Islamorada

"Arrived late in the night & had an immediate issue with unlocking the door, reluctantly phoned Chris, but even with the hour he could not have been more helpful, assuring us that it was just stiff & we were unlikely to snap the key off in the lock... & we were in. Which is all you can ask for, that any issues you may have are dealt with promptly, which they were. Lovely clean, airy & well presented home, we could not have wished for more, Kitchen was well equipped, lots of books & games, & a lovely place to sit out both day & night (mosquito's were generally only a slight problem, nothing 'Off' wouldnt cure) & the downstairs ... well if you have a teenager after that bit more independence, its perfect for them, its all but self contained & they always appear at mealtimes. Robbies is walkable (about a mile), but you really need a vehicle to access other areas. 5 mins to Islamorada, 25 to Key Largo or Marathon. The Islamorada direction see's you passing frequent places to eat, a couple of tackle shops & a small store or two, closest Larger store is a Winn Dixie at Tavineer (15Mins), but they were advertising the building of a new Publix which would be closer. So our view on the location was very peaceful, with everything very accessible by either road or water, what more could someone want.. We had a boat for the duration & at 22ft was docked without problem, although the channel coming into the boat dyke was very shallow & rocky at the point of entrance from the Atlantic, so some care was needed. Very accessible to both the Atlantic Reefs & Wrecks for great fishing & diving. Also just up from Channel 2 & 5 (about 4miles) which are well known fishing marks, & from there easy access into the flats/Everglades (about 30miles to flamingo) & the Gulf of Mexico, which are all great fishing. Did we like it, YES we loved it. Would we stay there again when we go back to the keys, YES most definitely. Only two small things that I could think of that could make it even better... Include a couple of Kayaks with the property, with it being on the water, they would get so much use. (they can be rented from Robbies, but so much better if they were just their). Kettle for the Kitchen (I know the Brits are mad but we do like our hot Tea or Coffee in the morning), saves boiling it in a saucepan. Thanks Chris for allowing us to Share your wonderful home."

"This was the first time that I have rented a vacation home for our family vacation- it was the best decision I could have made! I have a family of six and to compare the options of purchasing two rooms at a Hotel vs a vacation home- choosing the later was a no-brainer. In the end, the convenience and cost saving of this beach rental was the right choice and will be my only choice in the future for our vacations. The home was beautiful! The panoramic view of the ocean/beach right from the living room sofa was amazing and unforgettable! It is decorated perfectly for the beach goers and very clean! The house is a good size to accommodate several people. All the kitchen amenities were perfect for preparing meals instead of eating out which is a HUGE money saver! The same goes for ALL the other amenities offered on the property for cost saving as well (too many to mention)! I do have to mention too that when it's unbearably hot outside and you need to cool off- just step indoors and relax because the AC works great and you still have the view as if you are still outside! Everyday we were able to snorkel off the private beach and saw some AMAZING sea life! This is great for keeping the kids busy without spending a dime! The home is centrally located in the Keys and is very convenient to be able to drive a short distance either direction for shopping or dining out. Overall, we were very satisfied with our stay at the Ocean Beach Retreat and would recommend it to anyone considering this option for their vacation. It was so hard to leave this vacation home when our time was over in more ways than one! It is truly a home away from home!"