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Carpe' Diem Heart of the Fl. Keys Specials

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The Best Bang for your Buck in the Fabulous Florida Keys! Locally owned 26 yrs!
Gardian of the front gardens and all sailors at sea.
As alway we try to keep the drinks cold & the sun shining!
Mirrored sun mural off spa lights red at night while you relax in the spa.
Carpe' Diem Sail on down to relaxs where the sunsets are alway beatiful.

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Direct access to beach
  • Hot tub on site
  • Onsite parking available
  • Dogs and cats allowed
  • Kitchen
  • Washer

Explore the area

View in a map
Marathon, FL
  • Place, Crane Point Museum and Nature Center
    ‪12 min walk‬
  • Place, Boot Key Harbor
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Florida Keys Country Club
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Airport, Marathon, FL (MTH-Florida Keys Marathon)
    ‪2 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Carpe' Diem Heart of the Fl. Keys Specials

****Hi Y’all, Connie here your owner/ hostess at Carpe’Diem Marathon Florida Keys. I are still accepting weekly reservations for summer/winter 2024/25 Seasons with some great specials throughout the year with reduced limited acceptance of no more than 4 guests at any time. My decision to do so after being one of the very first licensed vacation homes over 20 years ago was made not only as an extra safety measure but to ensure our guests have ample room to relax and enjoy our home during your stay. Please remember the number of guests you list at time of booking are the number of guests we are expecting upon your arrival, no exception without contacting us before your arrival date once your stay has been confirmed. As all our past guest know we will always try to accommodate that last minute requests when Grandma or your Grandchild decides to join in the fun. Please just contact us in advance so arrangements can be made. We would like to thank all our guests that have traveled down to visit our home and taking the time to leave your fantastic reviews in the past , summer season 2023 We are so happy y’all were able to enjoy not only our home but our beautiful island chain.**** Thank You All Again!

Carpe'Diem is located in the Heart of the Fl.Keys on the Ocean Side.
Mile Marker 50.3 on the island of Marathon. The style of our home is a ground level classic Conch home featuring just a couple steps both in the front entrance and out to the deck/dock area. This is a feature that has all but disappeared on our islands due to building codes therefore it is one of the few making it great for both children and seniors not to mention not having to carry everything up and down a flight of stairs. That was one of our primary reasons for opening our vacation rental at this location and speaking of locations we are located in in the middle of everything. A direct access canal to the Great Atlantic and minutes to the beach, transit service, shopping and fine dining. Being in the middle of our island chain makes easy to take advantage of exploring all our beautiful islands from a central location. Our home has been extensively updated and is absolutely beautiful and we look forward to welcoming back both old and new friends that suffer from the need to enjoy all the many beauties, relaxations, and warmth the Fl. Keys has to offer for all ages. As you can see we are already booking for the winter seasons and we have some wonderful weeks open plus once again they are calling for a early long cold winter so we hope to hear from you all soon if you are thinking of coming down to play by the sea in the sun. Our rates as you can see are very competitive for our amenities and we do have an insurance policy included in your final cost to protect against any unforeseen accidents that may occur during your stay however if not needed upon your departure it is refunded. .We do offer a really deep hurricane gamblers dicounts we offer starting in Sept and running through November for those of you with a brave heart. Please remember if we all have to evacuate or we are already gone on your Hurricane reserved week we all lose and there are NO REFUNDS. As always we have your keys to the Keys awaiting your arrival and thanks once again to all our many friends for your continued visits to our hide away in Marathon over the past 20 some years.
Remember to always contact us or book your dates early as island time openings are here today and booked tomorrow! We always keep the sun shinning and the drinks cold down here by the sea side!

For all who are thinking of visiting our island home let us tell you alittle about it.
We love to welcome our guests with our lovely island decore!
Our island hide away is a 3 bedroom, 2 full bath, ground level duplex home that features 50 foot of furnished dock which includes a six person spa tub and gas grill. Our dock also has the convienance of a step down feature for easy loading and unloading of your boat and is on a direct access canal to the Great Atlantic. We invite one and all to enjoy the beautiful water of the Keys when coming to boat fish and dive however please keep in mind that neither the Atlantic or Gulf waters are like any lakes you may be an accomplished sportsman on. They both require an experienced and safety minded boater to navigate it’s many obstacles, sand bars and remember a free online open water ocean safe boater courses are available and recommended for both old and new boaters before venturing out on what we call “The Big Water”

Our home features tile floors throughout the living room,lanai and kitchen areas with carpeted bedrooms. Our bedrooms have a king bed in the master, queen bed in one guest room and full bed in the other.
Our master bedroom has a beautiful screened in furnished lanai to relax on over looking the canal and it's bath features a seated shower encloser. The guest bath has both shower and tub which is located off main living room area.
You will love our kitchen which features a extra large refrigerator freezer,dishwasher,micro wave, electric stove with oven, coffee pot, 4 slice toaster, air fryer and instapot/slow cooker along with Rachel Ray cookware, fully stocked spice rake and round dining table with rectangular dining out on the deck. Enjoy setting the table either in the house or on the dock with our beautiful island tableware even if you did just call one of our many fine dining establishments for carry out. However, if you do choose to cook it's all there for you to use.

There are so many ways to arrive on our islands so may we just suggest a few:
You may want to fly into Ft. Myers and consider taking the four hour cruise across the beautiful Gulf of Mexico on the Fast Cat which runs out of Ft. Myers Beach to Key West. Everyone agrees this is a wonderful way to arrive and the view is breath taking as you zip along with the dolphins where the water meets the sky.
However you may also choose to fly into either Miami or Key West where rental cars are available or if you choose not to do the driving you may catch the Keys shuttle or coach service to our lovely island hide away.
Once you are on our island chain, we now have our new public shuttle service which allows you to island hop in both direction for as little as $3.00 round trip. This allows you to relax and enjoy all the islands of the fabulous Flordia Keys and Yes, we do still have our local cab service that will take you and your guest anywhere on our island of Marathon for the small fee of $10.00 a trip per car load.
The Flordia Keys are one of America's most beautiful gifts to all mankind and a life style experiance we hope to share with all of you. Come on down and take a relaxing break on island time at our much loved Carpe’Diem in Marathon hideaway.
So take advantage our always low prices and all the amenities our home and island chain have to offer you as our guests! Don't just go down South to visit, Go All The Way Down South and be our guests at Carpe’Diem in the Fabulous Fl. Keys.
See Ya Soon!
Until than: Remember to Seize The Day wherever you may be!

NOTICE*****
Saturday to Saturday Arrivals Only

Thank you for stopping by and your interest.
Carpe'Diem Vacation Rental
Owner / Agents - Constance Merando
PBR 2011-00081
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

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About the neighborhood

Marathon

Located in Marathon, this cottage is on the waterfront. Florida Keys Country Club and Captain Hooks Marina and Dive Center are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Sombrero Beach and Curry Hammock State Park. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and cave exploring.
Map
Marathon, FL

What's nearby

  • Crane Point Museum and Nature Center - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Boot Key Harbor - 2 min drive - 1.7 km
  • Florida Keys Country Club - 2 min drive - 2.0 km
  • Sombrero Beach - 5 min drive - 4.4 km
  • Seven Mile Bridge - 10 min drive - 11.1 km

Getting around

  • Marathon, FL (MTH-Florida Keys Marathon) - 2 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Brass Monkey - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Mr. Beans Books & Beans - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Wendy's - ‬17 min walk
  • ‪Roco's Dockside bar & grill - ‬4 min drive

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 104 out of 151 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 26 out of 151 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 151 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 151 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 151 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.0/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Denise M.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Connie the host was excellent! Attended to our every need. Location is ideal. Nice quiet neighborhood. Very well supplied with extra items. Towels, beach chairs. Toiletries, etc.Perfect for fishermen!A lovely vacation
Stayed 14 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dianne H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Host was extremely welcoming. Unit was very nicely decorated and well equipped.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on Jan 31, 2026
Thank you so much for choosing my property Carpe’Diem and your wonderful 5 star review. I am so glad yall enjoyed yourselves even though the weather was not the greatest but know it was better than 40 below shoveling snow and that’s why we love it! Besides how often do ya get to see the manatees in fur coats. Looking forward to your return and don’t forget Charlie next year!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shannon T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Connie communicated day of areival via text may tumes to provide direction, and unit was ready. Our arrival was in the evening, so she left lights on and keys in the table. The place was beautiful and exactly as described. We loved being on the canal, saw lots of wildlife evey morning as we had breakfast wating the iguanas and manatees. We went ti the local store for groceries before arriving at the rental, only to find others had left a few staples behind. Thankfully there were coffee filters! Connie was very attentive to our questions and needs. We had a great time and highly recommend this quaint, quite gem and plan to stay again next time we visit. If you stay, definitely check out Crane Point!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

erin b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Connie was the best host, she provided helpful information about the area and had the place open and inviting when we showed up. The ac was struggling and she had someone out there that day to fix it.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eileen R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Connie made everything seamless from start to finish. Saw manatees off the deck!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on Feb 9, 2026
Just so glad y’all enjoyed your stay and even though the weather wasn’t the greatest sure was better than 40 below and y’all enjoyed every minute coming from the great white north it had to feel like springtime! Looking forward to your return!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

William B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Connie was great, really enjoyed meeting and talking to her. We had Manatees every day in the canal, anywhere from Mom and baby to seven one evening. Great original old keys charm and layout. All on one floor, no climbing stairs. We really enjoyed the week.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on Jan 27, 2026
Thanks so much for your honest review. I am so glad you enjoyed your visit & y’all found everything to your liking as I do try to still offer my guests a clean safe quiet base with that old Keys charm at reasonable rates. The manatees swam by to visit but seemed to know they had missed ya and am sure both they & I look forward to your return visits in the future.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeana O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Had a wonderful time here! We had everything we needed and enjoyed the screened lanai and back deck. Even had a visit from some friendly manatees. It was comfortable and plenty of room for 2 couples and one fur baby. It was a quiet street ad convenient to the gas station, grocery, great food, beach, etc. We will stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Judy L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had our pet, rooms were good size & beds were comfortable, water pressure was good also for showers, kitchen was fully stocked, more than I expected, tvs in 4 rooms thruout, the hot tub was a bonus, convenient location to grocery store & pharmacy. We enjoyed our stay , too bad they don’t have 6 stars for a review but this may qualify
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

john f.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice Times

Really enjoyed our stay. Nice home, great location good times...
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Gregg S.

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We left after 3 days and we presently have a case filed for our filthy experience. Not cleaned, mold, and the final straw was cockroaches. This place shouldnt be rented to anyone. Never going back.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marc W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location!

Nice little cottage on a canal! Perfect for boaters!!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on Apr 8, 2025
Thanks ever so much and hope to see y’all in our island chain again in the future! Take care kids!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Claudia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun week in Marathon

House was conviently located to all fun places and great food on land as well as In the water. Great place to visit.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rick D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A little getaway

It was a nice place to relax and enjoy the great weather we had!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Adam D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just what we were looking for

Easy check-in, great location, plenty of space, great dock, pets allowed, house was as described, awesome hosts… what more could I say! would definitely stay again.
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Linda W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect location

The home was in a perfect location. Had everything we needed.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2020
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 21, 2020
Thanks y’all Glad you had a great time!
Verified

8/10 Good

Barbara W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Keys Holiday

Good location. Eclectic property
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Darrell S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place great hosting

Excellent
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on Jul 5, 2022
Now these guys were here to fish for 2 weeks! They came with a beautiful big twin engine go fast boat named Bull Headed which went out each evening with a professional crew that returned in the wee hours of the morning loaded with numerous types of fish! Although they slept durning the day they were kind enough to share their catch with us and I thank them! Those boys not only enjoyed their sport and had perfected it they were living the dream! I know some great memories and stories were made for y’all out on the Big Water! Thanks not only for the enjoyable conversations but the fantastic way y’all left our home upon your departure! Know you will alway be welcome to come back to Carpe’Diem with your flying circus!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Convenient Location and Great Host

The house is convenient to restaurants and beaches. Connie was very welcoming and most important for me, she welcomed my dog.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on Feb 26, 2024
Thanks John for your reservation and just LOVE those doodle dogs and so glad you brought yours down to play with y’all in the sun and surf! Very special , great traveling companion!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tonya H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great for family trip!

Our family spent two weeks over the holidays at Carpe Diem. Great location! Well equipped with everything you need. Connie was an excellent host!
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

4/10 Poor

Faye B.

Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Don’t be “lured” in by this VRBO

Fishing cabin at best
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Phil L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great guys trip!

This property is perfect for a guys fishing trip. We had a great time with everything we needed. Thanks Connie.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

William M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise in Marathon

This property is a great place to stay. It is convenient to everything in Marathon. The property is well kept and clean with excellent beds. Plus there's a canal right out the back door with fish, manatees, and of course iguanas. We highly recommend this property!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eric F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation to remember

Great property on a very good location. Easy access to open water. Comfortable house. Plenty of amenities. Great dock with super easy boat access.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2020
Response from VrboOwner on Apr 6, 2020
Thank you all so much, We enjoyed having you and your friends down and the way you left our home on your departure was fantastic. Like I said please feel free to come down any time and play. Connie & Captain Rick
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Worked great for our family for the week

The house was nice and the kitchen was very well stocked so we could easily cook for the week. Connie was an excellent host and we would stay here again if we head to Marathon again.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

William J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Happy

Everything was fine, well equipped kitchen.convenient to restaurants and shopping. Happy with my stay,
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023
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