Luxurious Custom-Designed Contemporary Home, a Stone's Throw from the Beach

Our stay at Blue Door Villa on North Captiva Island truly felt like it was a dream. We absolutely fell in love with the island and the home and now hope to make it an annual vacation.

Our family of 8 vacationed there over the holidays, we had never rented a home like this before, so when we started searching for options we were a little nervous. The very first correspondance with Annie (the homeowner) quickly put all our worries to rest. She followed-up, answered questions, and gave us detailed information about getting to the island.

As far as the home goes, it's just as gorgeous as the pictures, and one of the most unique homes on the island. The views from the rooftop patio were spectacular and we enjoyed them every night. Our family of 8 (6 adults and 2 kids) had more than enough room. Annie has thought of everything in her home, she even has beach chairs and sand toys in the garage ready to hit the beach.

The island itself allows you to completely unplug. No roads, no streetlights, just sand, sun and the sound of the surf. We were lucky enough to be there for Christmas, and for all of us, it might be one of our favorites.

We made gingerbread "chickees" at Barnacle Phil's with Chef Mary, had Christmas carolers stop by the Blue Door Villa on Christmas Eve and the biggest surprise of all, Santa and Mrs. Claus showed up in their golf cart covered in Christmas lights and tinsel and they even had gifts for the kids. They were on a pit stop and the sleigh and reindeer were on the air-strip taking a break. ;)

Overall, if you are looking to unwind, reconnect and slow down, stay at the Blue Door Villa on North Captiva Island, you will love it. We fell in love with this dream home on a dream island and we hope to be back very soon....

We stayed at this beautiful, modern home for a week over Thanksgiving and it was a truly relaxing get-away that we would highly recommend. The house is gorgeous and has all of the appointments you would want, the kitchen is fully stocked which was a serious bonus. (Particularly because you are on an island where you bring your own food and cook your own meals mostly!)

The layout of the home is spacious and the house is well maintained- what you see is actually what you get. (Not always the case with house rentals.) The furnishings are modern and the house has a great feel to it, very spacious and airy.

The first floor has a downstairs bedroom/ bathroom. The second floor has the master suite (bedroom and huge bath) plus a third bedroom with twin beds and a bathroom-- this floor is very light filled. The third floor is a gorgeous living space with decks and a fabulous (and protected) roof deck and gorgeous windows throughout, plus a bathroom on this floor. There is a double futon in a loft over the DR that was a great kid hangout and someone could sleep here, knowing that it's open to the living space. The house works well for two families. We did find the beds a little hard for our liking (I just had back surgery, so take it for what it's worth)

The location is just great-- just a few houses from the beach and the southern protected part of the beach. The whole golf cart part of the adventure was really fun-- a relaxing way to get around the island and very convenient.

For anyone thinking about staying on North Captiva, I would HIGHLY recommend doing a well-planned food shop before you arrive. The "grocery store" is more of a convenience store with a few staples and not what you want to rely on. There is a grocery store boattrip, but book your travel RT when you call, so you don't get stuck spending a whole day at a grocery store. Plus, once you're on the island you won't really want to leave. The great part about this house is the fabu kitchen (even a turkey pan!) so cooking was part of the fun.

The club had great tennis courts and we had no problem getting on the courts. It was chilly while we were there (70's), so the pool was too cold for us to enjoy. The bartender was funny and made good drinks. But, you're at the mercy of whoever shows up. We would highly recommend Annie's beautiful home!

We loved everything about our trip to North Captiva Island and our stay at Blue Door Villa.

Travel
• All arrangements were easily made with the help of Annie's instructions and the professionalism of the local travel services and food shopping services. Travel into the area is really relaxed and easy.

The Island
• We've been to a lot of beautiful islands – this one is different from all the others. It's small, really small – you can see the Gulf of Mexico and the bay from Blue Door Villa, which is perfectly positioned in the middle of the island.
• There is a lot of beach, with access just a 3-minute from the Villa. That stretch of beach is one of the best on the island. It is perfectly natural and the colors of the water, beach and sky are always shifting and alway amazing. In August 2012, the water temp was 88°· You've probably heard about the shelling on the island and you may think it's an exaggeration. Nope, there are millions of beautiful shells – they are everywhere.
• One of the best, most striking aspects of the island is the total lack of anything ugly or commercial. There are no traditional roads or cars – just beautiful, narrow sandy lanes weaving through lush tropical trees and vegetation. Only electric powered carts are allowed – they are near silent, don't pollute and are fun fun fun to use. Even street signs are low-key – small, wooden, in keeping with the landscape.
• When you are in Blue Door Villa, the view is as though you're in a tree-house – what you see is a canopy of palm trees, with just the tops of beautiful houses peaking through. And beyond you see water on all sides and endless, constantly changing sky.

The Villa
• Although there are many beautiful homes on the island – Blue Door Villa is unique among them (or anywhere). It is super-modern and built for good living with family and friends. It IS an architectural marvel.
• There are large picture-windows in every room and most of them have sliding doors and balconies. Every view is great.
• The large common area on the third floor, just above the tree canopy, affording stunning views. The roof deck offers even better views.
• All furnishings are top-notch. The kitchen has everything that you'll need.
• The master suite is as nice as most high-end hotels I've stayed at, with a screened in balcony, large walk in changing room and a private bathroom as big as some NY apartments, but nicer! Air conditioning keeps the house a perfect temp.

We loved our vacation!