. We will be back for sure!

Owner response:Dear Candi & Family Thank you for such a great review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your stay with us. It is out goal to have all our renters have a great time have all the comforts of home. We look forward to having you back soon. Sincerely Mark & Christina

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

We'll be back

Guest: Brian W.
Date of Stay: 07/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/26/11

My wife, 11-year-old daughter, and a friend of hers spent six nights here in late July and had a wonderful time. The place was comfortable, the numerous amenities made it feel like home, and the walk to the beach was a quick two minutes. Once there, we had more than enough room to stretch out. The pool and surrounding grounds were well-maintained, too. There was also plenty of privacy; not once did we hear even the slightest noise from other guests. When you factor in the savings by eating in for breakfast and lunch, and a dinner as well, this place was easily cheaper than a good beach-side motel. Which, by the way, we'll never use again for a vacation. So, to sum up: We kind of liked the place.

Owner response:Dear Brian & Family, Thank you for your great review of our property. We enjoyed having you stay with us . We look forward to having you back soon. Mark & Christina

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

Loved Our Stay

Guest: Dennis (Jefferson City, MO)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/24/11

We loved the week spent at the condo. The unit was very family friendly. The condo was fully stocked with anything you would need to enjoy your stay at the beach. Which was nice because we did not have to pack all those items to bring with us. Even though we had some rainy days during our stay the condo had games to pay and movies to watch. The furnishing and decorations in the condo were very inviting, bright and cheery. We usually stay at a different beach in Flordia each year, but I would not mind at all if we came back to this condo again.

Owner response:Dear Dennis & Family Thank you so much for the wonderful review ! We are so happy to hear your stay was enjoyable. We look forward to having you back again in the future. All the best ! Mark & Christina

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Guest: Rick & lori (-)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

Dear Mark & Christina This is our third year with staying at your beautiful condo. Every year we cannot wait to come because of the special treament and all the amenities you offer in your condo. We feel so pampered and you make our travel to Florida so easy. All we need to pack is our clothes and toothbrush. You have always been so kind to our family and we really appreciate the special touches. Silver Sands is a great place and it well kept and the property manager is so nice and friendly and helpful. We are looking forward to next year 2012 and many years to come. Thank you Rick & Lori , Brian & Cathy

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