Vacation Rentals by Owner

Family from Chicago

Guest: Chris (North Suburbs of Chicago)
Date of Stay: 03/24/12 Review Submitted: 05/23/12

This was our first visit to the keys, and the condo was exactly what our family of four (two kids 3 and 5) needed. The location was perfect; great access to all of Marathon, and proximate to the rest of the keys. Our kids loved the swimming pool and the views of the water were quite nice. The owners have a lot of material describing all the things to do, with recommendations for dining, shopping, etc. which were all very helpful. There was more than enough space in the condo, and everything worked to our satisfaction. It was clean, well maintained, and very comfortable. Nice to have a full kitchen with plenty of utensils, place settings, and cooking tools. We noticed that Bob and Janet have been making upgrades, and imagine they will continue to do so. In our opinion, the upstairs carpet is probably due for a change, and the sliding doors are a little stiff. But these are very minor points, and we believe the price was a good value for a spring week in Florida. We really enjoyed the Sunset Beach grill (at the foot of 7-mile bridge), and of course Island Fish right down the block. The island had everything you could need, and if we get back to the keys next year, we would most certainly return to Gulfpointe.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Vacation for all

Guest: Jessie (Ocala, Florida)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 08/05/11

This was our first trip to Marathon and it was a great experience. The location of this condo is awesome! The Sunsets are the best and having your boat right there made it so easy. Everything was clean and comfortable. We will definitely be back again. It was a nice quiet complex and all the neighbors were very friendly. Thank you to Janet and Bob for all your hospitality.

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

Spring Break in the Keys

Guest: Carey (Merritt Island, Fl)
Date of Stay: 03/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

we stayed at the condo from March 26 to April 2nd and loved every minute of it. We had wonderful time and couldn’t have asked for or needed anything more. The condo had everything we needed and more and was spic and span. The fishing off the dock was great especially at night. The girls even caught a small Shovel Nosed Shark. We also met several of your lovely neighbors. We will return as soon as we can.

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

Can't wait to go back!

Guest: Paula (Pine Isalnd, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/25/11 Review Submitted: 03/12/12

We loved this place! It was exactly what we were looking for and fit our needs perfectly. Photos are 100% accurate. The property well-maintained and nicely decorated, location great, and wonderful water views. Can't wait to go back!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

first timers @ Gulfpointe II

Guest: Jaxclan (Jacksonville FL )
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/26/10

This was our first time renting a condo in the Marathon area. Loved the privacy that the location provided being tucked away from the main road and being right on the gulf. The availabilty of a boat slip for our boat was very useful and located close enough for great fishing and acces to the Atlantic side of the Key. Bait shops and gas were close and convienent. The were clean, inviting views of the water with parking and easy access. We enjoyed being on the balcony decks for quiet reading and sunset views. The pool area close by offered afternoon sunning accomodations as well. We were a party of six adults and found the condo to be comfortable for evening entertainment. Appreciated the internet access available. Owners very easy to work with as well as very professional in all their communications with us. We would definitely stay at Gulfpointe II again!

Owner response:Always nice to hear good comments. We are glad you enjoyed our home and your vacation. Come again!

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

Great Vacation in the Keys

Guest: Kristi (Portage, MI)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

We stayed in Bob & Janet's Condo from July 4 - July 10, 2010. It was one of our best vacations ever! The condo itself is very roomy and comfortable, perfect amount of room for a family of 5. Our kids LOVED the pool, which is just down the stairs from the condo and across the driveway. They swam everyday and had a blast. This was our first trip to the keys and it was great. We visited the Turtle Hospital, which is a must see. We also spent a couple days at Bahia Honda State Park beach, which in my opinion is one of the very best beaches. Took a trip to Sombrero Beach, but didn't like it as much as Bahia Honda. Tried a variety of restaurants in the area....our favorite was the Key Colony Inn. Delicious Snapper!! Also liked Stuffed Pig and Seven Mile Diner for breakfast. Key Fisheries was another great spot. Kids could feed fish right from our table. Took a day trip to Key West, which was an interesting visit. Met some great people at the condo too! We had an absolute fabulous time and highly recommend visiting this condo and the area. Thanks Janet & Bob for sharing your wonderful vacation spot with us!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Awesome

Guest: Family Of Four On The Go (Woodbury, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/19/10

We just got back from our fabulous, relaxing vacation in the Florida Keys. This condo has many great amenities and the layout worked very well for our needs. It was spotless when we arrived and we would have no hesitation in recommending this lovely place to family or friends. Janet and Bob, the owners were wonderful to work with. They had excellent suggestions of places and activities to check out while visiting the area.

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

Guest: Steve & Karen Conrad (Bear, DE)
Date of Stay: 03/01/10 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

We stayed at "Happiness Is" for the week of Feb 20th to Feb 27th 2010. The pictures don't do it justice - it is a really beautiful condo in a perfect location. The unit is immaculate, very nicely furnished, and equipped with everything you could ask for. The only problem we ran into was the gas grill being beyond repair. We called Janet & Bob, who gave us an immediate OK to buy a new grill at their expense. You just can't get better service than that!

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Another perfect stay at 185928

Guest: Sandra & Chris (southampton, England)
Date of Stay: 11/07/09 Review Submitted: 01/07/10

This was our return visit to Janet and Bobs' condo. As per our review last year, we were more than happy with all administration aspects. The condo was as before very clean and tidy and beautifully kept along with the surroundings. We visited Key West and took the Conch train tour, which was very interesting and easy going as we had an elderly relative with us. Key West is fun to look around. Most of our beach going was at Bahia Honda state park and we discovered a colony of Lizards in the secluded areas, which were amazing to watch and photograph. Another local attraction was the Turtle hospital which gave us a good insight into the dangers facing these amazing creatures. The condo had a very useful list of recommended local restaurants and one called the Hideaway was exceptionally good. We visited some of the local beaches all of which met our expectations. We can't wait to return again to this superb condo. Sandra & Chris

Owner response:We love our home in the Keys and are always pleased when our guests tell us they had a good stay. Our new Welcome Book has lots of information culled from the times we spend in the area ourselves so it makes it easy for visitors new to the area to find and enjoy "the best." Repeat visitors are our best advertisement and we now have several who say just "hold the security deposit and apply it to next year!"

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

Guest: Robert & Angela (Tampa, Florida)
Date of Stay: 10/05/09 Review Submitted: 10/05/09

We stayed at Janet & Bob's place for Labor Day week, 2009. Wonderful location, beautiful property, nicely kept and tons of space! Janet & Bob were wonderful to work with...we'll definitely be back!!

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Our stay Aug 29-Sept 5/09 rating fair to average

Guest: willnotrentagain (Ontario Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/29/09 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

We stayed at this condo Aug 29-Sept5/09. The site at the time of our initial inquiry had more reviews. The negative ones are now removed. (?) Missing reviews had negative comments about dated furniture/décor,faulty baby furniture. After speaking with the owners we felt perhaps the reviews were unfair and we still booked. Unfortunately we should have paid attention to the comments. We were not looking for the Ritz. Only accuracy in vrbo ad. We rent approx. 6 - 8 weeks a year. Keys/other locations in Florida. What is accurate is description for the activities in the area. Diving/fishing/restaurants are fantastic and the new dock. The exaggerations - Main view is not a direct water view. To watch the sun set you have to leave the condo and go down to the dock. Main view is of the pool, condo has only a partial water view. Condos on the opposite (back) side of the building have direct views. All of the furniture and decor is mostly clean but dated. An old empty fish tank is one of the decorations in the kitchen/dining room. The grill as noted by one of the recent guests was not in any way usable, a big disappointment to us. We don't have time to shop for appliances for owners while on vacation as that renter did. We did tell owners while we were there that the grill was not usable. They used the condo shortly after us. They waited until one renter did the shopping for them. The apartment size washer/dryer is dated and small. Owners expect you to wash/dry some of the sheets/towels before you leave. You will have to get up early to accomplish this. Plug in internet is dated and when we were there didn't work. We used our wireless key. Windows have dated vertical blinds that are very fragile. One wrong move and pieces fall down. Games etc as noted in ad are few and some missing pieces, broken etc. Music library–well 2 dated cds do not make a library. Stereo, small portable cd player/radio. Owners do not use paypal/visa. Long wait for confirmation and return of deposit, 2 months for the return of our money. Owners wait for the phone bill to arrive before returning funds. Do not plan on reading or relaxing by pool. A nosy condo owner that lives in the complex permanently, watches everything anyone does from outside his condo and from inside his condo. He is opinionated and you will know all of his opinions by the time you leave to go home. We are returning to other condos in the area for better value for our dollar and a true vacation.

Owner response:It’s upsetting to have a mediocre review. We’ve had only 1 other in 7 years—from Diamond Necklace—many people agreed her’s was quite bazaar. All others are positive 5 out of 5 ratings. None have been removed. It is not possible to remove a review. We agree accuracy is important & we are accurate. We don’t advertise full, unobstructed view. From the living room & master bedroom one can see the Gulf thru both sliders in each room (see photos). From the dining room & guest bdrm you see the pool. Where the sun sets depends on the time of year & while there are times that you can see it from our balcony, but we don’t promise that. We do have a high speed internet connection via Comcast. We made no claim to wireless internet & don’t want it for security reasons. No other guest has indicated a problem. Since getting this review we checked & have 15 music CD’s, 4 movie VCR’s & 4 DVD’s. The CD case has two sides, so perhaps these guests only opened one side. We also have 21 novels, 7 games & 2 puzzles. The rental agreement shows we pay for normal cleaning & ask that folks not leave more than 3 loads of laundry. The condo has an apartment size washer/dryer, that's all that fits. If all the beach towels are used, they can be washed a day before leaving. We e-mail a contract within 24 hrs of agreement to rent & send a signed confirmation by return mail upon receipt of deposit. Since we provide phone service, deposit return takes 2 to 5 weeks because we wait for the phone bill as stated in our contract. We spent about $20,000 in maintenance and upgrades last year. Unfortunately, grills and vertical blinds are a continuing problem due to wind & salt air. In the Keys grills last about a year. We repaired the grill in the fall & had to replace it in the spring. Vertical blinds seem to need repair regularly due to rough handling & blowing outside when sliders are opened on a windy day. However they are the best option for controlling both light & privacy. Sorry these guests didn’t like the fish tank decorated with marble fish & shells to simulate the real thing. We might not like the decorations they might choose, but no one else has found it offensive. We don’t understand the comment that the guest could not read or relax by the pool. We have been here for a month, have seen numerous renters come & go and have not observed any owners bothering anyone. It is interesting that it took 10 months to write this review. Perhaps the stay wasn't so bad!!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

My husband, kids and I stayed for 1 week at this condo. It was everything that was promised; we wanted for nothing! There was a boat slip readily available for our boat. The dock was top-notch and an easy stroll from the condo. The neighbors were extremely courteous and helpful as well. We have been going to the keys for years and will always go back. There are so many interesting places to visit by boat it could take years to see it all. Gulf Pointe is the best value in Marathon as far as view and water access.You can't beat it!

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Not the best place for small children

Guest: diamond necklace (Salinas, California)
Date of Stay: 06/05/09 Review Submitted: 07/13/09

My husband and I rented this condo for 2 weeks in June 2009. My daughter and her 11 month old son were with us. Despite the fact that the owners bring their grandchildren here the balcony railings are not safe for small children. Yes, you have to watch small chidren at all times but a small child could easily slip between the outside railings. You cannot let go of your child on the balcony. Some of the tiles on the balcony were torn up and stacked by the door during our stay. The TV stand in the living room is not stable. The stroller was broken and the porta crib smelled of urine; the owners allowed us to buy a new stroller and porta crib and reimbursed us. There are no screen doors on the living room sliding doors. The owners suggested moving one of the screens from upstairs to downstairs. The condo is clean and large with comfortable furniture and very comfortable beds. The decor is dated with faded pictures and fake flowers. I didn't find any books on fish, animals, plants or history of the keys at the condo. The TV is old and the sound is not very good on it. I think there was one James Taylor CD. The pool is large--no shade. I would not recommend this property for families with small children. We were surprised that the water is murky in the Keys. Starfish snorkel trip was okay except the lady running it smoked and threw her cigarette butts in the ocean. We liked the Cracked conch cafe, No Name Pub and Mangrove Mamas. The Mexican food place was not that good. Our picks for best beach was Fort Taylor in Key West. Our best pier was Robbies in Islamorada. Best dessert, chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick. Best snorkel trip was off Bahia Honda. Biggest baraccudas ever; under Sombrero lighthouse; and a bull shark that followed me. They don't tell you about the bull sharks.

Owner response:To paraphrase a wise individual, you can please most of the people most of the time, but not all of the people all of the time. Diamond necklace's name says something about her expectations! She needs a 5 star resort with concierge service so that she can have fresh flowers in her room daily. Without someone living there 52 weeks a year, silk and artificial flowers are the best we can provide for a dash of color. The portacrib and stroller were in good condition when we were last there in May. Sorry if they were abused after that. What more could we do than say go buy new ones and we will reimburse you, which we did! We have about 30 novels in the unit and Chapman's definitive book on seamanship. The local library, has plenty of books on the fish, animals & plants of the Keys. There were a couple dozen CDs including one by James Taylor. There's also a Welcome Book with lots of info on the Keys. Most folks go to the pool for the sun. When diamond necklace bought the new stroller that we paid for, it should have had a cover to protect their child from the sun at the pool. In the last few years, the complex spent almost half million dollars on exterior renovations. There is still some tile replacement work to be done, which should be finished during the summer of 09. The living room TV was new in 2002, but with the tile floors and vertical blinds, the room has a bit of an echo. Our 6 grandchildren, ages 6 and under, have all been at the condo and safe, from as young as 3 months. Kids and parents all had a great time. Yes, you have to watch them. The railings were code when installed, but you can't let small children play there or anywhere else in the world unattended. We usually live with the A/C on when in the Keys, so have seen no need for screens. Diamond necklace is the only guest to find this a problem in the 7 years we have been renting. (We will add one.) But then, she did find the water in the Keys murky too! Yes, after a storm, it takes a few days for things to settle, but we have also had water visibility over 80 ft.depending on the weather (and unfortunately, we can't control that!) We don't promise perfect but most of our guests have had very favorable comments. See the other reviews. We have had numerous repeat visitors and several who sent their friends. Give us a try! Our place is an excellent value at the price. If you require super deluxe be prepared to pay $3000 or more per week and select another spot!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

Great Accomodation

Guest: bees1 (Florencecourt, Northern Ireland)
Date of Stay: 05/19/09 Review Submitted: 05/31/09

We are an Irish family of 4 who having lived in SC for 3 years. We decided to go to Florida to end our time in the US before we travelled back home to Ireland. This accomodation was exactly what we were looking for; close to beautiful beaches and the pool was perfect for the little ones! The condo is very well equipped; we were pleasantly surprised by the choice of reading materials, games, dvd's, beach towels and equipment. We enjoyed sundowners each evening on the balcony, watching the sun set; it was really relaxing. The condo was very clean and well maintained. It really was "home from home" and we would like to thank Janet and Bob for allowing us to use their wonderful condo - we had a fantastic time in Florida. Thank you!!

Owner response:We really appreciate guests who take the time to write a response to share with potential renters. With the economy we are facing in 2009-2010 we try to give our guests a "good value" for their vacation dollar. We hope they will be able to return again and to recommend us to other vacationers. Our new "Welcome Book" in the condo is set up with all kinds of info about the area and the includes numerous discount coupons and sources for additional discounts. Good times and bad, we all need a vacation. Marathon and "Happiness IS" at Gulfpointe is the perfect spot to enjoy your next vacation.

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

Perfect Tranquility

Guest: Perfect Marathon (Hampshire, UK)
Date of Stay: 11/11/08 Review Submitted: 12/02/08

Our stay at Janet and Bob’s condo was wonderful. It was our first time of renting a condo in the Florida Keys and we were most certainly not disappointed. The condo is just lovely, beautifully kept with good decor and furnishings, it is light and airy and when we walked in the door felt so pleased we had found such a perfect place. The condo sits back from Hwy 1 and so you don’t have the sound of the traffic constantly streaming past. The grounds are immaculate and the pool is clean and can be reached a few yards from the condo, it is very quiet and during our particular stay we seemed to be the only people enjoying it, it was great. The condo has a balcony around it and my husband and I enjoyed some lovely warm, balmy evenings with a bottle of merlot watching the pelicans fly home and later the moon rising over the water of the Gulf, it was just so peaceful and a perfect place to unwind on our holiday. There are nearby shops for your grocery needs and a lovely tiki bar and restaurant overlooking the water, walking distance away, which was great as it meant we could just unwind without having to always be getting in the car. There are lovely beaches nearby and at Bahia Honda State park we enjoyed a snorkel trip out to the reef. The price is very reasonable and I would say to anyone who has never experienced this before to try it, it is amazing. It was a fantastic experience and we saw hundreds of small fish, the colours were just jaw dropping, we also saw barracuda, reef shark, turtles and lobster. We enjoyed a day at Key West which was just over an hours drive away, we soaked up some of the colourful evening entertainment and perused the unique individual shops. We are so pleased we rented this condo, it has everything you could wish for, we can’t wait to go back again next year. It would be perfect for anyone from the UK who has not experienced the beauty of the Florida Keys, you will love it.

Owner response:We love going to our condo in the Keys and are always happy to hear that our guests have enjoyed it and the surroundings.

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

The Perfect Place in Marathon

Guest: Marathon fans (Iowa)
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/11/08

Our stay at Gulfpointe couldn't have been better; it was perfect!! There are only 4 units/building so there wasn't a lot of traffic in & out & no noisy neighbors. The view of the gulf is gorgeous from every direction. We snorkeled right behind the condo. The pool is directly across so very convenient plus it was always clean! The grounds are beautiful & well manicured. The location is right off Hwy 1 but behind couple businesses so it's convenient but yet quiet & peaceful. It is a short drive to several nice beachs. Marathon has everything you will need. Good restaurants, 2 nice grocery stores, K-Mart, video rental, lots of chartered boats for snorkeling & diving, great beaches, ocean kayaking, and more. The condo itself was clean & very spacious. Lots of extras in the kitchen which we greatly appreciated. And the beds are newer & very comfortable. Lots of towels for the beach & bath. We'd go back!! It was great!!

Owner response:A satisfied vacationer is our best advertisement! We couldn't have paid anyone for such an all around compliment to our Condo and the area. We vacation at the unit ourselves, sometimes with children and grandkids and we all love it. We are happy to share it, our love of the area, and the water--swimming, the water--boating, the water--fishing and snorkeling, and the beaches with our guests. We have the place equipped with all the "stuff" we want which is probably the same "stuff" our guests are looking for. Come to Gulfpointe II and enjoy!!

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

Guest: Mike Porter
Date of Stay: 06/25/05 Review Submitted: 06/24/05

Thank you for the wonderful place to stay. We had an amazing time seeing all the sights & trying new restaurants. The condo was beautiful & we felt very much at home. Hopefully in the future we can make the trip again. Thanks, Mike, Sharon & the girls!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/12/04 Review Submitted: 12/12/04

We stayed at Janet & Bob’s condo during the summer of ’03. We just wanted to “chill” and it was a perfect place for us—comfortable, relaxing and everything we needed was there. No hassles! We had visited the Keys several times before, and decided that when we retired, we would love to have a get-away somewhere in the area. We made a condo “shopping” trip in ’02 and started looking again in ’03. We looked at complexes from Key Largo thru Islamorada and Key Colony Beach. In the spring of ’04 we had a call from a realtor who lives at Gulfpointe telling us that a unit was coming on the market there and we ultimately bought it! We now own in the same building as Janet & Bob and when our paths cross, we have a drink and celebrate life and sunsets at Gulfpointe. It’s a great spot for a quick get-away, or if you are lucky enough to be able to—to spend the winter season. Give it a try and we think you’ll fall for Gulfpointe too!Janet C. New Jersey

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/04 Review Submitted: 12/11/04

We stayed at Janet & Bob’s condo during the summer of ’03. We just wanted to “chill” and it was a perfect place for us—comfortable, relaxing and everything we needed was there. No hassles! We had visited the Keys several times before, and decided that when we retired, we would love to have a get-away somewhere in the area. We made a condo “shopping” trip in ’02 and started looking again in ’03. We looked at complexes from Key Largo thru Islamorada and Key Colony Beach. In the spring of ’04 we had a call from a realtor who lives at Gulfpointe telling us that a unit was coming on the market there and we ultimately bought it! We now own in the same building as Janet & Bob and when our paths cross, we have a drink and celebrate life and sunsets at Gulfpointe. It’s a great spot for a quick get-away, or if you are lucky enough to be able to—to spend the winter season. Give it a try and we think you’ll fall for Gulfpointe too! Janet C. New Jersey

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