Placida, Florida
Beachfront Cottage perfect for Couples / Honeymooners / Small families / Nature lovers. This immaculate beachfront cottage (2 BR + loft / 2 BA + outdoor bath) is newly remodeled and boasts the most secluded spot on Little Gasparilla Island --- which is itself a very secluded place, accessed only by boat (water taxi available). Includes amenities such as a slip on the bay dock if you have a boat, kayaks, grill, beach sun deck, beach gear, recreational gear, and more. Screened wrap-around porch with large seating/dining area, two sun decks, and a loft for youngsters of appropriate age. Overlooks the waves, beach, dunes, lagoons, mangroves, and lots of island flora and fauna!
We supply dock carts to easily get your items down the boardwalk to the beach cottage. LGI is a 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!
Little Gasparilla has miles of beautiful white sand beach, but this cottage is the only house that is surrounded by protected state nature preserve, 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 beach-to-bay retreat and interlaced with tidal mangrove lagoons that contains a principle residence, two guest houses, a bayside Bistro, a coffee/smoothie bar, and other outbuildings, two docks, plus a private white-sand 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. 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 (with en-suite bath), and two single beds in the second bedroom. A sleeping loft (suitable for a youngster) above the living room has a single bed.
The recent remodel retained it's "Old Florida" charm. Construction is cedar with hardwood floors, screened porches, and deep overhanging eaves to shade the sun. French doors lead to screened porches from every room, taking full advantage of the ocean’s sights, sounds, and breezes. Cathedral ceilings and ceiling fans in each room (and 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 hammock and chairs, plus a third bathroom, laundry, and a second refrigerator/freezer as well as another dining table and couch.
Unique on the island, a "dune deck" located right on the dune amid the sea oats offers a convenient place to sit and watch the waves. It also offers a convenient place to stash beach gear to await the next sunrise (since all gear must be removed from the beach after sundown in order to protect nesting and hatchling sea turtles)
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 for streaming applications 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. 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 (five with prior permission)
- guests agree to hold owner harmless for any injuries or illnesses incurred while using our home, boardwalks, kayaks, grill, other properties or facilities.
- guests agree to remove all food items and all garbage from the property upon departure (to dumpsters at mainland marina).
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Any unused portion of your rental fee is fully refundable if your cancellation or early departure is due to hurricane warnings, or Red Tide warnings. 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 if there has been no damage to the property. .
AIRPORTS/RENTAL CARS:
The closest commercial airport is Punta Gorda (PGD), 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 the marina/water taxi. 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. There is a nominal parking fee (
GROCERIES AND OTHER PROVISIONS:
The closest grocery stores to the island is Publix of Cape Haze, 8725 Placida Road, Placida. There are also a Super WalMart, Publix, and Winn Dixie in nearby Englewood. Remember, there are NO stores or restaurants of ANY kind on Little Gasparilla Island. Bring whatever you need to the island with you other than what is listed below. However, if you like, you can arrange for Island Grocery Service to pick up your pre-ordered items curbside from Publix or WalMart and put them in the house for your arrival. 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 spices
- laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets
- propane for the grill
- garbage bags
- hair dryer
- iron/ironing board
- fully equipped kitchen
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 check-in (3:00pm) and to depart the island before check-out (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 water taxi 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, we generally advise AGAINST renting a golf cart because they are expensive and unnecessary. There are also only dirt paths and carts are not allowed on the beach. (All of the "cart paths" on the island are just part of people's private yards, used only by the owner's good graces.)available).
We again loved our stay in the Beach Cottage. It's the best location on LGI.
This has been, by far, the best beach vacation location I have ever stayed. This was our second stay here, was supposed to stay last year but red tide prevented it. The house, the location, the check-in/checkout and Andy is very quick to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. I would rate this a 10 star location.
I will have such fond memories of this trip. It was an amazing experience for me & my teens. So much beauty and seclusion. The home location is perfect and surrounded by wild life. The house is very well appointed and very well thought out. The beach is so secluded and the water is perfect. Screen porch all around the house gives you a view of palm trees everywhere and you feel like you’re the only ones on the island. Absolutely loved it!
Property as described and is very nice. Lots of wildlife and a great beach
A true hidden paradise! It’s so nice I almost don’t want to tell anyone about it. The owners have transformed this property into a private, serene retreat that really showcases natural Florida’s beauty. We had the beach to ourselves the entire trip! We saw gopher tortoises and crabs, cranes and owls, manatees, giant sea turtles and dolphins. We also did a fair amount of fishing. We cannot wait to come back next year!
This place is absolutely stunning. It was our first time staying on LGI and were a little apprehensive about getting to/from the island so we ended up renting a boat for the week, however this was not necessary but fun none the less. The beach cottage was cozy and well equipped. My boys loved every minute of this vacation, particularly the endless amount of sharks teeth on the beach. Andrew and Rebecca were great and very helpful, they are probably the nicest people you will meet in all of Florida. The wildlife was something I have not experienced anywhere else in Florida outside of an aquarium(sea turtles, dolphins, even a manatee). We got to enjoy the island during the sea turtle nesting season which was a treat. By the time we got settled in and spent so much time on the beach, it was time to go so unfortunately we didn't get to explore much elsewhere on the island, including kayaking in the bay(which I was looking forward to). We will definitely stay here again, may bring some family to stay at the bay house at the same time, which Andrew was kind enough to give us a tour of while we were there, and it is just as awesome.
This was our second stay in the beach house, and we say it is one of our very favorite places we have ever been! Everything is so beautiful, from the stunning grounds to the quiet beach, and the home is so lovely with such stunning view of God's beautiful ocean and sunsets. We love gathering shells, kayaking on the bay, taking walks, swimming in the warm water, looking for wildlife on the bay, looking through our daily shell finds on the spacious deck, and just enjoying this piece of creation as a family. The property has so many amenities, and Andy and Rebecca are so kind and hospitable and helpful! Even getting to the island on the water taxi is so fun and the wagons on the docks make it quick and easy to get all your luggage and groceries to the beach house. They have truly thought of everything... we cannot too highly recommend this property on Little Gasparilla. The location next to the state park couldn't be better! We would so love to come back again. Thank you Hagelins for such a blessed trip! God bless you!
We stayed for 5 nights and it was well worth the price! Most of the time we were the only ones on our side of the beach. The kids loved it. We will definitely be back!
We were grateful to find this peaceful property away from the hectic day-to-day pace that allowed us to unwind and relax. Our hosts absolutely thought of everything to make our stay very comfortable.
Quiet, peaceful, beautiful, lots of wildlife
This place is stunning with a wonderful view. Lots of privacy and a super comfortable bed. The outdoor shower came in quite handy with the sand… actually we didn’t even use the upstairs shower. We will definitely return yearly!
We loved our stay on Little Gasparilla! The property is magical and so private. We could see the ocean from our house and enjoyed dinner on the porch every night. There were plenty of screened in areas including a large area below the house that included an outdoor shower and hammock. The beach was never crowded and we really felt we had escaped to a tropical paradise. The property includes two other houses all connected by board walks and would be a perfect location for a family reunion or gathering of friends. We rented a boat and appreciated the private dock and also explored the area by kayak (included in the rental). We all loved our time there.
It's a lovely property, I hesitate to say to much for fear that too many people will find out about this little piece of Paradise. We loved our stay on the island and hope to come back again soon. Cheryl and Pat
Your dates are Available!
Total
Includes taxes and fees