Thursday, July 31, 2014

The Perfect Holiday Hideaway with Access to Attractions













We spent a week in this cottage which gets as close to paradise on earth as I think it is possible to get. Becky and Gary have tried to think of everything one could possibly need to make the perfect holiday whilst also making one feel utterly at home. The weather could not have been kinder, the wildlife performed as if trained with daily visits from dolphin, heron and other large birds, sea otter etc and the sunsets were magnificent. Becky made planning the holiday as easy as possible with prompt email answers to questions and a library of information when we arrived covering everything from instructions on the use of all appliances to a folder on restaurants and their menus. As well as "down days" when we relaxed and enjoyed the blissful surroundings, paddled the canoes so thoughtfully provided and bar b q'd dinner watching the sun go down, we had busy days visiting relatively local attractions such as Busch Gardens and a River Safari about 30 mins up the road. Our thanks to Captain Bob who made our air boat trip so memorable . We also had a trip down memory lane with a vist to the Clearwater/St Petersburg area where we had stayed on holiday 20 years previously. We had breakfast a few times at The Breakfast Station about 7 or 8 miles away - highly recommended for a good start to the day (Angie, a waitress, was most helpful), and also used Willy's Tropical Breeze on the adjoining public beach for lunch on a couple of ocassions. In the evening we tried the Bayport Inn which gave such large portions that one meal fed all of us for lunch the following day. However the best restaurant we tried was Brian's Place, about 5 or 6 miles away. This offers good quality food a la carte and also a very reasonably priced early bird menu between 4.30 and 6.30. On leaving the cottage we spent a few days in Orlando visiting the attractions there, which is a different experience altogether with the crowds and the hustle and bustle. These could be visited on a daily basis from the cottage - probably about a 90 minute drive away with the added benefit that one would return in the evening to the peace and tranquility afforded by Sandcastle in the Sun. Our thanks once again for helping to provide a truly memorable vacation.

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