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MI Happy Place Sand Castle 1 · Pet-Friendly · Manatee Beach

Vacation home near Bradenton Beach in Holmes Beach

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Photo gallery for MI Happy Place Sand Castle 1 · Pet-Friendly · Manatee Beach

Exterior
Interior
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Exterior
Living area

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 61512 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet friendly
  • Air conditioning
  • Outdoor Space

Explore the area

View in a map
Holmes Beach, FL
  • Place, Bradenton Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, AMI Paddleboard Adventures
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Manatee Public Beach
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Airport, Sarasota, FL (SRQ-Sarasota-Bradenton Intl.)
    ‪27 min drive‬

Room options

About the neighborhood

Holmes Beach

Close to the beach.Steps from the vacation home, you'll find West Coast Surf Shop and AMI Paddleboard Adventures. Manatee Public Beach and Bradenton Beach are also within half a mile (1 km).
View more Vacation Homes in Holmes BeachOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Bradenton Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • AMI Paddleboard Adventures - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • West Coast Surf Shop - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Manatee Public Beach - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Anna Maria Sound - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles

Getting around

  • Sarasota-Bradenton Intl. Airport (SRQ) - 38 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Ugly Grouper - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Wicked Cantina - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Smoqehouse - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Anchor Inn - ‬16 min walk

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

MI Happy Place Sand Castle 1 · Pet-Friendly · Manatee Beach

VRC19-000209

2BR · 1BA · Sleeps 6 · Pet-Friendly ($150 Fee) · Across from Manatee Public Beach · 2024 Renovation · Shared Heated Pool · Beach Gear Provided · 1-Gig WiFi · Boat & Trailer Parking · Shared Laundry · Dead-End Street

Manatee Public Beach is directly across the street. The shared heated pool is steps from the unit. Two trolley stops are one block away. Sand Castle 1 is a Holmes Beach vacation rental on a quiet dead-end street where the beach, the pool, and the island are all within easy reach — and where guests come back year after year. Some for four consecutive years running.

The unit was completely renovated in 2025. New granite kitchen with modern appliances, fully tiled walk-in shower in the renovated bathroom, fresh coastal décor, and new furnishings throughout. The semi-private deck has beach gear storage — chairs, umbrella, and wagon included for trips across the street.

Two bedrooms sleep six. The master has a king bed with its own TV. The guest bedroom has two twin beds. The living room sleeper sofa handles the remaining guests. High-speed 1-gig WiFi. Fully equipped kitchen for meals at home. Shared laundry on the property. Linens and towels provided.

Dogs are welcome with a $150 non-refundable fee — the dead-end street and the resort layout make this one of the more comfortable pet-friendly setups in Holmes Beach.

Cafe on the Beach, Skinny's Place, and local dining are within easy walking distance. The free island trolley stops close by for exploring all of AMI without a car. Boat and trailer parking is available on-site.

Sand Castle 1 is one of four renovated units at MI Happy Place — all on the same property, sharing the heated pool and grilling area.

Sand Castle 1 requires a one-week minimum stay with parking for two vehicles.

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Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby

Pool/Spa

  • Communal pool
  • Heated pool

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Limited onsite parking

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Garden
  • Gas grill
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a hospital
  • Near an outlet shopping mall
  • Near the marina

Things to do

  • Heated pool
  • Water park
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Theme park nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,512 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Pets

  • Pets are welcome
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property
2531-174436

Frequently asked questions

How close is Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! to the airport?

This vacation home is 16.5 mi (38-min drive) away from the Sarasota-Bradenton Intl. Airport (SRQ) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this vacation home.

How close is Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! to the beach?

This vacation home is a short 8-minute walk from Bradenton Beach and 5-minute walk from Manatee Public Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! offer free breakfast?

This vacation home does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR!?

No, there is no casino at this vacation home.

What time is check-in at Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR!?

Free parking is not available at this vacation home.

Does Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! have a pool?

Yes, there's a heated pool.

Does Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this vacation home.

How close is Beach Steps Away - Pool, Pets, Renovated 2BR! to downtown Holmes Beach?

This vacation home is 0.2 mi away from Holmes Beach.

MI Happy Place Sand Castle 1 · Pet-Friendly · Manatee Beach Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 36 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 36 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 36 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 36 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jami W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Beach Trip

Great location to beach, property is so cute and cozy!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Will Stay Again!!

Our family of 6 stayed for spring break. House is very clean. Beds were very comfortable including the pull out couch. There were plenty of extra linens and beach towels. We were just steps away from the ocean. There were sand toys, a wagon and beach chairs available for us to use. Our 4 boys loved the pool. Great stay!! We hope to be back again with more family to rent out the additional units!! Great spot for multi families to stay!!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gladivett F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Amazing property

We had a great time. The location of this property is perfect. We could walk across the street to the beach and it had all the gears needed for a beach day. Walking distance to restaurants and bars. The pool was always nice and clean. Coming back for sure!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rachel G.

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect island get-a-way!

The beach was easily accessible, right across the street! Rental was equipped plenty of beach essentials to use such as chairs, an umbrella, cooler and a beach buggy. Pool was clean and maintained. Would stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness

Will be returning!!

We LOVED our stay! So close to the beach, only a 2 minute walk. The unit had towels and everything you could need - chairs, wagon for the kids, toys etc! Our toddler loved the pool close by. Check in was easy and we loved having a code rather than a key.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness

Very nice stay.

Love the property; very clean and suited us perfectly. Some noise from the traffic, but to be expected from so many people staying on the island. Can't really hear on the inside of the building. Just sitting outside.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kennie A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Florida get away

The property and location were great, proximity to the beach was in walking distance and that was an awesome experience. I highly recommend this property if someone wants to have a quick vacation to relax in a hamper or pool, watch the sunset and enjoy the white sands of the beach. Lovely.

10/10 Excellent

Tim J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Location Location Location

What an exceptional property. Everything was clean and very comfortable. We had to use the sleeper sofa. This has to be the best mattress on a sofa bed we have ever used. Everything is top quality from the sheets and towels to the furniture. Thank you for a memorable Memorial Day weekend.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2020