Rotonda West Vacation Rental : Pine Valley

My husband and I had a fabulous holiday with our 2 small children and my parents. I would definately recommend it to anyone wanting a relaxing, beach/golf/shopping type of holiday. Good for families if you DON'T want loads of tourists and theme parks.

The house is beautifully furnished to a very high standard. Lovely and clean and equipped with everything we needed. It was large enough for our party of 4 adults & 2 children. Pool area is great with a lovely view out onto one of the waterways and with the added bonus of a spa. We paid for electric pool heat which was a good idea for October and with the kids in and out constantly.
We requested at time of booking a travel cot and highchair (for a small fee) and they were of a good standard and waiting for us when we arrived. Bring your own Cot sheets/blankets.
Plenty of towels and sheets/blankets for rest of bedding.
Hairdryers in both bathrooms, Activities in the garage as advertised.

Rotonda West is surprisingly large with lots of well maintained houses spread out amongst golf clubs and waterways. We saw alligators, turtles and a baby wild boar very close to the house. Supermarkets are close by and Port Charlotte is only 15-20 mins drive with loads of shops and restaurants. There is a large modern shopping centre, a flea market and plenty of the larger stores such as Walmart, Bealls, Books A Million, Bed Bath & Beyond etc. I love shopping for a bargain in the States and Port Charlotte certainly didn't dissapoint.

Fishermans Village at Punta Gorda is a bit touristy but ok for an hours stroll. Also visited Sarasota (about 1 hrs drive) - Visited the Mote Sea Aquarium, a nice day out. We managed to see some manatees in the waterway whilst we had stopped at St Armands Circle for lunch. They are also at the sea aquarium if your not so lucky.
Beaches of Englewood, Blind Pass Beach and Boca Grande are definately recommended and are close by to the property. We found loads of fossil sharks teeth at Blind Pass Beach. Boca Grande reached by a toll road bridge (only a couple of $) has some lovely houses and a cute small village atmosphere. The old lighthouse and museum are worth a visit. Plenty of shells to collect on the beaches here.
Local golf was of a good standard and reasonably priced. Clubs can be hired if you don't want to take your own.

The English owners of this property are very friendly and helpful and answered all my emails promptly.

3.5 hrs drive to MIA airport.