Comments from Our Guests

 

Olwen and Brian (homeowners – October 2009)

We had a great week with friends here.  Weather has been fantastic (90F on Thursday and Friday).  As usual, there was plenty of shopping and eating out.  We spent a lot of time in the pool and just relaxing.  The only thing is that a week is not long enough!

 

 

Frank & Pamela (October 2009)

A wonderful time had by all!  The weather was fantastic (there was a bit of a heat wave).  In the pool every day.  Eating out every day.  Shopping most days.  What a wonderful life.  Looking forward to our next visit.

Pammy and Frank

 

 

Tom, Rosemary and Andrew Manson; Kirsty and Katelyn Fielding (September 2009)

After a busy week at Disney it was great to come to Brian and Olwen’s to relax.  We enjoyed the pool and Katelyn especially liked to go fishing with her daddy at the lake.  Shopped at Ellenton, International Plaza at Tampa and Sarasota Square Mall.  Enjoyed eating at the Stonewood Grill and the Cheesecake Factory in Tampa.  Had some BBQs.  Ask the butcher at Publix for the ground sirloin steak burgers – superb!

 

 

Martin, Liz, Joe, Millie, Tomas Lord (August 2009)

Thank you for sharing your wonderful home which exceeded all expectations.  Three weeks of fun, excitement and quiet for all.  Week one was spent relaxing and exploring the local area.  Week two – mini break to Orlando – Universal, Kennedy – but no Disney for us.  Week three – a return to here.  Gamble Plantation, Dali Museum, Ringling Museum, Mermaids, State Parks, canoeing on the Manatee River, barbecues, eating out, Siesta Beach, Snooty, G-Wizz, Ellenton, Busch Gardens.  We’ve done so much and yet there are still many things to come back and see next time.  A fly-by by the eagles on our last morning was a fantastic finale!

We will take home some lovely memories of a terrific family holiday.

Thank you Brian and Olwen – from the Lords.

 

 

Sullivan / Rice families – Ohio (July 2009)

We had a wonderful time in your home!  The kids really enjoyed the pool.  Also, the master shower is great!  We spent two days at Lowry’s Park Zoo in Tampa.  It’s a must!  We spent many days on the beach as well. Siesta Beach is great.  We swam right to the sand bar.  We hope to return soon!

 

 

Brown family (South Carolina) (June 2009)

 

Had a great week in your house. Loved the pool and shower in master bedroom. Great neighbors! Anna Maria Island is the best. Spent a day in Venice at beach and shops. Would recommend. Thank you!

 

 

Van Horn family (June 2009)

 

Thank you so much for renting us your home this week. We had a great week, went to many beaches, but enjoyed Anna Maria Island the best. Also went to Disney for a day and it was very hot! We loved the pool (especially the kids!) The neighbours were very friendly. They gave us many tips. Got some sharks’ teeth at Venice Beach. We will definitely be back again! Thanks.

 

 

Bettina and Thomas Hick (Germany) (May 2009)

 

Very well equipped and clean house. We enjoyed some relaxing hours at the pool, however it was quite a rainy time. We mainly came for playing golf which we enjoyed tremendously. Our favourite courses are “Waterlefe Golf and River Club” and “University Park”. Our tip: buy a “Big Summer Golf Card” for a lot of savings. Thanks a lot!

 

 

Renfrew and Pettigrew families (Scotland) (May 2009)

 

Lovely house and it as a pleasure to holiday here. So many enjoyable meals sitting outside by the pool, watching the wildlife. This was an education in itself. Thanks Brian and Olwen for making this possible. If you are looking for a good beach, look no further than Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island. If you are looking for a good lunch try Sharkey’s on Venice Beach and, for an evening meal, The Olive Garden on 14th Street os excellent food and great value. Like Arnie says, “We’ll be back!”

 

 

Firn Family (Doncaster, England) (April 2009)

 

Had a great 2 weeks in your villa. Our grandson enjoyed feeding the fish, turtles and all the different birds. Eagles flew over on several occasions. Our son got married on Siesta Key beach, the beach and people were fantastic. Many thanks.

 

 

Martin and Jolanta Schildroth (April 2009)

 

We had a great time at your villa. Used the pool almost every day. Went to the beach, shopping, Busch Gardens etc. All in all a very enjoyable time.

 

 

Pam & Larry Plescher (March 2009)

 

We had another great vacation her in Bradenton. Really enjoyed watching the eagles and all the other wildlife. Rod & Reel pier on Anna Maria Island is a great fishing spot. Discovered Recipe Box restaurant next to Sweet Bay. Great! Thanks for the use of your villa again.

 

 

Bickerton family (February 2009)

 

Fabulous time at your house, pool was most enjoyable and wildlife around lake was awesome. Highly recommend Mangrove Grill in Palmetto. Thanks for a great week.

 

 

Doyley/Woods family - Cleethorpes, England (November 2008)

 

Had lovely week. Villa spacious and well equipped. Enjoyed lovely outlook over lake. Cold snap first half of week which was disappointing especially after hot week in Orlando. However, weather improved last few days and we enjoyed use of the pool. Lovely beaches, Holmes Beach (and good food in café there) really good. Boat trip at Myakka Park seeing alligators interesting, and Ringling miniature circus and G-Wiz great for the children.

 

 

The Duncan family (September 2008)

 

Had a lovely stay at your villa.  The weather was good so we really enjoyed relaxing at the pool. Watched a beautiful sunset from the Beach House restaurant while enjoying a pleasant meal.  But the nicest meal was at the Sun House restaurant.

Thanks for the use of your villa,

Alex and Nessa

 

 

The Haacke family (September 2008)

 

What a superb villa with lots of space and equipment.  Really enjoyed the outstanding views of the wildlife (eafle couple catching fish, huge turtles and rare species of birds).  Amazingly beautiful beaches (specifically Holmes Beach).  Definitely a place to remember and to come back to.

This is a place that you can call home.  Superb holiday.

Thanks

Dick, Carrie, Piefer, Robin, Patricia (the Netherlands)

 

 

The Oldfield family (August 2008)

 

Not sure where to start really.  We have just this minute shared our breakfast with one of the pair of American Bald Eagles just outside the pool, eating his huge catch (around 10lb).  Being nature lovers this was to be one of the most amazing moments of our lives!!!  A lake full of wonderful creatures and a few feet away – turtles the size of coffee tables.  The eagles fly past every morning.  The pool was amazing.  The house was beautiful and very large.  We saw the sunsets on Holmes Beach – one of our `favourite piers in the world.  We saw dolphins in the sea nearly every day.  We went to Ellenton mall for “goodies”.  This was our fifth visit to Bradenton and as they say - “ We’ll be back!”. 

Thank you Brian & Olwen for the lease of your wonderful home.

 

The Maclean family (August 2008)

 

The whole family had a marvelous time in Bradenton.

The villa was excellent. Well located, nice and quiet and fully equipped.
 

Many thanks a again

Shirley, Andy, Andrew and Lauren

 

The Mclernon family (June 2008)

 

We had a great time just relaxing by the pool and the beach, we had already spent a week in Kissimmee and visited 3 parks (very tiring). Everyone said they wished they'd spent the 2 weeks in Bradenton, when we weren't relaxing we were eating and of course shopping!!!
 

The England family (May 2008)

A superb vacation in an excellent villa. Loved the views over the lake. Thought Lido and Coquina were the best beaches – lots of space and facilities. Can’t beat a day out at Busch Gardens Eating out – loved Carrabbas, and The Bonefish Grill provided the best seafood in a long time.

Hopefully back soon!

 

 

The Bailey family (April / May 2008)

Hi Brian and Olwen

Thoroughly enjoyed out stay at the villa which is spacious and well equipped with a very good outlook. Bangkok Tokyo is a very god Thai-Chinese-Japanese restaurant at the SR70/I75 junction. Also enjoyed going down to the beach café on Bradenton beach.

June & Colin Bailey

 

The Watts  family (April 2008)

Hi Brian and Olwen,

 

Many thanks for letting us rent your delightful villa. The view from the pool was wonderful with all the wildlife, I enjoyed many early morning teas out there.  The boys made friends with the children next door and even the pool guy recommended a beach for shell collecting.

We had a wonderful time and as always, will have great memories to recall.

Thank you also for business cards- someone at school has already asked about our stay in your villa. We will certainly return to your villa if on the Gulf coast.

 

Many thanks again, Karen, Ivan and family

 

The Price  family (March 2008)

Hi Brian

 

We had a great holiday, it was a bit of a shock to arrive back at Gatwick in a snowstorm though.

 

I know that you get a lot of repeat clients as we couldn't get your villa last year so thought it best to start thinking about next year now.

We would like to know if the villa is available either 7th till 21st of March or 14th till 28th March.

 

It's frightening to plan so far ahead but we don't want to miss out again.

 

Thank you

 

Diane Price

 

The Plescher  family (February 2008)

Mr. Ditty

Pam and I liked your home in Bradenton, Florida. The weather was nice your home is located in a very nice area. We met Bill his wife and kids next door.  Do you have your schedule for 2009 ? Pam and I would like the month of March.

Thanks for the use of you house and we hope we can use it again soon. 

Pam and Larry

 

The Winkler  family (February 2008)

Hello Brian and Olwen,

I hope that you are well.  This Easter found my family enjoying my parents pictures of their Florida vacation.  What a great time they had, there is talk of doing it again next year.  We are curious to know if you already have booking for February/March 2009?  Let me know.
Thank you,

Sue Winkler

The Petley  family (December 2007)

Hi Brian and Olwen,

 

We had a great stay in Florida, the weather was good and things were fairly quet during the week we stayed in your villa.

 

Regards

 

Paul

The Gray  family (December 2007)

Hi Brian,

 

Just a brief note to say thank you for the use of the villa, we had a marvelous break and came home ready to face Christmas.

 

Once again, thank you sincerely and we will be in touch next time we visit Florida.

 

Have a great new year

 

Regards

Conrad

 

The McDowell & Robinson  families (November 2007)

We had a great week, especially the time at the pool.  Stonewood on University Parkway is a great place to eat.

 

Thanks for a great time.

 

Frank, Pamela, Arnie & Jenny

 

The Bishop  family (November 2007)

Hello Brian, we had a great holiday, the house was very nice.

 

Thank you, Helen

The Good  family (September / October 2007)

Hi Brian and Olwen,

Thanks for renting the house to us. It was a great place to vacation!  We loved it and will be telling out friends and family about it. It is getting cooler up north and we already miss the Florida weather.  We will definitely think about renting your villa in the future.

 

See ya,

Mark and lisa

 

The Harding  family (August 2007)

Hi Brian and Olwen

 

We had a fabulous holiday and the villa was great thanks. 

 

Thanks again - we had a great holiday and thoroughly enjoyed our rest!.

 

The Rose  family (August 2007)

Dear Brian and Olwen,

 

Thank you so much we really enjoyed our week at the villa.  We saw the bald eagles every day, which was wonderful.  We thoroughly enjoyed the pool too.  We loved Cafe Ezra, which was a new one for us and the Bonefish Grill.  We managed to get to the Cheesecake Factory in Raleigh N.C. as we didn't have time in Tampa!.

 

Best wishes

Julia

 

The Brooks  family (July 2007)

Hi!  We had a fantastic time on our vacation.  The villa was perfect for us.  Everyone enjoyed the pool, especially our three year old son.  There was plenty to do and see during our stay.  I think everyone agreed that we could certainly vacation there again sometime.

 

Again, thanks for everything.

Cheers,
Will

The Ettore  family (July 2007)

Your place was wonderful, as expected...  Clean, comfortable and like home.

 

The boys didn't do very well with the baseball tournament, but they did great on the wave runners at Bradenton Beach!

The Schulman  family (June 2007)

Thanks for allowing us to use your villa. Everything was great from the weather to the beaches. We enjoyed Holmes Beach the most, this quiet beach was great for the family. The Beach House Restaurant had a great view of the sunset. McCurdy’s Comedy club in Sarasota was another highlight.

 

The Haacke  family (June 2007)

Everything was wonderful! The house is gorgeous, the pool is lovely overlooking the lake, and we had a good time exploring Bradenton. We had a wide age variety with us, but everyone always had something fun to do. Our favourite places to go include The Bridge Tender Inn, The Sun House, The Beach House, Banana Cabana and Oma’s Pizza. Thanks for allowing us to stay in your lovely house.

 

The McDowell  family (May 2007)

Glad to be back – it’s been a long time since Oct 06. Looking forward to Oct 07.

The villa was lovely, the pool was lovely, the eating was lovely, the sun was lovely.  Can’t wait to come back. Siesta Key’s the place to be.

 

The Robinson  family (May 2007)

Have really enjoyed our stay in your lovely villa – very spacious and well equipped, and our 4 boys enjoyed your pool very much. Have stayed in Orlando for the past 9 years and this made a really nice change. Visited Anna Maria Island which was our favourite beach, quieter than others but well set up for children with a little play park and café facilities. Enjoyed a lovely meal at the Sandbar to the north of the island and watched the sunset – a paradise! Also visited Ellenton outlets and spent too much money! Went to Lido Beach and walked around St. Armand’s Circle – the shops and restaurants are really worth a visit. Went on a boat trip at Marina Jack, and the boys enjoyed seeing the dolphins swim by the boat. (Our boat trip lasted about 2 hours and left at 11.00am). Also went to Siesta Key where the beach was a lot busier, and enjoyed a walk around the village. Now off to Orlando again for 2 weeks feeling very relaxed – perhaps we should have done it the other way round. Excellent weather. Favourite restaurants – Olive Garden, Sandbar (Anna Maria) and Applebees.

 

The Chase  family (April 2007)

Our second stay. Enjoyed the pool and ice creams at Joe’s on Bradenton Beach. Children don’t want to go home and nor do we! Keep an eye out for the eagles around the lake – a very special treat to see them “fishing”.

 

The Russell  family (April 2007)

Weather was great. Enjoyed your home – especially the heated pool and accessories. Tried every beach around. Siesta Key is great if you like sugar sand and a large crowd. South Lido Beach (our personal fave) is awesome if you like collecting shells, small waves and a small crowd. Our favourite eating place is the Star Fish Co. - a dive but the seafood is the best. We have also enjoyed Stonewood on Cortez and the Seafood Shack by Cortez Bridge and the City Pier, both casual. The kids really enjoyed Mixon Fruit Farm including the tour.

Thanks for a great week. Back to 25F in Ohio.

 

The Brown  family (March 2007)

Villa was terrific! Pool was wonderful!

Definitely recommend the heating.  Lazy Lobster on Lockwood Ridge and Johnny Carinos on University Parkway were our favourite restaurants.  Our two sisters live in Garden Lake so it was very convenient for frequent visits.  We spend a lot of time in this area every year and your villa was top notch.

 

The Croft  family (February 2007)

This was our second visit to your home and once again we have enjoyed it very much.

Thank you!

 

The Vanderwoude  family (February 2007)

Hi Brain and Olwen,

Thanks for your email. I've been meaning to email you but have never gotten around to it yet. Well thanks so much for the use of your villa. We really enjoyed ourselves. The house was great. We found it quite "homey" compared to another one that we seen in the subdivision where family of ours was staying.  Our daughter loved the pool so much that we couldn't get her dressed fast enough to go in and it was fight to get her out every time. The pool guy was also a very nice guy, very friendly.
We had went out to Sarasota Jungle gardens one day and the was really nice to see. We ate out a couple times but for the rest just cooked at home. Something I enjoy.
We look forward to possibly renting it again in the future. We really enjoyed ourselves and your villa. The view was also very beautiful of the lake and wildlife.
Thanks so much, and hope to hear back from you soon.

 

The Judd  party (January 2007)

Hello Brian & Olwen

We had a terrific time in Bradenton/Sarasota. Your villa was very nice and comfortable. The weather was also excellent with plenty of sunshine and 70/80 temperatures. We played golf everyday on some great golf courses. I have been going to this area of Florida since I was about 10 years old as my Aunt lived in Palma Sola next to the DeSoto monument. Hope all is well with you and your family.

Best Regards,

 

The Warren  family (January 2007)

Hi Brian & Olwen

Happy New Year. We had a great holiday and found everything in the villa to be perfect. Hope your agent (who did actually fail to return any of the messages I left her) found we had left the villa clean and tidy. 

Our 3 year old loved the pool and spent several hours in it every morning before we dragged him out somewhere for the afternoon. The location was ideal for getting out and about in the area and we all loved Siesta beach. 

Regards

 

The Day family (December 2006 / January 2007)

Hi Brian,

We are watching the snow fall here, and remembering the almost record breaking temperatures we had in Florida.  How quickly things change!!! Anyway, we had a very nice and relaxing time while at your villa. The boys absolutely loved the pool.  We could hardly keep them out.

We left a note in your visitors book and commented on where we ate, and where we went. We saw the bald eagle several times and had fun watching the other birds around the little lake.

Thanks for the great holiday location. We really had a good time.

Sincerely,

The Day Family

The Gayler family (November 2006)

Dear Brian & Olwen,
Thank you for your E Mail.  We had a very nice Holiday , we were very lucky with the weather nice and sunny most days , we got to the beach a few times, made good use of the pool, saw lots of different wild birds around the Lake and we managed to do all our Christmas shopping once we had searched out where all the shops were located.
Regards & Merry Christmas,

 

The Jacobs family (November 2006)

Hello Brian/Olwen

We both had a brilliant holiday in your Villa, and do not want to be back in the real world of work!  We could not have asked for more as we found you home a very relaxing one, With all the mod cons. You could wish for - kitchen was especially well equipped. 

Only wish we could have spent more than two weeks as it goes so quickly!!
 

 

The Duxbury family (October 2006)

We love your area, so we had a great time. The house was beautifully clean and tidy--in fact it seemed a shame to use it. We enjoyed sitting by the pool, watching the eagles and found everything very comfortable.  The weather was beautiful all the time we were there and we really did have a lovely time.

 

The Randall family (October 2006)

Hi Brian & Olwen,

Just a brief note to thank you for the hire of your lovely villa.

We had an idyllic time and very much enjoyed staying at your Florida home.

Everything was perfect especially the weather. No rain for 2 weeks just sunshine.

 

Once again very many thanks

Linda and Dave

 

The Ethelston family (August/September 2006)

Hi Brian,
We had a great holiday thanks. The flight out to the US was a nightmare due to the security clampdown on 10th Aug (the day we flew to New
York
!) but other than that the holiday itself was great.

The villa was fabulous and very clean when we got there, which was great, and we had plenty of things to do for the nearly 3 weeks that we were there.

Thanks,
 

The Harrison family (July/August 2006)

Hi Brian!

What a fantastic time we had. We were considering just staying, but decided perhaps we should come home after all! Having said that, we made it back the day before the security chaos, so we are really grateful!

We loved the house (and the pool, I am amazed the girls didn't dissolve away, they spent so long in it!). My youngest was still afraid of the water when we arrived, but is now a confident swimmer. We also loved the wildlife both at the house and about. The dolphins and manatees came to swim with us whilst we at the beach, and we also loved the turtles, pelicans and other critters. My eldest was delighted to see an alligator, but this was just at Busch gardens, so no risk to life or limb there!

The trip allowed me to meet up with my cousins I haven't seen for 20 years and for my girls to meet their 2nd cousins. We were treated to a wedding on the beach at sunset (my dad is a minister and flew over to perform the
ceremony) so all in all it was a memorable trip.

Thanks for letting us use the house. It was so well equipped there was nothing we needed that wasn't there!

We are already hoping to return..........................

Best wishes,

Fiona, Lizzie, Ellie and Alice

 

The Davis family (June 2006)

Greetings from the Davis family who have just returned from a wonderful vacation in Bradenton. Your villa was perfect for us and oh how we are going to miss the pool now that we are back to our usual routine. We felt that though the villa was not right on the coast, it was easy access to get to everything. We ate at the Beach House Restaurant on Bradenton Beach twice and their food was excellent. Our favorite day was a trip to Tarpon Springs which was about a one hour drive. They have developed an area along the wharf with lots of little Greek shops and restaurants. Our favorite was Hellas Greek Restaurant and bakery. Thanks again for allowing us to rent your villa. We will highly recommend it to our friends.

Steve and Wanda Davis

 

The Kent family and friends (May 2006)

Brain and Olwen,

 

Thank you for your email - we got back this morning. We all thoroughly enjoyed the week in Bradenton and thought that your home there was beautiful.

 

The time we spent was a relaxing and much needed break - thank you for all your help.

 

Best regards,

 

The Kitney family (April/May 2006)

Dear Brian,
We've just got back from another excellent two weeks in Florida. The weather was perfect up until the drive back to the airport when it rained like I've never seen rain before!

The villa was superb!

Janet and I were discussing our holiday next year, and we would really like to make use of your villa again if that's possible. We would like to go out for a month (or four weeks
I guess) and wonder what rent you would want for that sort of period. Dates would be mid-April to mid-May (ish) though no firm dates as yet.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks again
 

 

The Petley family (April 2006)

We had a great time thank you very much. The villa is lovely and nice and quiet. We also made use of the tennis courts, in fact we have left two rackets there for your/other people's use as we bought two new ones whilst we were out there.

Thanks again and enjoy your next trip Best wishes.

 

The Goeppinger family (March 2006)

My family and I would like to thank you for renting us your beautiful villa.  This is the second time renting from you and once again, we were not disappointed!  The location of the house is just beautiful.  By staying in your villa for just one week, we were able to visit three different beaches in the area.  There are many wonderful seafood restaurants as well.  Our favorite seafood restaurant was the Bonefish Grill.  They really have quality seafood!  Thank you once again for making our family vacation a most memorable one!

The Goeppinger Family
 

The Horrisberger family (March 2006)

We had an exceptional time in Florida. We had many plans to re-visit local hot spots in Bradenton, Tampa, and Sarasota, but found ourselves drawn to the pool. We spent many a day lounging around and swimming and playing tennis. We did get out to the beach on one day, but having the accommodations that we did it was so much nicer to be able to splash around in the pool with the children. The Sabal Harbour neighborhood is very nice, peaceful, and very well located. We will definitely be visiting again. In fact all the relatives that came to visit absolutely loved the place. So I may be inquiring about the possibility of renting for a longer period of time to divide between our cousins that always stay in the area to visit our Grandfather. I will contact you later about that, but we had a wonderful time and can't wait to visit again.
 

The Price family (March 2006)

We had a fantastic holiday.   We thought that the villa was lovely, so much so that we would like to book it for next year as David wants to complete his America flying licence at Sarasota Airport.

I know that you are on holiday at the moment and there is no hurry but we would like to know if the villa is available for 2 weeks in March next year. 

I expect you get a lot of people who want to return, and I know its a long time to go but we don't want to miss out on it.

David took a couple of photographs of the villa from the air when he went flying and when he had downloaded them I forward a copy to you.

 

Enjoy you holiday and I hope to hear from you soon.

 

The Croft family (February 2006)

Hi Brian.  Sue and I have enjoyed our month here, which has gone all too quickly.  You have a beautiful home.

We are starting to make our plans for next year, and are trying to combine our stay with a cruise.  We would like to know if you would give us first refusal to rent for Feb 2007, until we have our dates organised, and if so let us know what the price will be.

Many thanks. 

 

The Hoskins family (January 2006)

We are now home from our lovely holiday in the Bahamas/ Florida, and already making plans to return next year to the Fort Lauderdale & Fort Myers areas of Florida this time.

 

We had a most enjoyable stay at your villa,

 

We will be in touch if we need a villa in the Sarasota area again, and will of course recommend you to our friends & family

 

 

The Cooper family (January 2006)

We had a really relaxing time in your villa and found it very comfortable and well equipped. I just loved your 'Palm' crockery.  I found something similar in Bealls and wished I could have brought it home with me - it would have gone brilliantly with my kitchen decor.

 

We swam and exercised in the pool every day except the Sunday which was quite windy.  It was the first time we had had a pool cover on a roller and it was so much easier to use.

 

Apart from two afternoons out - one to go to the Ellenton Mall and one to the beaches - we spent most of the time around the villa reading and relaxing.  In fact we were so comfortable we only went out twice to eat, once to Outback which we know quite well from our Orlando holidays and once to Applebees which was a new experience for us.  We had excellent meals in both places.

 

I hope you have a successful letting year.

 

The Evans family (November 2005)

Thanks for your email last week to see how our holiday was.

We did have a lovely time and the villa was great.  It really was everything we hoped for and had all the facilities we wanted.

Thanks

  

 

The Bindi family (October 2005)

We had a fabulous holiday and were bowled over by Florida, it was our best holiday ever. We were just looking at the photos today and smiling all over again.

Thank you so much for the loan of your home, it was very comfy and well fitted.

 

 

The Devenport family (October 2005)

 

We have just returned from your villa in Bradenton and forgot to leave feedback in the book. It is lovely, had everything we needed and more.  We visited the Cafe on the Beach a couple of times to watch the sunset - spectacular - cheap food and the entertainment was fun.  We also found Albertsons (10 mins away on Lockwood Ridge road) to be the best supermarket. We went to the Village of the Arts and the Red Barn which I found very interesting, but the rest of the family don't share my enthusiasm for markets!

Thank you for the loan of the house.
 

 

The Barnshaw family (September 2005)

We had a really lovely relaxing week at Sabal Harbour, after the more energetic 9 days spent in Orlando! The villa was very comfortable, spacious, exceptionally clean and pleasantly decorated and furnished. The location was superb as it didn't take long to reach all the places of interest, beaches and restaurants.

We really loved Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island and the boys had lots of fun fishing from the piers on the island and also from the pier of the old bridge.

One of the highlights of the week was watching one of the bald eagles fly across the lake while I was eating my breakfast by the pool!

If we decide to return to Bradenton at some time in the future we would love to rent your villa again and will definitely recommend it to others.

 

 

The Leighton family (September 2005)

We had an excellent family holiday. The beaches were superb & very quiet. We have been to Florida many times, so we knew what to expect re shopping & dining. Bradenton provided all we needed with a good mall & good restaurants, with the obligatory Walmart & their "happy to hinder" staff (its the same in every one we have ever been in). Publix & KashnKarry have much more pleasant & helpful staff.  We had an excellent base to travel south to Venice & Sarasota, (which we loved from previous visits) & Tampa & St.Petersburg to the north. Busch gardens was better than ever (it was pretty quiet & a short afternoon storm cooled the day off nicely). The baseball was fabulous this year (I've advised everyone to go in your visitors book), its the quintessential American experience & its cheap to get in, so the whole family can have fun for just a few dollars.

 

The Holland family (August 2005)

Having spent the first week of our holiday ‘doing’ Disney it was wonderful to be able to relax in your beautiful home.  The villa itself was perfect, very well looked after but also with lots of homely touches.  Our grandson appointed himself electric garage door ‘opener and shutter’ and heaven help anyone else who tried to touch that button.
But the really special thing about the villa was being able to sit by the pool and watch all the wildlife.  We were extremely fortunate and saw the bald eagle fish in the lake three mornings running.   It was also very well placed for us - being able to drive in one direction and visit beautiful Anna Maria Island but drive in the other direction up the interstate freeway and have our shopping injection at the Ellenton Outlet Shopping Centre – such bargains! It’s as well we brought half empty suitcases.

Thanks again
Wilma, Bill, Samantha and Kane

 

The Leighton family (August 2005)

The beaches were superb & very quiet. We have been to Florida many times, so we knew what to expect re shopping & dining. Bradenton provided all we needed with a good mall & good restaurants, with the obligatory Walmart. Publix & KashnKarry.  We had an excellent base to travel south to Venice & Sarasota, (which we loved from previous visits) & Tampa & St.Petersburg to the north. Busch gardens was better than ever (it was pretty quiet & a short afternoon storm cooled the day off nicely). The baseball was fabulous this year (I've advised everyone to go in your visitors book), its the quintessential American experience & its cheap to get in, so the whole family can have fun for just a few dollars.

 

The Ewing family (July 2005)

Just a note to thank you very much for the use of your villa for the first week of our holiday. We had a great week , your villa was lovely, our second time to Sabal Harbour and a much better villa! It was so relaxing to sit and look over the water at the back (Kids loved the fish and turtles there), so peaceful and they loved the pool too. We have been to a few Florida villas and yours comes near the top (if not top) of our list of good ones.
So once again thank you and hopefully we may be able to return there sometime soon.
 

The Budinger and Drake Families (June 2005)

Our stay has been great.  The house had everything we could possibly need away from home.  We definitely will come back.  Our children awoke, rolled out of bed and jumped into the pool almost every day.  We enjoyed the wildlife and even spotted the bald eagle once!  Our favorite local was, very casual dining spot was the Rod 'n' Reel located on the Rod 'n' Reel Pier on Anna Marie Island.  The seafood was so good!!
Thank you Brian & Olwen for the use of your comfortable home.  Happy 4th of July!

 

The Bowen Family (June 2005)

Thank you for a wonderful vacation! 
Our bows 8 1/2 and 5 1/2 enjoyed the pool - it was hard to tear them away to do other things.  As a family, we really enjoyed  the miniature golf at the "Smuggler's Cove" and "Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise" in Clearwater.

 

The Thompson Family (May / June 2005)

Arrived from Kissimmee area.  Enjoying wildlife around the lake.  We've been to Siesta Key / Holmes / Coquina and Anna Maria beaches.
Thanks for letting us stay in your beautiful villa & use of the pool.
Hope to come again (soon if possible!)

 

The Waite & Kitney families (May 2005)

Great villa, hot pool, recommend the pool heating.  The wildlife around the lake is stunning - look out for the pair of bald eagles.  Good eateries - watch out for the sunset at the Beach House restaurant.  Also Applebees on SR-70.  De Soto Mall for a varied selection of shops.  Great beaches north od Anna Maria Island - take a parasol and the loungers in the garage as you will need some shade.  Take time to visit Myakka State Park for an up close view of gators and other wildlife.
We had a fantastic time and would love to come back to your villa again.  Many thanks to you Brian and Olwen.

 

The Pelletier Family (April 2005)

Family of five visiting Bradenton for the first time.  Enjoying the beaches and the pool.  We recommend Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island - more sand than shells.  Weather was fantastic - 80 plus for 7 days!
House very nice - well kept.  Thank you!

 

The Chandler Family (April 2005)

The house was light and specious and spotlessly clean. The pool was as warm as a bath on arrival and received plenty of use.  Our three year old daughters swam their first "width" here, so the house will always be in our family's folklore.
The South Florida Museum, aquarium and planetarium gives a fascinating insight into ancient Florida but a must-see is "Snooty" - the oldest manatee known in the world.  It is on 10th Street W. Bradenton opposite the town hall and municipal police station.  We enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the Marie Selby Gardens, Sarasota - but also found the Ringling Museum and C'Zar D'An House very interesting.

 

The Wrighting Family (April 2005)

Dear Brian and family just to say thank you for renting us your wonderful villa in Bradenton. The villa was perfect clean, spacious, quiet and the pool superb it was a real effort to leave at the end of the holiday.  For a cloudy day we can recommend the Ringling Museum in Sarasota which passed a very pleasant afternoon.

 

The Sukoneck Family (March 2005)

Your house was unbelievably clean & spacious with detailed instructions throughout the house. The pool was fabulous and it was worth every penny to have the pool heated for late March. Since we are building our own home less than a mile away, we learned an awful lot from staying in yours and seeing how organized everything was. The location was convenient and restaurants nearby were plentiful. One not mentioned by any of your guests is our favorite "Ezra's", which is about 20 minutes northwest of your home.

Thanks again Barry
 

The Hill Family (March 2005)

Hi Olwen and Brian

We enjoyed a nice week in your beautiful villa, despite the weather being a bit below par. We spent a part of one day on the beach at Siesta Key. One overcast day we drove south, had lunch at Fort Myers then plodded on to Naples where we had an hour on the beach before returning. One rainy day we visited the Dali museum in the morning and the Retail Outlets in the afternoon. Some days, when it was dry and warm, we just laid down by the pool (or went in!).

All in all we enjoyed our stay and would book again if we were to stay in that region of Florida.

Many thanks

 

The Liestman Family (March 2005)

Good morning Brian and Olwen-- nice to hear from you! 

We had a wonderful time in Bradenton--feel very fortunate to have had such a lovely, comfortable, and immaculate home, to spend 3 fun filled weeks in.  Thank you both, for allowing us the use of your villa--we found it to be everything we had hoped it would be.

We did go out to the Beach House--thank you for recommending it to us.  The food was delicious and the sunset, beautiful.  One day was spent in St. Petersburg--we went on a dolphin sighting cruise.  One day was spent in St. Petersburg--we went on a dolphin sighting cruise--managed to film the dolphins on our camcorder however catching them on my 35 mm. camera proved to be not quite as easy.  We also drove over to Sarasota, and did some shopping which we ALWAYS enjoy.  One day the four of us drove over to the Siesta Key beach--such a beautiful place.   Another day we drove down to the Naples area, and toured the Everglades, airboat ride and all, seeing  many alligators, manatees, even wild boars !  

Many wonderful memories--again thanks to you for allowing  us the use of your home.  We thoroughly enjoyed it and I am sure that future families will find it to be every bit as wonderful -- the area is so peaceful as well as beautiful.

Our best wishes to you both.

 

The Bradlee Family (January to March 2005)

Hi Brian- We had a great vacation - enjoyed the view from the villa.  The house was very comfortable and we loved the beaches especially Siesta Key (which we had enjoyed last year).  Carrabba's is a good restaurant, besides the ones already mentioned by others (it's on Cortez Road).  We enjoyed looking for the eagles.

Thanks- Dot Bradlee

 

 

The Hodkinson Family (December/January 2004/5)

Hello & Happy New Year

Well we're back from a great holiday & thanks very much for the use of your lovely home. It's difficult getting into the drudge of work & our rubbish weather.

Lots of things to do out there and we have left a message in the visitors book.

All in all though we had a great holiday & have recommended your villa to a friend already....thanks very much.

Best Regards

 

The Litmanen Family (December 2004)

Hi Brian and Olwen - thank you once again to let us rent your beautiful villa.

We had great time back in Bradenton and we really can suggest the place to other visitors too. Unfortunately we had to leave as early as in Thursday because our friends from Finland wanted to experience Orlando too (visited there couple of times our family would have rather stayed in Bradenton, but ...).

Within the days we spent there we visited in Anna Maria Island (we saw a beautiful xmas parade there !!), Sarasota (Armand Circle shops of course), Myakka River, Ellenton and couple of other places which names I have forgotten.
Very exotic in our point of view were the beautiful x-mas decorations your neighbours have put out. We walked couple of times after dark inside the Sabal Harbour area and this overwhelming decoration enthusiasm was really something that none of us have never experienced. By the way - we voted your closest neighbours' decorations as the winner because (among other things) they have added music in their decoration too !!!

Weather was great (days 75-80 F )and we found the marvellous pool very useful (heating was good option because the nights were relatively cold). Villa was in perfect condition and I hope that you find that we really tried to leave it in the same state it was before we arrived.
In conclusion our holiday in Bradenton was above all expectations and we really do hope that we can return in Sabal Harbour some day !!!

Best Regards

 

The Buon Family (November 2004)

Good afternoon Brian and Olwen, Just a quick note to say thanks for the use of your lovely home in Bradenton. We found it very clean and comfy. We had great weather high 70's only rained once. We came back to snow, not so great. Loved watching the eagles. My daughter found a friend, one of the egrets came to see her on several occasions. 
We are now looking forward to taking another visit back next year.

 

The Hodgson Family (October 2004)

We have had a lovely relaxing week in your lovely villa where there is everything for a very relaxing break after a very busy week in Orlando!  We enjoyed the wildlife on the lake, especially “Baldy” (as we named him) the Bald Eagle.  He was on the grass by the pool when we got up one morning and we managed to catch him on video!  Busch Gardens was ace!  Dave and Ben enjoyed playing golf.  The villa is very well situated for the beautiful beaches and the sunsets are fabulous - definitely the highlight of my holiday.

Thanks for the use of your lovely home – we certainly have some wonderful memories of our first visit to America.

 

The Kooi Family (September 2004)

Beautiful!

 

The Hagan Family (August 2004)

We have had a wonderful 2 weeks – packed in lots of good food (Carrabbas is great. The Beach House is excellent for the view of the sunset, Applebees is very good, but be careful of ordering your beers – you get 2 for 1!)Busch Gardens is a great day out.  MOTE Aquarium and the boat trip are also great.  We saw lots of wildlife.  The villa is lovely and so easy to manage everything.  All in all, a great holiday.

 

The Law Family (August 2004)

Our Trip to Florida

 

There was Eleanor and Marv, big Adrian and Bert,

Together with wee Eenie and Don,

They came from afar, arrived in two cars,

With empty suitcases and money to spend.

 

We shopped ‘til we dropped and ate ‘til we popped,

The drink we will not mention,

The “craic” it was great, your home was superb,

And the pool a release for our tensions.

 

From Miami to Disney we travelled around,

The white knuckle rides left us speechless,

But nothing prepared us for the ice cream we found

At “Big Olaf’s Ice Cream Soda Fountain”.

 

From Eleanor and Mervyn Law, Roberta and Adrian McDowell,

Rena and Don Patton, Lambeg, Dromara and Maze, Northern Ireland.

 

Thank you Brian and Olwen for the use of your beautiful home.

We had a super time.

 

The Jupp Family (July 2004)

Thank you for letting us rent your lovely villa. We thought it was lovely. I think we all said ‘ Wow ‘ when we walked in. It looked good on the web site, but was even better staying there. We would certainly recommend it if we knew of anyone wanting to stay in that area.

We had a great holiday, although a week went far too quickly.  It was lovely to relax after a very hectic two weeks in Orlando visiting all the parks. We liked the beaches and the lovely warm sea. We were very lucky to see about seven manatees in the shallows at Sarasota beach, they didn’t seem a bit bothered by all the people.  Later in the day the environmental people came to decide what to do with them, so we hope they managed to get them to a more suitable location. It was also lovely to watch the dolphins jumping in the water.  We also visited the Manatee Village Historical Park which was interesting and the De Soto National Memorial, which had lovely views. We made plenty of use of the villa pool and it was lovely to sit and gaze out over the lake, we are so glad you removed the fence and bushes. There were lots more we could have done but just not enough time.

One day I am sure we will return to Florida, but for the time being it will be back to holidays in our caravan, touring the UK and Europe. We really did have a great time though and I am sure we will all remember it for years to come.

It was a shame we missed you it would have been nice to meet you and put a face to the e-mails that have been so friendly and informative.

Thank you once again

Best Wishes

 

The Miles Family (June 2004)

Ben & I mostly spent our time at Siesta Key Beach. Love it there. It's an easy drive down I-75. I would like to tell everyone how at home they will feel here. When you travel so far from home it's nice to have a place to stay that is so welcoming. Like visiting family without all the fuss.

Great vacation! Relaxed a lot and thankful for it.

Thanks again! 

 

The Potter Family (June 2004)

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at your Villa.  The Villa's location, setting and decor was a perfect fit for our family vacation. 

Early mornings we would sit on the veranda to witness the sun rise and watch as the fog rolled off of the lake.   The lake was serene, the sounds from nature were calming and the birds that visited the lake were picture perfect.  It was oh so refreshing to our souls.

We look forward to a return visit to your Villa next year.

 

The Herdman Family (May 2004)

Thanks for providing us with a true home away from home. Your villa is immaculate in every way; decor, furnishings cleanliness and has every possible utensil and appliance to make any holiday a great one.  Every thing about the villa, your agents and dealing with you guys has been an absolute pleasure so thank you for helping make our holiday memorable....

 

The Vlietstra Family (April/May 2004)

The location of the villa was excellent for shops, beaches and places to eat.
We also found it easy to find from the management centre who were also very helpful.
The south facing garden gave warm sunshine all day from morning to night and the pool was large enough for a good swim.  The pool was also very clean.
We also thought that the villa was well equipped and laid out , and easy to live in for the holiday.
 

The Wyatt Family (Easter 2004)

The villa was spacious, clean, well equipped. The pool and ice maker was always so welcome after a long day. The lake has lots of wildlife in and around it. Which included, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Brown Pelicans, Double Crested Cormorants, Great and Snowy Egrets, Great Blue, Little Blue and Tri-coloured Herons, White and Glossy Ibis, Wood Stalk, Turkey and Black Vultures, Lizards and Turtles. The community facilities were safe and clean for the children. The location of the villa was central to everywhere we wanted to visit. We met some of the neighbours who were helpful and friendly. A car is essential.

 

The Goeppinger Family (March 2004)

Our family had a wonderful time.  Your house is beautiful!  We really enjoyed the pool and the view of the lake.  Being so close to the beaches and in a very quiet subdivision made our vacation very relaxing.  Thanks so much for renting your beautiful home to us for our vacation.

The Goeppinger Family

 

The Kidd Family (February 2004)

Just a few comments about our stay in your villa in Bradenton. This is a very well furnished home. One of the cleanest we have rented in the last 12 years that we have vacationed in Florida. The Master suite is large and well laid out. We loved it. The villa is well located and close to most conveniences. We would definitely stay there again .  Thanks again for the use of your home.

 

The Royer Family (January 2004)

My family and I really enjoyed our vacation in Florida. The villa was a perfect fit for us as it accommodated 6 adults and 3 children under the age of 1. Each family had their own bedroom. It couldn't have worked out better. I knew the villa was going to be perfect for us when I saw the pictures on your website. The villa was even more beautiful in person.
I really felt special as everything was so new and clean.

Everything we needed was just down the street a short way. It seemed like we went to Wal-Mart everyday. We rented movies and games to play on the Playstation.

Having the playstation at the villa was a great idea.

We also enjoyed just looking at the lake and all of the wildlife that came with it.

One day while we were all swimming a very large crane landed on the roof of the pool!  We couldn't believe it. We all froze so we wouldn't scare it away. I think someone was able to get a picture of it.

 

The White Family (Christmas 2003)

We have just returned from spending Christmas at Brian & Olwen's Bradenton villa.  The villa is a real home-from-home, except of course for the heated pool, the peaceful lakeside views with eagles gliding overhead, superb shopping and of course the beautiful beaches down the road!  We have visited Florida a number of times but this was the most relaxing.  The highlight of our holiday was seeing a pod of dolphins playing just off the shoreline at Anna Maria Island - nature at it's best