Vacation Rentals by Owner

Special "Sunrise House"

Guest: Phishy Grandma (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 02/01/12 Review Submitted: 03/02/12

Our February stay was delightful. The house was spacious and comfortable for us and several friends who visited during the month. The owners have thoughtfully provided basic consumables, and useful suggestions for enjoying the area. The location is just the best--practically across the street from a nice Winn-Dixie, Mariner's Hospital, a movie theater, and one of the best Chinese restaurants we've tried. Islamorada with its galleries and wonderful restaurants is only 15 minutes away. Our favorites: Lazy Days for casual lunch or dinner, and Pierre's for that very special welcome or farewell dinner. We enjoyed fishing off the dock (squid worked better than frozen shrimp), sunning on the "beach", and morning walks through the pleasant neighborhood. On the recommedation of the tackle shop at Tavernier Marina, we were able to find a terrific charter captain for backcountry fishing, and enjoyed several trips through the mangroves and across the gorgeous turquoise flats. Best of all, watching the sun come up as we luxuriated with our coffee on the wide, pleasant oceanfront porch. Thanks to Paula and Kevin for going out of their way to make our stay carefree and relaxing!

Owner response:Dear Pamela, Wow - what great tips you have shared for others to enjoy. Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review. Come back soon! paula

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

Gary

Guest: Gary (Ft Lauderdale, Fl.)
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/14/11

My wife and I had the house for all of August, 2011 and had our boat right out on the dock. What a great view to wake up to every morning! We had some weekend guests and I enjoyed watching their faces as they walked in to see the amazing Great Room with the high open-beam ceilings and the view out to the water! The open plan made it great while making meals so that we all could stay in touch. The guests enjoyed their own "privacy" due to the split plan of the bedrooms and we enjoyed the privacy of the Master Suite. The house is very well located with some great places within walking distance such as the Cuban grocery store/restaurant as well as the new, "Cafe Mokka" right next door. Our overflow guests really enjoyed staying at the Historic Tavernier Inn, also within easy walking distance. The Tavernier Center is but a half mile away and has restaurants, a theater, Post-Office, shops, a CVS, McDonald's, Winn-Dixie, bar/pub and a nice liquor store. How convenient! We enjoyed many great meals at Lazy Days, Snapper's, Mrs Mac's, WorldWide Sportsman, Boardwalk Pizza as well as two restaurants in Tavernier Center. The Chinese restaurant there will deliver! We were able to dive up four lobsters as well as bringing home a nice Grouper. What a feast we enjoyed that night! The verandah is just wonderful! Jenn logged many relaxing hours in the hammock either snoozing or reading. We usually had a nice breeze in the afternoons and evenings coming in off the ocean. It was also very fun to have our "own" island (Tavernier Key) right there in Tavernier Harbor to look at each day! The house is a few blocks off US 1 and the neighborhood is very quiet. Great for nice walks too. The house is very well supplied and equipped, very neat and clean and was ready on time. Having everything on one "level" was wonderful! Closing up and "moving out" was also simple. The owners were always available via just a phone call or email. I cannot Recommend renting this house enough!

Owner response:Thanks so much Gary and Jenn! It was a pleasure hosting your stay and we appreciate your helpful list of tips to others visiting the area.

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

Serene and sensational

Guest: mary ann g. (Pocono Lake PA)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 05/06/11

Although Paula and Kevin did a great job with their pictures, they couldn't compare to what we walked into. Spectacular view of the Atlantic with lots of windows to enjoy the view. We met the neighbors on both sides and they were very nice. The deck was completely private which I loved and my 9 yr. old grandson went directly into the water with his snorkeling gear the moment he arrived. We were very fortunate to have the best weather for our stay. Being Pennsylvanians, we were quite surprised (and delighted) that CVS and Winn Dixie sold beer and wine. Everything was so convenient with fast food, ice cream parlor, Pier I, movie theater, and dollar store just a hop, skip and a jump. My daughters (both adults) said "this was a vacation of a lifetime"

Owner response:Thanks so much for pointing out how convenient we are to nearby shopping - everyone LOVES that! See you again, soon!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

A wonderful vacation home!!!

Guest: alice (Fairfax, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 12/03/10 Review Submitted: 02/09/11

We had such a great time staying at Paula and Kevin's house. The house was very clean when we arrived with a book detailing the house and all of the local spots to hit. There were 5 of us ranging in the ages of 41 and 75 all had a blast. The Tolly's couldn't have been more helpful in planning this vacation. Although I had been to the Keys, I was unfamiliar with this area and they helped guide us in where to sightsee, eat and relax. The house was plenty big for all of us to have our own space yet feel like we shared a great vacation together. The weather turned quite cold for us(50-60 degrees) so we weren't able to take advantage of the beach and pier as much as we would have liked but there was so much to do within 5-10 miles everyday. In the evenings, there were board games at the house to play and of course the indoor swing made for quite a few laughs. Even my 70 and 75 year old aunts enjoyed it and we have quite a few pictures to remind them. The first 4 days were very warm so we could fish on the pier(barracuda, grouper, flounder and a very small permit) and at night there were tons of lobsters under the pier you could spot with the flashlight. If you are lucky enough to sleep in the master bedroom or the 2nd bedroom off of the back porch, you will wake up to a sunrise that literally takes your breath away. My cousin made it a point to be up at 6am every morning to snap lots and lots of pictures. As my aunt put it, "it was a trip of a lifetime." We will definitely be back next year!!!

Owner response:Thanks, Alice! We appreciate your comments very much and look forward to hosting you again soon!

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

Great house!

Guest: Van (Lakeland Florida)
Date of Stay: 11/06/10 Review Submitted: 11/15/10

Very comfortable, well laid out and beautifully decorated home. Beautiful clear water with dock for larger boats, and a shallow area for kayak launching. Nice quiet neighborhood for dog walking. Couldn't have been happier!

Owner response:Thanks, Van! We appreciate your kind comments and look forward to having you back!

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

Relax in the breeze

Guest: Michael T. (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/08/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

The home was clean, well appointed and the open floor plan is perfect for cooking and socializing at the same time. The floor to ceiling windows provided great natural light (a bit much as the sun was rising - so bring some eye covers if you want to sleep late). The location is convenient to great restaurants and stores, yet you feel that you are far away from the normal rush of life. The owners are very courteous and truly want their guests to enjoy their stay. The dock made for a great place to relax, snorkel and enjoy the ocean breeze.

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

Memorial Day 2010

Guest: Anthony, Vera, Steve, Christal, Paul, Lanie & Ruby (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/28/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

My wife and I along with another 2 couples decided to head down to the Keys for a few days over Memorial day weekend 2010. I can honestly say it might have been one of our best trips ever. The house is beautiful, every detail has been well thought out and is just perfect. The decor was amazing, nothing you would expect to see in a rental home, from the real Tommy Bahama chairs to some of the artwork which I'm sure costs thousands $. The house is truly amazing, the views are breathtaking from every room, really anywhere on the property. The most convenient location Ive ever had while in the keys. Saw a few lobster while snorkeling, saw a few tarpon while hanging out on the dock. I cant wait to book another trip to the house.

Owner response:Thanks, Tony! We're so glad that things worked out for your last minute stay. We hope to have you back again soon. The hammock will be waiting!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent stay!

Guest: Timonier (Kensington, MD)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/22/10

We stayed at this fabulous oceanfront home during our three kids' (mostly teens) Spring break. The owners could not have been more responsive and accommodating. The house is a top-shelf architectural and interior design tour de force. The kids report that their favorite things were (in no particular order) the private dock for sunning, the hammock, the kayaks (five stars), and the porch furniture. A delightful, relaxing and fulfilling vacation was had by all. Please consider this exceptional property and rent with confidence!

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

Guest: Leeanne Cook (United States)
Date of Stay: 08/16/09 Review Submitted: 08/16/09

This house is a wonderful retreat with beautiful views, great ocean access and was perfect for our week away with friends. The dock was very secure for our boat, even with the approaching storm and windy evenings. The house is equipt with everything you need and very spacious. The porch was perfect for relaxing day and night! Very nice and quiet neighborhood.. Convenient to walk to restaurants, grocery anything you need. Highly recommended, we hope to return in the future!!

Owner response:Thanks, Leeanne for your comments. I'm sure others will find this helpful! paula

Recommended for:

Lobster Season stay

Guest: Sara L. (Jacksonville, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

We had a great vacation and this house was a wonderful location for boating. We had five adults and two boats and had a wonderful time. The third bedroom would definitly be better suited for kids as it was slightly smaller than the others but it worked for the one adult we had staying there. The kitchen had everything we needed and we enjoyed spending the afternoons relaxing on the balcony watching the beautiful view. It was a great location to boat from as it took no time to get to great spots in the bay or ocean side for fishing or diving. I do have to say though that we were disappointed there was no hammock on the balcony. We were looking forward to relaxing in the breeze...but we were still able to do that just fine on the spacious porch. The porch was my favorite part of the house. It was the perfect place to spend time together or relax with a book. We went to Wahoos for dinner and we were not thrilled. It was very pricey and had a very smal menu. Also dirty. But we would recommend Jimmy Johnsons Big Chill in Key Largo. This place was also on the exspensive side but we ate their twice and had great food. It had the best key lime pie I have ever had. Also the tiki bar there was a great place to hang out and have a drink on Friday night.

Owner response:Thanks, Jason and Sara. Sorry the hammock was broken and had to be replaced. We'll save you the best seat in the house next time!

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

Guest: Randy and Debbie Stabenow (Overland Park, Kansas)
Date of Stay: 06/16/09 Review Submitted: 06/16/09

Our family had a wonderful time at the Yellow house (I think they must have painted it recently). We experienced beautiful sunrises and glorious sun all day. We saw sharks, baracuda and manta rays swimming right under the dock. The kayaks made it great to explore. We would recommend this home to anyone that wants to have a view and a close connection to the ocean. Randy and Debbie Stabenow

Owner response:Thank you Randy & Debbie!

Recommended for:

Guest: Tamara G. (Miami, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/23/09 Review Submitted: 05/23/09

My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful stay in the Tolly's beautiful home in Tavernier. The home is ideally located on a quiet street with magnificent vistas to the Atlantic Ocean. The covered veranda was a wonderful place to enjoy meals, read a book and enjoy the sounds of the water and seagulls. Stargazing at night was also a treat. The home is well equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay. Paula Tolly was wonderful to work with and very accommodating. Our only regret was that we couldn’t stay longer!

Owner response:Thanks, Michelle! We hope to have you back to the keys again soon!

Recommended for:

A Beautiful and Comfortable Family Home.

Guest: Britoverseas (Jacksonville, FL)
Date of Stay: 03/13/09 Review Submitted: 03/18/09

My family and I enjoyed a fabulous long weekend in this very comfortable beach house. The house was very well equipped, clean, spacious and welcoming. It is set off a nice quite road with friendly neighbours. Six of us stayed and had lots of room. My kids (7 and 3) thought the house was fantastic with a large indoor swing, safe beach area to play on and rocks to explore in the water. There were also books, games, videos and DVDs for young children. There are a lot of steps though for the old or very young but a stair gate was provided should you need it. I was comfortable with my 3 year old running around freely. The owner telephoned to check everything was ok and was very friendly and helpful. The house provided and ideal location to explore further south along the Keys or further north to the Everglades - which we did. Everything we needed was there or nearby. We had no problems with the house at all apart from not wanting to leave!

Owner response:Thank you for your helpful comments - I'm sure this will be a big help for those visiting our site.

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/11/09

We so enjoyed our stay in the Keys. The house was absolutely beautiful. It had all the amenities that we needed to have a nice relaxing stay. The neighborhood was nice too. The people were all so friendly. I loved the french doors, the hammack, the dock and the view! We even kayak'd out to the island and back - that was a workout!! Told all my friends about it and I hope to be able to go again in the near future!! Thanks for everything!

Owner response:Thanks, Karen for your kind comments!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/25/09

My sister and I stayed in the Tolly home for a (way too short) weekend to celebrate my birthday. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this house! The home is alive with sunshine! The master suite is wonderful! And the Victorian tub is a dream. The privacy and size of the decks made us feel like we were in our own private hideaway. The kayaking was safe and offered easy and challenging choices. We are hoping to come back for a longer stay and bring our families with us next time! We both would highly recommend this home!

Owner response:thank you so much fo you ecent stay! We appreciate you business! paula

Recommended for:

Wonderful vacation home

Guest: Swim family (Memphis, TN)
Date of Stay: 12/22/08 Review Submitted: 01/13/09

This home was wonderfully appointed and in an idyllic location. The facility was exactly as described and close to shopping and Founder's Park, where 3 of my children swam twice a day. The sunrises, which could be viewed from two of the bedrooms and the back porch and deck, were spectacular, and a great way to wake up each morning. On the final day of our stay a school of dolphin swam by the dock to the pleasure of our entire family. The Tolley's were easy to deal with and we would certainly recommend staying here if the opportunity should arise. I cannot say enough good things, and the nice home made a good vacation great. Our only regret was having to return to the colder midsouth.

Owner response:We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you have a chance to return! paula

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/26/08

Our entire family thank the Tolly's so much for sharing their beautiful home and spot in the Keys. The house & views were absolutely beautiful. Also the 10 pages of info that we received before our visit really helped make every perfect.

Owner response:Thank you, Phyllis, for your comments. We look forward to welcoming you and your family back again in the future! paula

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Our experience

Guest: Sullivan (Conway, NH)
Date of Stay: 04/22/08 Review Submitted: 06/03/08

This is a tastefully decorated, comfortable, spacious residence with an outstanding view and quiet neighborhood. Owners and managers were extremely helpful and courteous - one of the best vacation rentals my family has ever stayed in.

Owner response:Thank you, Ginny, for your recent review! We appreciate your business and look forward to welcoming your family in the future. We are planning several upgrades for our new visitors - coming soon! paula

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

Tranquil Oceanfront Retreat!

Guest: C.J. (Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/09/07 Review Submitted: 04/11/08

This oceanfront home has breathtaking sunrises and magnificent views. Tranquility and peace abound! There is a spacious and private deck on which to relax with a good book. It's also a fun place to snorkel, kayak or fish. The interior of the home is spacious, with a large open-concept great room / kitchen overlooking the ocean. During our stay, all basic essentials were provided and the home was very clean and well maintained. We found things to be exactly as advertised. The owners are extremely helpful and are more than willing to answer any questions you may have. It's easy to walk to groceries, movie theatre, bookstore, hospital, etc. Other great restaurants are easily accessible by car. This is a great spot for a peaceful getaway. Highly recommended!

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