About this rental
*Calendar month rentals only*
******SPECIAL - March and April 2024 - $200 per night plus utilities - 14 night minimum****
May - November (seven-month lease) - $1750 per month plus utilities
May - November (three-month lease) - $2500 per month plus utilities
December - $3900 per month plus utilities
January, February, & March- $5500 per month plus utilities
April - $4500 per month plus utilities
50% deposit upon booking, balance 90 before arrival.
Check the calendar for availability.
To make your stay more enjoyable for you and your pets we include bicycles, beach chairs, beach towels, and pet towels.
*13% resort tax (for less than 6-month stays), refundable pet deposit, final cleaning fee, and security deposits will apply.*
Includes pest control and weekly landscaping,
Bungalows are deep cleaned after every stay and impeccably cared for directly by Ali and Rich (owners/landlord) since 2001.
About Garden Terrace:
Situated in the quiet and welcoming neighborhood of Palm Island, the heart of Siesta Key, this Tommy Bahama-styled studio efficiency has fifteen-foot sliding glass doors looking into a private brick courtyard with flowered trellis and wrought iron patio furniture. Wood and tile floors, cypress beamed ceilings, kitchenette, full bathtub/shower, full-sized bed, love seat, and dining set. It is situated in the quiet neighborhood of Palm Island. It is a five-minute walk to the famous Siesta beach and ten minutes to the Siesta village. It has two bicycles and two beach chairs. All linens and towels and fully equipped kitchen items.
Pets are welcome with a refundable pet deposit.
Unique Benefits
We have bicycles and beach chairs and towels, so you don't need to pack anything! The neighborhood is extremely inviting and friendly. It has its own laundry area with an additional apartment sized fridge and freezer.
Why Kids Love It
Its a quiet neighborhood so its safe for walking and bike riding. Its super close to the beach. It has an outdoor shower which is especially nice when bringing the little ones home from the beach.
There is a fabulous playground for kids at the main beach. Its new and sand-themed.
Area Information
Siesta Key has been voted to have the best beach in the USA which you can walk to in five minutes from our Blue Lagoon bungalow! Fun shopping and restaurants are only a ten minute walk away in Siesta Village. Historic downtown Sarasota is teaming with the arts - opera, ballet, performing arts center, dinner theatre, galleries, Ringling museum, Selby botanical gardens - and a multitude of restaurants is only 15 minutes away. For bikers we have an 11 mile bike trail that is close by. Golf courses abound! Fishing charters, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and a lot more water sports are available right on Siesta Beach.
Attractions Within Walking Distance
The famous Siesta Beach has been voted to have the whitest sand in the USA! Three times in a row!!! Your beach access has no parking so its just you and the neighbors there. It makes is very easy and relaxing to watch the kids since they aren't getting lost in a sea of people.
We have everything we need right in the village: post office, family drug store, market, liquor store, apparel stores, souvenirs, many kinds of restaurants with outdoor dining, bike/moped/kayak/paddle board rentals, farmers market on Sundays, ice cream parlors, donut stop, coffee shops, skateboard shop, shoe shop, jewelers, and a gym. I think the list goes on!
Favorite Places To Eat
We have lots of favorites: The Sun Garden patio for breakfast, The Hub for lunch and Flavio's for dinner. But that's only ONE of our favorites. We have a whole list on our website: /favorites-1.html on our favorites page.
Inside Scoop
~There is a geocache hidden at the gazebo in the heart of the village. ~The fish that jump in the canals are Mullet. ~There are no alligators in the canals. They are only fresh water and ours is salt water. ~There is kayaking in mangrove tunnels on Lido Key (favorite thing to do!) ~The white beach sand never gets hot! It is made of 90% quarts and cannot retain the heat.~ The manatees love to come into the canals when its cold. Often we can see dolphins sanding right on the beach. ~You've got to watch for the "green flash" as the sun hits the horizon. I've only seen it once! ~There are great Happy Hour specials at The Cottage restaurant in the village. ~You can rent a boat and explore the canals and deserted islands in the intercostal and water ski around skiers island ~ There is a yoga class on the beach.
Amenities
Other Vacation Rental Amenities
Located in quaint Palm Island Neighborhood, just a short walk to famous Siesta Beach and Siesta Village.
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Rates
Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Min Stay |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 01 - Nov 30 2024 | $1,750 | 180 nights | |||
Dec 01 - Dec 31 2024 | $3,900 | 30 nights | |||
Jan 01 - Jan 31 2025 | $5,500 | 30 nights | |||
Feb 01 - Feb 28 2025 | $5,500 | 27 nights | |||
Mar 01 - Mar 31 2025 | $5,500 | 30 nights |
Fees:
Utilities per month: $250
Refundable Security Dep.: $500
Final Clean: $250
Refundable Pet Depsoit: $500
Tax Rate: 13%
Notes:
Details:
Reservations by the calendar month only.
50% deposit upon booking
balance due 90 days prior to arrival
13% tax (for 6 months or less)
Pets Welcome with a refundable Pet deposit
Plus utilities
Availability
Last updated November 21, 2024
Location
Hosted by Alison and Richard Light
Member since 2018
Year purchased: 2002
About the host: We are Ali, Rich and Chloe Jane Light. We moved to Siesta Key in 1997 and have never looked back. We absolutely love living here and sharing our paradise with our guests. We have been renting our six cosy bungalows since 1998. Ali is an artist and has drawn inspiration for colors and design of our bungalows from our travels to Hawaii, Ireland, and the British Virgin Islands. Rich was a custom design home builder and landlord for many years in the Philadelphia region, so together we have found the perfect match for having beach rentals.
Why this property? When we moved to Siesta Key in 1997 we knew that we wanted to be able to share this gorgeous area with others and having rentals seemed to be the perfect way.We started buying and restoring our Bungalows in 2000.
Guestbook comments from the host:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there dedicated off street parking for the studio?
Yes, there is one parking space dedicated to the studio. The studio is detached from the main house and has its own dedicated and private outdoor space from the main house.
How far is the walk to the beach?
The walk is less than five minutes to our beach access 10. There is no parking at this access so its a very quiet part of the beach.
How far is the closest grocery store?
We have a wonderful grocery store right in the village, which is less than a mile away. The large grocery store, Publix, are over both bridges, so about a 10 minute drive.
Photos
Reviews
Perfect peaceful pet friendly bungalow
I recently had the pleasure of staying for three months in this cozy bungalow on Palm Island in the heart of Siesta Key. Nestled amidst lush vegetation and just a short walk from the beach and Siesta Key Village, this place felt like a little slice of paradise, peaceful, and serene.Everything I needed for a vacation retreat was available, including a private laundry area, efficiency kitchen, and lovely private patio area, even an outdoor shower. There was also a separate driveway and parking space specific to this bungalow, all super convenient and safe.I looked forward to waking up every morning and enjoying a cup of coffee while listening to the soothing sounds of birds chirping, a perfect start to peaceful days in this incredibly quiet neighborhood. The bungalow itself, which included an entire wall of floor ceiling windows, was just the right size for me and my four-legged friend, offering a perfect retreat to chill and reconnect with nature.I was pleasantly surprised to find that everything I needed was in walking distance; beach, shopping, restaurants, all the necessities, no car necessary, and the free trolley that runs the length of Siesta Key made exploring the surroundings fun and easy.The property owners, Ali and Rich, were incredibly friendly and helpful, making my stay even more enjoyable. The neighborhood was very friendly and walkable, and I always felt safe. Plus, Palm Island is literally shaped like a heart, adding a charming touch to this already wonderful location.If you're looking for a serene, peaceful place to unwind while still being conveniently located near all the amenities that Siesta Key has to offer, this is the perfect spot.
Stayed: March 2024 Submitted: June 15, 2024
Owner response
Sally We enjoyed have you at our Garden terrace cottage and appreciate you sharing your experience for others to enjoy Thank you for taking just good care and leaving g the cottage clean and tidy You’re welcome back anytime ! Thank you Ali and Rich
Garden Terrace
Fantastic location and great (very responsive) hosts! We will be back at some point for sure- thanks!
Stayed: February 2024 Submitted: March 01, 2024
Owner response
We enjoyed have you stay at our garden terrace cottage And are looking forward having you back in the future Happy travels Rich and Ali
Siesta Dream
My husband and I stayed at the garden Terrace studio. We loved our ultra clean, cozy & romantic little bungalow. It was perfect for us and our little 6 pound Chihuahua! Rich was so accessible, personable and happy to do anything in His power to make your vacation special. He really cares about his renters! We had so much fun with close proximity to the beach and the Village. Ali is also accessible and will help in anyway. We can’t wait to return!!!
Stayed: March 2022 Submitted: April 08, 2022
Owner response
Tari, Thank you so very much for taking the time to help our future guests to know what it is like to stay with us. We really appreciate it! We hope to see you on Siesta soon! Ali and Rich
Excellent location
I stayed in the small, but perfect sized for me, cottage behind one of the other rentals. Rich met me to check in and go over the details of the property. Very nice family of three, easy to reach by any method, they live around the corner.I've been visiting Siesta Key for over 25 years and have lived in Sarasota a few times.Yes I would stay here againPros -location, proximity to beach and village -outside shower -easy maintenance -privacy -laundry -spare bikes -location, the beach is literally a short walk or speedy bike ride of a minute or two -location -location, if that wasn't already clear -and I'll repeat outside shower again -full wall of sliders, almost like you're outside -private courtyard -you're on palm island which is quiet and residentialFacts -kitchen is small, but does have 2 burners, and additional refrigerator/freezer space in laundry room -this is a one room cottage, if you're traveling with another person you should be close (there is a divider/privacy screen, I did not use) -somewhat limited storage space if you tend to have a lot of baggage/stuff, I did not have an issue, there are also two under bed storage containers for use, plus another in the laundry room -if you like to cook and are used to a full kitchen, this has limited cooking area, but this is not a surprise, they've set it up well for the space available, there are also grills outside to use -if you have a dog the back yard is not fenced, was not a challenge for me, also easy to corral in the courtyard area -the guy doing the yard work comes through weekly including blowing off the courtyard, it's a loud surprise if you weren't anticipating, hopefully you're out enjoying the day anyway, for me I was working and on conference calls so had to scramble to close the sliders because of the noise
Stayed: April 2019 Submitted: May 14, 2019
Owner response
Erica, Thanks for your review and we enjoyed having you as our guest at the cottage! We hope to have you as our guest again in the future. Ali & Rich Light
Peace in Siesta Key
Pure happenstance brought me to the Garden Terrace studio of Ali & Rich Light. What a respite it is!! The bungalow itself was cozy inside. Sitting outside on the private patio was serene, spacious and decadent, as I am a city girl existing in limited space. The cottage is close to everything: the beach, Siesta Key Village, downtown Sarasota. Ali & Rich were only a text away, with timely responses to my myriad queries. Yes, I’m coming back again next year. Who wouldn’t with a Garden Terrace like this and a welcome bar none from my hosts Ali & Rich Light? See you there.
Stayed: April 2017 Submitted: August 11, 2018
Owner response
Elfie, Thank you so very much for taking the time to write a lovely review. We really appreciate, and we are so happy to know that we will be seeing you again next year!! Yeah!!!Until then! Ali and Rich
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