Best Vacation Ever

Guest: EmilyH (Provo, UT)
Date of Stay: 05/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/17/10

This was one of the most amazing vacations I've ever had-- traveling by boat to a beautiful island, a shell-filled, picturesque beach just a hop down the path, and an amazing house to top it all off made this trip absolutely perfect. The house was not only clean and cute, the owners have thought of EVERYTHING you could possible need, especially if you have children. This is the most family friendly vacation ever, and it made things that much more enjoyable. There is a pack-and-play for babies, plenty of children's movies to choose from, a toy chest, a high chair, and the best part was the screened in porch for the little ones to play on safely and independently. The kitchen was another part of the house that wowed me-- again, it had everything I could have possibly thought of, it was like cooking in my own home. I have to say, tho, that by far my favorite amenity was the outdoor shower. It is a huge, secluded, warm water shower that is perfect for hosing down all the kids after the beach, or for a late night romantic rendezvous. Aside from the house, this island was amazing. The water is warm, the beach is filled with shells, and you can watch the sun set into the ocean every evening. There are turtles, cute little lizards, dolphins, manatees, fiddler crabs; and if you rent yourself a golf cart you can cruise all over the island in search of these critters. The house also has a private dock with a dock light for fishing at night. My husband and I caught at least ten or twelve ocean trout, and kept two for grilling. I could not have had a better vacation, and it is in large part due to the thoughtfulness and care the owners have put into this home. If you want a stress-free, wonderful vacation for the whole family, this is where you want to be.

Owner response:Miss Em, We are so blessed to have families like yours stay at our island home. We are so happy to be able to share our place with people that so much appreciate and enjoy it. Your comments clearly let us know how much you liked the house and enjoyed your total experience. Thank You! And please come again soon. Mike&Duffy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great Vacation Spot!

Guest: Barb & Dean W.
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

We have been renting from Mike and Duffy for years and each time find the house to be in excellent condition, clean and there is always some enhancements to the property and house that make the time there even better than the year before. Mike and Duffy are great to deal with and we highly recommend this house for a vacation! We always leave relaxed and looking forward to our next trip to the island.

Owner response:Barb and Dean, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review and share your experience with others. We appreciate guests like yourselves that come back year after year and you guys make it so nice and easy for us to make the arrangements with you. Thanks for your support! Hope to have you back soon. Duff and Mike

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Wonderful Getaway

Guest: Scott M.
Date of Stay: 11/19/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

I have spent most of my spare time for a number of years on the island, the Island Home retreat is the perfect place to stay to enjoy the island. The home is clean, the view is great, the dock is basically at the bottom of the stairs, and the beach is very close. The home sits in a part of the island that is a little narrower, this makes the gulf and the bay easily accessible at all times. The island is a good place to get away from everything. If fishing is you thing, you can do it off the dock, if the beach is your thing, it is right there. If you are thinking of staying on the West coast of Florida, Little Gasparilla Island, and the island home retreat, offers an experience that you will not forget. You have to be careful when choosing a place to stay on the island, so many places "look" great in the pictures, but when you get there leave alot to be desired. You will not be disappointed in the island Home reatreat. Thanks Mike and Duffy for a great stay!

Owner response:Scott...thank you so much for sharing your visit at our house and the experience you have visiting the island! Your honesty is greatly appreciated and I am sure it will be helpful for others. You know more about the area and the island than we do...can I just have all my inquiries call you directly? LOL!!! Thanks again! Mike and Duff

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Fisherman's Paradise

Guest: Mike s.
Date of Stay: 08/12/11 Review Submitted: 11/15/11

Our family are all big time FLORIDA fisherman. From our young grandson to my wife. The deck and dock is perfect for our boating and fishing needs. When we are not on the boat fishing, we catch fish from the dock. Dock fishing is accessable on the private dock as well as the street dock, well lite up at night. There is a great fish cleaning area with lights, water and power. The young and old have the time of our lives when we stay at Mike and Duffy's island house. They are the greatest! The house is so cozy and comfortable. The wife wants me to mention how fabulous the kitchen is, everything you would need is there. And the view from the kitchen is great. The porch is our favorite place to hang out and grill and visit and enjoy the island atmosphere. And even us fisherman make it to the beach to relax and cool off in the crystal clear water...and can't forget to mention the marvelous sunsets. We will never stay anywhere else. The cost is very reasonable and staying at this house is pricelss to us.

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Tons of fun on such an excluded island!!!

Guest: LisaLisa (Palm Coast, Florida)
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

My husband and I stayed for a long weekend with another couple at the Island House Retreat and had a wonderful time. The house is VERY clean and well-appointed. You really only need to bring your own food and clothes. The owner (Duffy) was a pleasure to deal with and she was very helpful answering all of our questions. We are looking forward to another visit in the Spring. Only downfall was the weather in the harbor. We brought our small boat, but the guys couldn't boat due to high winds, They were still able to enjoy fishing from the dock, while the ladies enjoyed the lovely beach. I could have walked for miles just staring at all the beautiful shells. I had a hard time getting back to work after my return. I kept daydreaming about our great vacation at the Island House Retreat. Thanks!!!

Owner response:We are so glad you tried OUR COAST! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your stay. You are so kind to compliment me as well as the house..although it's all so true. Ha! Thanks for taking such good care of everything. We can never guarantee the weather but we can guarantee you will enjoy our home and the island. Hope to have you back soon. Duff&Mike

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

Gasparilla Getaway

Guest: LeAnn M.
Date of Stay: 11/30/10 Review Submitted: 10/06/11

This island house was fantastic! I loved all the views from the windows and enclosed front porch. The decorating matches the island setting and the rooms are cozy and comfortable. The kitchen is stocked better than my own house and there is plenty of room for multiple "cooks" as well as food storage. I enjoyed the close access to the beach and collecting seashells, which were plentiful. There is a small library on the island which will probably have that book you never got around to reading and you will find plenty of time to just relax and read it. This home is well cared for and immaculate. The dock is close at hand and there is a great outdoor sink for cleaning your days catch. I would recommend this rental to anyone who loves being close to the ocean, relaxing sunny days, and great fishing. Looking forward to going back again.

Recommended for:

Paradise

Guest: Teresa
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

I would absolutely recommend this wonderful vacation home to anyone. This beautiful home has everything you need and it is nicely maintained. The screened in patio helps to enjoy the breeze in the evening. The owner kept in constant communication with us and answered all of our questions when needed. The pictures and description online were exact. We were not disappointed at all. The house has its own private dock that is ideal to park your boat. We are already planning another vacation back to the island home soon! Very relaxing vacation!

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Island Paradise

Guest: Pam R.
Date of Stay: 04/18/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

Wonderful Island Home! Immaculate and well appointed. When we were recently explorng vacation options in Barbados and Costa Rico, my sister-in-law said she would prefer for come back to the island. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet, tranquil vacation. We will definitely be back! Pam & David Kentucky

Owner response:Pam...many thanks for your kind review. Obviously we know how much you love our island house, as you have been several times so thank you for putting it in writing so we can share it with others. Come back soon. Mike&Duff

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Wonderful and Fabulous

Guest: David M.
Date of Stay: 11/29/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/11

This was an absolutely wonderful property. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the house. The owners obviously put a lot of TLC into the house which resulted in a fabulous vacation. The island is great, the beach is great, the fishing is great, the property is great (spotlessly clean), and the owners are great. I would give this property my highest recommendation for anyone considering it. A fantastic getaway location!

Owner response:Hey Dave, Thanks so much for sharing your comments about staying at our island home. We are so thankful that we have the opportunity to share our little piece of paradise with wonderful folks like you and your family. Hope to have you back soon! Mike and Duff

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

GREAT CABIN!!!

Guest: Bill and Sue Carol AKA Bapa and Gama (Lecanto, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

We just got back today (8-11-11) . We had a great time, even though it rained everyday. We had great family time. The porch was fabulous for playing cards and listening to the radio via the speakers installed on the porch. It was everything and more than was advertised. I think our family has found its new island getaway. Duffy is so nice and friendly (we would like to meet her personally someday). I hope we get to go back several times a year, as long as they will have us. LOVE THE ISLAND.

Owner response:Hey Sue Carol, thanks so very much for your sweet and kind words about us and our island home!! We would love to have you back anytime!! You guys are the best! I can't wait to meet you someday. We will make a point to try and greet you next time. Until then...take good care and God Bless.

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