The Property & Location ● Where is the home located and what is the exact address? The home is located on Siesta Key and the exact address is 312 Beach Road, Sarasota, FL 34242.
● What kind of property is this? The Shells Villa is a three story Spanish style beach villa. It's townhouse that is part of a four unit development that was built in the mid 1990’s. This home has its own gated entrance from Beach Rd.
● How big is the home? The Shells Villa has three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. One of the bathrooms is attached to the master bedroom. The total square footage of the home is just over three-thousand (3,000). There are three floors with each floor being 1,000 square feet.
● What rooms are on each floor? The ground floor has the private two and a half car garage, secured storage area, and entry foyer. The main floor contains the kitchen, pantry, dining room, living room, half bath, and lanai. The upstairs floor contains the master bedroom / bath, bedrooms 2 & 3, laundry area, linen closets, and common bathroom.
● Can I walk to the beach? Yes, the unit is located on the gulf side Beach Rd. and there is one house between the Shells Villa and the beach. Just walk across our courtyard and through the designated private access path and you are on the beach. It is a approximately 230 feet to the beach. For an aerial view of the path go to our Location Page.
● Does the home have views of the beach or ocean? Although the home is practically on the beach it does not have any direct views of the beach or ocean because it faces Beach Road. If you are standing on the main floor lanai you can see a limited and obstructed view of the ocean and beach. For a picture of this view go to our Location Page.
● How many beds does the home have? There are two (2) queen size beds, two (2) full size bunk beds, two (2) twin size bunk beds, one (1) sleeper sofa, and two (2) inflatable twin Aero beds.
● How close to the Village area is the unit? The Shells Villa is just a half block away from where Beach Rd turns into Ocean Blvd. This intersection is the beginning of the Siesta Key Village. The Siesta Key Village or as the locals call it "The Village" is where many of the restaurants, boutiques, bars, and ice cream shops are located. It is considered the heart of Siesta Key.
● Does the home have a pool? No, we don't have a pool in the complex, but the Lido Beach Pool is available for your use. The Lido Beach Pool is heated, open to the public and is located at 400 Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota, FL. The pool is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am - 4:45 pm. The cost is $4 for adults and $2 for kids/seniors.
● Do you allow dogs? Yes, we do allow dogs. There is an additional dog fee of $150. The fee is used to clean the carpets and upholstery after each pet rental.
● Can we bring our dog to the beach? Siesta Key is very pet friendly, but dogs are not allowed on the beach. If you want your dog to experience the water we suggest Bird Key Park. It is located at 200 John Ringling Causeway, Bird Key, Sarasota 34236.
● Are there laundry facilities in the home? Yes, there is a washer and dryer in the unit.
● Does the home have an elevator? Yes, the unit has a private elevator that serves all three floors. The elevator is available for convenience purposes only and should not be considered for individuals or families that require 100% elevator uptime. As this is a single elevator in a private home (not a hotel), if the elevator needs to be serviced we do not have a backup option while the repairs are being made.
● How many TV’s are in the home? Three flat screen TVs. There is one 47" flat screen television in the living room and two other 32" flat screen TVs in the bedrooms. Each one has Verizon cable and two have a DVD player. The living room has a Blu Ray DVD player which also plays standard DVDs and CDs. The TVs cannot be moved to different rooms because cable is only setup in these areas.
● Does the home have a fireplace? Yes, it has a wood burning fireplace in the living room. You will need to provide your own wood which can be purchased at the local grocery store in Siesta Village.
● Does the unit have a gas grill? Yes, there is a gas grill stored in the garage that is available for renter use.
● What else is available for renter use? There are sand toys, beach chairs, beach mats, coolers, and a beach umbrella stored in the garage. The unit also has bath & beach towels and bed linen. Due to wear & tear and lost items, we cannot guarantee that any specific piece of beach equipment or sand toy will be available at the time of your rental.
● Does the home have a crib or high chair? There is a high chair in the home, but no crib. We routinely work with ABC Rentals at 866-342-2446 and they can coordinate delivery of cribs, toddler beds, or other beach rentals so that the items can be in the home before you arrive. They have reasonable prices and great customer service.
● Does the home have a telephone and Internet? Yes, there is a telephone in the unit that includes free local calls. The unit also has Verizon Fios high speed Internet access which can be connected to via a Cat5 line or via wireless access. You will need to provide your own computer/laptop.
● Is The Shells Villa owned by a large company? No, the Shells Villa is owned by Orazio & Julie B. We have three young children and use the home for periodic family vacations.
The Rental Process & Costs ● What is the rental process? 1. Confirm rate, availability, and get all of your questions answered 2. Sign the Rental Proposal and fax to 773-326-0807, 3. Mail in your first payment.
● In addition to the base rental rate are there any other fees? There is a standard cleaning fee of $120 for a one week rental. For longer term rentals additional cleanings can be setup at time of booking for an additional $120 per cleaning. There is also a standard damage insurance fee that covers damage up to $1500. Additional insurance may be purchased at time of booking.
● Do taxes apply to my rental? Yes, there is an 12% hotel tax. All registered properties on Siesta Key are required to pay this.
● What is the payment schedule? Our standard payment schedule is to pay $500 at time of booking with the remainder due 60 days before check in. For last minute or longer term bookings we adjust the schedule or amount accordingly so that all funds are received 60 days before booking.
● What is your cancellation process? Cancellations can be made via phone or email. Cancellations made greater than 60 days before check-in will get refunded all funds less a $50 cancellation fee. Any cancellations made less than 60 days before check in will forfeit the entire rental amount.
● Why do you have a 60 day cancellation period? The Shells Villa is not a hotel and it is the only home we own on Siesta Key. On average we book renters 6-9 months out and cancellations made less than 60 days prior to check-in usually result in a vacancy. In order to keep our prices low we strive to rent our home in excess of 45 weeks per year. In order to accoplish our goal we need to book to renters that have firm plans.
● How does the damage deposit work? We no longer require a damage deposit. At time of booking you pay a flat fee for damage insurance and that covers damages up to $1500. For the specific amount of the fee please refer to our Rates page. Additional insurance may be purchased at time of booking. In addition, we require a credit card at time of check in that will act as your deposit for damages in excess of $1500 or for violations of our rules and regulations. See Rules, Terms and Conditions.
● Who do I make checks payable to? Beachside Resorts
● Who manages the property? The home is locally managed by Beachside Resorts. Beachside Resorts handles all payments, paperwork, check in & check out, keys, cleaning, maintenance, and emergencies. Their office is located in Siesta Key Village which is a short walk from the property. The address is 51250 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34242.
