My wife and I are regular travelers and renters and we also know this area quite well. When renting 'blind' and only having photos to sway your decision sometimes means that the reality does not live up to images suggested. This home has everything needed to make a comfortable and relaxed stay with no worries or concerns. we are happy to say that this home matches and exceeds expectation and was a joy to stay in. The furniture and fittings are not unitarian but are not too dissimilar to what you may have at home not as is sometimes the case with rental homes when cheap and uncomfortable fixtures and fittings are used. Every thing works as it should and Alex is always available to help if needed. Judge a rental on how it compares to home bearing in mind it is a rental and more importantly, would you rent this home again. The answer is easy, YES Yes

Stayed for 9 days after extended road trip of 3000+ miles. Ideal location to relax, visit local places, eat at great places. The pool, overlooking the pond was just the icing on the cake.

This home truly is a lakeside retreat for any family and was just perfect for us. We've never stayed at a home with a salt water pool and moving forward we will try to book a home with a salt water pool, if possible. The water is so much softer, barely tastes anything like salt and our 2 kids never wanted to get out unless they were hungry or ready to go to Disneyworld. Management was super helpful and very nice.

We ended up visiting the beach and restaurant much less than we anticipated, as nobody really wanted to leave the house. Using the pool for endless hours and barbecuing almost every night was just perfect! Beds are all very comfortable, I think I fell in love with my sleep number bed and coming from the city, the view out back is worth a million dollars!

Love this place, we will continue to stay here.

Lakeside Retreat is a very clean and nicely maintained property in a good residential area. We were pleasantly surprised at the welcome package of essentials such as kitchen towels, dish soap etc, all of which we usually have to immediately buy; even included was after-sun and a small first aid kit. The house is attractively decorated. WiFi and TV very good. The kitchen is small but perfectly functional, and equipped with all the necessities. The bedrooms are all of a good size and the beds very comfortable. There is parking for two cars on the driveway plus a garage. The pool is not too deep for children, and kept very clean by the regular pool service. We spent time in the pool area, and also in the enclosed lanai, just watching the wildlife on the lake - lots of turtles, different birds, and even on a couple of occasions, an otter! There were a few random maintenance issues, but all dealt with promptly and efficiently. Publix supermarket is literally at the end of the road on SR64, where there are also plenty of places to eat. To the north is I75 for trips further afield, and a few minutes to the south is Anna Maria Island with beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets. We would return to this vacation home, and recommend it to others. One thing which surprised us though - after torrential rain, the frogs sing a chorus at night, quite an eerie sound until you realize what you are hearing!

Best vacation rental we have ever stayed in. Had lots of beach and bath towels. Very clean. They even supplied all of the household items such as dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc.

As well as Treasure Chest just in the neighborhood we enjoyed the wonderful lakeside view while having breakfast, lunch or dinner. Excellent new pool and lovely brand new furnishing inside.Response

It's always a little stressful renting from a place that's somewhat new... but this place was amazing. It had everything we needed and was clean and decorated very nice. Our girls loved the heated pool and the setting was just beautiful. We intended on doing more beach time but didn't even need to leave our place! It was our best most relaxing vacation to date!

We chose the area as it was centrally located between areas where family were staying so unfortunately didn't get to experience much of Bradenton itself so we have an excuse to go back and would definitely book this home again. Tennis courts nearby was an asset for our family. The house was extremely clean and well stocked. TV's were great considering we visited during March Madness. Very peaceful location and friendly neighbors.

Staying at Lakesde Retreat couldn't be more perfect. With the serenity of the lakeside view, perfect pool and patio and with the beach so close by, it's the best of both worlds-- lake view and beach. That's just the beginning. The home is so comfortable and every comfort is provided and then some. It's professionally decorated in a tasteful coastal chic style. Adding to the comfort is every convenience--and then some. The owner thought of everything and then added extra measures of care-- like Sleep Number beds and extra large tvs with great sound. The kitchen is fully equipped and and has all the cooking conveniences you could need for a short or long stay. You can tell that the owner really cares about his home and your enjoyment. Management is super accommodating if there's ever a question or need of any kind. The location is perfect too. It's close to every convenience, nature preserves, walking and biking trails, downtown Bradenton and, of course, the beach. I enjoy all these things and short trips to downtown Sarasota with its arts and cultural offerings. Staying at Lakeside Retreat is a perfect vacation -- year round. I loved it and I'll be back. Thank you Island Dreams for making my stay so special.

Everything was perfect. Lovely view, comfortable beds and the pool was nice and warm. All interior furnishing is brand new, kitchen very well stocked and home is not far from a nature preserve. We rented bikes for the last 3 days of our stay and did the short ride there and around the nature preserve every day. Wish we had more time and will definitely be back.

We were in love!! Lovely view, comfortable interior (brand new). The Pool was pleasent tempered and very clean.We drove 15 minute to the beach"perfectly". Wish we had more time and will definitely be back ;-) Thanks so much for the relaxing and perfect time.