Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect!

Guest: Jonathan & Monika (Stone Harbor, NJ)
Date of Stay: 03/21/12 Review Submitted: 04/03/12

Perfect is the one word that describes our experience on Varela St. From a quiet street, to being inexpensive, to Sandy's con leches every morning, you will not be disappointed. We were so please that we canceled a reservation with a different property in order to return here in November. The owner Marilyn was perfect and a total pleasure to do business with. See you in the Fall!!!!!

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

Home Away From Home

Guest: Bronwen W. (Winter Park, FL)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 09/21/11

I spent this past weekend at the Varela Retreat and had a wonderful time. I was reluctant, at first, to rent from someone who did not live near the property. Marilyn was fully available by phone and email with any questions or issues I had, and her cleaning lady lives locally and was a great liason. The property was clean and well-maintained, and in a great location to walk to all the attractions, restaurants, and shops. I would highly recommend this rental property.

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

Pleasant stay in a nice place

Guest: alice26 (Prague, czech rep)
Date of Stay: 12/30/10 Review Submitted: 01/27/11

We have spend realy nice time in the place. It is clean, well equiped, conveniently situated in a safe neibourhood. Everything within walking distance.

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

Everything We Expected and More

Guest: dsaslong (Greenville, SC)
Date of Stay: 12/28/10 Review Submitted: 12/31/10

We truly enjoyed your place at Key West. It was everything we expected and more. Great location and plenty of room to put our bikes in the place. We did a lot of riding (bikes) and walking. We could have walked to everything. Bikes were nice to get all over and see the neighborhoods. We parked right in front and never used the car until we loaded it up to head back. We found good restaurants and saw many sights ... starting with the Conch Train Tour. Would stay at your place anytime we go to Key West. Thanks again Doug

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

A find by Divine Intervention

Guest: Roses (West Palm Beach, Florida)
Date of Stay: 06/30/10 Review Submitted: 08/31/10

I'm a Floridian and have been to the "Keys" countless times throughout the years. I have stayed on several of the "other" Keys, but never in Key West; until by some divine intervention I found the Varela Street Retreat. The cottage was the epitome of the Key West culture. Centrally located to all the fun, excitement and activities, yet in the quiet setting of a clean, well kept neighborhood. If you plan on visiting the "Keys", this is the only place to stay. I will never view the Keys the same after all these years!

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

Living with the locals and loving it!!

Guest: Azhar (Syracuse,NY)
Date of Stay: 04/26/10 Review Submitted: 05/08/10

Our stay was the last week in April and Key West was a wonderful paradise! Marilyns place was perfect everything you would need for a comfortable stay. Within waliking distance of everything,and walk we did!! The sounds of Duval far enough away for a quiet stay. We stayed in the front apt.,. The front porch was the best!!. Morning coffee,talking to the locals,an evening beer,can trick you into to believing you actually live there!! ( AH,Maybe someday!!)Thanks to other visitors suggestions,we found many of the neighborhood gems more than helpful and easy to find. Must go to place for others who have never been to Key West would be The Green Parrot on Southard and Whitehead,oldest bar in KW,great live music and very friendly locals hangout we had a blast there. Check it out ,and you'll know what we mean. If you're from NY as we are,finding Labatts Blue is scarce,Dons on Truman has it!! Faustos grocery (White St) has everything you'll need if you choose to have a meal or two at home. I could go on and on. A Great,clean place to stay,at a reasonable price,what a find!! Kudos Marilyn,thanks for the experience. L&C.

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

Key West in the Spring

Guest: Luv2tvl (Newport, NC)
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/29/10

What a great little place. About 1 mile from the heart of everything. VERY clean, perfect for a couple or really even a 3rd person. Had everything you would need while staying. I can't wait to go back again. Lovely home and Marilyn is great to chat with. Don't think twice. Best kept secret in Key West. Thank you for allowing us to stay.

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

A much needed break

Guest: Navarre (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 04/09/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Coming off a busy few months at work and a busy start to my vacation I was in need of a laid back few days. Marilyn's Varela street retreat and Key West provided me with much needed down time. The Varela street retreat is clean, quiet, and central to both old and new town. I parked my car and rented a bike during the time I was there. Within 10 minutes I could be anywhere I wanted to be by bike whether it was Duval street, Mallory square, the Truman Annex or the beaches. I appreciated that after a long day on the water - being able to come back and grab a quiet late afternoon nap under the soft breeze of the ceiling fan (I don't sleep with AC on). It also cooled down very quickly when I did have the AC on. The house is well set up, nothing over the top but it had everything you would need for your stay. I was using the kitchen a lot and appreciated having a good selection of cooking utensils. The bathroom is a good size and there was lots of room to hang my things up. I also enjoyed sitting on the porch late at night and listening to the evening without being on Duval street. I enjoyed my time in Key West and plan to get back there when I can to explore things a bit more. If the Varela street retreat is available I plan to go back there again. Marilyn was very accomodating and I appreciated that a lot.

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

Varela Street Retreat

Guest: Elaine and John (Dallas, TX USA)
Date of Stay: 06/28/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

We booked this little bungalow for a June vacation to Key West. It completely exceeded our expectations. It is the perfect size for a couple, or a family with small children. It is thoughtfully appointed with everthing you need--from blankets to pots and pans--and absolutely spotless. We loved the location--we could walk to Duval Street and other points of interest. We ended up renting bikes from Island Bikes on Truman; they were cheaper and much easier to work with than the bike rental at the end of Varela Street. You really don't need a car to get around if you've got a bike! The Cuban sandwich place around the corner had great breakfasts and sandwiches, and Fausto's Grocery (same intersection) is a wonderful neighborhood gem. Marilyn was wonderful to work with--very communicative and helpful. The neighbors were friendly! We would go back to Varela Street tomorrow--if the boss would let us leave again!

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

What a reTREAT!

Guest: Freshly Engaged (Ocala, Florida)
Date of Stay: 06/20/09 Review Submitted: 06/29/09

This little house was perfect for me and my boyfriend. Spacious shower/bathroom, kitchen, living room, and front porch. There was a beautiful stained glass window in kitchen...everything was super clean. Nothing fancy, but it was just right for us. Another good thing about this little house is how well it's insulated. It was so hot in Key West when we were there that we thought we would never turn off the a/c but I was very wrong. We only kept the front a/c on powersaver on about 78 degrees when we left (like the note suggested) and the house was still cool hours later. We could hear the upstairs neighbor walk around but it wasn't an intrusive "bang" like you would find at other apartments; the noise was very faint. We had the pleasure of sleeping in til noon many days without being woken up by loud vehicles driving by. There were loud vehicles driving by, but because of the solidness of the home, we couldn't hear them. Parking was actually quite easy. We thought it would be tough but never did we have to park on a different street or more than a few spaces away from our front door. As far as Key West goes, it was hot and full of other tourists. There were some very interesting locals out there. There's a little snack bar around the corner connected to the laundry mat called Sandy's who we ate breakfast at almost daily. The breakfast sandwiches were big enough to split. Bogo's was another place that had terrific sandwiches that you could split. We were on a tight budget so we found these 2 places affordable. Also, the tap water was very good. I'm not big on drinking from the tap but a local told us it's some of the best drinking water around, so save your money and the planet and drink the water! If I would improve anything in this little house it would have to be to include a couple more trash bags and rolls of toilet paper and maybe add another electric outlet to the kitchen. But...otherwise, it was well worth the money and we will definitely return and tell our friends about Marilyn's place!

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

Quiet and Secluded

Guest: Paul and Sandy (Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 05/17/09 Review Submitted: 12/19/09

The wife and I visited toward the end of May 2009 on a belated honeymoon. It was the first time in Key West for both of us and I feel we got very lucky with this find. It is a wonderful place and Marilyn was extremely nice to deal with. The back patio was nice and secluded. I would not call it a romantic getaway but it more than adequately served our purpose. You can easily walk most anywhere. We took our bikes and had no problem getting anywhere in Key West. This end of Varela St is nice and quiet and parking was no problem at all for the one time we had to drive the car. We kept our bikes on the back patio during the evenings and felt they were secure. We did find the guys at the bike shop on the end of Varela to be very friendly and helpful when needed. We will return to this house again. Thank you Marilyn

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

Guest: B n' D (Normal, IL USA)
Date of Stay: 04/26/09 Review Submitted: 04/26/09

What a perfect little place for my husband and I to get away! LOVED the full kitchen to be able to cook some of our meals. The location was perfect- far enough away to have peace and quiet, but close enough to walk or bike anywhere. The affordable price was the cherry on top to a perfect 4-day get away. Hopefully this is not the last you'll see of us at Varela Street.

Recommended for:

Key West Getaway!

Guest: BethandBill (Syracuse, New York)
Date of Stay: 04/25/09 Review Submitted: 05/12/09

We stayed in Marilyn's little flat from April 25-May 2, 2009.The house is on a safe and nicely located street with well maintained homes. This house has two seasonal rented apartments, one in front and one in back. This one is the one in front shown in the picture (the porch was great). The upstairs apartment is rented year round. Although the apartment upstairs and the back apartment were rented at the time, there was little noise of any kind from the occupants (older couple in the back at the time). The location of the flat was great. We rented bikes at the end of Varela street for $12 a day for each bike. Although most everything is in walking distance (Higgs Beach, Duval street, Smather's beach, and Fort Zackery), it would be too much and take to long without some form of transportation. There are regular buses. Overall, the description of the apartment was accurate. Its showing its age (as most homes in Key West) but is well maintained and very clean. The apartment is small but just fine for two. We didn't cook anything but eat out but the kitchen is fully equipped. Lots of places to eat within walking distance. We took a snorkel trip with Sunny Days and enjoyed the trip. We ate at different places, mostly near Duval Street. Everything was good. Overall, the rental was good, not expensive as compared to a lot in Key West and I would recommend the property but remember it is in one of the charming houses of Key West not at one of the really pricey Inns also located in Key West.

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

Just what we were looking for

Guest: B n' D (Normal, IL USA)
Date of Stay: 04/20/09 Review Submitted: 04/26/09

What a perfect little place for my husband and I to get away! LOVED the full kitchen to be able to cook some of our meals. The location was perfect- far enough away to have peace and quiet, but close enough to walk or bike anywhere. The affordable price was the cherry on top to a perfect 4-day get away. Hopefully this is not the last you'll see of us at Varela Street.

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

Very nice place

Guest: fofi (Brazil)
Date of Stay: 09/16/08 Review Submitted: 02/18/09

I stayed at this little cute home in Key West and I loved it! Its erverything you need! Clean, confortable and close to everything. I was with my 1 year old baby and it was perfect. Thank you Marilyn for sharing it with us!

Recommended for:Families with young children

Wonderful out of the way place

Guest: mistik (Fairport New York)
Date of Stay: 08/30/08 Review Submitted: 09/09/08

This place was just right for the 2 of us. Off the main party path. Marilyn provided us with everything we needed and was quick to respond to every question. The place was clean and had everything you need for the week. There was a little market with a deli right around the corner. Free onstreet parking also allowed us to leave the car and walk where we wanted to go. I would definately reccomend this to friends heading down to key west.

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

Guest: ashley t. (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 08/12/08 Review Submitted: 08/12/08

My husband and I LOVED our stay at Varela Street retreat. It was so cozy and we loved the location. We were a 10 minute walk from Duval and a short walk to the beach. We loved it so much, we enjoyed hanging out there during the day and sunning on the porch. We will definitely stay again. And, plan on staying at Varela. We also loved the neighbors and enjoyed their company. Don't miss out on this retreat! You will love it!

Recommended for:

Urlaub in Key West

Guest: wingstofly (Germany, Hamburg)
Date of Stay: 08/06/08 Review Submitted: 08/20/08

Eine saubere und gemütliche Wohnung hatten wir in diesem Haus, wir buchten die hintere Wohnung im Erdgeschoss, die eine kleine halbschattige Terasse hat. Vor dem Haus gibt es ruhige Parkplätze und die Lage ist recht zentral, ein besonderes Lob an das Hausmädchen, sie ist wirklich freundlich und kann auch bei der Planung von Ausflügen helfen. Ich würde die Wohnung wieder buchen! Der EMail Kontakt zu Marylin, den wir zur Buchung während des USA Aufenthaltes hatten war bestens und das Depot für evt. Schäden bekamen wir bar zurück, denn in den USA hatten wir keine Checks. Achtung, Marylin nimmt keine Kreditkarte, mann kann vor Ort bar bezahlen, wenn man bereits in den USA ist. In Key West gibt es Automate, die die EC-Karte nehmen. Danke für alles Marylin und Christine!

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

Guest: Desiree1 (Lake Worth, FL)
Date of Stay: 07/22/08 Review Submitted: 07/22/08

We had the most amazing time on our trip in Key West and it was great to come back to our apartment here. It had everything we needed and so much more! It was just PERFECT for us. Away from all the noise and rowdy crowds, but close enough to walk to join in the fun! My husband and I really appreciate the architecture that the old homes have in Key West and were exited to stay in a house with so much charm and character. Marilyn is absoloutely fabulous, and we can't wait to stay here again!

Recommended for:

excellent

Guest: wonderful delight (florida)
Date of Stay: 06/02/08 Review Submitted: 05/21/09

My husband and I stayed here for a week and loved it . the owner was very nice and the home is very clean this was my first visit to key west and it was a blast. we will be sure to put it on our list again to come back and stay. thanks to the owner and the cleaning staff that provided us with a very nice place to stay thanks again

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Cozy little cottage

Guest: Guam (Fort Wayne, IN )
Date of Stay: 05/09/08 Review Submitted: 05/19/08

We had such a wonderful time in Key West! The cottage was a perfect little home away from home with just what we needed at the end of a long day walking or riding bikes!! Our favorite part of the house was the front porch!!!

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

Guest: Latawan Whangthamrongwit (Allston, Ma )
Date of Stay: 05/06/08 Review Submitted: 05/06/08

My boyfriend and I rented this place on our vocation for 4 nights, we did have just a wonderful time here. Everything that we got was a lot more than we expected at the first place. The room is so nice and cozy, especailly the rental fee is very reasonable which matched our budget. We definitely go back to visit Key West again, and for sure this room is going to be the first place that we will call for rent. Thank you so much Marilyn for everything.

Recommended for:

Very cute and very clean!!!

Guest: Fes Family (Ocala, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/02/08 Review Submitted: 05/09/08

This cute house was perfect for me, my husband, and baby. The neighborhood was safe and the neighbors were friendly. We spent a lot of time in the house because we brought our 8 month old - it was very clean - and I'm very picky about cleanliness. The owner was nice to communicate with and got back with me on every question. We walked to the beach a couple of times and it wasn't too far. We usually drove to Duval St. and Mallory Square in the evenings . . . there is plenty of parking everywhere. If we hadn't had the baby we probably would have walked it though. Feel confident that you are getting what you pay for with this rental. We are already planning on coming back and will be staying at the Varela Street Retreat again!!! Tim, Julie, and Rylee

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

Girls getwaway

Guest: mags and friends (Fort Lauderdale, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 04/25/08 Review Submitted: 04/29/08

The house is a delightful surprise, so close to everything with out the noise or traffic. We parked the car on Friday and did not move it again until Sunday, to go home. Staying in this little cottage was so much nicer than a hotel room. Since there were three of us, we had privacy, space and the porch. Perfect. Thank you again for allowing us to stay in your home!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Location in Key West!

Guest: Leslie L. (Indianapolis, IN, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/03/08

I stayed here for 4 nights during my 7 night stay in Key West. The price is definately right for this apartment. It is centrally located to Duval Street but far enough off the beaten path that it's so quiet you'll think your in the country! This is the perfect place for a couple wanting to get away to or the single person who doesn't need a lot of room. This apartments price was too hard to pass up, everything else in the area rents for at least $300 - $500 more per week. This apartment is also close to 2 gas stations, a small grocery and the Moped Hospital where you can rent mopeds cheaper than any other place on the island and believe me, you don't want to rent a car there because you can't get around, mopeds are definately the mode of travel! The owner of this home was very good at communicating with me which I appreciated very much You have everything you need at this apartment to feel at home and save money! With it's full kitchen and all the utensils you need to cook full meals and a full size refridgerator, why would you want to stay at a hotel? I will be recommending this property to all my friends and family and will be returning soon I hope!! Thanks!

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

Guest: Alan and Diana Wagner (St. Cloud, Florida)
Date of Stay: 03/26/08 Review Submitted: 03/26/08

This apartment was just perfect for our wedding/honeymoon in Key West. It has all the things you need to enjoy your stay. Marilyn is very helpful and was a pleasure to work with. It was all worth while.

Recommended for:

real key west

Guest: capemaychef (villas,NJ)
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/15/08

My wife and I rented this property for one week. Overall we were very pleased with this place, very clean,friendly nieghbors, plenty of room for a week long stay. Will return.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent location!!

Guest: MagdaK (Chicago, IL )
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 02/11/08

Thanks for letting us stay in your place. Your place is in an excellent locations between the Duval St. and beautiful Smarthers beach. We had a wonderful time. The weather was great. We had a chance to play tennis, go to the beach and go snorkeling. Your place is very nice and clean and for sure I’ll recommend it to my friends!! We really enjoyed staying at Key West! Thank you so much. Magda

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

Guest: Amy Philavanh-Radler (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/24/07 Review Submitted: 05/24/07

This was a nice & comfortable stay for our budget. It was just the two of us & we were out most of the days & nights. We had fresh flowers the day we checked in. Owner was easy to work with. Thank you!!

Recommended for: