Your Manatee Retreat in Crystal River

We fell in love with this home for different reasons. I love the massive master suite with a slider to the lanai and room for all our kids and grandkids to visit. For him, less practical maybe but "you had me at the palm trees". You walk thru the front doors directly onto a large foyer and a view through the living room of the lanai and pool with woods behind. We were home! Just perfect. I hope you enjoy it! ...If planning to book it is important that you KEEP READING. There is important info.



ABOUT THE SPACE:



There is a lot of information in these descriptions that you may not get from the generic boxes VRBO has for me to check or even the photos. Please take the time to read everything to know what you are getting!



On with the description!



The mature palm trees are spectacular, but so is the house. And it all leads your gaze to the pool and lanai. An entire wall of moving glass doors overlooks the pool off of the living area; and there is even a full bathroom in the courtyard. Wow. What a view.



6 bedrooms it says? 3 huge bedrooms, a game room, a den, and an office - all with doors for private sleeping arrangements - surround an open living area with a fantastic, fully-appointed kitchen available for your use. It's almost like the house in the game "Clue".



We had really high standards for a master suite. And this home checks all the boxes. Large, with a sitting area overlooking - and accessible to - the pool. Enormous walk-in closet. Gigantic master bathroom with multiple sinks, a huge shower, and a 2 person jetted tub. And, one thing that was a bonus. A sauna. Just perfect.



The other bedrooms are at the other end of the house. They are large and share the other full bathroom that is larger than many master baths! And remember, there is a third bath off the lanai. Both are easily accessible to the pool and the house.



To add to the argument that you might have with each other regarding "what is the best feature of the house?" Did I mention the pool and lanai? Fully screened with a covered lanai housing a large dining lounge set and four large, cushioned chaises surrounding the newly resurfaced and heated pool.



Originally, we added a solar heating system to the pool for a renewable energy solution. That wasn't warm enough for everyone so we also put in a new electric heat pump that can handle cloudy days and colder guests. Solar heat is included. There is an additional daily fee for using electric heat.



We also wanted to make the out-of-doors more a part of your experience - with a gas grill, a charcoal grill, and a fire pit. The firepit sits under a tall canopy of trees surrounded by citronella buckets and sparkling lights. A magical place to spend your evenings visiting and making s'mores.



There is a grove of trees and bushes that create a thicket that adds a great deal of privacy to the front yard. Our daughter and her family recently visited; she took it upon herself to make a special place in that grove. She hollowed out the center of the grove and found a way of setting up the hammock that I previously hadn't found a place for. I now call it "Hillary's Hammock Hollow". It is an awesome spot to get away from it all in relative privacy.



There are two fences. One outside in the backyard for pets, the other - inspired by my active, toddler grandson - is a child/dog fence on the lanai blocking off the pool. This will add a great degree of comfort to any parents with small children. You can now enjoy the lanai without watching them every second around the pool. It will be installed only for guests with small children by request and can be removed altogether or partially opened for access to the pool.



ACCESS INFO:



You will have access to the entire home and grounds with a few exceptions. The garage will be off-limits as well as one of the closets in the master suite. We will put anything private in those locations. So, you can feel confident that you are free to use anything else. Also, the camper is not available to guests at this time.



OTHER NOTES and HOUSE RULES:



We price based on how many are staying in the home. This is calculated during checkout, so it is important that you enter the right number of guests.



Please note, we allow 12 guests, but we only recommend 10 adults because we don't think the sleeper sofa is suitable for adult-sized people.



Please read the House Rules. They are an easy-to-read summary of the rental agreement that outlines information applicable to all guests. We will also send you a copy and ask that you download it and share it with all other guests.



Once your booking is complete, please be aware that we require additional steps to complete your reservation of this property. You will receive a link to our Guest portal with the Rental Agreement and Security Deposit arrangements. A government-issued ID will be required to verify that the card used for the security deposit belongs to you. You will also have the opportunity to reserve certain optional services offline. We call these Add Ons.



"Add ons" include requesting things like: a late checkout, a cleaning by our housekeeper during your stay, electric heat for the pool, etc. You let us know on the portal, and we'll arrange payment separately.



We have purchased Damage Protection Coverage on your behalf. This policy covers the first $1500 worth of accidental damage. It excludes damage by unregistered pets, and linens. Please let us know right away if anything happens. You would remain responsible for anything beyond this coverage. Please note, while booking you may be offered a 'trip interruption' policy. It's not a damage policy, but may be a good purchase if you are worried about events that might lead to cancellation. We especially recommend it to all of our long-term guests because of the alternate cancellation policy for long-term stays.



For long-term stays during the months of January - April we have a specific cancellation policy. The first 30 days is the deposit. It is due at booking and is non-refundable. The remaining dates are refundable until 30 days before check-in. To reiterate, we recommend that anyone considering a long-term stay purchase a trip interruption insurance policy. Ask and we can refer you.



Because of issues with parties and disruptive events, at this time, some of the booking services do not allow gatherings of more than 16 people - even just during the day. We're in agreement with that. If you have a larger group, and you were hoping to make it easier to share the cost of an exclusive home like ours - we're sorry. We aren't interested in alienating our neighbors or having our listing suspended for you.



If you've ever had a pool you know it can take more work sometimes than a once-a-week visit from 'the pool guy'. While you're staying, you may need to do a few maintenance things to ensure that it is available when you want it. For example, chlorine evaporates. If there is a heavy rain, it can impact the water chemistry more than the experts may have anticipated and now algae is growing and the pool is getting cloudy, etc. The easiest thing to say is, let us know and we will talk you through what you can do. And none of it is hard. There is more about maintenance in the house manual.



Regarding pool heating, we have an electric heat pump for the pool. During the warmer seasons, additional heat may not be needed. But some still prefer it. The electric heat can get it up to 85 on cooler days. Use of the electric heater costs $25 per day according to the electric company. Select it on the Guest Portal if you want to use it, or just let us know after checking the forecast a few days before you arrive. You will not need it most of the year. But please be aware, if it is unseasonably cold, even the electric heat pump is not guaranteed to reach a specific temperature. Please note you are paying for the electricity, not for an outcome, so there will be no refunds.



There are security cameras on the front door, the driveway, and near the pool screen doors. There are none inside or in any private areas! We had to install the cameras, not for burglars but because we've had guest counts that exceeded what was reserved. We price based on how many are staying in the home. And we make sure it is a good value for either a retired couple of snowbirds or a big family on an adventure-filled vacation. And, even if you leave our home as clean as when you arrive, as required, the size of the group still makes a big difference in how much time and work our housekeeper has to do with laundry, etc.



And then there are pets. Please don't try to sneak any in without including them in the booking. We need to make sure they are included in your damage insurance. All pets must be crated if left alone in the house. And sorry, no cats period. I am deathly allergic to cats.



Finally, We have a camper that we store on the property. We may need to access our camper and our garage for a short time during the occasional guest's stay. We bought this house as our vacation/retirement home. When we started sharing it, the response was overwhelming. So, we found ourselves needing to be in Florida for business or doing projects to improve the house - with no dates available for us. If we need to be nearby and the house is occupied by guests, we might stay in the camper for a night or two. We keep our distance unless invited to socialize, and no private areas of the house are visible from the camper. So, if the thought of us nearby REALLY bothers you, then maybe you're not the type of guest we are expecting, and maybe it is best that you find another place because Murphy's Law would probably put us there at the same time!