Charming Country Retreat with Pool, Gazebo

• Country Idyll

  Country Idyll

  • Guest mark & rosie
  • Date of stay 04/14/09
  • Review Submitted 05/11/09
  My wife and I stayed here on our first trip to Tampa and arrived at night and exhausted. We were greeted with a welcome pack of tea & pastries which was much appreciated as we didn't have the energy to go out for dinner. The next day the sun was out and we saw the place for the 1st time - amazing! We had breakfast by the pool surrounded by incredible giant Oaks and listened to the birds. The cottage was just perfect and had everything we needed & more. We walked to Starbucks and the supermarket is a 2 minute drive away so everything is on hand. Jan & Fred are great hosts and no request was too much: how to get into town? how to get to the beach? where can we eat? and when we asked about sight-seeing Jan gave us the 'grand tour'. If you want to chill out in the country this is the place to be.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 16/17

• The cleanest cottage I have ever stayed in

  The cleanest cottage I have ever stayed in

  • Guest Penne C.
  • Date of stay 05/29/12
  • Review Submitted 06/04/12
  We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the cottage. It was simple, neat and extremely clean. Ample items for the kitchen, the bath, etc. We felt safe and were able to have our friends who lived nearby come visit. Ample restaurants and shopping in the area, easy access to everywhere. I would highly recommend this location and set up for 1-3 people. Jan was very communicative through the entire process and easy to work with. The only negative and ever so slight is that the pool area and furniture didnt seem to have been cleared of yard debris daily nor was the leaves removed from the pool daily so it didnt make it very inviting to sit out or enjoy the pool which is a very nice area otherwise. Overall, we would stay again and would definitely recommend to everyone.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Lovely and Comforting

  Lovely and Comforting

  • Guest John and Viv
  • Date of stay 04/01/12
  • Review Submitted 05/10/12
  There are choices when trying to decide on a place for temporary stays. This little cottage, nestled in a quiet, rural section of Florida mid-way between Tampa and Orlando, is a slice of tranquility in an otherwise stressful life. Whether it's to finish reading a book or writing one, catching up on our "insides" or enjoying all that's "outside", we highly recommend the atmosphere of this home away. Jan and Fred are perfect hosts; they were there when we needed them, responded immediately to any minor requests we made, took steps beyond what is necessary to ensure we had a pleasant experience, and could not have been more gracious. Recommend? Surely. When we return to Florida, we will undoubtedly get in touch with Jan first, hoping our new alternative home is available. Thank you, J&F, for making our stay very special.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• A Wonderful Vacation

  A Wonderful Vacation

  • Guest Irene and Jim F.
  • Date of stay 01/01/12
  • Review Submitted 02/01/12
  What a great way to begin a new year! We were greeted with a plate of freshly baked cookies and a welcome from our hosts. The cottage was definitely our home away from home. All the things we needed were there from wifi to a pizza cutter. It's difficult to find a place to vacation with a pet lab and a cat and our hosts welcomed our pets as well. Our lab became accustomed to sitting and watching the horses in the pasture everyday. The cat was fascinated with the tiny lizards. Jan and Fred go about their business of maintaining their property daily and we felt guilty relaxing while they worked. They work hard to make sure everything is always in good shape, from the lawns to the pool. We had friends over and sat in the sunshine by the pool one afternoon. They were quite impressed with the property as well. You feel like you're out in the country but around the corner is the city life. The grocery stores, cafes and department stores are within walking distance if you so choose. Our goal was to buy a house in the area but since that didn't happen this time around, we look forward to booking another month or more next winter. We thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in Valrico. Jan and Fred were excellent hosts and know how to run a vacation rental. Thanks for a great experience. Irene and Jim, Lulu and Roxie from Virginia

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

• A lovely retreat

  A lovely retreat

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 12/01/11
  • Review Submitted 01/16/12
  Tranquility on the edge of all that makes this part of Florida so inviting.  My 18 year old daughter and I were in the area for an extended time, yet a sad reason. I was losing my best  friend to cancer.  We stayed for the month of December and in the time this cottage began to feel like our home.  We didn't want to go. The cottage had all we needed and then some including fresh flowers and cookies on our arrival. Because my friend left us during our stay, we didn't take much note of the holidays. Jan, however, reached out to check on us in caring ways - bringing us a small table top light up tree and even dropping off home baked treats in tins and boxes Christmas night, a gesture we will long remember.  From sitting by the pool watching the sway of the spanish moss on the giant oaks, to hearing the owls converse after dark to feeding an apple to one of their horses, this peaceful setting and perfectly appointed cottage was both delightful and healing. You couldn't ask for a better home base from which to explore the surrounding beaches and attractions or a better base home when a touch of home is just what you need.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Clean, convenient for us, and wonderful owners!

  Clean, convenient for us, and wonderful owners!

  • Guest Shirley
  • Date of stay 04/30/11
  • Review Submitted 05/12/11
  We mistakenly scheduled to stay 6 nights instead of 7. The owner had already rented the cottage for the last night, but she let us stay in the house for the last night so we did not have to inconvenience our grandkids and kick them out of their beds! Jan is a very caring owner! She and Fred keep up the place great, and the pool was wonderful!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Great accomodations!!

  Great accomodations!!

  • Guest Renae
  • Date of stay 06/17/10
  • Review Submitted 04/27/11
  What a great place to stay! Lots of room! We had a family reunion to attend in the area and 13 of us stayed in the 2 houses on the property. Everything was in good condition and we were made to feel at home. A great home away from home!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, age 55+, families with young children, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/4

• Horselovers Delight

  Horselovers Delight

  • Guest Linda and Bob
  • Date of stay 12/20/10
  • Review Submitted 01/21/11
  My husband and I stayed here for 3 weeks over the Christmas and New Year holiday, while our son's dorm was closed at Univ. of Tampa. We had a wonderful time! The cottage has everything you need to feel comfortable, and is close enough to stores, restaurants, etc. to walk there. Yet, it is still very country and in fact, there were 2 or 3 riding stables on our street alone, in addition to the 4 horses kept on the property to view and pet. The first day we met Jan, we exchanged many horse stories, since my husband and I own 2 horses up north in PA. The cottage is clean and well maintained. I mentioned to Jan that the refrigerator was dripping a little water and she had 2 men out the next day (Christmas Eve day) to fix it. Likewise, the pool was frequently cleaned, even though it was not warm enough to swim while we were there. We watched the sun go down on New Year's Eve at Clearwater Beach, which was less than an hour drive away, and went to Universal Studios which was also not a bad drive. Jan and Fred are lovely people who are very accommodating. They saved me more than once while there! On Christmas Day, I was making an expensive prime rib for a few people, and the meat thermometer I had brought from home decided to stop working minutes before I needed to use it. I called Jan and began to explain...before I could finish the story, Fred was at the door with a meat thermometer to rescue my roast. On New Year's Eve, my son had locked himself out and forgotten his key while we were at Clearwater Beach. I called Fred and he came right over to the cottage to unlock the door and let my son in. Our little pomeranian had the time of his life there, enjoying warm temperatures and horses. I think Fred liked him too, and was secretly hoping we might forget to bring him with us (ala Home Alone). All in all, I would recommend this property if you are looking for a quiet, convenient location in a country setting. If you need to have granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and an island in your kitchen, you will have to do some adjusting. For us, it was just great!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Temporary Living made Easy

  Temporary Living made Easy

  • Guest Amber and Joe
  • Date of stay 08/21/10
  • Review Submitted 11/11/10
  My husband and I and our dog stayed in the cottage for about 2 months. Even though it is small, we were very comfortable. The cottage has plenty of storage spaces and solutions and is stocked with nearly all necessities. The cook of the household, I found the kitchen to be well stocked in cookware, utensils, and dinnerware. On the rare occasion that we found the cottage was lacking something the owner was very hospitable in providing the item for us in a timely fashion. The cottage is truly a small gem. It sits nestled in a small green pocket of the property, away from the road. If you are looking for privacy, this provides it. You’ll also find country charm from the neighboring horses. However country its setting, the cottage is just minutes away from suburban and urban areas. If you are a dog owner, a dog-friendly park with a walking trail is nearby. If you are more interested in Florida’s natural parks, the cottage is within a twenty-minute’s drive to 3 state and county parks. To provide a mental picture, the cottage is the mid-point between the Tampa area’s rural, natural parks and urban spots and man-made attractions. Its location offers it all. If you need something larger, the second house is a great option. The owner gave me a tour of the larger house and it is breathtaking. The pictures do not do it justice in aesthetic appeal or in space and size. We would absolutely recommend this cottage.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, families with young children, adventure seekers.

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

• Our Review

  Our Review

  • Guest Neri's
  • Date of stay 12/10/09
  • Review Submitted 09/22/10
  My wife and I have rented the cottage the last two winters. The owners are the greatest. They want to make your stay as pleasant as possible. The cottage is always clean and ready for you. They even unlock it early and leave your key on the table so if you are running late or you want to get something to eat before you arrive, it is not a problem. The swimming pool (even thru the winter months) is serviced and cleaned weekly. The owners often provide fresh fruit and are willing to help you with everything from driving directions to the best in local entertainment. Youre living on a small horse farm yet you can walk to Publix. It is truly the best of both worlds. We look forward to our visit each year.

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

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

Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency ($) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.

Additional information about rental rates:

Fees and Taxes:

• Tax Rate 12%
• Cleaning $50