First the good: The unit is similar to the pictures and is decent size for a family to stay in. We originally planned to have our daughters join us, but Covid changed everyoneâs schedule so it ended up just being my wife and I. For two people there was more than enough room and the unit had all the basic amenities. Some furnishings/fixtures are a little dated, but the unit was clean and very functional. The location for us was also good as far as proximity to relatives, local beaches and getting to downtown Venice. The view out the back windows was very nice and we enjoyed it often over coffee and breakfast in the morning. The owner was easy and pleasant to work with and had the unit ready for our arrival. Overall the unit itself was nice and would work for most, if you can get past the one bad thing that we happened to encounter (see below).
Now for the bad: The one bad thing we encountered which was a challenge for us; Limpkin birds on and around the property. If you are not familiar with this bird, I would strongly suggest you do some research online beforehand and make an informed decision, as there is a notable population of Limpkins living around the water directly behind the unit. Limpkins are known as the âwailing birdsâ or âcrying birdsâ and they lived up to their name during our stay, as they have an ear-piercing cry that unfortunately happens regularly both day and night. We rented the unit for all of March, and most nights we were woken up at some point by these loud shrill cries. They will settle down for periods of time, but there is no consistency as to when they start, it can be at any time during the night and can last from a few minutes to over an hour. Our first night they started at 1:56 AM (woke me up from a deep sleep) and went on until 3:30 AM. Then again at 5:30 AM for about 30 minutes. They regularly wail and cry at sunrise as well. After a few nights of almost no sleep I resorted to getting and using foam earplugs at night, which was enough to at least sleep though the middle part of the night. Opening windows at night was not an option, as the noise I am referring to was all with the windows closed.
We are regular visitors to Florida and specifically this area, so we are used to Florida wildlife and normal sounds at night, however Limpkins are a bit of an exception to the norm â so all I can say is do your homework and then make your own informed decision. If you are a heavy sleeper and/or some noise