A Piece of Heaven

Guest: The Brown Family (Herndon, VA)
Date of Stay: 08/27/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

It's quite possible that North Captiva Island is Heaven here on Earth - and that Manatee Haven is a huge slice of it! It's hard to say what our favorite room was - the screened in pool would be my children's vote; the screened in third deck lanai would probably be my husband's vote; I would have to say the observation deck was mine. Every sunrise and sunset was AMAZING!!! The house itself feels like home - the owners make sure of that! Anything and everything you could ever ask for exists in this house! Cooking is a pleasure in the well-equipped kitchen. Rainy days are a breeze with the 100+ games and activities in the "game closet". Night-time relaxing is easy with their well-organized video collection or easy-to-use, portable telescopes. The whole place is magical - anything you wish for out loud to Jane & Jeff magically appears! We took our first trip this summer and within a week of being home booked it again for next summer! I believe it is safe to say that we just started a family tradition!

Owner response:It is reviews such as this that makes owning a vacation home worth while. It is our only location so we put our best efforts forth each time to assure that every guest creates a wonderful memory and has a great vacation.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Perfect Place

Guest: Rich (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

We have stayed on North Captiva numerous times and this house has it all. There are plenty of nice hime on NC but this one is somewhat uniqe in that they really do provide everything you would need other than clothes and food. Beach equipment and toys, pool equipment and toys, golf cart, a crazy extensive DVD collection (kid's favorite), etc. You do not have to bring anything, which is a big deal when traveling to an island by boat. The owners were honest and sincere and made the entire experience wonderful. As far as NC itself...if you have not been, you are missing something very special. Wildlife and beautiful beaches are everywhere. We were there during the hottest (and buggiest) part of the year and it was still "the place to be"! Thanks for a great vacation...we will be back!

Owner response:We appreciate the kind comments, especially the fact the guest enjoyed watching movies from our personalized extensive DVD collection. We put a lot of effort into purchasing new movie releases as they come out for our guests. Currently we have over 550 DVD movies in 11 3-ring binders located on the HD/TV stand in the great room.

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

Relaxation and amenities - what more could you ask for?!!

Guest: Paul and Phylis (Indianapolis, IN)
Date of Stay: 05/08/11 Review Submitted: 06/19/11

We have stayed at Manatee Haven a number of times and we keep coming back, mainly because there are so many amenities; plus the owners, Kay and Jake, make us feel like we are going to our own home. Manatee Haven has an extremely well stocked kitchen with spices, condiments, and every kitchen aid that you'd expect in your own kitchen. One of the best features of this home is its screened-in pool and hot tub on the main deck. They have pool toys, floats, and lounge chairs along with a lot of beach equipment, chairs, umbrellas, and tons of beach towels. We eat most meals on the screened-in lanai on the third floor with a view of the Gulf. At sunset we take the 28 steps up the circular stairway to the Eagle's Nest (or is that the Osprey's Nest?) and watch the sunset over the Gulf. On those rare rainy days you won't be bored as they have a large flat screen TV in the main room with a DVD player and over 630 Dvds (indexed and organized in 11 binders). They get Direct TV with DVR capability so you don't have to miss your favorite program while you are taking that sunset walk on the beach or pitching in to help prepare the evening meal. Plus they have many board and card games, puzzles, a Play Station in one of the bedrooms, and flat screen TVs in each of the other bedrooms. Besides a standard refrigerator in the kitchen they have a small drink refrigerator and a wine cooler. On the pool deck they have another small refrigerator so that you don't have to go upstairs to grab a cold one while you are in the pool. With included privileges at the North Captiva Island Club you can play tennis on their 2 clay courts (Manatee Haven has 5 tennis racquets), swim in their Olympic pool, or take out complimentary kayaks for a paddle around the bay. Plus if anything goes wrong the managers, Jane and Jeff, live on the island and will quickly make everything right. Once we get to Manatee Haven we truly unwind and transition to Island Time. Try it, you won't want to go home!

Owner response:It's submission such as this that make our effort to have a vacation rental home worthwhile. We want our guests to fully enjoy our home and the island in all aspects. This gives us motivation to do an even better job so that we receive more supportive reviews in the future.

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

Perfect Get-Away!

Guest: Julie Perreault (Eliot)
Date of Stay: 04/09/11 Review Submitted: 05/02/11

We stayed at this beautiful home in April and it was just what we needed. The owner, Kay made sure we did not want for anything. The home has EVERYTHING from up to date DVDs, CDs, and internet access. The managers meet you at the pier, escort you to this home and unload your luggage/groceries. We had never rented on the island, however Kay's detailed info made it easy. If you want peace & quiet with one of the most beautiful beaches close by do not hesitate to rent this home. Thanks so much for sharing your island home with us - Julie & Brian

Owner response:We very much appreciate the kind words. We strive to provide the necessary amenities so that the client can relax and enjoy their stay.

Recommended for:Families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Great family vacation!

Guest: Tar0509 (Sioux Falls, SD)
Date of Stay: 02/12/11 Review Submitted: 03/01/11

Manatee Haven & North Captiva Island made for a wonderful vacation! The house is perfect; absolutely anything and everything you could possibly need is provided. Kay, the owner, takes great care of everything and is amazingly organized, and very helpful with planning details. The house has a great floorplan and wonderful views (sunsets are amazing from the observation deck), and we found everything to work very well. Our 8-year-old son really enjoyed the heated pool (and all of the pool toys Kay provides) and collecting shells on the beach and watching the dolphins swim by. My husband and I found North Captiva and Manatee Haven to be truly relaxing and peaceful. A very family friendly vacation! Would recommend to anyone! We will return!

Owner response:We very much appreciate the kind words and plan to keep focusing on providing a family friendly vacation home in all aspects.

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

Best Vacation Ever!!

Guest: Kathy (Miami, Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/19/10 Review Submitted: 09/10/10

Our vacation at Manatee Haven was wonderful!! The Stiegers have a beautiful home and are the most gracious hosts. The pool is great, the beach is only a few hundred yards away from your front door and we had dinner on the balcony each night while watching the sunset. After dark we would go up to the 4th floor observation deck and look at the stars and the beautiful night sky. If you need a place to relax or to have a family vacation this is it. It is so family-friendly and there is nothing you need except for a bathing suit, shorts, and some food because Kay and Jake provide everything you could ever want or need. This was our best vacation ever and we plan to return soon and as often as Kate and Jake allow. We would recommend this vacation home to anyone – it truly is a haven!!

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

Absolutely Fantastic!

Guest: MP (Reynoldsburg, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 07/24/10 Review Submitted: 08/31/10

Every summer, we take a "girls only" vacation that includes 3 adults and 3 children. Manatee Haven was by far the nicest place we've ever stayed! The pictures don't do the property justice. It definitely felt as though you were staying in someone's home rather than in a rental property. The house was very clean and equipped with everything you could possibly need ... and more! We spent countless hours enjoying the pool, got to see dolphins everyday, and were lucky enough to see the tortoises on several occasions. The kids had fun taking showers outside by the pool, and they especially loved riding around the island in the golf cart. The elevator was great for transporting groceries and helping my mother get up and down between levels. Kay made sure we had everything we needed to be prepared for our trip. She didn't miss a single detail! I'm so happy she let us share in her little piece of paradise and can't wait to return to Manatee Haven again! Everyone agreed that it was the perfect vacation!

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

Great quiet place

Guest: Matt & Britt (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/25/10

We echo Amy & Brent's review- we had 4 busy kids for 2 weeks. Grandma, Grandpa, and Great Grandma joined for 5 days, and loved the convenience of the elevator. We had an incredible experience North Captiva and the Manatee Haven home made our trip. The views from the observation deck are incredible and the quality of the house cannot be captured adequately in pictures. The massive screened pool deck has sunscreen strength - 5 hours out there in July and no sunburn! Small waves on the beach gave our 6, 4, 1, and 1 year-olds no safety concerns - never higher that 1 foot. The beds were comfortable, the kitchen was very nice and well stocked and the other small touches (kids gear, beach chairs, etc) made our experience very smooth. The owner was very accomodating and helpful to us throughout our trip whether we had questions related to the house itself or anything regarding the island. We would definitely go back and would not consider staying anywhere but MH.

Recommended for:Families with young children, people with disabilities.

Perfect house for family with kids!

Guest: Amy and Brent (Orlando, FL)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

Hi Kay, I wanted to thank you for a wonderful vacation at Manatee Haven this year! The weather was perfect and we had so much fun. We went fishing, snorkeling, shelling, swimming, boating and dolphin chasing! Your house is perfect for our family (4 adults and 3 kids!) with plenty of room to spare! It has everything anyone with children could possibly need on vacation! Potty seats, high chairs, crib, bed rails, baby gates, toys, games, books, puzzles, movies, a pool and so much more! I think your house is better equipped than our own! We all really enjoyed the pool after a long day at the beach or out on our boat. Usually, after lunch and swimming, we ALL took an afternoon nap! It was paradise! With three busy children, I can't remember the last time I had a chance to read a book and take an afternoon nap myself! Even our parents took a nap every day. Apparently, we were all in desperate need of some R&R! Manatee Haven was just what we all needed! Anyway, we had a wonderful time again this year and we will definitely be back again. Have a Happy 4th of July with your family. Thank you, Amy and family

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