Reviews for Private Homes Vacation Rental - VRBO 418605 - 4 BR South Beach House in FL, South Beach (Miami Beach)

Prime Location!

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 04/25/13
Review Submitted 04/29/13

We had a fantastic long weekend in Miami. The home was located perfectly for us, just 1 minute from the beach, some great hotels & clubs, and easy to access nearby marinas. The home was nestled into a pretty little neighborhood away from the noise and traffic of the strip. The house was roomy and welcoming, and it had everything we needed to complete our vacation experience. The backyard pool was great for cooling off after a long day in the sun or at the beach. Harry (the owner) was easy to contact and work with when we had questions or needed advice on where to go and what to do in Miami. The property was nicely landscaped and well maintained, and the house met all of our expectations for being our "home base" in Miami.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/1

Perfect For a Girls Weekend!

Guest Katherine O.
Date of stay 04/12/13
Review Submitted 04/17/13

From the moment we arrived at the house we loved everything about our stay! The house had all of the basic necessities that a group of six girls needed. The owner met us and walked us through the house, explaining everything we needed to know. Additionally, he arranged for all of our groceries to be delivered prior to our arrival, and everything was in the fridge waiting for us. The best feature of the house is the amazing back yard and pool- a definite plus for a relaxing weekend. When we wanted to get out and explore, Collins Avenue (Fontainebleau, etc.) and all it has to offer was just a short 20 minute walk away (or 5 minute cab ride). Despite a slight hiccup with power outage (too many hairdryers on at once, as girls are known to do), I would give this house a five out of five rating.

Owner response: Thank you Katherine, it was a pleasure meeting you and everyone in your group. Hoping to see you again soon!

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

Wonderful Weekend

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 03/15/13
Review Submitted 03/28/13

The house and grounds were lovely, the photos were accurate representations and the place looked even better in person. It was a perfect weekend stay for our group of 8 friends. We enjoyed time by the pool, cooking dinner parties and also some activities out in Miami Beach in the evenings. It was well-located and was easy to get around. The BEST surprise of the whole weekend, though, was the incredible massage chair. We all used it several times and it was really like getting a massage. Totally nice bonus to an already beautiful place!

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

Owner response: Thank you for your kind words Marina. I'm glad I was able to help you have a great time here with your friends. Hope to see you again soon.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/1

excellent house, location, and owner

Guest nestor m.
Date of stay 11/18/12
Review Submitted 12/11/12

We spent an excellent stay in the house. We found the house very well maintained and clean. It is very well located, close to the beach, Collins Av, and main avenues. It is a stylish house, very nice, with modern equipment and amenities. The bathroooms, kitchen, rooms, all of them nicely decorated. The pool area is fantastic, with a superb swimming pool, we spent a great time there. There is a room in the backyard, very modern and excellent for a good rest. Harry, the owner, was excellent, he helped us a lot, gave a lot of recommendations and was always ready to make feel very confortable. Thank you Harry!. If you go to Miami, and you are looking a house with these characteristics, do not lose your time: this is the house for you. Super recommended!

Owner response: Nestor, it was such a pleasure having you, your wife, and your family over. I sincerely appreciate the nice comments you said about my home. It was refreshing to get a normal, nice, regular family stay in my home. I look forward to having you again. Make sure to ask for your 10% "second-stay" discount the next time you come.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/6

Pleasantly surprised!

Guest Francis B.
Date of stay 08/30/12
Review Submitted 09/23/12

We were a little apprehensive to rent this home as we came a long way and noticed what seemed like a not so good review. I can say we were wonderfully surprised by all that this home offered. everything in the house was wonderfully new and in great condition. There was even brand new pool furniture. We couldn't have been happier about the house. Everything was provided like toilet paper, paper towels for the kitchen, plenty of super nice bath towels, soap for bathing, dish washing liquid, soap for the dishwasher, even salt, pepper, olive oil, coffee filters, and other nice touches like condimentos for preparing our food. All the appliances were new and made of stainless steel, a very nice feature and they looked super, just like in the photos. the location was excellent for us. We have a small boy and on our walks to the beach about 4 blocks away we would stop in a small park on the water for a nice stroll. The neighborhood is very quiet and 4 blocks away there are a nice variety of stores and shops for eating. We didn't walk to the main part of south beach as it was about 1 mile away. but one time we took taxi and it cost less than $10. The other times we just took car and took the owners advice to park in the many garages in the area (only $1/hr). We certainly recommend this home to anyone wanting to enjoy the main part of Miami beach and found it convenient to everything including the airport. the owner was very attentive. He told us about all of the local places to go, where to get the best food at super, and nice places to visit as well as great restaurants. We would not consider anywhere else for our next visit.

Owner response: Thanks for the comments Francis, it was a pleasure having you. I'm glad you liked the restaurant recommendation I gave you... it's my favorite too... ;-)

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/5

Not well maintained Villa!!

Guest Philippe P.
Date of stay 08/04/12
Review Submitted 08/21/12

We stayed 1 week in this villa and we do not recommend it. We choose it because of the architecture of the building but we were disappointed by the interior furniture, the small pool and the bad customer service. The listing description is correct but do not expect recent furniture (old sofa with dusty cover, same chairs than my grandmother, no table in the TV room, old sun chairs,...) or equipment (15years old TV !!,very noisy Air Cond system, old washing machine, crazy gas burner in the kitchen, ...). The only room which have been fully refurbished is the master bedroom and bathroom attached, for the rest it is just old… The area is safe and clean, but the location is not very convenient as you have to drive for any food shopping or any outside activity. Maintenance is done only when you complain: when we arrived in this villa, the fence was broken and near to fall down which was very dangerous for my young kids, they fixed it only 5 days after our arrival!, the ceiling of the living room was dirty with moisture due to the poor sealing of the front roof terrace: nothing was done, some electrical wires are out of the wall without any protection, only 60% of the lights works, … The customer service was not at all what we expected, nobody welcomed us in the villa, the owner arrive only 3h after us and when we show him that many things need to be fixed in his house, he became unfriendly!! It was our first experience in Miami, and there was no guest brochure or recommendation leaflet available in the house: You have to discover the area by yourself! This property is only a cash machine for the owner, and he does not invest what he should do for such rental price.

Owner response: I have been renting this home for 5 years. Take a look at the reviews... compare them with this one. What do most think? The real problem was the guest. I'll explain. We send an email after final payment. It asks for their flight #, arrival time, and phone number. We state we cannot meet you at the villa if you don't give us that info. He ignored 5 requests for this info. We state you MUST call us when you arrive at the airport to confirm your arrival. 3 days prior to arrival I emailed him my personal cell number to call me and to "please" answer the questions - he did neither. I planned for an unexpected arrival from him and told him where I placed the keys so he could enter the villa. He mentions, "...nobody welcomed us in the villa.." Was this unreasonable? His first call was at the villa asking where I was, I said, "you never told me when you were arriving. I will be there in 1 hour." I told him I was upset he didn't follow my instructions nor call me when he arrived at the airport. He was offended by my tone of voice and said checkin is at 4 pm and that is when he arrived. I reminded him my emails said we would not meet him at the villa unless he provided us info about his arrival. He said he tried calling my assistant 3 days ago. I told him he was no longer working with me. He said that was not his problem. I asked him why didn't he call me or answer any of the emails we sent. He didn't initially answer and our conversation became heated. He finally admitted, "I didn't like the "tone" of your email saying you would not meet us at the house if we didn't respond. I'm the "guest" after all and don't like to be told what to do". I stood there, shocked, for at least 5 seconds. I told him his behavior was irresponsible. That he completely disregarded my rules for renting my home. This caused us to argue more. I finally told him if you want to leave the home you are welcome to. But you must follow rules if you are to stay. He was angry and wrote this irrational review that has absolutely no basis, simply to get back at me. I wrote a very thorough response to every point this guest made but Homeaway limits my response space. I can send you the full response I wrote. Just fill out the form at the top and in the message area ask for my full response. if you choose not to rent my home because of this review you will be depriving yourself of a wonderful stay in a great location in a fantastic home convenient for all you want to do in Miami Beach.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 11/13

Wish I could've stayed here!!

Guest Toni H.
Date of stay 02/12/12
Review Submitted 02/13/12

Even though I did not actually rent this home and stay here for my vacation, the process was made very simple and secure for me. The owner kept me very well informed on everything regarding the house itself and the process of renting. I would LOVE to one day get the chance to officially rent this property and I reccomend it to anyone searching for a great house to rent, perfect location, and a stress-free rental process.

Owner response: Toni, I too am sorry you couldn't have stayed. I processed your refund as requested... I hope you can find another time to come again. Thank you!

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

Didn't want to leave....

Guest Detmar S.
Date of stay 02/07/12
Review Submitted 02/18/12

coming from overseas, we not so sure about renting house halfway across world without seeing house first. owner made us feel better though. He told us he used homeaway system (something like a reserveration payment platform) to take payments. and that we would pay homeaway.com directly instead of him. We looked into homeaway and saw they were big company, gave us a warm tummy. owner also sounded professional on phone. after this we felt good about renting home. house is actually bigger than photos show and was as nice as photos. we best liked pool area and spent lots of time here. and close to beach too, about 4 blocks. we almost walk everywhere, and took car to all places in south beach and took 10 minutes at most. we coming back next year. thank you for hospitality.

Owner response: Thanks Detmar! We enjoyed your company and appreciate you taking good care of the home while you were here. Come back soon!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/5

My Perfect Vacation

Guest Kevin
Date of stay 03/18/11
Review Submitted 04/11/11

My friends and I wanted to experience Miami Beach the right way, and this wonderful property provided us with everything necessary to experience a vacation we will never forget. There is plenty of space to live comfortably and the location is great..just a 10 dollar cab ride to the heart of South Beach. Property was cleaned and stocked with everything you will need. I would highly recommend looking into renting this property. 5 stars! Owner was awesome

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

Owner response: Kevin, glad to read your review about our home. You know we always aim to please and I'm glad you noticed the attention to detail. Hope to see you soon!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/7

Great Vacay Home On the Beach

Guest C
Date of stay 03/10/11
Review Submitted 03/18/11

I stayed here with a few friends and our stay there was GREAT. The owner, Harry was very welcoming and easy to deal with. I was a bit hesitant paying for the rental IN FULL without ever meeting Harry face to face. The only thing I could think of is that I was about to send all this money a month prior to us even arriving to the house and I was never going to see the money again. But Harry definitely kept it professional and made everything as easy and simple as possible so that I felt confident that everything was legit. The house was great. The pictures above does nothing to show just how great the house really is. There is a guest 'house' in the back that has it's own bed and full bath so that was definitely a plus. The pool was great as well. It was a bit cold out to be swimming in the pool but we enjoyed it regardless. I would definitely recommend this house or any other house that Harry has to offer for rental. He is a very easy going owner who crosses every T and dots every I. A+ Harry. Thanks again!

Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Owner response: Candace, I really can't thank you enough for your kind words. I'm glad I made it easy for you as I realize it can be a real headache to find just the right house. I'm glad you decided ours was the right house for you and doubly glad I made you feel at ease about paying sight unseen, as well as the "personal touch" service I provided you. When are you coming again?

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

Perfect spot in Miami Beach!

Guest Regina R.
Date of stay 06/03/10
Review Submitted 06/12/10

As travel agents, my husband and I have seen a lot of properties... This property was a real find - well-managed, beautiful architecture, great location, wonderful layout and plenty of space for our group. Our family birthday celebration trip was fabulous in large part to the great property where we stayed. Kitchen was easy to maneuver. All the bedrooms have separate baths. Beautiful pool with privacy hedges. Our group was so comfortable that we literally did not want to leave. The owner is very pleasant to deal with. Great place! Thank you for a lovely vacation spot. We plan to return for future trips to the area and have already recommended it to several people!

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: 6/6

Miami Beach

Guest MikkeR
Date of stay 03/28/10
Review Submitted 04/15/10

Very spacoius and clean with airy, high ceilings. All and all a beautiful experience.

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

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

Beautiful place, great owner

Guest lavatango
Date of stay 03/05/10
Review Submitted 03/12/10

I stayed here with four colleagues for a conference, and we each had our own bedroom and bathroom for a FRACTION of what it would have cost to stay in a hotel. House is lovely and clean, with brand new appliances in the updated kitchen, a sparkling swimming pool, and a truly LUXURIOUS master suite. Neighborhood is quiet and safe. South Beach is a bit of a walk, but only a short cab ride away, and public transportation is nearby. The owner was easy to reach and responded promptly to all of our questions. Would gladly stay in this house again, and recommend it highly to all visitors.

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

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

south beach get-a-way

Guest luv fla
Date of stay 02/03/10
Review Submitted 02/12/10

delighted with the home. a real find in the middle of S.B. with actual privacy that is rare in that area. kitchen(&appliances)/dining room modern and functional. bedrooms with ensuites impressive , but easy for me to say because i got the upstairs master (with incredible ensuite) with balcony overlooking the pool ! guest house was a pleasant surprise. owner was easy to deal with. 3 - 10 minute taxi to preety much everything in SB.

Owner response: It was a pleasure having you guys in my home. I'll never forget when you said, "it exceeded my expectations". Thanks for the nice write-up.

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

south beach vacation

Guest luv fla
Date of stay 02/03/10
Review Submitted 02/12/10

our stay at this home was exactly what we were looking for .Spacious, central location in south beach ,with total privacy. all 3 bedrooms with ensuites were key for everyone's comfort .kithcen/dining room and appliances were modern and functional . the guest house was a bonus we were not expecting and clean,large,pool was the finishing touch. owner was easy to deal with. home is suitable for preety much any type/combination of travelling group. David.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 16/17

Discerning Hoteliers Give It a Thumbs Up!

Guest comment entered by owner

Discerning Hoteliers Give It a Thumbs Up!

Guest Stefano Mitzi
Date of stay 11/23/09
Review Submitted 12/11/09

As you know we appreciate and can recognize quality and luxury, being hoteliers from Italy. To say that your place rivals top notch accommodations available anywhere would be an understatement. While the photos on the site were nice, it's only when you actually stay here and see things first hand do you realize what a beautiful place this is. Our favorite thing was hanging out in the pool area talking in the shade of the umbrella. I've already recommended your home to my parents who come down for several months every year to vacation. Thanks for a wonderful stay.

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

best 4 day vaca

Guest tyrone171
Date of stay 10/22/09
Review Submitted 10/31/09

awesome house cant wait to go bac in march

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, 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: 0/0

Privacy and pool area

Guest DebtEliminators.com
Date of stay 08/09/09
Review Submitted 10/15/09

We liked the privacy of the house and outdoor pool area. Only problem was we had to fight amongst ourselves over who was going to use the master bedroom - the bathroom is to die for. They were a little short on towels when we got there, but the owner quickly brought us some more within a day of asking so no real issues. Will definitely stay here again.

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

Owner response: It was a pleasure having you. Dinner at China Grill was awesome with you and your family. Hope you like the bottle of Proseco...

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

Perfect, spacious - Outstanding owner

Guest Alain
Date of stay 08/02/09
Review Submitted 10/03/10

Coming from Paris, we stayed here for a month (Aug. 2009) and it was the perfect get-away for our family. Could be more than diffcult to find the equivalent in France. Special thanks to the outstanding owner!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/6

We loved this place

Guest buckeyesalltheway
Date of stay 04/09/09
Review Submitted 05/26/09

The emails and photos online do not do this place justice compared to in person. Really amazing place. We loved the pool area because the waterfall sounds really made us feel like we were in some tropical oasis. Even better is the location. We were right in the middle of everywhere we wanted to be. Walking distance to the ocean, resteurants, and a short (less than 1 mile) car ride to south baech. We used the email we received as our guide to see everything recommended. We booked our reservations for the end of the year when we're coming back again. Highly recommended house and location.

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

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

Vacation Rentals by Owner

South Beach (Miami Beach) - Spectacular Modern Pool Home Villa [#418605] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (20)

Prime Location!

Prime Location!

Perfect For a Girls Weekend!

Perfect For a Girls Weekend!

Wonderful Weekend

Wonderful Weekend

excellent house, location, and owner

excellent house, location, and owner

Pleasantly surprised!

Pleasantly surprised!

Not well maintained Villa!!

Not well maintained Villa!!

Wish I could've stayed here!!

Wish I could've stayed here!!

Didn't want to leave....

Didn't want to leave....

My Perfect Vacation

My Perfect Vacation

Great Vacay Home On the Beach

Great Vacay Home On the Beach

Perfect spot in Miami Beach!

Perfect spot in Miami Beach!

Miami Beach

Miami Beach

Beautiful place, great owner

Beautiful place, great owner

south beach get-a-way

south beach get-a-way

south beach vacation

south beach vacation

Discerning Hoteliers Give It a Thumbs Up!

Discerning Hoteliers Give It a Thumbs Up!

best 4 day vaca

best 4 day vaca

Privacy and pool area

Privacy and pool area

Perfect, spacious - Outstanding owner

Perfect, spacious - Outstanding owner

We loved this place

We loved this place