Vacation Rentals by Owner

Fantastic vacation home on the beach!

Guest: Melinda (edmond, Ok)
Date of Stay: 04/28/12 Review Submitted: 05/09/12

Bev, Wanted to tell you that we loved our vacation! Lots of great memories for the entire family. We loved your home. My 3 year old kept saying over and over that she did not want to go home, she wanted to go back to the beach house. We hope to rent it again . Thanks so much!! Melinda Melinda Brewer

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

Thanks for the great vacation!

Guest: Jackson L.
Date of Stay: 03/17/12 Review Submitted: 03/27/12

Bev, We had a great time at your house in Destin Florida! I just wanted to let you know that Keith Motes was incredibly helpful. He was very attentive to our needs and did a great job. Your house is beautiful and was perfect for our vacation. I hope in the future we can use your house. Thanks so much, Jackson

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

Owner comment and email from guest

Guest: Cheryl
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/26/11

Thank you sooo much, and thank you doubly for writing the review on vrbo! I don't know what I did wrong, but vrbo has changed their software, and the 'you have a review pending' email sent to me to confirm the comment, also had a place to enter an owner response... Well, I was trying to post my reply, and it took, but somehow your comments were lost.. have no idea what I did wrong!!! Maybe if it is okay with you, I will try and cut and paste this email to the guest reviews??? That way it won't look like I am a complete nitwit!! (just a partial one!! heehee).. You were lovely, and I have had you in my prayers. I am soooo glad it worked out that everyone could come!! Thanks again, Bev In a message dated 10/26/2011 8:45:55 A.M. Central Daylight Time, cheryl.rodgers A: Hey Bev, I just wanted to let you know that our Family had a wonderful reunion at your beautiful home. We are a very spread out (geographically) group, so it was great to all be together. Hope we can do it again sometime in the future at your property! Thanks, Cheryl Rodgers

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30228

Guest: Cheryl
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/24/11

Cheryl, Thank you soo much for sending the review!! We love having you guys stay with us.. You just left our home in great condition... You are right.. September, October, and November are awesomeee months weather wise!! Look forward to having you back again!! Bev

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Beautiful Home in Great Location

Guest: Cheryl (Jonesborough, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

Our Family reunion was just great in this beautiful home. Plenty of room for everyone to have some privacy yet be together, and you felt like you were right at the waves even when you were in the house! Thanks so much for sharing it with us, and for being so great to work with Bev! Location was so convenient to everything! Highly recommend this rental! Cheryl and Larry Rodgers Cheryl and Larry Rodgers

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners.

Loved the essence house

Guest: Dee (Dickson, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 12/16/11

We were part of three families who stayed in your wonderful rental home back in October. As for my husband, son and myself, we absolutely loved the house and had a most awesome vacation there. I highly recommend this house to anyone and everyone!

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway.

Outstanding Home - When can we come next year!?

Guest: Chris & Stephanie (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 09/10/11 Review Submitted: 09/16/11

Incredible location, and every amenity you'd need for a week-long rest on the beach! Our 2 and 3 yr old daughters loved every minute of it...even the wildlife in the crystal clear water! It's been a while since we've vacationed in Destin - and thoroughly enjoyed visiting some old haunts. Thanks Bev, John, Steve and Amy for a wonderful week!

Owner response:Thank you sooooo much! You can't imagine how much pride I take in wanting our guests to have the best vacation possible, so I am just thrilled when it works out that they do!!! Thank you so much... and pleaseeeeeeee, do return!!!!

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

Excellent vacation beach home!

Guest: Pam (Paris, Tx)
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

Bev Thanks for the nice email to Jamey. We genuinely enjoyed our vacation and you certainly exceeded our expections related to the weather (particularly welcome after the Texas heat this summer)! We tried to treat your house like we would our own, so I am glad you found it in good condition after we left. We loved your house and the location was perfect. Everything was working just fine and we definitely had everything we needed to have a great vacation. Tthe umbrellas and chairs were like icing on the cake and made us all feel pretty special. The entire family..... grandparents, parents, and kids thought we had found a little paradise and hope to return next summer around the same time. Thanks again for sharing such a wonderful house with us! Sincerely, Pam

Owner response:Pam, thank you for letting me post your email in the vrbo review.. As I said to you in the earlier email, you left our home in incredibleeee condition.. Amy and Steve just couldn't get over it.. We love all of our guests, but some are just extraaaa special, and gosh, you guys are!!! Pleaseeeee do return!!!! Bev

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

Great Vacation

Guest: Lacy (Illinois)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

We recently rented this home as well as the house next door for a large family vacation. This home was incredibly nice and well maintained. The owners were extremely helpful in recommending places to eat and things to do in Destin. The home was steps from the private beach, which was wonderful! There were a lot of stairs in this home, which made it difficult for us since we had young children and a few babies in the family. Overall, this was a great home and we had an amazing stay!

Owner response:Thank you sooo much for having your reunion in our beach homes.. I just love it when our guests enjoy themselves! I always recommend 24559 for elderly and babies as there are so few steps in that home.. 30228 is perfect for people who have no difficulting navigating stairs and some people actually prefer it 'because' of the stairs and the extra workout they provide! You left both of our homes in wonderfullllllllll condition, and we would always welcome you back!!! Thank you!!! Bev

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway.

Awesome Vacation Experience

Guest: Ran & Mel (Alachua, FL)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

This was our family's 4th year vacationing in Destin and this house was by far our best experience yet. Beautiful location. The beach chair/umbrella service was a real treat. John & Bev have designed the perfect vacation house. It is beautifully decorated and equipped. We vacationed with 10 family members total and everyone had their own space and it was never crowded. The house is so conveniently located close to everything from grocery stores (just a couple minutes away) to great restaurants and shopping. I highly recommend this rental house to anyone planning a vacation with a large party. You will not be disappointed it is exceptional and the pictures do not fully do it justice.

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

Great experience, love everything about it.

Guest: Julie (Missouri)
Date of Stay: 04/18/11 Review Submitted: 04/29/11

Rented this house at last minute based on the good reviews I read here. The experience is beyond my expectation. The house is very clean and beautiful, has everything we needed. The view is breathtaking. Ocean is literally in the backyard. Steve and Amy are a lovely couple and Bev is very eager to help. They made sure we had a great time. Thank you for letting us stay at your house, we really enjoyed it.

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

Email sent to me for person interested in 30228..

Guest: Trish
Date of Stay: 04/02/11 Review Submitted: 01/24/12

To all, We are extremely excited to return to the Essence, 30228 again this Spring. My husband just said last week "After the stressful schedule this year, I can't wait to go back to that house on the beach"! We have young teens (with friends) and we ALL thoroughly enjoy the Essence. The house itself is very accommodating for a large family or group. It is spacious, nicely decorated and truly feels like a home, not a vacation rental house. It's location could not be any better! Close

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Great Beach Front Home!

Guest: Williams Family (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/20/10

Thanks for allowing our two families to stay in your great home. This house is awesome! The beach front location was perfect to allow the kids to play on the sand while we grilled lunch or dinner on the deck. We were also able to let the kids look for crabs at night while sitting on the deck and knowing they were safe. Plenty of room for our two familes with 11 total people. The description and the photos of the home are very accurate but I cannot under emphazise how wonderful it was to be right on the sand. We stayed in a beach front condo last year and the convenience of this home over the condo has completely changed our mind on where we will stay next year. Not having to carry all of your stuff back and forth and having a very quiet, semi private beach with the beach service was the absolute best part of the trip. We hope to stay here again and will recommend your homes to anyone we know going to Destin!

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

A wonderful place to stay

Guest: Trish53 (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 05/25/10

We (myself and 7 others) thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this property. All of us had reviewed the pictures on the website ahead of time, but were still overwhelmed that the place seemed better than the pictures. The decks overlooking the beach were wonderful places to sit and visit. The service that sets up the beach chairs/umbrellas everyday was a real treat. All in all this was fabulous and we'd absolutely come back!

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

Guest: Casebolt family (Lima, OH)
Date of Stay: 08/11/09 Review Submitted: 08/11/09

We just returned from another fabulous week in the Essence. Each visit seems to get better and better. Thanks so much to Bev and John for their hospitality. The weather was great, the water and sand are absolutely gorgeous and everyone came home very relaxed. Hope to repeat in two years. Again, thanks for everything.

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Guest: Cynthia Bush (Seneca, SC)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

We just completed a week in this lovely home. We were pleased with all aspects of this rental, especially the helpful information that was sent prior to our arrival. The Monacos supplied us with complete lists of places to eat, play and see. They were so helpful and prompt in all communications. Thanks for a great beachfront property. We would certainly return here for any future Destin vacations. The Bushes

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Guest: John & Bobbie Molsberry (Indian Shores FL 33785)
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/01/09

Super week-super accommodations-super location. Ideal for an extended familly of nine. Thanks again for lettinng us stay in your splendid beach quarters! Bobbie & John Bobbie and John

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Guest: John Nix (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

We introduced our 2 yr old granddaughter to the ocean and beach and she loved it. The private, uncrowded, sugar white beaches could not have been prettier. Add the beautiful home and you have a wonderful combination for a great family vacation. An additional bonus is Theo's Pizza right across the street....Great pizza and atmosphere.

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Guest: Steve Gasich (St.Louis, MO.)
Date of Stay: 06/22/09 Review Submitted: 06/22/09

This was our third year in a row staying at the ESSENCE during the Memorial Day Week. As always Bev & John delivered on all expectations and my family had yet another great vacation.

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Guest: Kim Kleeberg (Mount Juliet, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/15/09 Review Submitted: 06/15/09

The Essence is wonderful! Our family stayed there in May of 2009 and the weather was off the first few days of our vacation - but this beach house definitely made up for it! It is decorated beautifully and it is so close to the water that you could practically throw a rock in from the balconies. All 3 of them! My children loved waking up in the morning and coming into our Master Suite and looking at the ocean out the window while they watched tv in the bed. They loved watching all the dolphins playing in the water. It was very breathtaking! We loved the beach setup everyday and the house is very roomy to accomodate everyone. It also offers 2 other ocean front excellent jack and jill bedrooms with balcony access besides the Master Suite, which was very nice and pleasant. The house was very equipped with everything that we needed. Overall, though, the very best thing about this beach house is it's convenience and proximity to the beach and water. Our family has decided that our vacation at the Essence was our very best vacation yet!

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Guest: The Vincents1 (Cleveland, OH)
Date of Stay: 05/11/09 Review Submitted: 05/11/09

We had a wonderful stay in Destin for Spring Break 2009. The house is in the perfect location right on the beach, and the house is very nicely furnished. We enjoyed walking down the steps to the sand each morning (where our umbrella and chairs were already set up for us!) and running across the street to the beach supply store daily. The house is walking distance to restaurants and very close to a grocery store. Bev provided everything you could possibly need - linens, dish soap, bath products. We had a wonderful time and look forward to returning next year.

Owner response:Thank you soooo much for staying with us! You left our home in wonderful shape! Please come back soon!! Bev

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Guest: Karen Crabtree & Family (Rockwood, Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 03/09/09 Review Submitted: 03/09/09

Bev & John, Our family had the most relaxing vacation. We brought our Mom on a Destin trip and she loved the house, beach and beautiful sunsets. The weather was so warm. Our family shared a wonderful vacation and have great memories and pictures. We hope to come back this year. We thank you so much for sharing your home with us. Thanks again. Karen Crabtree Una Currier, Cathy Smith Johnny & Martha Hall John Jr, Kadra, Katie & Keaton Tony, Kim, Taylor & Caden

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Guest: Plummer/Parsons family (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/29/08 Review Submitted: 08/29/08

Dear Bev & John, A million thanks to you for sharing this wonderful beach home. The online photos DO NOT do it justice! Four generations of my family just spent a week there & I never heard even one complaint. Miracle! We have been coming to Destin the past ten years; only missing one year because of Katrina; & I must tell you we were pleasantly surprised at the abundance of fine furnishings & the ease of care of this beautiful home. We had ages from 3 years all the way up to 85 years & an abundance of cherished memories were made in your 'Essence.' God willing, we will return to the incomparable Destin beaches in 2009 & to your incomparable beach home. May God bless you & yours. The Plummer/Parsons Krewe

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Guest: Boudreaux Family (Baton Rouge, LA)
Date of Stay: 08/21/08 Review Submitted: 08/21/08

Dear Bev & John,We just spent another great year at The Essence. As expected, we had a wonderful time. Staying in your home with its location right on the beautiful white sandy beach has completely spoiled our family. This is the ultimate vacation because when the adults are tired the kids don’t have to stop. It was such a pleasure sitting on one of the spacious decks in the late afternoon watching them play on the beach as the sun was going down. So much fun - - so many beautiful photos! And of course, your home was as beautiful as we remembered with its gorgeous furnishings. Everyone was so pleased with their own private space spread out over three floors. The living area was very comfortable with plenty of seating that easily accommodated our large family. Another terrific Destin family vacation! We plan to return soon and when we do will absolutely stay at The Essence. We could not find a more perfect home located on such a beautiful beach. Thank you, Bev and John for being so helpful and kind.

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Guest: Cheryl and Greg Gore (Dallas, Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/17/08 Review Submitted: 08/17/08

Dear Bev and John,We just returned home from a wonderful week in Destin. Our son has just one comment, “Awesome.” The beach views from the balconies were spectacular. It was also great to walk down the deck and to be directly on the beach. Your home was great for our family and extended family. The four kids had their own space down stairs and we had plenty of room on the remaining two levels. The kitchen is well equipped and the extra door on the refrigerator was a big hit. We have decided that a one week stay is not long enough. Our plan is to stay for two weeks next year! Thank you for opening up your home to us.

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Guest: Jill Amerie1 (Austin, Tx)
Date of Stay: 03/26/08 Review Submitted: 03/26/08

Dear Bev and John, We just returned from a wonderful Spring Break in Destin. Your home was absolutely perfect for our 2 families. It had everything we needed not to mention was beautifully appointed. The 5 kids had their own space as did the parents. Having 2 master bedrooms on the top floor is perfect! However, since we lost the coin toss for the ocean view room I can't comment on waking up to a beautiful sun rise over the ocean. BUT - I certainly did hear about how gorgeous it was as my friend kept rubbing it in! The accesibility to everything that Destin has to offer was great as well. As if all of this is not enough, we got to watch the dolphins swim by every morning! How fabulous! Thank you again for opening up your home to us and we look forward to going back next year. Have a wonderful 2008. Jill Amerie

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Guest: Jill Amerie (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 03/26/08 Review Submitted: 03/26/08

Dear Bev and John, We just returned from a wonderful Spring Break in Destin. Your home was absolutely perfect for our 2 families. It had everything we needed not to mention was beautifully appointed. The 5 kids had their own space as did the parents. Having 2 master bedrooms on the top floor is perfect! However, since we lost the coin toss for the ocean view room I can't comment on waking up to a beautiful sun rise over the ocean. BUT - I certainly did hear about how gorgeous it was as my friend kept rubbing it in! The accesibility to everything that Destin has to offer was great as well. As if all of this is not enough, we got to watch the dolphins swim by every morning! How fabulous! Thank you again for opening up your home to us and we look forward to going back next year. Have a wonderful 2008. Jill Amerie

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Guest: sue bell (Pompano Beach, Florida)
Date of Stay: 09/14/07 Review Submitted: 09/14/07

We just returned from a delightful week at Bev and John's Essence. Along with my brother and friends we enjoyed a very relaxing stay. The way the house is layed out, everyone has their own space to enjoy and then room to get together. We'll be back same time next year.

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Guest: Larry Bell (Kennesaw, Ga)
Date of Stay: 09/13/07 Review Submitted: 09/13/07

Thanks again for allowing us to rent your home...very rare you can have 8, 'Type A' adults in the same house with no conflicts...the physical space and floor plan help with that. Booking again for next year for 5th year!

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Guest: Loretta Guillory (Kingwood, Tx)
Date of Stay: 08/28/07 Review Submitted: 08/28/07

We just got back from another great time at the Essence. This was our 2nd time there. Again, it was the most awesome, beautiful, and relaxing vacation! Bev and John's home is most inviting. So comfy! It was just the right thing to do before heading back to school. Hope to be back again next year. Thanks for having such a spectacular spot!

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Guest: Tina12 (Branson, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 07/24/07 Review Submitted: 07/24/07

Great beach front home. Both families enjoyed every minute. We hope to return next summer. Bev makes sure you are comfortable during your stay. I definately recommend.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/26/07 Review Submitted: 06/26/07

Thank you. You have a wonderful house with an excellent location. Everyone had a great time.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/20/07 Review Submitted: 06/20/07

Our family stayed in the essence May 2007. We had the most wonderful time. The house is beautiful. It had everything you could imagine in the kitchen. We hope to get to stay again.

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Guest: The Bays and Riester Families (Richmond, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 05/31/07 Review Submitted: 05/31/07

Fantastic is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of our trip to Destin, our first trip to the Gulf. The pictures of the house were inviting, but the house itself is spectacular. Situated right on the beach and in a very nice area, the house is comfortable and very beautifully furnished, not at all what we expected in a beach house. The views of the beach from the three levels of decks were a highlight -- white sand, emerald water and dolphins! Bev and John could not have been nicer or more helpful in every way. Thank you both for a truly wonderful, fun-filled week -- it went by far too quickly!! Best regards,

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Guest: frank4 (Dallas Texas)
Date of Stay: 03/18/07 Review Submitted: 03/17/07

great house. it was everything we expected. will book for 08' Thanks Frank

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/23/07 Review Submitted: 01/23/07

This house is a must stay. We have visited this house on multiple occasions. It is in a nice neighborhood and the beach is absolutely stunning. We plan on staying here gor many years to come.

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Guest: Loretta1 (Kingwood, TX)
Date of Stay: 01/10/07 Review Submitted: 01/10/07

Last summer my sister, her family, my best friend, her family, myself, and my family stayed at The Essence. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Bev has a beautiful and spacious home. We had such a great time. We are going to stay there again this summer. We all can't wait to arrive.

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Guest: SCR&L (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 12/16/06 Review Submitted: 12/15/06

We stayed at the Essence for Thanksgiving 2006. What a fantastic location and a beautiful house. Right on the beach, plenty of room (for 4 couples with young children), very well furnished and maintained. We've been visiting Destin for 15 years, and this was most definitely the best place we've stayed at.

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Guest: Don Smith_HAC59860 (Bryan, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/11/06 Review Submitted: 08/11/06

We have just returned home from our stay at The Essence on Miramar Beach, owned by John and Bev Monaco. I am searching for words that will explain our experience and still be believable. Simply put, this is the most perfect home on the most perfect beach we have ever seen.If you read through the description of the house on the VRBO site, you will get the true picture only if you understand that everything that is said is true, but understated. The house is incredibly beautiful and wonderfully comfortable for 10 or 12 people. The floor plan is perfect and privacy is not an issue; anybody can slip off for a nap at any time, and no one will disturb them (believe me, I know!) The furnishings are exquisite and not at all what you would expect in a rental. Besides being very high quality furniture, all of the couches and chairs are incredibly comfortable (very important when you’re on vacation!). The sheets and towels are luxurious, like a 5-star hotel. The three wooden decks are huge and there are plenty of comfortable deck chairs and tables on each level.The nearby conveniences are also wonderful; several of our party trotted across the street to buy beach towels and boogie boards. (By the way, the owner of that beach shop is very nice and it’s a great place to look around for souvenirs!) The restaurants and shops recommended by the owners were all excellent as well.It is the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen, in pictures or in person. And the beach is private, all yours. Other than the adventure of foreign travel, there is no reason to travel to some exotic, far-away destination when you can experience paradise so close to home. I could go on an on, but trust me, if you have a large family or a group of friends you enjoy, you will never have a beach vacation as nice as this no matter how hard you try.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/24/06 Review Submitted: 04/24/06

5 Star quality in Destin's best location! My family and I were thrilled with our stay in the Essence. Bev Monaco was true to her word in every detail and the entire rental process was easy with no surprises. My first concern with any place we stay is cleanliness. I found the entire house to be immaculately clean…linens and towels were new and not "tired" as I have seen in some places. Furnishings and décor are executive quality and very tastefully done. The house is furnished like an expensive private residence not a vacation rental. The kitchen has modern appliances and there were tons of plates, silverware, pots, pans, etc. The Beach behind the house is beautiful white sand and is about 100' wide…very rare in Destin these days with all the beach erosion that has taken place. Beach services were included and they had the umbrellas and chairs up every morning by 7am. The house's multi-story design provides for plenty of privacy. I believe several families could easily vacation here together without getting on each other's nerves. Of course my favorite thing about the house was the top floor master bedroom looking out over the beach and water. It is a world-class view from the comfort of your bed. I highly recommend the Essence. We loved it!Dr. MB Tabor

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Guest: Owner
Date of Stay: 04/23/06 Review Submitted: 04/22/06

Hi! We, the owners, would like to welcome any comments from guests who stay in our homes or penthouse! We strive to make your vacations wonderful and memorable experiences, and welcome any input from you! Thanks, Bev Monaco

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