It doesn't get any better!

Review submitted: September 5, 2012   Date of arrival: August 30, 2012

Five of us spent a relaxing 4 days in Sarah and Mike's beautiful North Captiva vacation home. The house is immaculate and tastefully decorated in a nautical theme. From the comfortable bedrooms to the airy and spacious living area, we were immediately at home in a tropical paradise. The pool was a particular hit during our Florida summer stay with an amazing pool shower that also became a favorite.
The kitchen was well equipped and the living area had a large projection t.v. The WiFi allowed us to connect our personal Wii system for renting movies from our Netflix account and play video games. The house comes equipped with other game systems as well!
A large screened in deck off the living area was also a great spot to hang out, though we couldn't quite escape the famous no-see-ums for which Captiva is known. Be sure to bring your repellent and anti-itch cream just in case!
The view from the top roof deck is fantastic. An added bonus is the proximity of the home to the resort amenities, therefore an easy walk or quick golf cart trip away.
Sarah and Mike supply almost everything you could need including a nice assortment of games, magazines, books and even beach towels. The washer and dryer also came in handy.
The nearby beach provided some great shelling and spectacular sunsets.
A fantastic family vacation get away with something for everyone! Can't wait to return

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Bliss!

Irishgal (Chicago, IL)
Review submitted: December 21, 2011   Date of arrival: November 10, 2011

Along with my college girl friends we celebrated our year of turning 50 at Cinco de Mayo. What a spectacular home and island adventure we had, and there is no doubt that we will return. Regardless of your vision for a vacation - you will find it here. With the helpful guidance and expertise of Sarah Rapp we had the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure and island living. Sarah is not only the ulitmate home owner and caretaker of this amazing property, but knows everything there is about how to plan a fantastic visit.
The experience of getting to the island was seamless and part of the vacation journey. To arrive by boat and be met by wonderful island staff to take us to "our home" was just the start of our perfect visit. The home is beautiful with views all around, spacious so even a large group can find their special spot for a nap or to read a good book. We grilled out, loved the pool, walks on the beach and the evening sunset. There are fun, easy going places to go for lunch and dinner, but our favorite was just enjoying hanging out together at the house on the decks, by the pool etc.
While we enjoyed an adult get away, families with children of any age woud find this the perfect place for a real family vacation. While there is an island pool complete with cabana bar, it is nice that the house has its own smaller pool.
Just writing this review feels challenging to do justice...but it does allow me to check out availability and start dreaming about my next visit.
As a closing thought - I have gone to Sanibel Island for more than 40 years. I found North Captiva Island to be a bit like "old" Sanibel - slower paced, no traffic,neat beach houses, time spent together versus out shopping...if you are looking for that - this is the spot for you.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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"Great place, relaxing stay"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: April 22, 2010

The home and amenities are great. As a frequent visitor to the Destin area, we were looking for someplace a little warmer for Spring Break. North Captiva was wonderful, but a little confusing for a 1st time guest. Once we were able to establish transportation to the island, it was a great time. The only requirement is do your best to plan ahead because activities book up fast! Also, activities, "groceries" from the island store, and additional water taxi fares are expensive, so plan to keep a credit card on file for activities and at least a couple of hundred dollars extra for water taxis. The home owner, Sarah, was an enormous help to us. She was kind, patient, and extremely informative. She shared island info, water taxi, grocery, and any other activity you could think of with us. By the way, I highly recommend using the grocery service so your home is stocked when you arrive. It's hard enough to get a week's worth of luggage on the boat, why not make the trip a little easier and plan ahead. The kayaking and fishing was great.

Overall, North Captiva was a great place for my family. It's a great place to bring kids as it's quiet and they can't get in too much trouble on an island. Many thanks to the Rapp family for sharing their home with ours. It was a great house and we really enjoyed our stay.

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"Gorgeous perch in a secluded community"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: May 4, 2010

Our week in N Captiva was like leaving the country. Abeautiful island nestled in the gulf with a very ralxed atmosphere. The homes location is just a few steps from the marina/bar/convenience store/ beach. The view of the island from the rooftop is nothing short of breathtaking. Nearly 40ft in thair, you are positioned over a forest of palm trees and we watched the sun set into the water horizon every night. House is well appointed and very comfortable. Make the commitment to rent a boat and you will expreience some remarkable freedom. Dolphins chase the boat and the fishing is amongst the best in the world. We considered this a remarkable value, as this would have cost much more in Hilton head or Pawley's Island. bartender John is a pistol, made every effort to make our stay pleasant beyond making cocktails. Need to carefully plan provisions, and iffy water taste from tap only negatives. Loads of things to keep kids busy. Very family friendly trip.

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"Fabulous getaway with all of the amenities."

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: July 7, 2010

The location was perfect for my family and son's friends (two 15 and two18 yr old boys). There was enough to keep their interest (2 pools plus the one at the house, kayaks, waverunners, beach, golf carting, tennis, ping pong, hooking up with other kids on the island), while allowing us to escape to the beach for time alone. As small as the island was, they never complained about boredom. The house was the perfect size for all of us. I especially liked the nautical decor throughout the house and the quality of the furnishings. It felt like a home away from home.

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"Restful & Relaxing"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: July 25, 2010

North Captiva is a wonderful place and the Cinco De Mayo house is fantastic. There were magnificent sunsets viewed from the roof top deck, giggling late night board games on the screened porch (keep the screen door closed or the racoons with join you), and afternoon dips in the the pool with a cold drink in hand. If you need a real "get away" this is it!!!

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"Trip of a lifetime!"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: September 23, 2010

Wow! What a wonderful trip I had with my girlfriends! From start to finish it was a great experience. We booked our house with Sarah Rapp. She provided us with a great deal of information which made our trip to North Captiva very smooth. When we arrived at Cinco de Mayo we were so impressed with how immaculately maintained the house was, it definitely seemed more like home than a rental house with all of the personal touches there were and the attention to every detail. While there we did not once feel as though something was missing. As someone who loves to cook often I find rental properties are missing those kitchen items you have at home and you find you need to improvise...not the case here. I found everything I needed in the kitchen, not to mention two different types of grills...both gas and charcoal! The location of Cinco de Mayo is perfect too, there are spectacular views of the gulf and from the rooftop porch you can literally see all the way around the island. Enjoying cocktails on the roof with my girlfriends was a highlight of the trip...we could even see Southseas (where we had boated earlier that day to have lunch). Fishing with Captain Dennis was amazing. I couldn't believe how much he knew about fishing, he could even tell what kind of fish we were reeling in before anyone could see it! I was lucky enough to catch the biggest fish that day a 2 foot black tip shark!!! Dennis also cleaned and delivered the fish to us so we could cook it for dinner,it was fabulous!!! Being on the island in September was like having our own private island. The staff was kind and courteous, thanks to Jordan at the pool bar for making us his own "Jordancolada"! If you've never been on a weekend getaway with your girlfriends, I highly recommend it. It is a great time to reconnect and renew our friendships with women we hold dear, not to mention the fact that I laughed so hard I pulled a stomach muscle!

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"An awesome, Private Get-Away"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: October 2, 2010

This is my third stay in Cinco De Maya on North Captiva and I've loved each visit! My husband and children have stayed here with other families, but this time was with the girlfriends. We began our vacation by being served Margaritas on the "Just For Fun" boat ride to the island. It was the ultimate luxury to have our groceries at the house when we arrived, having been delivered by "Sandie's Grocery Delivery". They even had everything put away and the fruit set up in the fruit bowl. What a treat it was to not have to lug the groceries in and out of the boat and into the house ourselves!
I can't say enough good things about this beautiful, light and airy, well-decorated (like Pottery Barn!) home! The upkeep and cleanliness are outstanding-it doesn't seem to age! There were even several improvements since I had last been there- like new tile on the porch, a new second king size bed, 3 new big flat screen Tv's in the bedrooms, and even a new outdoor ping-pong table. The beds are comfortable, the sheets so soft, the pillows thick and plush. The pool is sparkling clean, the lush landscape provides plenty of privacy, and the views of the water and the island from the upstairs porches are beautiful.
We enjoyed the club pool, tennis courts, kayaking and lots of 'shelling'. We took a boat ride with Matias from 'Boats and Fun' to Boca Grande and had a delicious lunch at South Beach (I think it's called). I'd recommend the Grouper Reuben- so fresh. The view of the beach is like out of a postcard! We stopped at Cabbage key for a cocktail before heading back to out own island.
I love the lack of commercialization and peacefulness on N. Captiva. And I love the beautiful Cinco De Maya.
My least favorite part? Leaving.
But I'll be back for sure!

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