200+ Reviews!! Gulf Retreat I: Amazing views, luxury comfort, steps to beach

Isabel is from Spain and we met while I lived and worked there for ten years. During our years there we enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and especially staying in the quaint Bed and Breakfasts that are so typical there. We made notes of all of the things we liked and disliked about everywhere we stayed and planned to one day have somewhere unique and cozy of our own to offer to vacationers.

In 2000 work brought us to St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2004 we purchased a condo in Indian Shores, just a few miles from our home. We decorated it with nothing but the best (Isabel is an Interior Decorator and has her own business). As guests began to know us and word began to get around we soon had a steady flow of visitors and a full calendar. Just repeat visitors were nearly keeping the unit booked. In 2008 we decided to buy a second unit, with the exact same floor plan and the same extraordinary views, just a few steps away. We call them our Gulf Retreat 1 and Gulf Retreat 2.

We love Indian Shores because it is the quietest, most relaxed part of Sand Key, the barrier island that runs along the Gulf shore from St. Pete Beach to Clearwater. It is the narrowest part of the Sand Key, only 150-200 yards across where we are located. That means you can enjoy both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico only a few steps apart.

Indian Shores is the last part of the coastline in Pinellas County that preserves a small-town feel. Gulf Blvd. is still just a two-lane road and the speed limit is 35 m.p.h. There's is only one traffic light in Indian Shores. There isn't as much asphalt as you see to the south or north of us, a lot fewer high-rise buildings and none of the tourist traps. While you will find all the restaurants and conveniences you need near-by Indian Shores is still primarily a residential, family-oriented community.

Our view is of the Intracoastal Waterway, the body of water that separates Sand Key from the mainland. We love it because of all the boat traffic - it's fun to watch. The dolphins are always a joy to see, too. They are most active early in the morning or at sunset. Manatee are a little harder to spot, but are always around, too.

When the tide is low there is a sandbar that emerges from the water just off our balcony. The seabirds all come to feed there and it's wonderful entertainment.

And the Intracoastal Waterway is beautiful to behold at night, when the lights from the boats and other properties reflect off the surface. You must see it to appreciate it!

And of course the beach is just across the street. It takes just a couple of minutes to get there walking. It's never crowded and always relaxing. We have beach toys, inflatables, beach chairs, an umbrella, a cooler... everything you need except a good book and suntan lotion! And we even have a handy cart to put everything in and wheel it across the street!