Vacation Rentals by Owner

CMP team

Guest: dave (california)
Date of Stay: 02/26/12 Review Submitted: 03/11/12

We used the house for a ten person staff meeting - 10 individual bedrooms make this posssible. There is ample room throughout the house, great pool and spa and very quiet. the Dining room make for a perfect conderence room as well. Ample parking yet very close to town. The owner was very helpful and available. A new pool table would be a great addtion for next year!

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

Holiday Party

Guest: PT (Clearwater)
Date of Stay: 01/14/12 Review Submitted: 01/15/12

This is the second time I have booked the Cedar house for a Holiday Event for the office staff of my seven centers. We had 40 guests for a Holiday Party. After doing it for the first time last year, I had several people asking if we could do it again this year. We were able to do so and once again, the event went off without a hitch. The dual ovens and kitchens allowed for ample room for the amount of food the caters brought in. The large dining area allowed for formal seating for those who wanted that, and there was plenty of seating around the big screen TV for those who wanted to watch the football game while eating dinner. We all enjoyed a beautiful sunset before dinner. The 3 refrigerators are a big plus for beverage storage as well. Once again we will be booking the home for 2013 I am sure. It is also really nice to have the owner close by. She came by to check on things and make sure that everything was going well. You can really tell that she cares about the home and that the renters have a great experience. That means a lot.

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

Awesome House, Beautiful Location

Guest: Bob C (Florida)
Date of Stay: 12/29/11 Review Submitted: 01/16/12

My Family and I stayed here for an extended vacation and thoroughly enjoyed it. The house is a grand historic estate that is clean and impeccably maintained. We had everything we needed to enjoy our beach vacation. The photos on the listing accurately reflect the house but do not really do the house justice. This really is a must see property due to its size and location. It looks much better in person and we were pleasantly surprised. The owner was extremely helpful and accommodating. The waterfront location was perfect. We enjoyed relaxing on the lower deck watching the beautiful sunsets on the water. We would love to return again next year and are planning on it.

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

Old house needs work

Guest: Frequent traveler (Stuart, FL/Southeast US)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 12/30/11

While there were some beautiful elements to this house that we were told is the oldest in Clearwater, it has not been kept up as well as it deserves or as it should be to be on the rental market. Some rooms lacked closets or anywhere to store clothing. One room had an entertainment cabinet in lieu of an armoire (no shelves - just a large open space); one room had an armoire with a pole for hanging clothes and only eight inches of hanging space; one room's closet was locked - the owner's storage closet, I assume - and had no armoire or dresser. The lighting was inadequate. Not all rooms had bedside lighting (or even bedside tables), only ceiling lighting on a 10+ foot ceiling. One lamp's fixture was bent at 90 degrees, and we were afraid we'd be shocked if we tried to turn it on. Lamps with multiple fixtures only had one bulb, so we were operating at partial capacity. Others had 40-watt bulbs making it difficult to read. Other bulbs were burnt out. The upstairs foyer light did not work, making it dangerous going upstairs at night. Many of the dishes, pans, and silverware had to be washed before we could use them. While the house was essentially clean, many of the storage closets, cabinets, and drawers were not. If clean is important to you, you may want to consider something newer. The dining room table was so low that even my 5-foot mother bumped her knees on it every time. Two of the four pool cues were cracked and not usable. Tubs/showers drained slowly. There were not enough blankets to go around when the weather turned cool, and those we found were dusty and smelled of old closet. Not every room had a wastebasket; not the end of the world, but overall there was just a general lack of care in this potentially beautiful house. The only thing going for it was its size and location. Having two kitchens was wonderful. But if you're going to claim you can sleep 20 people, you should provide for 20 people. One bath towel and one washcloth per person was a little skimpy; we had to ask for hand towels. There was no hand soap in the house; we bought our own. The owner was available to bring us what we needed, but after the first call, we found it easier to buy it ourselves. The location was lovely - right on the intracoastal with many interesting birds to watch. The pool area and deck were very nice when the weather was warm, and the sunsets were beautiful. The neighborhood was quiet. Just keep in mind - the house was built in 1900 and it shows.

Recommended for:

Incredible!!!

Guest: Jim (Clearwater)
Date of Stay: 11/23/11 Review Submitted: 12/06/11

We had a family reunion at the Cedar House over Thanksgiving. 15 of us stayed very comfortably and never felt crowded. The house is in a beautiful area on the water, a few minutes from Clearwater Beach and convenient to restaurants, golf courses, and the Pinellas Trail (biking, running, or just walking). The beds are comfortable, and the accommodations are ample enough that we all slept in beds and did not have to use any of the pullout futons or blowup mattresses, althought they're there if you need them. The house is completely centrally air-conditioned (yes, it's warm enough in Florida over Thanksgiving to run the a/c, at least during the day--the nights were glorious). Several people in our party went kayaking right from the beach behind the house. We had 19 for dinner, and the long dining room table accommodated us very comfortably. And the kitchen(s) . . .that's right, there are two fully-stocked kitchens with two stoves and (best of all) TWO dishwashers. During the day we sat outside on the deck, by the pool, in the Jacuzzi or down by the water and enjoyed the fabulous view, and at night we gathered around the firepit. In short, we had an amazing experience, and will definitely be back!! Can't recommend the Cedar House highly enough.

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

Great family vacation

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/22/11

Our family of 16 spent the last week of July here and had a MARVELOUS time. We had a little plumbing problem our second afternoon there and they were right on top of it getting it fixed on a Sunday. Very impressive! We would highly recommend staying here and will be back again ourselves.

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

Family Reunion

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

There were seventeen of us staying in this house. It was quite comfortable, and great for four generations of adults and children. Ages were from 6 months to 92 years, and all were comfortable and happy. The pool area was cooled by a breeze from the inland waterway. We regularly walked on the residential streets which were shaded and had quite the variety of homes. We used the canoe to see the sights close by, and the water was calm enough for us to use our paddle boards. The kitchen was quite adequate to cook for all of us, and the dining room was perfect. The family room and deck were a great place for all to gather. The listing was accurate. We visited once before renting. The property is clean and well maintained, and the owner was very responsive to our needs. I would recommend this property to families for a quiet "Old Florida" style vacation.

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

Spacious and Just Perfect for Large Group

Guest: Cindy (Pepperell, Massachusetts/USA)
Date of Stay: 04/13/11 Review Submitted: 06/22/11

There were 13 of us staying at the 'manor' plus family that lived in the Clearwater area who would stop by for visits and this manor did not lack in anyway for space for larger groups. Not once did any of us feel 'on top' of each other and not once did any of the kids (17-10) say they were bored or there was nothing to do. It is difficult to go out to eat with such a large group so we would eat at home quite a bit and the two kitchens made cooking and clean up a breeze. The kitchen did not lack for any dishes or cooking supplies - it was by far the best stocked kitchen we've come across in all our rentals. The extremely large dining room was perfect for all of us to eat together w/out that squished feeling of trying to fit every one around the table. There was always a game of pool going on which, in our opinion, was a key aspect of this manor. The bedrooms are spacious with a good amount of closet space for vacation clothing. The pool and pool area was as equally spacious for large groups with plenty of chairs. The favorite ''adult' spot was the waterfront deck with fire pit. It was sooo relaxing to just sit there and watch the boats, fish jumping, dolphins and birds. The neighborhood was quiet and the manor is situated so that there is plenty of privicy. The backyard of the manor is large enough for playing catch, frisbee and any other such activities. The manor is an older home that does not offer the look or features of all the newer built accomodations throughout Florida but it was clean and offered a sense of its own southern charm. It was not difficult at all to drive to Clearwater Beach nor was it a long drive - maybe 5 minutes, certainly less than 10. If we were to have a large group vacationing together again, our first rental choice would be the manor. We have been going to this area of Florida for April vacation for well over 10 years and this was truly one of our better vacations due in large to the accomodations offered by the 'manor'. The owner was great and more than willing to make our stay perfect. An issue did arise and she handled it above and beyond expectations. Perfect owner and perfect accomodations - HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Perfect for a large group

Guest: Susan, owner of My Book Therapy (Duluth, MN)
Date of Stay: 02/24/11 Review Submitted: 03/05/11

When we started looking for a place to hold our annual writer's retreat, we needed something with many different sleeping accomodations for a group of women who didn't previously know each other. And, we also needed real beds, as well a big kitchen that could accommodate our large group (20), places for people to sneak off to write, a beautiful view, a place where we could hold our “class-time” as well as a large lounging space, and of course, we wanted a pool and a hot tub. Cedar House had it all. Clean and large, and nearly everyone had a real bed (no air mattresses, although we could have packed more in with them if we wanted - they were available). The huge dining room table was perfect for our teaching time, as was the large living room for “movie night” (and the oversized television helped, too!) We loved preparing meals on the grill, and sitting out to watch the amazing sunset. We used the hot tub nearly every night, too (and this was Feb, in Florida!) The caretaker, Bob, is prompt, friendly and very helpful, and Betsy was very accommodating of all our needs, making sure we had everything we needed before and during the retreat. We will most certainly be back. If you are looking for a place for a large retreat, look no further than Cedar House- you’ll love it!

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

50th Anniversary and Family Reunion

Guest: KellyS (Palm Coast, FL)
Date of Stay: 02/17/11 Review Submitted: 03/01/11

Last summer, I decided to plan a family reunion for my parents' 50th anniversary. I was delighted to find The Cedar House on vrbo.com. From the first contact, owners Jim & Betsy were easy to work with, polite and professional. For months, my family and I looked at the pictures and descriptions of The Cedar House anticipating our reunion. The Cedar House lived up to our expectations and more! The house is spacious and has an old Florida charm with its hard wood floors and plantation shutters. There were plenty of places where we could all be together (family room, dining room) and plenty of places to get away (den, deck, fire pit). Having the two kitchens made cooking meals for all of us much easier and having two dishwashers was a blessing. The bay at sunset is gorgeous and the kids did a lot of scavenging. The traffic going over the causeway to the beach was horrendous, but quite honestly, I didn't even care to go because we were having such a great time. We did visit Coachmen Park for family pictures and for a bit of tennis on the (free) hard courts. This house would be perfect for family reunions, girls' weekends, wedding accommodations and more.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Terry's view

Guest: tet (Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/29/11 Review Submitted: 02/14/11

I booked for a party of 14 males at the end of January 2011, hoping that everything was going to work out, well, the accommodations were just perfect for us, plenty of room where we could all congregate together and enough space where you could have that quiet moment. Good restaurants and pubs close by made it easy for socialising. The golf clud close by was very very good with all the party singing its praises.If we choose Tampa for our venue next year, I will look no further than Cedear House.

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

Will stay here again

Guest: Vanessa (Clearwater, FL)
Date of Stay: 10/30/10 Review Submitted: 11/10/10

I had my wedding here. We stayed for two nights. The owners were very nice and accommodating. The house is amazing. Beautiful and huge! My favorite part was the back yard. It's on the water, views are amazing. There is a hammock by the water, so relaxing! We will definitely stay here again. Probably for our anniversary, longer next time. Everyone loved it!

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

Fantastic

Guest: Kathy (clearwater, Fl)
Date of Stay: 10/30/10 Review Submitted: 11/09/10

We rented The Cedar House for my daughter's wedding reception and her wedding night. It was more beautiful than even depicted in the photos. The property was quite clean and comfortable for the family. The views are stupendous and the house full of wonderful ambience. Everyone enjoyed the house, inside and out. It is also quite centrally located to the beaches, attractions, and restaurants. The owners were very helpful and we would definitely recommend renting this property.

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

The Cedar House was a Great Place for our Family Reunion and we Highly Recommend

Guest: Big Dave (Largo, FL)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 07/04/10

This a beautiful, roomy, fun place to stay. We enjoyed the pool, hot-tub (indoor and outdoor), pool table, downstairs deck with fire pit on the water and canoeing to the close by private island. We enjoyed shelling and fishing. The 2 bar-b-que grills were great for outdoor cooking and the double kitchen inside allowed ample room for food preparation and storage. We really had a great time. This is a really cool 100 year home with lots of charm, but all of the amenities to make it modern enough for everyone including wireless internet. The owner was actively involved in making sure our stay was a great as it could be. This is a well-maintained and well cared for home. We enjoyed sunsets on the water every night with a group gathering of 19. Plenty of room to enjoy both indoor dining in the formal dining room and outdoor dining on the upper and lower decks and around the pool. Quick drive to Clearwater Beach and to local fine dining as well. Plenty or free parking on site at the Cedar house for at least 6 vehicles. We really had a great time and the 5 families that took part in the event we planned were all completely satisfied. I would highly recommend this location to anyone and we will most certainly be booking it again ourselves.

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

Great Vacation spot

Guest: Mo (Wilmington, DE)
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

Beautiful property with spacious accommodations. Lots of room for large family gatherings. Well furnished and very clean. Close to lots of attractions.

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

Great house for party, business retreat, extended family getaway

Guest: NJEddie (Pennington, NJ)
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 07/30/10

With Clearwater Harbor as its backyard, the Cedar House is an amazing find. The rooms are spacious and well appointed, the common areas are large and inviting. The dining room is suitable for a conference room for business retreats, and the pool is perfect. We loved the kitchen(s) and the layout made it possible to prepare multiple courses at the same time. A catered affair was also held while we were at the Cedar House, and the caterer had plenty of room to prep the dishes. When I read that this property sleeps 21-25, I was skeptical, but the week that we stayed here there was still plenty of space if you want to be alone. Clearwater Beach is a short drive away. The Cedar House captures the feel of a turn of the 20th century mansion with modern amenities. The owners have gone to great lengths to make their guests feel at home.

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

Cedar House

Guest: Akbar (chiago, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

If I was having a large group event in the Tampa area, this would be the place period. Good location, plenty of space, and nice views. Attended a bar mitzah at the property and spent a night there.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway.

Great Party House

Guest: CRL (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 05/13/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

Visited recently for a family function that was held on the property. What a great weekend. The house is huge and would easily accomodate 20+ people. Beautiful pool with heated spa overlooking Clearwater Bay was the perfect spot for evening cocktails. Terrific location, close to the beach, the airport and downtown Clearwater and Largo. The house was a great venue for the party, with a rented tent, dance floor and some tables and chairs , it comfortably hosted a party for 100+ , including a sit down dinner and DJ. I would strongly recommend the property as the perfect place for a function or just a family vacation. By the way, I don't know what the reviewer who complained about the bugs and hot water was talking about. We never ran out of hot water with 20+ people staying in the house. Yes, there are lots of bugs in Florida, but I saw none in the house, it was immaculate.

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

Cedar house

Guest: Ali x (Liverpool, England)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

The Cedar house is a beautiful property in an excellent location right on the waterfront, very clean and well-maintained. There were 16 people in total in our party and the house was well big enough to accommodate us and more if needed! Betsy was just the other end of the telephone and would be there straight away if we needed her. We visited Busch Gardens whilst staying at the house which was about a half hour drive away, maximum. I would have no hesitation in recommending this property to a friend or relative. Thank you Betsy for letting us stay at your beautiful house!

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

Guest: Monica27 (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/19/10 Review Submitted: 02/19/10

I will start off by saying that the pictures do not do this house justice. It is beautiful! It is right on the water with plenty of things to keep you entertained (canoe, pool, beach, etc). The house itself is very well maintained. All the rooms are nicely decorated with plenty of bathrooms for large parties. Speaking of parties . . . great host house. There is ample space in the fully-stocked kitchen and a great dining room to accommodate a large group. Betsy was on top of everything and very helpful. Highly recommended for adults, families, etc. All my guests were interested to find out how they can rent it in the future. Only nice things to say.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/12/10 Review Submitted: 01/12/10

This large, well maintained home met our high expectations. The facility is as advertised. Our family gathering of 14 was comfortable particularly enjoying the lovely and huge dining room table at which we all could sit. The beds were comfortable, and there are ample bathrooms to keep everyone happy. Betsy was easy to deal with. A minor problem upon our arrival was dealt with promptly. If we were to gather again in the area, we would strongly consider The Cedars.

Recommended for:

Nice Place, friendly owner

Guest: njguy11 (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 03/15/09 Review Submitted: 03/10/10

A large house with many rooms and tons of space. Very well appointed, clean and tidy. We were a group of 8 golfers and everyone had their own room and space to relax. Great view of the bay especially when in the pool or hotub. Betsy, the owner, was very helpful with where to go and what to do in the area, I highly recommend this house.

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

Worst vacation I ever had.

Guest: Vernon (Lenoir, NC)
Date of Stay: 07/17/06 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

We stayed there July 17,2010 for seven days and five days we had no hot water upstairs. We saw roaches the size of my thumb and mice on several ocassions. The house was not very clean upon arrival.

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