Wonderful place to relax!

Guest: Sidekick (Sanford, Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 08/10/09

My family had a wonderful time enjoying all the amenities offered with this rental. Kayaking right out of the back yard, biking to the beach, relaxing in the pool, or just watching one of many movies provided was great! The kitchen was well stocked ,plently of linens were available,and many little extras to enjoy during your stay. The location,if you are not familiar with New Smryna, is the best. You are centrally located on the island, but tucked away for some quiet private time. We hope to coordinate our families schedules to enable us to visit again soon!

Owner response:We are glad you guys had a good time! Come visit us again sometime soon! Laurie & Larry

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

Great Beach, Wonderful Town

Guest: Vicki (Chapin, SC)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/20/12

The owners were wonderful answering our questions and helping us to plan our fishing excursion. New Smyrna was a beautiful, quaint town, with a gorgeous beach. Our family rented this house for the Christmas holiday - the location of the home was great, close to the beach, close to town and close to fishing. However....the pool was great, but the heater was very loud, making it difficult to leave the patio doors open. The master bedroom was too small for a king sized bed. The bed was up against the wall and the inside person had to crawl over a large wooden foot board to get out of the bed or crawl over the person next to them On the other side of the bed, there was a little over 12 inches of floor space between the dresser and the king sized bed. The bedroom was also dimly lit, making it impossible to read in bed. The TV was in the closet, making the useable closet space pretty small. The kitchen was not well equipped - there were only small frying pans - not large enough to make pancakes and bacon for breakfast. There was only one pot to cook dinner with. Also, the microwave is installed in the wall above the stove - if you are cooking on the stove top and have to use the microwave at the same time - you risk burning your arms. The doors on both refrigerators did not close tightly unless you pushed on them. One refrigerator did not have handles on it. There were enough dishes for five, therefore we ran out of dishes each day after breakfast. The bath towels were old, worn and mismatched. The house is in a great location - with some renovations and TLC it could be a great vacation bungalow.

Owner response: Thank you for your feedback. We would love the opportunity to address your comments: Our pool heater is optional, and is usually requested during our mild winter months. The electric pool heater is loud (if your on the deck) and necessary to heat larger size pools. In order to heat the pool rapidly, it can be set to run on a constant basis, to run only at night or specific times that you prefer to minimize the sound. Because it is an older home, the bedrooms are small. We do limit the amount of guests do to space. We tried to maximize as much space as possible and knew that most people prefer a king sized bed. The dresser is large, and we are considering putting a smaller dresser to fit the space better. Yes, the TV is in the closet on top of a narrow dresser. We thought this was a good way to utilize space and allow room on left and right to hang clothes. There are at least 13 good size drawer space to put all those folded beach clothes in. Yes, it is dim (at night) in the master bedroom. We will change the light fixture out to something brighter. There are currently two lamps and a ceiling light. The kitchen has as many appliances, utensils, as we could think of. We will add a large frying pan, additional pots, a new dish set (to replace broken ones) and any special requests. It is common to have a microwave elevated above the stove. This was to save counter space. I would suggest folks microwave what they need first,and then cook on the stove after. We attempted to replace the fridge in the kitchen with the extra stainless one, but the cabinet was too low to fit. So, until we can renovate the entire kitchen (one day) including all new appliances, we figured an extra fridge would come in handy for all the extra fish you catch!! The handles of the extra fridge lost a few screws in the move, and we will we find something that fits. Both open easily and work fine. The fridge in the kitchen does need to be pushed closed for a nice seal. Bath towels will fluctuate in being worn or mismatched. We had all matching Egyptian cotton, and things just happen (people take/people leave), so they are replaced often. We will review inventory in between renters to provide the best we can. Again, we appreciate your feedback. We take pride in our home and know that we can always use updates and improvements. All our best, Laurie and Larry

Recommended for:

Best Vacation Ever

Guest: Susie L.
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/09/11

This home had everything you needed. The pool was the perfect temperature, great toys were provided and it was great for a 5 year old kid and adults. The hot tub was nice. The fishing dock was great. It was comfortable and we caught many fishes. The canoe was fun to ride and the river was nice. The neighborhood was quite and everyone we ran into was so polite. Laurie was great. Very helpful via email. The house was comfortable. A lot of space to play and hang out. The beds were comfortable. The kitchen was fully stocked. The house was great and it was better than we hoped for. We definitely recommend this house.

Owner response:We are so glad you enjoyed your stay! It is also our home away from home and we are happy to share this special place with others. Enjoy the rest of your summer and please come visit again anytime! All Our Best, Laurie & Larry

Recommended for:Families with young children.

I LOVED this place - want to Buy it!!!!

Guest: suzie, the writer (Ohio)
Date of Stay: 10/04/10 Review Submitted: 01/22/11

I don't know where to begin about how fantastic this rental home is - the view out the back is just unbelievable - a gorgeous inlet of the Indian River ( where fish Really are jumping All the time - huge fish - I have never fished before in my life, and the first time, just with some string and bait I got a bite every single time I dropped it in the water! And the dock is terrific) - beyond the inlet is a vista of little channels and tropical islands, where you see egrets landing and over which the sun sets every night - sometimes looked like Africa, sometimes like an dreamy Asian somewhere...The Pool is Fabulous - beautiful blue, with water shadows dancing along the wall of house and geckos running up the screens during the day, and at night moon and stars above. The colors of the house make you feel like you are in the Bahamas - the owners just have wonderful taste, and there are so many beautiful touches that just make you feel Happy. Lastly, I just must note how Amazing the the owners of this house are - Larry and Laurie - they are completely available to you for any questions,etc. you might have and are just beyond friendly - I could not have hoped for a better experience, and am planning/ hoping on renting this house again.

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

New Smyrna: Surf, Scuba, Paradise!

Guest: Deborah G. (Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/11/10 Review Submitted: 12/20/10

Guests for a week during September 2010 and had an incredible time. Owner even gave my husband a private surfing lesson. House was beautiful and had the most comfortable bed we ever slept on away from home. Pool was amazing and we enjoyed catching fish off the dock and out on the canoe. Clean, meticulously maintained and beautifully appointed. Conveniently located in the center of everything you want to do while on a Flordia vacation. We would definitely recommend this property. Thanks Laurie and Larry for a memorable holiday week!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Nice holiday!

Guest: Acire (Sweden, Stockholm)
Date of Stay: 11/05/09 Review Submitted: 11/28/09

We spent 2 weeks in New Smyrna and the beach house, we had a nice holiday, the house was wery cozy. We and our kids spent much time in the pool and hot tub, and it was just 15 minutes walk to the beach. The dock was perfect for some fishing. New Smyrna is a nice little town and hopefully we come back some time. Don´t forget to bring your mosquito repellent. If you think the pool is cold, ask the owners to heat it for a weekly fee. The house is perfect for family with children. Family from Sweden

Recommended for:People with disabilities, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

It felt like home

Guest: 14manatee (Frederick, MD)
Date of Stay: 12/27/08 Review Submitted: 01/06/09

Our family of four enjoyed this house for five days and wish we had time to stay longer. There is so much to do here - swim in the ocean or pool, surf, ride bikes, canoe, fish, visit the Kennedy Space Center, Blue Springs State Park, New Smyrna Beach, enjoy the hot tub, etc. We made our meals in the well equipped kitchen so that the children could spend more time in the pool. The house is stocked with all the things you need - pool toys, beach chairs, bikes, canoe, fishing rods, everything. It is a well furnished place, kept very clean, lots of space to put away clothes so you don't need to live out of your suitcase. The neighborhood is quiet and friendly, but is also only a short bike ride from the beach and grocery stores. Its only a 3.4 mile bike ride to Canaveral National Seashore and the biking is safe. There is a paved bike path close by that you can take north to New Smyrna Beach area. This is a great house for a family. We arrived via auto train in Sanford, which is only about an hour away.

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

Family vacation

Guest: Giarcs (New Freedom Pa)
Date of Stay: 12/19/08 Review Submitted: 12/29/08

We stayed there a week and the place is beautiful. It is down on the lower end of New Smyrna near the park ( turtle mound) where the beaches are more private and quiet. Beach acess is within walking distance a few blocks away across Atlantic Ave on Watts St. Great jogging onthe beach! The house is about 30 years old but updated, and well cared for, located on a quiet street newer homes in the 500K range. There is a heated pool and hot tub. Grocery ( Food Lion) store is 1.5 miles away.Nicely deocrated. Everything you need is there. A Great Place!

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/20/07

What a great find! Very cozy and well kept. We'll be back with our flats boat. The boat ramp is only two houses away. The fishing was great off the dock, can't wait to hit the intercoastal waterway.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/02/07

Our family is in love with this house!! This was our second stay in your gorgeous beach house and certainly won't be our last. We rode bikes on the beach each morning and then splashed in the waves with our 3 year old. Then back to the house for a swim in the impeccably maintained pool. Afterward, we read books, we talked, we laughed. Just lots of family bonding and reconnecting. This home is beautifully appointed and provides every conceivable amenity. The owners have clearly put a great deal of thought into every detail. The house is extremely child-friendly yet still feels like a respite for adults. It is a little slice of heaven and we are already planning our next escape to New Smyrna. It's our favorite "get away".

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