Old Town “Secret Chef”, near Historic Downtown Saint Augustine

Location great. Place cute. Interaction with host great. But nothing worked! No functioning heat or a/c. The microwave worked once but not again. The hostess was on property and responsive to texts after I figured out she wanted texts instead of contact via VRBO. She put us up in another (much smaller) room in same house and let us use both as needed for temperature. Still, much inconvenience for us getting it all accommodated.

The host was welcoming and communicative. The home was clean and in good working order—spacious and comfortable. We liked that everything was updated, yet had a retro vibe. Walking distance to historic downtown St. Augustine.

Prime location, wonderful Pizza place right next door.

Cute little place. We really enjoyed our stay. Host was very responsive and accommodating. We look forward to returning soon!

Great location, pet friendly, clean and good communications with host!

When we walked in I was surprised to see the property was exactly like the pictures and close to everything

This property was better in pictures than it was in person. We chose secret chef because of its location and what seemed to be a well stocked kitchen as I am a chef and like to cook some meals while travelling. The house smelled musty and was very damp. The toilet paper holder fell off the wall and the general appearance was in disrepair. The blinds in the kitchen were dirty, the closet door was broken and the outdoor areas were overgrown and need manicured. We only stayed one of our 6 nights booked due to the plumbing backing up into the shower and a cockroach found in the kitchen. After speaking to 2 other renters at the property, we learned that they were also having drain issues. The host was very quick to act and we were refunded most of the money we paid for the stay as we had to find a new rental property on the fly.

We have stayed at this property many, many times and we just love it. Great location and it was just so incredibly clean ... as usual we were very sorry to leave and will be back in November hopefully. Thank you so much .. it makes us so happy to stay here.

The accommodations were just right for a weekend getaway being in a short walking distance from shops and the historic district. It was a quiet tucked away one bedroom with a nice size kitchen. Communication was great as well.

We had a nice stay. The property is only three block walk to the highlights of Old St. Augustine. We tried to wash dishes in the dishwasher, however it was not working. The kind owner offered to come and do the wash. It was nice to have a clothes washer and dryer in our room. We really had no issues other than our outside entry door lock would often stick and the would require us to wait two minutes for the electronics to reset. (This did get irritating, but really no big deal)

I’ve stayed in a lot of VRBO properties and alway look for the same requirements. Parking included. King size bed. Top reviews. And location to attractions. This one hit it all so I immediately booked for our weekend getaway. Issue number one. Parking. Perhaps I’m extra cautious but I immediately thought there was no way I could leave anything valuable in my vehicle with the parking situation. Genuinely did not look safe. Interior; After walking down a TINY path to the entrance, I opened the door and was met by the immediate smell of mildew. I chose to believe maybe it had been closed up for a bit but when I noticed the dehumidifier running I knew it was a known issue. The bathroom has double doors that exit the exterior of the unit that are frosted glass paneled which was odd enough, but the shower is tiny. I noticed cracks in the shower floor and stepped in to see if it would support any weight. The floor was spongy and a brown water immediately bubbled up from the cracks. There’s no way I can bathe in there and not need a bath from my bath. I will say this. It’s is an adorable unit and is exactly like the pictures. Well decorated for what it is. And the linens appeared fresh. But it is an old unit and the water damage at the base of the doors and shower, sloping and buckling floor boards, and mildew smell take away all the charm. With asthma and a penicillin allergy, we chose to avoid any mildew or mold and got a hotel room at the Hilton down the road instead.

The property is not in great shape and the picture does not reflect to actual conditions. There is damage to the walls and shower pan, the front door wood is rotting. The unit adjoining to the north had a dog that barked quite a lot.

Nice rental, close to downtown. Recommended

Great stay. Easy walk to town. Everything I needed.

This was exactly what I was looking for and 100% as pictured. I especially loved being able to walk to everything historic St. Augustine has to offer. The space was perfect from me and my 40 lb standard poodle; there was room for her travel crate and bed. The well-appointed kitchen meant I didn't have to eat out every meal, and everything was clean and welcoming. Communication with the host was quick and helpful and the pet fee process was simple and appropriate. I cannot wait to come back!

Property was easy to find. Parking not easily accessible if you drive a truck or large SUV. Walking distance to restaurant and attractions.