Florida 2019 - Part 2 - Our Villa

Going on holiday means time to escape reality and enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation and no matter where our destination our holiday accommodation is something that is very important to us. We probably spend as much time deciding on where to stay as we do deciding where & when to go!

Last year we did a split stay, we had 3 nights in a Disney resort (Port Orleans Riverside) and then a townhouse on Windsor Hills. We enjoyed both aspects of that trip however it made us realize that space is important to us which is why this year we opted for something different. There was nothing wrong with the Disney resort, in fact we were both quite pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. We are just not the kind of people that can spend 2+ weeks in one room with very little storage space and no facilities to be able to cater for ourselves, no disrespect here to those that do and can, its just not for us. The townhouse we had was really nice too and its location was absolutely spot on, in fact I think that Windsor Hills has been cited as one of the closest communities to the Disney parks. The only thing that we didn't like about it was that it didn't have a very large pool or pool deck and that the outside area was very overlooked. We like to be able to sit outside with a coffee in the morning and of an evening to unwind before bed and in this property we just didn't feel comfortable or really have the space to do that. So with all that in mind it was time to start looking for somewhere else to call home.

As with last years trip our villa search started and ended with The Dibb. We looked at several properties but only one seemed to have everything that we were looking for, it looked and sounded perfect even though it was a little on the large size for just us two. We contacted the owner who got back to us within a matter of hours and before the week was out we had confirmed our dates and made a reservation. The whole process was so simple and straightforward and the owners were really helpful with all our questions prior to our departure. The villa that we chose is called Pineview Villa and its located on Highlands Reserve which is a golfing community location just off the US 27. Its a two story 3 bedroom and 2.5 bathroom property with a gorgeous pool deck that overlooks the golf course.

It was a beautiful property which was spotlessly clean and super comfortable with everything we could possibly need. The master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom was downstairs along with the kitchen and living room, upstairs was another smaller living area that overlooked the main downstairs room and two further bedrooms with a family bathroom. The outside area comprised of a decent sized pool with spa, a table and chairs, sun loungers and a lanai where there was a couple more chairs, a sofa and a coffee table. Just off the main hallway there was a small utility room with a washer and a dryer, the garage was adjacent to that and has been converted into a games which is pretty cool. 

Each bedroom had a tv and a hairdryer, and in both the living areas there were tvs, games consoles, dvd & cd players, docking stations and a telephone with free national and international calls. The kitchen had a big American style fridge freezer with ice maker, coffee machine, toaster, cooker & dishwasher. The whole villa (except kitchen) was carpeted throughout which was lovely, even in the heat it was nice not to have cold feet when walking about. There was also a safe in the master bedroom, a security alarm and air conditioning throughout and ceiling fans in each room. Highlands Reserve is a mix of residential and holiday lets and even though we had neighbours on either side we were not disturbed at all, it was just so peaceful. We loved the outside area the most and I think we pretty much started and ended every day out there.

Just a 5 min drive away was a Publix supermarket, a gas station, IHOP, Applebees and a few other smaller shops. Another 5 mins further along the US 27 is an area called Cagans Crossing and that's where the closest Walmart is. The Disney parks were about a 20/30 min drive away depending on the traffic, the sat nav took us various different routes but we found the most direct route was along the 27 and then onto the 192. Universal & Sea World were a little further but not that far, however the traffic was awful on some days which made the journey time a little longer than we would have liked.

We absolutely fell in love with the villa, we had found our Florida 'forever' holiday home! We both said that as soon as we were home we would start planning our next trip and contact the owner to re-book. However the sad news is that after 16 years the owners are selling up in 2020 and at this point they don't know if the new owner will keep the property on the rental market. I honestly could have cried when I read the email and Toms reaction wasn't much different when I told him. So now the search is on to find another villa, there is no rush though as we don't have any plans to go back next year.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you have enjoyed this post.

Jane