Vacation Rentals by Owner

Luxurious 3-Story Single Family Home Directly on the Beach [#375876] | View Property

Private Homes
House, 3 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 3.5 Baths (Sleeps 6-8)
2300wk
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Traveler Reviews (24)

• More beautiful than expected.

  More beautiful than expected.

  • Guest dominic f.
  • Date of stay 05/11/13
  • Review Submitted 05/21/13
  This home is bigger and more beautiful than those photos portray. Tom and his wife have thought of every amenity and we wanted for nought! The view from the porch at sunset is spectacular and became a regular "appointment" for our family. The neighborhood is very convenient for great restaurants, coffee shops and supermarkets. All are within a short walk or drive. At the end of our stay the entire family gave our trip a full thumbs up and voted to make it our annual family retreat. Thanks to the entire Engel Family.

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• Wonderful Property!

  Wonderful Property!

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 04/27/13
  • Review Submitted 05/13/13
  Our stay was perfect at this beautiful home! We will hopefully be returning!!

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• Listen to the Waves

  Listen to the Waves

  • Guest Dave H.
  • Date of stay 03/02/13
  • Review Submitted 04/10/13
  We were very fortunate to spend the entire month of March at this beautiful Beach House. Upon entry the shiny wood floors and central stairway are quite stunning. Everything was squeaky clean and very inviting. The upstairs bedrooms, especially the master suite is huge. As we found out, with overlapping guests on the weekend, the hallway had plenty of room for two twin blow-up beds. The downstairs suite provided a quiet space for our son and his wife to get computer work done away from all the upstairs commotion. Directly outside, this sitting area was very sheltered from the wind for great sun bathing and conversation. An open layout kitchen was very well equipped and spacious for entertaining. The gas fireplace was very enjoyable on the unusually cold evenings we had during the month. Great Atmosphere!! The Beach House location was perfect for the young and adventurous night life crowd. Also, the early bird special seekers found umpteen eateries to explore. We often hurried back from being out just to catch a glimpse of the sunsets from one of the many patios. Everyone returned home with a stash of beautiful shells to remember their early morning beach walks. Just down the street we rented a pontoon boat, reasonably priced, and enjoyed an afternoon putting along to John's Pass. The dolphins were popping delightfully up everywhere along the river. Spotting them on the beach, in front of the house, is an almost daily experience. . Tom came by a few times to make sure all was well. He took care of our every need pronto. Thank You!! We can't wait for next year!

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• Right on the beach

  Right on the beach

  • Guest John S.
  • Date of stay 02/16/13
  • Review Submitted 02/23/13
  Fantastic house, right on the beach. Lots of space, very clean, and owners are responsive and friendly. Great balconies. Fully stocked beach stuff and games, setting stage for great family fun. Beach is incredible - wide, clean, and with soft sand. The inconsiderate group that rented the week before us smoked in the downstairs bedroom, so a little smelly walking in. But owners took care of it, and half-way through our stay, smell was gone; not the owners fault and we were impressed with how they handled it. Owners also helped us find a good SUP rental store, which worked very well (Josh and Richie at Shoreline Skate were exceptionally helpful; they had decent boards for a good price). When we go back to the Clearwater area, we will rent this house again (if available - it fills up early!).

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• Perfect!!

  Perfect!!

  • Guest Amy H.
  • Date of stay 01/05/13
  • Review Submitted 01/14/13
  Our stay at the beach house was wonderful and relaxing! The beach was perfect and the surf just right for our little one. The water was a bit chilly; however for cooling off from 80+ degree weather, it was perfect! We loved to stay in at night and play games and listen to the waves. During the day we ventured to Caladesi Island, golf, St. Pete's Pier and John's Pass a few times. We also enjoyed dinner at Guppy's on the beach. Fishing from the kayak's right out in front of the house was successful. Tom stopped by one day to make sure everything was ok, which it was MORE than ok. The house itself was amazing and I was disappointed to have to leave. They had many beach toys, chairs and other beach stuff. We also liked having a grill to grill out. I'd recommend having a car as things weren't as close by as we had hoped, but trolley was helpful but we were surprised it wasn't a tour trolley - just the city bus. It was a great stay and we'd love to come back again! The Habermans - from Wisconsin

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• Best Beach Stay Ever!

  Best Beach Stay Ever!

  • Guest Nicole K.
  • Date of stay 12/18/12
  • Review Submitted 01/29/13
  We've rented lots of different vacation homes over the years, but this one was the best by far. The interior is beautiful, roomy and well designed. Beautiful woods and furnishings. Everything was immaculate. Plenty of towels, pillows, etc...everything I could want to relax! We love to cook and found the kitchen to be well stocked and you can't beat the view through the living room to the wide expanse of ocean while cooking up dinner to go with a fabulous sunset! Grocery store and a variety of great restaurants are nearby as well. There were plenty of books and games inside to keep our 5year old (and her parents) happy in the evening and more beach toys than one kid could ever use out on the sand in a month. Plenty of beach chairs and towels to use as well. The outside shower was a wonderful idea - especially appreciated when dealing with a sand-laden little kid after a day in the ocean. We slept with the windows open to the relaxing sounds of the waves each evening. We had the beach almost to ourselves most days. Enjoyed every peaceful moment of it. Helps that the weather was beautiful and warm for mid December!! Thank you for a lovely, relaxing stay!! We'll be back!

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• Perfect Getaway

  Perfect Getaway

  • Guest Nancy E.
  • Date of stay 12/01/12
  • Review Submitted 12/26/12
  The Beach House is everything you see in the pictures and much more. You feel like you’re at a private resort, a surprisingly peaceful oasis on the shore of a busy beach town. Our time there was a wonderful getaway from all things stressful. We come down from upstate New York to visit friends and family, and this is the perfect spot. We have been to the Beach House before, and we like to pick up our groceries on the way from the airport, so we can just relax without leaving the beach for days. We are nature lovers, and indulge ourselves every day walking on the beach, stopping by the Seabird Sanctuary, collecting shells, watching the birds, and taking photos. The house is so spacious and beautiful, spotlessly clean and thoughtfully furnished with everything we need to enjoy our time, beach gear, tons of books to peruse, a fully equipped kitchen. It’s a wonderful place to hang out with our family and friends. The view from the balcony is amazing, perfect for watching those gorgeous sunsets on the gulf. We will get in the car occasionally to go out to eat and do some touristy things. There is a pile of brochures and menus to help you choose. Mostly we just want to hang out and soak up the beach. Our friends and family love visiting us at the Beach House, it’s a perfect getaway for them, too. They can’t wait until we come back again next year!

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• our favourite holiday destination

  our favourite holiday destination

  • Guest Lynne S.
  • Date of stay 11/02/12
  • Review Submitted 12/01/12
  This was our second stay at the beach house so we knew what to expect as we arrived. The first thing that hits you as you walk up the stairs to the main living area is the utterly fabulous view straight out to sea. When you stop saying "WOW" and look around, the property is exactly as you see in the photos and immaculately clean. I like to cook when on holiday and the kitchen is well stocked, the only things I brought with me were a knife sharpener and an oven glove! One day I cooked some fish my husband had caught earlier that day - life doesn`t get any better! From the balconies the view of the beach is second to none but there is also the view of the intra-coastal waters from the other windows. We spent so much time on the beach, strolling, running, fishing, paddling, swimming and adding to Tom`s shell collection. Tom came over to see us a few times to make sure everything was OK as there had been some workmen in the area the first few days of the holiday. The property is in a quiet area with no noisy bars within earshot - the only sound at night is the sound of the sea. We enjoyed it so much that we arranged with Tom to come back next year, our third visit!

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

• WOW!! What a Great Place!!

  WOW!! What a Great Place!!

  • Guest Byron R.
  • Date of stay 10/08/12
  • Review Submitted 10/17/12
  Words can't described the wonderful time we had. The house was beautiful and so very comfortable. Tom (the owner) and his wife Jane designed and built the house originally to be their home. So you can imagine all the extra touches that they added that makes the house feel so homey. Tom was very welcoming. He made a point of meeting us at the house when we arrived to show us around and explain everything we needed to know. We really enjoyed having breakfast every morning on the porch overlooking the beach and watching for the arrival of the dolphins. What a relaxing time. The weather was perfect and the gulf water was like bath water. We also enjoyed touring the area from Clearwater Beach to John's Pass and even took a bit longer drive to Longboat Key and did some shopping at St. Armand's Circle. There just wasn't enough time to eat at all the great restaurants in the Indian Shores area. We finished each day walking the beach in the evenings gathering shells and watching the gorgeous sunsets. We hated to leave on Saturday morning. BUT, ... as we drove away to return home, I called Tom to tell him we wanted to reserve the house for the same week next year. We'll be back!!

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

• Wonderful Direct Beachfront Single Family House

  Wonderful Direct Beachfront Single Family House

  • Guest Richard P.
  • Date of stay 09/15/12
  • Review Submitted 09/24/12
  Overall this vacation house provided the perfect setting for a great family gathering. The location is perfect, on a clean, quiet, and beautiful beach just steps from the house. The area is full of options for dining and the sunsets from the balconies and beach were spectacular. The house is well maintained and comes complete with everything we needed for the stay. The owner has good quality accessories,even in the childrens beach toys. The pictures of the house are a true representation of the house and the decorating is simple and fits the house perfectly. The rooms are large, the layout provides plenty of space for all, and everything is in good working order. The owner couldn't have been nicer and was there to make sure our stay was wonderful. Not only would we recommend this property to others but we are already looking forward to planning our next visit.

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

• Peaceful, beatiful getaway!

  Peaceful, beatiful getaway!

  • Guest Deborah T.
  • Date of stay 09/01/12
  • Review Submitted 03/03/13
  Beautiful home, perfect location just on the beach! Our family of 3 and my in-laws had a fantastic 1 week stay. They stayed downstairs and we were upstairs, and we would meet at the middle floor during the day to be all together. The views are amazing! My mother-in-law is not able to go on the beach, but because the house is so close to the water, she could easily see everything going on from the balcony. We would love to visit a time of the year when we are able to crack the windows to hear the waves even more at night (wasn't allowed the time of year we were there because of the heat/humidity - we live in Florida, so totally understand this!). The owners were extremely easy to deal with, and all was just as stated in the description...actually, the photos don't do it justice! You will not go wrong with this rental, and we look forward to returning one day!

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• What a Great Place to Unwind!!

  What a Great Place to Unwind!!

  • Guest Christopher L.
  • Date of stay 04/14/12
  • Review Submitted 06/06/12
  My partner 46 and I 43 along with a best friend 58 (All form Massachusetts) decided to look for a rental near Stetson Law school where her son 24 is a student. Another college sibling 21 would join us from Mississippi. Our rental process with Tom last September assured us that we would have a great place to relax and hang out during April Vacation. Boy, were we impressed. First off, the pictures don't lie. This house is exactly what is pictured if not better. You can't hear the waves, breath the air or watch the sunset in pictures but you sure can at the "Beach House". I am an East Coast Florida snob for sure but this house alone may have converted me. Proportionally you can't really tell how large and welcoming the spaces in the house are from what you see on-ine. My partner and I took the Master on the 2nd floor, Law Guy took the other 2nd floor room, Mom and Old Miss Girl took the lower-level "Apartment" and there was room for more if we would have had 'em. Our goal in this rental was to unwind, spend time together and be near Stetson during exams so our buddy could get away from school a little. It all worked perfectly. The house has EVERYTHING that you could possibly need to make yourself comfortable from Beach Stuff to Water Toys to Towels, Cooking Equipment, AV Equipment, extra pillows, great Laundry Room and pleanty of Bathrooms! The house was quite clean for the fact that it gets heavy use. We arrived at 4PM on saturday and were met by the housekeeper who had not quite finished. We chilled outside for a bit and within the hour she was showing us around and getting us ready to take posession of our new home... and that's exactly what it felt like. The house was so stocked there was nothing for us to do to other than open our bags and the wine we had bought on the way and move in was complete.Throughout the week we sat on the beach, on the balconies, on the sofa, at the counter and everywhere else that you could lounge around where you were in complete comfort. Law Guy had some friends over for a home cooked dinner (Boston Chicken) one night and Lasagne that I actually made myself on another. There was pleanty of equipment and gear to make dinner for 8 easily with large serving bowls and untenils for a big family chow down. The wine glasses were nicer than most and there were pleanty of nice plastic wear for beach and outdoor use. We never met Tom but the binder that tells you everything is priceless. We can't wait till next April's return! YEAY

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 8/8

• Wonderful time and wonderful home

  Wonderful time and wonderful home

  • Guest Sally R.
  • Date of stay 04/07/12
  • Review Submitted 04/28/12
  Our family and I arrived from Ireland for a week long stay following a week in orlando and on arrival immediately regretted not choosing to spend our entire stay here. The location cannot be beaten with the spectacular beach setting perfectly placed to enjoy stunning sunsets, our favourite times were as simple as time spent watching the sunset from the 2 rustic deckchairs underneath a palm tree. The attention to detail in the home and extras provided such as huge range of linens, towels, cooking utensils and beach accessories made life so much more comfortable and our family ranging from 12 down to 6 years were all well catered for. I really cannot recommend this home enough for a perfect, relaxing and comfortable beach stay. Thankyou Tom and well done for hosting such a fabulous home for people to enjoy and appreciate. You really made our vacation one to remember.

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

• Best Ever!

  Best Ever!

  • Guest Amy P.
  • Date of stay 03/31/12
  • Review Submitted 04/16/12
  This was our extended family's second spring break at this beautiful home. Three reasons we keep coming back for more: 1) The house is amazing -- beautifully decorated, exceptionally clean, and well outfitted. We especially appreciate all the extras such as Wi-Fi, games, books, and beach gear/equipment that are provided! 2) The beach is superb -- uncrowded, clean, and great for swimming/seashell hunting. Best of all, the beach is your backyard! The house is only a short drive in either direction from great restaurants and shopping. We enjoy that is a bit away from some of the more congested areas along Gulf Blvd. 3) The owners are very responsive, accommodating, and easy to work with. If a great house in an amazing, beachfront location is what you’re looking for… there is none better. The Pizzuti Family

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• Paradise

  Paradise

  • Guest Isabelle L.
  • Date of stay 03/03/12
  • Review Submitted 03/11/12
  What a Perfect place for a dream vacation. You have a beautifull beach house, every single one of us enjoyed your place, even our 4 year old son. Your house was beyong our expectation, everybody dream to have a place like yours. We realy loved every single thing, it was convinient, welcoming, warm, confortable, amazing. Thank-you again for your rental we enjoyed every second of our vacation. We look foward to rent your home again.

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

• Dream vacation!!

  Dream vacation!!

  • Guest Elayne M.
  • Date of stay 01/26/12
  • Review Submitted 02/05/12
  Where do I start?! From the moment you go up the gorgeous entry stairs you realize your vacation is going to be spent somewhere extremely special!! It's as if you just entered a home in a magazine and it is decorated perfectly. There are so many spots to enjoy in the home, from the window seats to the wonderful kitchen and then just lounging in the living room with the french doors open to the gulf. The master BR is so peaceful you get the most wonderful naps. And the most used part, the decks, overlooking the best little landscaped yard and the glorious gulf. I could go on, but I'm sure you've got the idea by now. :) We just arrived back home today and we all miss it soooo much!! Tom is just terrific to work with and so nice. If you will be in this area, this IS the home you want to stay in!! But as others have stated, just please don't make it when we may return. :)

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

• INCREDIBLE CHRISTMAS!

  INCREDIBLE CHRISTMAS!

  • Guest Beth P.
  • Date of stay 12/22/11
  • Review Submitted 01/11/12
  We were fortunate to be able to rent this property over winter break and had an amazing time! The pictures here don't do justice to how beautiful the house is! The sunsets were unbelievable, with amazing views from every window! We had more than enough room for the six of us who stayed there (2 grandparents, 2 parents, and 2 teenagers). The house was so fresh and clean with everything necessary to never leave the house exept to get groceries! The owners even decorated it for Christmas for us! The house is well within driving distance to many restaurants and activities and was easy to get to from the Tampa airport (about 40 minutes away). We would definitely recommend this to others and hope that we can return again in the future! Beth P., Twinsburg, OH

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• Amazing!!

  Amazing!!

  • Guest Elaine C.
  • Date of stay 07/16/11
  • Review Submitted 07/24/11
  Thank you so much for sharing your home with us! These pictures do not do justice to how absolutely gorgeous this home is! We walked into the home and up the stairs and were totally speechless at how beautiful it was, especially the staircase. As we went from room to room, we simply couldn't believe our eyes. Anything and everything you want or need is right there, including a very well-equipped kitchen, so many towels in each bathroom, puzzles and books in every room, to every beach toy you can imagine. We only left a couple times to dine out and do a bit of sightseeing, otherwise we stayed in to cook and eat. The sunsets were beautiful from the 2nd floor balcony, where we seemed to live every evening. Weather, beach, water were perfect! Thank you again for making our vacation the best we've ever had! We hope to come back again too!

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

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

• Belinda Loveland, Oh

  Belinda Loveland, Oh

  • Guest belinda P.
  • Date of stay 06/26/11
  • Review Submitted 07/04/11
  We've just returned from one of the most relaxing, enjoyable vacations I've ever had. Not one complaint from any member of our party. This alone is amazing. A perfect beach house in every way with each room built for maximum comfort. A very large variety of toys, books, games, and sports equipment are supplied for every age group. Each person can be as active or sedate as you choose We've already decided to plan our next vacation around the availability of this house. Thanks so much to the Engels for opening their beautiful home to strangers. I'm certain our vacation would not have been nearly so enjoyable somewhere else. I would highly recommend this home to anyone of any age.

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

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

• Great Trip

  Great Trip

  • Guest Traveler
  • Date of stay 06/12/11
  • Review Submitted 06/22/11
  Anyone interested in visiting this area should definitely rent this house. This house far exceeds expectations and should be more than adequate for anyone. Had one minor issue and the property owner was more than happy to do what they could. Overall, nice house, nice beach, good restaurants, any type of shopping available close by.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/3

• Dream come true

  Dream come true

  • Guest Judy
  • Date of stay 03/12/11
  • Review Submitted 04/03/11
  We absolutely LOVED the beach house. It is as beautiful as Tom said it would be. The house is open and airy with gorgeous views from the windows and balconies. I would definitely recommend this place to others except for one thing. We just need to keep a week open for us to return! Lots of interesting birds showed up nearby. The Bird Sanctuary is just down the beach. While there are plenty of restaurants and tourist attractions nearby, we found ourselves wanting to be back on the beach. You can walk forever on the white sand! One place we did think was very cool with very few tourists was Heritage Village at the Botanical Garden. No admission fee and lots to see. I have my name in already for next Spring. I can't wait to go back!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/3

• Can't wait to go back!!

  Can't wait to go back!!

  • Guest Alissa
  • Date of stay 12/25/10
  • Review Submitted 01/17/11
  Beautiful house, wonderful location! We had a fabulous vacation even though the weather didn't cooperate! It didn't even matter that it was unseasonably cold and rainy outside because we had all of the comforts of home (but cleaner!) plus amazing views and easy beach access for the sunny moments! Can't wait to go back to enjoy the outdoor shower and stroll along the beautiful sunny beach!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

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

• Incredible place with generous hosts

  Incredible place with generous hosts

  • Guest New England Family of four
  • Date of stay 12/22/10
  • Review Submitted 03/03/11
  We were fortunate to have the opportunity to stay in this beautiful home this winter. The home, the views, the proximity to the best of the gulf coast is all here. It was wonderful to be able to have such a magnificent space to entertain. The kids loved dashing out to the white sand and building castles and exploring while we watched on from our private deck. We loved taking walks to the bird sanctuary just a few doors down from the home. It was easy to take quick trips to downtown St. Pete to enjoy the restaurants and Sunken Gardens. Finally we can not say enough about our gracious hosts the Engels. I could go on and on but the bottom line is that this accommodation gave this New England family of four a dream vacation.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• Beautiful home on a lovely beach

  Beautiful home on a lovely beach

  • Guest joy
  • Date of stay 11/24/10
  • Review Submitted 12/27/10
  My vacation here was just what a perfect beach week should be! Very clean and comfortable, directly on the beach with glorious sunset views over the gulf. You can spot dolphins from the deck, visit beachy restaurants nearby, or cook in a well appointed, open kitchen. Separate studio bedroom is perfect for au pair or married children. Would come back every year to explore the extensive book collection and relax on the window seats in this lovely home right out of "Coastal Living" magazine!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6