Serenity by the Sea - 1.5 Acre Estate on Florida Bay

• Great stay, close to everything

  Great stay, close to everything

  • Guest Susan
  • Date of stay 12/25/12
  • Review Submitted 03/25/13
  I tried submitting a review to VRBO twice and it was not posted, so I apologize for the lateness of this posting. We stayed from Christmas Day 2013 until the first week in January 2014. The house is secluded, but close to great attractions, diving, and restaurants. I had typed over a page of suggestions unfortunately last time and vrbo said they could not list business names. We have 2 small dogs and they were welcome at outdoor seating at the restaurants, in stores, and at attractions, make sure you research ahead of time, but very few places do not allow dogs which was wonderful for us and the dogs. The family who flew in to Fort Lauderdale were able to rent a "one way" rental to Key Largo (only major rental car company in town) and it was flawless on Christmas Day, if you rent cars a lot, you know this is very unique! The dock and beach area with canoe is great to go out to the bay and paddle around. We rented 2 kayaks from a place across the street who was willing to deliver and pick up kayaks from the house. The beds downstairs were comfortable. We sent the younger people up the ladder and they seemed to enjoy all hanging out together in the loft and sleeping upstairs.Having 2 bathrooms was helpful with multiple people too. Enjoyed open floor plan where everyone could hang out in large kitchen without bumping into each other and the openness off the dining living area off of the kitchen. The hot tub was great on cool evenings and the A/C kept up with our demands for Midwest coolness inside the house. It was also great having the washer and dryer outside the front door on the covered patio. the table on the patio became my sorting and folding place so I could still enjoy looking at the bay and do what was necessary. It is an older home as someone else mentioned in a review, but that was part of the charm of being in the keys, not everything is brand new and looks like every other place you have been. I had hoped to stay at the house again this holiday if my family would come to their senses and let go of the idea of a "White Christmas!" That is why I had the time and drive to write this review for the third time, we are currently "snowed in in the end of march" in the midwest. Thanks for sharing your home with me, Susan

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

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• Exactly what our Family was looking for!

  Exactly what our Family was looking for!

  • Guest Obxwhit
  • Date of stay 03/08/13
  • Review Submitted 03/18/13
  Serenity is the perfect name for this lovely property. Our family of 4 (2 boys age 10 and 12) enjoyed a week in March exploring Key Largo and lounging on the dock and beach. We snorkeled, fished, paddle boarded and kayaked. Enjoyed great meals in the well equipped kitchen and grilled out. On cooler evenings the hot tub was perfect to enjoy a glass of wine when the kids went to sleep from exhaustion of full days in the sun. The home was clean, attractively furnished and well equipped with everything we needed and more. Nearby restaurants and attractions make the location ideal...I was even able to get in my long training runs on the jogging/bike paths....Secretly was hoping that I would not be able to :-).... The state park for snorkeling was excellent, Theater by the Sea was spectacular and the Bird Rehabilitation Center kept my kids interested for over an hour. Birds up close and personal. My 12 year old had his first real snorkeling and came across a Manatee!! He swam with him for about 10 minutes...pretty amazing. Thank you for a memorable experience..We hope to come back!

  Recommended for: Families with young children.

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• Adult renter

  Adult renter

  • Guest Bmw
  • Date of stay 12/18/12
  • Review Submitted 12/28/12
  Stove was full of grease. Grease trap had not been drained. Refrigerator ran 24 hrs day condenser was covered with dust. Plantsvhad not been dusted place was very dusty. Toy room down below was trashed. Grill was filthy and would not get hot enough to cook. I would not recommend this property to anyone. Dog next door was allowed to bark at 1:30 in the morning. Caretaker next door ran leaf blower for 2 hrs a morning. View was nice. Road noise was minimal. Everglades walking tour was great. Kayaking on bay was cool Tasters and made to order were nice resturants. Key lime pie at ma,s kitchen was great

  Owner response: A major cleaning of stove and appliances was completed and the neighbor's early morning leaf blowing has been addressed. I was very sorry to hear of these problems after the fact and wish I could have had the chance to have them resolved on the spot. We strive to be responsive to any requests to make our tenants more comfortable.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/3

• Peace, Quiet and Covenient

  Peace, Quiet and Covenient

  • Guest Stargazer
  • Date of stay 12/09/12
  • Review Submitted 12/17/12
  The location and feeling of the property was excellent, the house itself was very good. This is the place if you are looking for quiet, clean, private waterfront serenity. We watched dolphins and manatees from the dock and the most beautiful sunsets over the water, we also loved sitting by the small private beach under the shade tree. The two bedrooms and two bathrooms were convenient and comfortable, the loft has a steep ladder, kids will probably love it, for adults it is a bit more challenging and there is no bathroom up there. We plan on coming back.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great Vacation Getaway!

  Great Vacation Getaway!

  • Guest DC Sportsfan
  • Date of stay 09/22/12
  • Review Submitted 10/07/12
  I can't say enough great things about this home. This was the 1st time we vacationed in this part of Florida. I can honestly say it was one of the best locations and rentals we have had the pleasure of renting over the years. Pictures cannot depict the house in full detail. The dock is where we spent most of the time. The water is great for swimming, snorkeling and it's crystal clear. There is so much sea life to see in the water. The house is secluded and very private. It was a great way to spend a vacation. Nearby there are numerous restaurants and stores. There are also various activities for you to do whether you're an adult or you have children with you.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Great vacation getaway!

  Great vacation getaway!

  • Guest D.S.
  • Date of stay 09/22/12
  • Review Submitted 10/04/12
  I can't say enough great things about this home. This was the 1st time we vacationed in this part of Florida. I can honestly say it was one of the best locations and rentals we have had the pleasure of renting over the years. Pictures cannot depict the house in full detail. The dock is where we spent most of the time. The water is great for swimming, snorkeling and it's crystal clear. There is so much sea life to see in the water. Most mornings I would walk down there as the sun was coming up and you could just sit and watch the fish jumping around the dock and nearby. The house is secluded and very private. It was a great way to spend a vacation. Nearby there are numerous restaurants and stores. There are also various activities for you to do whether you're an adult or you have children with you.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Relaxing piece of paradise

  Relaxing piece of paradise

  • Guest Karina & Kevin
  • Date of stay 09/14/12
  • Review Submitted 09/24/12
  My husband and I spent a week at Serenity by the Sea and it was one of the most relaxing trips we have ever taken. The privacy of the lot was such a nice feature, and I just can't say enough about how amazing the pier was! We spent so much time just peeking over the side checking out all of the marine life which was clearly visible. Even at night the lights on the peer provided a relaxing spot to listen to the sounds of the sea. An unexpected feature is that the neighbors have lights in the water so you can see fish swimming - even at night. My husband spent countless hours snorkeling off the beach and pier and he even had a close encounter with a very friendly manatee who wanted to see what he was up to. That was hands down one of the coolest experiences we could imagine. We were also lucky enough to see a pair of dolphins swim by from a distance one morning. The owners were incredibly accommodating, providing us with a very helpful list of activities and restaurants in the area which we took full advantage of. They even had a canoe which we were able to take out on in the peaceful bay to explore. We can't wait to get back, and maybe even bring the kids next time because I know they would enjoy the location as much as we did.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Recent vacationer

  Recent vacationer

  • Guest Sully
  • Date of stay 07/14/12
  • Review Submitted 08/13/12
  We loved our vacation here. The house is very comfortable and the water is crystal clear, calm, and spectacular! It is perfect for families with children as the water is shallow for smaller children and gets deep for snorkeling and boating. It is conveniently located with marinas, restaurants, and excursions nearby. The spa is large and though we wanted a pool, the water is so beautiful and inviting, we never missed the pool! We highly recommend this property and will definitely stay here again on our next Florida vacation!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Our week of Serenity

  Our week of Serenity

  • Guest Mollie
  • Date of stay 07/21/12
  • Review Submitted 08/10/12
  Just returned from one of our most enjoyable vacations. Serenity By The Sea was our own cozy treehouse for the week. It was totally isolated, yet close by grocery, scuba & shopping. The view was to die for, especially the sunsets! The first day it stormed all morning, but this was a great time to curl up in the hammock & read/sleep while the girls enjoyed the hot tub. Set in a quiet, calm cove just next to the boat ramp (which we found was a huge time saver), we were able to waterski, snorkel & fish to our content. We caught many fish in the bay & pretty much lived off the land for our week. The boys spent many hours snorkeling right off the dock. The dock allowed plenty of room for 3 jetskis & a boat, so we were able to hop on anytime & play or explore the massive bay. The kids went on several scuba dives & brought home a nice bunch of lobster for us to feast upon. We spent one day deep sea fishing with Capt Dave's charter and once again feasted on our catch. Diane was a great help with suggestions for the area and was more than willing to answers all my questions. I HIGHLY recommend this little slice of heaven.

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

  Owner response: Glad you enjoyed it!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great location

  Great location

  • Guest Jill S.
  • Date of stay 04/21/12
  • Review Submitted 06/23/12
  This really is a get away from it all kind of place. The views are spectacular and lazing on the beach was a good way to relax. We ventured out in the kayak and usually ate at home in the evening as the view was just too good to miss. Perhaps the house and surrounds could do with a bit of tlc and up dating, but this did not detract from our enjoyment

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Rates for up to 6 people, Add'l $100 pperson/wk; Pets by pre-arrangement only.
PEAK- Winter/Spring: 1/3/13-5/4/13..$2900/wk; $5220/2 wks; $7600/3 wks; $9800/4 wk
PEAK- Summer: 5/5/13-9/4/13...$2750/wk; $4950/2 wks; $7200/3 wks; $9300/4 wks
OFF-PEAK- Fall: 9/4-12/20/2013 ... 2400/wk; $1000/3nt W/E exc Holidays/ Req $ 
XMAS-NYEARS: 12/21-1/3/2014...$3200 /wk or $6000/14 nights
Rentals are from Sat to Sat, except in the fall when we are more flexible.  Add'l
Fees: $1000 refundable deposit, 12.5% tax, $150 Clean-up fee & $100/wk dock fee

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.