Unwind in the top-rated pool, your perfect spot for relaxation.
On-site fitness centre
A rare find - enjoy convenient access to fitness facilities during your stay.
Discover nearby landmarks
Walk to Windmark Beach
3 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 9
Popular amenities
Swimming pool
Hot tub on site
Onsite parking available
Kitchen
Washing machine
Air-conditioning
Explore the area
Port St Joe, FL
beach near Butler Bay Road
Place, beach near Butler Bay Road
9 min walk
beach near Windmark Way
Place, beach near Windmark Way
12 min walk
Windmark Beach
Place, Windmark Beach
16 min walk
Rooms & beds
3 bedrooms (sleeps 9)
Bedroom 1
1 King Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 3
3 Single Beds and 1 Queen Bed
3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom
Bathroom 1
Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 2
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Bathroom 3
Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 4
Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
About this property
Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills!
Welcome to French Cottage by the Sea! Nestled in the serene, gated community of Barefoot Cottages, this enchanting 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath retreat is your perfect escape. Just a stone's throw from the vibrant downtown Port St. Joe—less than 2 miles away—where you can explore charming boutique shops and delightful restaurants, you’ll find yourself in a prime location for adventure and relaxation.
As you step inside this beautifully designed cottage, you're greeted by a sense of warmth and elegance. The open-concept living area invites you to unwind after a day at the beach, featuring comfortable furnishings, vibrant farmhouse décor, and an abundance of natural light. The fully stocked kitchen is a chef's dream, complete with modern appliances and ample counter space, making it easy to prepare delicious meals for your family and friends. Enjoy your culinary creations at the dining area, or take them outside for an al fresco experience.
The first floor houses a spacious primary bedroom, furnished with a plush queen bed and an en-suite bathroom designed for relaxation. Ascend the staircase to discover two additional bedrooms on the second floor. The luxurious king bedroom offers an en-suite bath and a private, screened balcony that beckons you to bask in the balmy sea breezes, surrounded by swaying palm trees—an idyllic spot for morning coffee or evening cocktails. The third guest bedroom is perfectly designed for families, providing a queen bed along with three twin beds, accommodating a total of 5 guests, all with an en-suite bathroom for privacy and convenience.
Together, this home comfortably sleeps a total of 9, ensuring there’s plenty of room for family vacations or gatherings with friends. Enjoy high-speed internet and cable TV for those cozy nights in, or choose from an array of games and books to make lasting memories.
The allure of French Cottage by the Sea extends beyond its walls. The community offers fantastic amenities, including three shared pools, a hot tub for soothing relaxation, a small workout facility to keep you active, and shared charcoal grills for delightful BBQ evenings. A short stroll will lead you to the beautiful beach, where you can indulge in sun-soaked afternoons; a shared outdoor shower and ample parking ensure convenience for every beach day.
In French Cottage by the Sea, you’ll find the perfect blend of comfort, style, and community—an absolute paradise to create cherished memories, just waiting for you to call it home. Come experience the best of coastal living and make this enchanting cottage your own slice of paradise!
Reservations include beach gear credit ($35 daily), personalized to fit your needs. Beach gear options include kayaks, paddle boards, bikes, chairs, umbrellas, coolers, corn hole, and much more. Applicable for stay durations between 3-21 nights.
*Credit card processing fee is nonrefundable *Signed rental agreement required for access *Guests are charged for stained linens *Minimum age of primary renter is 25 years old
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Port St. Joe
The poolside Happy Heron is in a gated community on the Florida Forgotten Coast.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Port St. Joe
Located in Port St. Joe, this holiday home is by the sea. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Saint Joe Beach and Mexico Beach. Port Theatre Art and Culture Center and Frank Pate Park are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and scuba diving nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and hiking/biking trails.
The Brick Wall Sports Bar And Grill - 5 min drive
The Mill Mercantile & Social - 2 min drive
St. Joe Bar - 5 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Does Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills! have a pool?
Yes, this property has a pool.
How much does it cost to stay at Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills!?
As of 14 Jul, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills! on 8 Aug, 2026 start from S$985, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills! pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
Where is Family Friendly, 3 Pools, Hot Tub & Grills! located?
Situated by the sea, this holiday home is 0.6 mi (1 km) from Windmark Beach and within 6 miles (10 km) of Port Theatre Art and Culture Center and Port St. Joe Marina. George Core Park and Gulf County Welcome Center are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
The house was clean and the check in notebook was very helpful. Easy contactless check in and check out, everything was just as the pictures. Property is perfectly located to be able to be in downtown Port St Joe or Mexico Beach within ten minutes. The community was very quiet and nice. The only complaint we had, which is out of the property owners control, was the pool was always hot. The pool directly in front of the house does not get any shade throughout the day. Just want others to be aware that if you’re expecting a dip in the pool to cool you off after the beach you may need to go to the smaller pool across the community. The credit for VakLife was awesome!! We would definitely rent again and loved how cute and cozy the house was decorated. Thank you so much!
We really enjoyed our stay at Barefoot Cottages. Great location and convenient to both Mexico Beach and Cape San Blas.
Lori V.
Stayed 8 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Jun, 2025
Thank you for the kind words! We’re so happy you enjoyed your stay at Barefoot Cottages and appreciated the location. It’s a great spot to explore both Mexico Beach and Cape San Blas. Please keep us in mind for your future getaways!
We had a great time with our family, the house is right on the best pool in the complex, a quick drive to a lovely beach on the bay, and just a few minutes from restaurants and shops. Definitely a family favorite.
Chris M.
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 26 Jun, 2025
Thank you so much for staying with us! We’re so happy to hear your family had a great time and that the location, pool, and nearby spots made the trip extra special. It means a lot to hear it’s become a family favorite! Please keep us in mind for your future travels — we’d love to host you again.
We had a little hiccup with check in but overall everything was good. Perfect area.
K P.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Jul, 2025
We’re happy to hear you had a good stay and loved the area! We apologize for the initial check-in issue and appreciate your understanding. Thanks for staying with us, and please keep us in mind for future travels!
Our stay was great! The owner was very communicative and accommodating. My littles enjoyed the bunk beds! Conveniently located by the pool. Super close to the beach access as well! We loved our first stay in Port ST. Joe and will be back!
Madison L.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2025
Thank you so much for choosing our place for your first trip to Port St. Joe! We’re thrilled to hear you had a great stay. We’d love the chance to host you again—please keep us in mind for future visits!
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Modesty K.
14 Jun, 2026
Great place, but need better cleaning crew
Rating Details:
The property manager was somewhat unhelpful.
The vacation rental was somewhat dirty.
I was more than happy with the location.
I was satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental.
Overall, I recommend this vacation rental.
Reviewer Comments:
Arrived to the place smelling like fish! We found the refrigerator had fish juice all in the crevices under the glass and all. Spent almost an hour cleaning that and then found the fish juices in the trash cans, so we had to clean thoughs as well. My husband found boxer briefs under one of the porch chair cushions 🤢. Needless to say the first night was grossly disgusting. After some clorox wipes , soap, warm water, and a thorough cleaning the smell got some what better. Oh and the best part, none of us like sea food or the smell!!! Oh and every time I messaged the property I never got a response! I loved the decorations which is why i chose the place. The beds were very comfortable and everything else was amazing. Ever
Great stay everything was perfect ( few more linens would be great, had to do laundry everyday for bath towels while on vaca )
Devin B.
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Jun, 2025
Thanks so much for the kind review! We're glad to hear you had a great stay and that everything was just about perfect. We really appreciate the feedback about the linens — we’ll definitely take that into account. We'd love to welcome you back, keep us in mind for future travels!
Check-in was super easy with keypad entry. Great communication with our host Brittney! She answered messages quickly and was super friendly! We didn’t cook during our stay but the kitchen was well equipped as well as the entire cottage. Very clean & spacious for our group of 6. Pool conveniently located right out front of the home. Beautiful property with plenty of walkways! Quiet & relaxing. We would definitely stay again.
Lori S.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug, 2025
Thank you so much! We're so glad you enjoyed your stay and found the home spacious and relaxing. It was a pleasure hosting you—please keep us in mind for your future travels!
The house its self was nice. It looked exactly like the pictures. It is in the back of the neighborhood and the community provides utility wagons to help unload luggage and groceries, since you have to park and walk. That was extremely helpful. The house sits directly across from the pool. The pool is not heated, which was a bummer. We were there mid March and the water temp was still to chilly to swim in it. The location was great, only a few minutes to downtown Port St. Joe and the beach. The house was clean, however the bedding was noticeably dirty. When we pulled back on of the comforters there was brown stuff caked on it, maybe chocolate? The kitchen was stocked with enough dishes and cookware. However, there wasn't any kid friendly plates or glasses as everything was breakable. This wasn’t a problem for us since we have older kids but I could see how this could be a problem with families with younger kids. Overall we enjoyed our stay and would consider renting this property again.
Comfort, fun, and family memories - All in one place!
Our recent family vacation was nothing short of amazing! The house was absolutely perfect for the six of us — spacious, clean, and filled with natural light. One of our favorite features was the pool located directly in front of the house. It gave us peace of mind to be able to relax while keeping an eye on the kids as they swam and played.The screened-in front porch quickly became my favorite spot to start the day. Sipping coffee while soaking in the quiet, peaceful mornings was pure bliss. The location was also ideal — just the right distance from both Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe, giving us easy access to everything we wanted to explore without being in the middle of the hustle and bustle.Thank you for helping us create such special memories. We’re already talking about coming back!
Jen F.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Jul, 2025
Thank you so much for choosing to stay with us and for sharing such a wonderful review! We’re delighted the house and pool helped create lasting family memories, and that you enjoyed the peaceful mornings and great location. Please keep us in mind for your future travels—we’d love to welcome you back!
We were gifted a vacation by our parents in this beautiful cottage. We have a toddler and young children, as well as a teenager. The cottage wasn’t very kid friendly, heavy glassware and china. The coffee table had nails coming out and rusty decor on the porch. Everything else was perfect with plenty of beds, beautiful balcony with swings, carts for your use and lighting on the balcony and screened in porch. We would recommend making it a little more “kid friendly” with the specific mentioned things. Property was beautiful and guests were respectful of quiet time.
Ginger Y.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 13 Jun, 2025
Thank you for your kind review of French Cottage by the Sea. The décor is inspired by French Cottages and is meant to be vintage/antique, many of the decorative items are not intended for use. This is such for the vintage pieces on the porch. I hope this is helpful. Please keep us in mind for future accommodations. Thank you
The property was just as described, the house was decorated beautifully. We had a good time and enjoyed our stay.
Sarah C.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2026
Verified
8/10 Good
Evan M.
1 Jul, 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
The place was pretty solid, however, we did have one moderately large issue - one of the toilets was not screwed not the floor properly, and a guest nearly fell off of it because of it. I feel like this could have been catastrophic if it had been an elderly person or child using the toilet. Additionally, one of the showerheads was not installed properly, and it sprayed water all over the bathroom, including near the light switches. Also, communication with the host was very confusing. I was texted from 3 or 4 different numbers, in addition to the regular chat through the VRBO app. When I tried called the number (what VRBO suggested when I tried to contact the host), it sent me to an answering not that failed to use Google Voice to connect me to a person. After waiting some time, it told me it would be faster to just text them, which I did and then got a response a few hours later. I asked for a partial refund, but I was instead offered 10% off my next stay (along with several stipulations, like excluding holidays, only on stays 3 nights or more, etc).Overall, we enjoyed the place. The beach nearby was pretty disappointing, but Mexico Beach 20 minutes down the road was significantly better and still pretty quiet. The actual town of Port St Joe was fine, but I felt like there was not much going on, and basically every store and restaurant was closed by 9 or 10PM. We enjoyed the layout of the VRBO, and it fit 8 adults pretty well.
Evan M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Jul, 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We regret that your stay did not meet expectations. While maintenance issues can occasionally arise, we take guest concerns seriously and addressed the reported items after they were brought to our attention.
Regarding communication, our team works from a shared group text so multiple team members can respond as quickly as possible, particularly if one person is unavailable or assisting another guest. While this approach is intended to improve response times, we understand it can sometimes feel confusing and appreciate that feedback as we continue refining our process.
While we understand you were hoping for a partial refund, we instead offered a return stay discount as a goodwill gesture. We’re glad to hear you ultimately enjoyed the home, found it accommodated your group well, and enjoyed your time exploring the area. We appreciate your feedback and wish you the best in your future travels.
The property was amazing, it sits directly in front of the largest pool on the pro and each room has its own bathroom. The only things that kept it from 5 stars were that, with the cleaning fee, when we got there we had to sweep the entire house and there was a massive amount of dirt and sand. The other thing was that the kitchen is listed as "Fully stocked" but should be changed to pots/pans/utensils included. We had to buy soap, dish pods, and several others things as for a week stay only one dish pod was at the property. Make sure you bring shampoo, conditioner, hand soap ECT.I saw in other reviews about the table, and didn't think much about it as the property manager said it was rustic. The table had to put on the porch because there were several nails sticking out and with children in the home was not safe.
steven h.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Jul, 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re so glad you enjoyed the property’s location and that the layout worked well for your group.
We do wish these concerns had been brought to our attention during your stay. If guests let us know about a housekeeping or maintenance issue while they’re in the home, we’re happy to send our team back out and make things right. Waiting until after checkout doesn’t give us the opportunity to address the issue or improve your experience while you’re here.
Regarding the amenities, our arrival information clearly explains that we provide a starter supply of essentials. Depending on the length of your stay and your household’s usage, additional items such as toiletries, dish soap, dishwasher pods, and paper products may need to be purchased. We also want to note that Port St. Joe is a very rural market, with the nearest Walmart over an hour away, so we encourage guests to review the arrival information and plan accordingly before they arrive.
We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and are always looking for ways to improve the guest experience.
Thank you so much for choosing to stay with us and for taking the time to share your review! We're so happy to hear you had a great and relaxing stay. We'd love to welcome you back again, so please keep us in mind for your future travels!