Beach Cottage: Beachfront, Secluded Natural Setting, Dune Deck, Kayaks for bay
Cottage
Sleeps: 4
Bedrooms: 2 
Bathrooms: 2
Description
Immaculate 2 bedroom beachfront cottage boasting the most secluded spot on Little Gasparilla Island --- along with first-class amenities, wireless internet, kayaks for exploring the bay's quiet coves and cays, docks, beach gear, recreational gear, and more. 360 degrees of porches and sun decks overlook the waves, beach, dunes, lagoons, mangroves, and lots of island flora and fauna!
The Beach Cottage is located on Little Gasparilla Island, a remote and bridge-less barrier island with no cars, stores, or restaurants of any kind. It is only accessible by boat (water taxi available) and that makes for a wonderfully quiet and private vacation! If this is going to be your first visit to Little Gasparilla Island, we expect you have many questions about it, so don't hesitate to ask!
Little Gasparilla has miles of beautiful white sand beach, but this cottage is the only house that borders the protected state park, beach and lagoons --- over a mile of completely undeveloped natural beach, without any houses, lies right outside your door.
The Beach Cottage is part of GasparillaGetaways, a private 5-acre bay-to-beach retreat composed of the main residence, two guest houses, bayside Bistro, coffee bar, and other outbuildings, two docks, and its private beach. All surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Lemon Bay state aquatic preserve to the east, Don Pedro state nature preserve to the north, and undeveloped privately-held land to the south and interlaced with tidal mangrove lagoons. Almost an island unto itself, the cottage can only be accessed by the private boardwalks that stretch from the dock on the bay to the dunes on the beach, winding through picturesque mangroves along the way.
There is a king bed in the master bedroom and two single beds in the second bedroom. The cottage is ideal for a couple, a couple with 1 or 2 children, or 2 couples who don't mind sharing a bathroom.
The cottage is built "Old Florida" style of cedar with hardwood floors, a wrap-around screened porch, and deep overhanging eaves to shade the sun. Eight sets of French doors (two sets in each bedroom, two in the living area and two in the kitchen/dining area) open onto the screen porch to take full advantage of the ocean’s sights, sounds, and breezes. Cathedral ceilings and ceiling fans in each room (complemented by central heat/air conditioning) provide year-round comfort.
In addition to the wrap-around screened porch there is a large sundeck off the kitchen and main living area, and another sundeck off the master bedroom. These decks and porches offer many comfortable options for ‘al fresco’ seating, grilling and dining, or for simply enjoying the Florida sunshine.
The spacious and fully-screened ground level provides a covered, shady space for hammocks and chairs, plus a second bathroom, laundry, and a second refrigerator/freezer.
Unique on the island, a "dune deck" located right at ground-level in the sand and sea oats, offers a convenient place to sit and watch the waves. It also offers a convenient place to stash
beach gear (which must be removed from the beach after sundown in order to protect the nesting and hatchling sea turtles) to await the next sunrise.
Additional notes:
Little Gasparilla is a barrier island, one of the glistening white ‘string of pearls’ that stretch almost 100 miles along Florida’s southwest coast from Tampa to Sanibel. While not far from Disney, it’s a world away from the crowds, high-rise condos, and T-shirt shops of the east coast. In fact, Little Gasparilla Island can be accessed only by boat (either water taxi or private boat ). There is no bridge or car ferry --- and therefore there are no roads or cars, no commercial services or shopping, and very few people. You’ll quickly notice that the osprey, eagles, pelicans and shore birds far outnumber humans. In fact, there are many days when you’ll see more dolphins in the bay than people on the beach.
Cell connections work great through your own subscription or through our wireless "hotspot". While there is no cable service on LGI, there is a "smart" TV and a small “family-friendly” DVD library.
As is common in the coastal and Caribbean islands, water is provided from a cistern system which captures, filters, and treats rainwater. While this means remembering to conserve water, especially during the dry season, such systems provide water even more pure than is generally found in large municipal systems.
The Beach Cottage is elevated and not handicapped-accessible. All guests must be physically capable of negotiating stairs, climbing in and out of boats, and getting on and off of docks.
CONTRACT DETAILS:
- Check in is 3:00 pm or after
- Check out is by 10:00 am
- no pets
- no smoking
- no more than four occupants
- guests agree to hold owner harmless for any injuries or illnesses incurred while using our home, boardwalks, kayaks, grill, or other property
- guests agree to remove all food items and all garbage from the property upon departure
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Any unused portion of your rental fee is fully refundable if your cancellation or early departure is due to COVID, hurricane warnings, or Red Tide. Rent is also fully refundable if your trip is cancelled 30 days or more before check-in, and 50% refundable if cancelled 14 days before check-in. Rent is generally not refundable within 15 days of check-in.
The security deposit is fully refundable at any time if there has been no damage to the property. .
AIRPORTS/RENTAL CARS:
The closest commercial airport is Punta Gorda (PGD), served primarily by Allegiant Air, about 45 minutes to the south. Larger airports served by several carriers are Sarasota (SRQ) to the north, and Fort Myers (RSW) to the south, each about an hour and 15 minutes drive to/from the marinas that serve our island. Tampa airport (TPA) is a little less than two hours away to the north, while Orlando (MCO) is about 3 hours away.
Rental cars are available at all airports, sometimes extremely inexpensively, and even for a week are often comparable to the round trip taxi/Uber.
GROCERIES AND OTHER PROVISIONS:
The closest grocery stores to the island are both Publix. Driving from the South toward the marinas, the Publix is located at the corner of McCall Road and Gasparilla Road, 13435 South McCall Road, Port Charlotte. Driving from the North toward the marinas, the Publix closest to the marina is located at 8725 Placida Road, Placida. There is a Wal-Mart in Englewood. Remember, there are NO stores or restaurants of ANY kind on Little Gasparilla Island. You must bring all supplies other than what is listed below. Don't forget to put sun screen and bug repellent on your list!
WE SUPPLY:
- top quality bed linens
- top quality bath towels, hand towels, and wash cloths
- Q-tips and cosmetic pads
- beach towels
- beach chairs
- beach umbrella
- dish washing soap
- starter roll of toilet tissue
- starter roll of paper towels
- salt and pepper
- assortment of 16 spices
- laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets
- propane for the grill
- garbage bags
- hair dryer
- iron/ironing board
INTERNET CONNECTION:
Your cell phones and smart phones will work fine from our home via your own subscription regardless of which mobile provider you use. If you wish need an Internet connection for your laptop or other mobile device, we also provide a Verizon Wireless "MiFi" (hotspot).
PARKING and ARRIVAL :
You will park your car and catch the water taxi from Eldred's Marina (which is really more of a bait shop). They are located at 6301 Boca Grande Causeway, Placida, Florida 33946 (NOTE: The marina is right BEORE the toll booth!) You will enter the little bait shop to obtain a parking pass for approximately $6.00 per day to put on your dash. The water taxi picks you up out front.
WATER TAXI: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
The local water taxi service is provided by Pirate Water Taxi, (941-697-5777).
To get your preferred ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE reservations you'll want to call Pirate as early as possible, say TWO WEEKS or more before you arrival date. It is IMPERATIVE that you get water taxi reservations to arrive at the island after checkin (3:00pm) and to depart the island before checkout (10:00am) since there is no place on the property or on the island to "hang out" waiting for the taxi between 10:00 and 3:00. Early or late reservations mean that, at best, you'll spend a lot of time standing around in the sun or rain with your luggage, and you'll probably miss your plane.
Ask about current pricing when you call for the reservation. At the time of this writing the cost was $10/person, one way, including luggage, with a minimum trip charge of $20. CASH ONLY. Tips for the captain are appreciated. Please confirm the current rates as they change seasonally and also increase EVERY HALF HOUR after normal business hours (5:00 or 6:00 pm).
Make sure you tell him that you are coming to DOCK #2! They know us well and will bring you directly to our dock #2, where wheelbarrows await you for use in carting your times down the boardwalks to the beach house.
REMEMBER ---- SCHEDULE YOUR WATER TAXI ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TRIPS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (I.e., NOW!)
GOLF CART RENTALS:
Some guests choose to rent a golf cart for a day so they can explore the interior of the island. However, a golf cart is not at all necessary since there are no stores or significant destinations on the island. There are also no roads. All the "paths" on the island are just part of people's private yards, used only by the owner's good graces. Do not stray from the well-used paths. Do not speed. Do not park in people's yards. DO NOT DRIVE ON THE BEACH OR DUNES. Do not drive through puddles. And especially DO NOT LET YOUNGSTERS DRIVE CARTS UNSUPERVISED. 99% of all mischief on the island involves golf carts. Maybe 100%.
Please note there is a limited supply of carts available and they may not be in perfect shape.
Amenities
Entertainment- Video library
- Books
- Stereo
- Washing machine
- Clothes dryer
- Iron and board
- Air conditioning
- Heating
- Linens provided
- Towels provided
- Hair dryer
- Wireless internet
- No Smoking
- Microwave
- Toaster
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Grill
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Dishes and utensils
- Pantry items
- Kitchen
- Bird watching
- Boating
- Water View
- Waterfront
- Massage
- Kayak / Canoe
- Golf
- Internet
- Parking
- Washer and Dryer
- Heater
- Children Welcome
- Fishing
- Jet skiing
- Scuba diving or snorkeling
- Snorkeling
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Water skiing
- Water tubing
- Long-term Renters Welcome
Rates
| Season | Nightly | Weekly | Weekend | Monthly | Min Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Rate -- |
$312 | - | - | - | 3 |
Additional information about rental rates
Rental Notes
Cleaning Fee $200
Lauren R.
Amazing vacation
Amazing time, amazing house, amazing island!
Mary E.
Loved it
Loved it, no crowds, no driving, no noise, just chilling
Terra T.
Fantastic location
This location can't be beat. Incredible beach just steps away. The bay side is just a short walk through the mangroves. The home was well stocked and very comfortable. There were loads of amenities - kayaks, paddleboards, beach toys, chairs - that really made the stay fantastic. The owners were very responsive and we would definitely recommend this property to anyone looking for a private beach getaway.
Lauren R.
Amazing vacation
Amazing time, amazing house, amazing island!
Mary E.
Loved it
Loved it, no crowds, no driving, no noise, just chilling
Terra T.
Fantastic location
This location can't be beat. Incredible beach just steps away. The bay side is just a short walk through the mangroves. The home was well stocked and very comfortable. There were loads of amenities - kayaks, paddleboards, beach toys, chairs - that really made the stay fantastic. The owners were very responsive and we would definitely recommend this property to anyone looking for a private beach getaway.