JANUARY SNOWBIRDS

Guest: CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS (OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA)
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 01/08/12

Had a great time. Our condo was very welcoming and comfortable, we felt at home very quickly. Everything we needed was there. We enjoyed the beautiful view from the condo and walking down to the pier, it was very quiet, peaceful and relaxing, just what we needed. When we wanted to go to the beach, which was every day, it was just across the road. All stores, restaurants and sites were all easy to get to. Information provided in condo regarding these places sure came in handy. The welcoming binder with information was also very helpful, and knowing that we could contact the owner incase of any problem was a comfort. We met some very nice people who were also renting condos, and everyone was very respectful of not being loud. Our only disappointment was that the pool was not heated, so we were unable to go for a swim, hopefully next time.

Owner response:Thanks for the great review, Cliff and Susanna! And thanks for taking such great care of our Gulf Retreat during your stay. Isabel and I hope you can come back next year. As for the pool, I'm sorry if it was too cold for you. It is in fact heated, but we only keep it at 80 degrees in the winter, and that's when the air temperature is above 50 degrees. If the weather is below 50 degrees for more than two days, we lower the thermostat on the pool to 65 degrees, since our heater simply can't keep the pool warm when the air temperature is that cold. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, girls getaway, age 55+.

Equally well placed for both Golf and Beach

Guest: Margit and Werner, near Zuric, Switzerland (-)
Date of Stay: 09/27/11 Review Submitted: 11/25/11

Dear Isabel and Darryl – The promise we gave 2009 in our internet review after our one week's stay at your Gulf Retreat Condo in May, we could fulfill this year and with a stay of 2 ½ weeks. From our first stay we knew what to expect. And really, we were not disappointed. Weather wise it is certainly a difference between spring and fall, also in Florida. The weather forecast for the area was not too brilliant when we left Switzerland, but for the whole stay with the exception of a single day of partially scattered showers weather otherwise was sunny, blue sky, some white clouds and very agreeable water and air temperatures. The beach was as last time, white, clean and never crowded. This time we wanted to split the time between one day golf and one day beach. And we found that Indian Shores is equally well placed for both. We knew that most of the golf clubs in the area would rent golf sets but as we wanted to play on different courses and would not like to have different sets every time we rented the set at an address we found in the internet while still being in Switzerland (Ken's Quality Golf, Clearwater, phone 727 531-8871) and for bargain green fees we found www.teeofftampabay.com to be very valuable. From the restaurants in the area we especially liked "Villa Gallace" and "Salt Rock Grill", but with the very well equipped kitchen and the beautiful and interesting view from our balcony, where we had some of our diners, we sometimes also liked to stay "at home". The new, slightly higher chairs and table on the balcony allowed us an unspoiled view to the waterway where we spotted dolphins and – as we believe – also the movements of manatees. The variety of birds on the sandbank at low tide and in and above the mangrove swamp is amazing; not spoken about the large number of huge fish in the little stream just below the balcony. For us this wildlife was more interesting and much better than any television or cinema program. We really felt at home again as soon as we had opened the key lock box, turned the key and crossed the doorstep. Thank you again, Isabel and Darryl for a wonderful vacation! We certainly hope that we will have other chances to spend holidays in your condo.

Recommended for:

Lovely time at the beach

Guest: Diane B. (Kirkland, Washington)
Date of Stay: 07/27/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

We returned a few weeks ago from a lovely week at this rental. The photos do not do it justice - the place is wonderful and seems much bigger than 1400 sq ft. After spending a week in hotels in Orlando the spaciousness was very appreciated by everyone in the family. Everything was as stated, and Darryl was very reachable by phone when we had questions. My daughter was able to catch small fish off the pier, and children 16 and under do not need a license to fish. Very, VERY clean! Thank you!

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

Five Stars All The Way!

Guest: Heidi (Port Orange, Fl)
Date of Stay: 07/24/11 Review Submitted: 07/27/11

We were so impressed with this Beautiful condo with its Awesome Views inside and out. So well appointed, A great location and so comfortable and clean. We enjoyed everything about it and hope to come back again. Enjoyable and 5 stars all the way.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

Highly Recommend!

Guest: Dani W (Princeton, NJ)
Date of Stay: 04/17/11 Review Submitted: 04/28/11

Our family had a wonderful week in this immaculate and beautifully decorated condo. We found it to be even nicer than we anticipated from the pics displayed. Great views of the water from main rooms and the gulf right across the street. MANY thoughtful touches included (nightlights, drying racks, beach chairs and toys, computer and 3 tv sets) that made packing easier than many beach homes. The stairs were a bit steep, so do consider this factor if is is an issue for you or your guests. (it was fine for us, but tough for my Dad who has some problems with balance) Would highly recommend this property!

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

Mra

Guest: Marianne A. (Ohio)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/04/11

Wonderful water view, close to beach, beautifully decorated, very clean!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway, age 55+.

Wonderful time

Guest: guyb1 (Denver, Co)
Date of Stay: 10/30/10 Review Submitted: 12/15/10

Spacious accommodations with all the amenities. My wife and I took our children (7 and 5) for a quiet week at the beach in late fall. The condo was perfect for our needs, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining area and living room. Beautiful view of the waterway and a 500yd stroll to the beach (pulling the cart full of sand toys we found in the garage). We found stores for food and essentials a short drive away. After a fun day at the beach the kids would sleepy soundly in their own bedroom and my wife and I could enjoy a movie without disturbing them, or simply have a quiet drink on the balcony.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children.

One of the best condos in Indian Shores!!!

Guest: Queen of Cakes (Woodbridge, ON Canada )
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 09/09/10

This was our first trip to Indian Shores and will definitely not be our last. The description of the location and condo was completely accurate. It's beautiful, spacious and CLEAN. We immediately felt like we were at home upon arriving at the condo. Isabel did an amazing job at decorating the condo to make you feel welcome and cozy. The welcome basket was such a nice surprise and the view was just breathtaking. All of the amenities you needed were there and nothing was missed in this place at all. It's such a close walk to the beach and getting there with that awesome wagon was a plus. My boys loved the beach toys and floaties for the pool. It was nice to know I didn't have to drag all that stuff with me from home. The beach and pool were both awesome! Darryl was extrememly professional and helpful with his suggestions via email before we had arrived. We had the pleasure of meeting him when we left and couldn't thank him enough for a most memorable, enjoyable stay. Darryl and his wife Isabel clearly have their guests' interests at heart and take great care of the condo to keep people coming back for more. We have already recommended your condo to our family and friends as we beleive it is so worth every penny. Thank you again for a great week!

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

Wow! What a great place, what a great location...

Guest: rja84 (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/10/10

I'll start by saying this was our first visit to the St Pete gulf coast area so had no idea what to expect of the community. All worries were cast aside the second we drove in on Park Blvd and crossed the bridge into Indian Shore and we immediately sensed there was a good balance of sophistication and casualness in the community. Gulf Blvd between the bridge and condo was sparkling clean and lined with places and restaurants we immediately looked forward to visiting. Now to the condo, all I can is, WOW!!! It is beautifully, tastefully, comfortably decorated, and huge. After our long drive it was so nice to be able to stretch out. Our fantastic hosts, Isabel and Glenn, generously left a wonderful welcome basket full of goodies and nice cold bottled water in the fridge, which was a wonderful treat. Five minutes after walking into the condo we were on the large deck off the living area watching a pair of bottlenose dolphins swimming by!!! Absolutely incredible. What a great start to our week here at Gulf Retreat. We spent a fair amount of time throughout the week here on the deck watching dolphin, osprey, and yes, manatee!!! Our two kids just absolutely loved it all. Back to the condo, have I mentioned anything about the bedrooms? The kids (6 and 12) found their room, complete with twin beds and their own small tv, and right next to their own bathroom, which was just great and perfect for the two of them. Now the master bedroom, again with another WOW!!! What a great big beautiful suite with huge windows and access to the deck and more of the fantastic waterview. There was just something so relaxing and restful about the night view with the lights across the water and then waking again to that waterview. Geez, I'm missing it right now that I'm writing this... Thanks Isabel, Thanks Glenn, for letting us stay at your place. Our family really looks forward to visiting again someday, hopefully soon...

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

Fantastic rental!

Guest: Robin (Bethel Park, PA)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 07/19/10

This condo was so beautiful. It was also very clean (spotless!!!). The owners took care of everything. We have a baby and they had the highchair ready , safety tub supplies, toys and the crib set up with a diaper by it!! They also had a lovely gift basket waiting for us. The view was spectactular of the bay. The computer was in a perfect spot and all the TV's were great. The beach was so close to the condo and the wagon to pull all the beach toys was perfect. The beach was also beautiful and not overcrowded. You really couldn't ask for anything more in a rental. I would recommend this place to anyone and if I come back to Indian Shores I hope to stay here again. Thanks for a great week!!!

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