Island House Retreat- Free Wi-Fi Private Dock

• Best Vacation Ever

  Best Vacation Ever

  • Guest EmilyH
  • 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.

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

  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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

• Once again, the perfect vacation home!

  Once again, the perfect vacation home!

  • Guest RobinM
  • Date of stay 02/22/13
  • Review Submitted 03/24/13
  This is the second time my family has stayed in this beautiful home. The home itself is immaculate, not a spec of dust. All you have to do is come in, unpack and relax. It feels like home the moment you arrive and the homeowners always make you feel welcome. We've decided the outdoor shower is our favorite spot! Like being in a spa. The private dock is peaceful and a beautiful place to watch the dolphins swim by. Every morning I watched the sunrise from the kitchen table (my makeshift office while I was there!) and we walked the 2 minutes to watch the sunset on the beach every evening. It is a wonderful little community. This year we rented a golf cart and had a chance to see some of the other areas we missed last year. I couldn't recommend a change if I had to. Thanks Duffy and Mike for the perfect home once again!

  Owner response: Thank you Robin for sharing your experience at our island home. You are so thoughtful to do this for us and I am sure it will benefit others when trying to make a decision. We are SOO fortunate to have your lovely family stay and want to come back again and again. Take care and hello to the rest of the family! Duff & Mike

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Awesome Family Vacation

  Awesome Family Vacation

  • Guest eugene c.
  • Date of stay 07/21/12
  • Review Submitted 08/04/12
  We had the best time at Duffy and Mike's island home! We can't say enough good things about this beautiful home and fantastic Island. It was my favorite summer vacation ever. Our two boys are 8 & 11 and they had a blast finding sharks teeth on the beach and catching fish in the bay. The private dock is a huge plus and the house is clean and stocked with everything to make your stay enjoyable. The owners were outstanding to deal with and had everything set up and ready as promised. I would recommend this vacation to anyone who asked. Thanks again

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

• It truely is an Island Home Retreat

  It truely is an Island Home Retreat

  • Guest Bev C.
  • Date of stay 05/26/11
  • Review Submitted 08/03/12
  I expected a cottage, but it is a very comfortable home. There are many homes on the island, but it is a peaceful getaway. It is very clean, Has three comfortable bedrooms, modern bathrooms and spacious living room, with a modern kitchen. It's fun to take the boat from the mainland to the island. The marine life is totally awsome. My granddaughter and I enjoyed dinner on the mainland. Very good.! The water on the Gulf is beautiful and warm. Thank you Mike and Duffy. You are gracious hosts and friends. Bev

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

• Relaxation!!

  Relaxation!!

  • Guest Susie B.
  • Date of stay 06/04/12
  • Review Submitted 07/06/12
  What can I say? From the moment the water taxi left our wonderful get away began! This is my kind of relaxation! The house is fully stocked with supplies. From kitchen gadgets to first-aid! Plenty of emergency prevention and provisions supplies. And this is coming from a nurse! Mike and Duffy have prepared for the unexpected. The have a book of info! My favorite parts were getting up and watching the sun rise with a great cup of coffee on the porch while listening to the wildlife scurry around. After that we would turn on the outside speakers on the stereo and jam while making breakfast and head to the beach for the morning. There are so many shells to gather and clean up at the fish cleaning station! You can find the BEST shells! In the afternoon we enjoyed golf cart rides around the island, we saw tons on turtles, snakes and armadillos! The evening always end like the mornings began. After kayaking around the bay and relaxing till your exhausted you fall into a comfortable bed and start again the next day. This house, this remote location and the amenities make this the ideal vacation for anyone who wants to reset their rhythm of life.

  Owner response: Susie B .....you are so elequent and descriptive with your review! THANK You so much. You describred exactly how it feels to be there...and I feel this way every time we have a chance to go. It never gets old. Thanks again and hope to have you guys back again next year. Take care. Duff and Mike

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

• Vacation bliss

  Vacation bliss

  • Guest Joe B.
  • Date of stay 06/04/12
  • Review Submitted 06/25/12
  This is one of the best vacations I've ever had. The owners had everything in order. They have paid great attention to details with all the amenities a person would want- the outdoor shower, wireless, speakers on the porch, a fish cleaning station. Fantastic! I would recommend this home to anyone wanting quite relaxing time with family. The beach is fantastic as is the bay. If you want relaxation this is the place. I had a couple of things I needed to find out and the owners were prompt and helpful. Wonderful place! Thanks

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Totally Awesome and Relaxing Vacation

  Totally Awesome and Relaxing Vacation

  • Guest Pam R.
  • Date of stay 06/04/12
  • Review Submitted 06/22/12
  One of the best vacations I have ever had! Beautiful home, excellent beach. We really enjoyed the screened in porch. Kitchen is fully equipped. We will definitely be back!! So relaxing strolling to the beach or sitting on the dock enjoying the view. Access was so easy. Everything is perfect!

  Owner response: Thank You Pam for taking the time to post your review for us. We really appreciate couples like you guys! You are always welcome back. Take care. Duffy and Mike

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Great Paradise Get Away

  Great Paradise Get Away

  • Guest Edward S.
  • Date of stay 03/10/12
  • Review Submitted 05/11/12
  This was our second stay with Duffy and Mike. The house was spotless and well maintained. My family and I enjoyed the whole week. The beach is just out the back door and your own boat dock is just steps away. The fishing around the island is incredible. We had our boat so it made the stay that much more enjoyable. The house has everything that you need. It is truly a home away from home. The screened in outside porch makes it nice to enjoy the sea breeze without being bothered by flying critters. The island is beautiful and quiet. I look forward on returning next year just to get away from it all. Again thanks Duffy for letting us enjoy a little bit of paradise. JS

  Owner response: Hey Jerry, thanks for taking the time to share your visit with others and letting us know again how much you enjoyed your stay. We are so fortunate to have wonderful families like you come back year after year. Look forward to hearing from you again! By the way, we have 2 new additions to the house: Ocean Kayaks. My first trip out and caught 2 NICE redfish.

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

• A wonderful family vacation

  A wonderful family vacation

  • Guest Cecilia
  • Date of stay 03/31/12
  • Review Submitted 04/10/12
  We just returned from our week at Little Gasparilla Island, and this wonderful home. We never rented from VRBO or had even heard of this island but we feel like we won the lottery discovering this wonderful vacation spot. The house is well appointed and the owners are great to work with! We rented a boat for the week and loved having the great boat slip and dock to hang out on in the evenings. We can't wait to visit again, this was one of our favorite vacations. Our 3 teenage daughters loved the island and the house as well.

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

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

• Starting the New Year out right

  Starting the New Year out right

  • Guest Phil B.
  • Date of stay 12/26/11
  • Review Submitted 03/19/12
  My family spent Christmas week at Island Home retreat and had a great time. It was our first trip to LGI and really enjoyed the trip. The island was beautiful, the weather was great and we really had a relaxing time. The house was perfect and had everything we needed. We really enjoyed the fishing from the dock and even saw some manatees. The kids got in the canoe and the manatees followed them around the dock area. What a cool experience. We also got to experience the island New Years Eve party with all the island guests. Thanks Duffy - you made sure we had everything to make the most of our stay.

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

$1,400/week, plus 12% Fl taxes.
rates based upon 6 persons, $50 extra per person.
$350 security deposit required.
Special Fall Weekend Rates: 3 night minimum $550.00
Rates subject to change, call or email for verification

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.