The Golden Gator - Waterfront, Heated Pool, Lanai, Golf & Near Gulf Beaches

Welcome to The Golden Gator, our family’s waterfront retreat in Rotonda West. This is our second home—not simply a rental—and a place our family visits frequently, so we’ve furnished and equipped it with comfort, relaxation and easy Florida living in mind.

Relax, swim and explore from your own private Gulf Coast getaway. Start the morning with coffee overlooking the canal, spend the afternoon in the heated saltwater pool, challenge the family to pool volleyball, or unwind in the evening around the fire table and grill.

OUTDOOR LIVING
The outdoor space is one of our favorite parts of The Golden Gator. The home features a large 14' x 27' heated saltwater pool surrounded by an oversized screened paver deck. Multicolor pool lighting makes nighttime swims especially fun. A 260-square-foot covered lanai with two ceiling fans provides plenty of shaded space for outdoor dining and relaxing.

Large stacking glass doors connect the great room to the lanai, creating the indoor-outdoor Florida lifestyle we love about this home. Beyond the pool cage, enjoy canal views, an additional paver patio and a dedicated grilling and food-prep area.

CANAL FISHING
Want to try your luck in the backyard canal? We provide three fishing setups—two easy-to-use push-button spincast rods and one spinning rod and reel—along with a stocked tackle box containing assorted fishing gear.

Beginners can give it a try, while experienced anglers are welcome to bring their own favorite equipment.

The canal is freshwater and is great for backyard fishing, but it does not provide boating access to the Gulf.

INSIDE THE HOME
The open-concept great room connects the living area, dining space and fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen features granite countertops, stainless appliances, plenty of cabinet space and a large center island that’s perfect for breakfast, drinks or gathering together after a day at the beach.

The home offers 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus a bonus den/office, providing plenty of room for families and groups. The split-bedroom floor plan gives the primary suite added privacy, along with direct pool access, a walk-in closet, dual sinks and a spacious Roman shower. A second bedroom also offers direct access to the pool area.

The home has two Roku TVs—one in the main living area and one in the primary bedroom. Bedrooms 2, 3 and 4 do not have televisions.

Need to get some work done while you’re here? The dedicated office/workspace makes it easy to stay connected without taking over the dining table. Guests also have a full-size washer and dryer and convenient driveway parking.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY EXTRAS
We’ve added several extras to make family travel easier. A stroller and Pack ’n Play are available for guest use, and a variety of family games can be found in the cabinets beneath the main living-room TV.

A twin-size rollaway bed is stored in the primary-bedroom closet and can be set up in the living/common area when additional sleeping space is needed within the home’s maximum occupancy of 9 guests.

EXPLORE BY BIKE
Four adult bicycles are available for guest use, including cruiser-style bikes and a versatile multi-speed bike. They’re perfect for leisurely rides through Rotonda West, exploring the neighborhood or enjoying the area’s nearby walking and biking routes at a relaxed Florida pace.

BEACH READY
We make beach days easy. Guests have access to eight folding beach chairs and a beach wagon to help carry everything to the sand.

The chairs are also great for relaxing in the backyard or along the canal, and the wagon can be used to load up chairs, fishing gear and other supplies around the property.

Pack the cooler, load the wagon and head to Manasota Key or Englewood Beach, about 15 minutes away.

PET-FRIENDLY EXTRAS
Four-legged guests are welcome at The Golden Gator too.

A cooling orthopedic dog bed is stored in the primary-bedroom closet and can be brought out to the lanai so your dog has a comfortable place to relax in the Florida weather.

YETI dog bowls are also provided so your pup can enjoy the house in style right along with you.

BEACHES & ADVENTURES
When you’re ready to explore, some of Southwest Florida’s best outdoor experiences are close by. Manasota Key and Englewood Beach are about 15 minutes away, where you can swim, watch Gulf sunsets and search the sand for the fossilized shark teeth the area is famous for.

Spend a day exploring Boca Grande, fish or kayak the waters around Lemon Bay and Stump Pass, visit nearby marinas, rent a boat, or simply find a waterfront restaurant and enjoy the Florida sunshine.

Golfers have plenty to choose from, with five Rotonda golf courses offering 99 holes nearby. Rotonda also features a 165-acre community park with lakes, tropical scenery, wildlife, and miles of walking and biking trails. With four adult bicycles provided at The Golden Gator, it’s easy to get outside and explore the community at your own pace.

Whether your perfect vacation means beach days, boating and fishing, golfing, exploring Southwest Florida, or doing absolutely nothing beyond floating in the pool, The Golden Gator is a comfortable home base for enjoying it all.

GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK
The Golden Gator is located in a quiet residential golf community, and we ask guests to be considerate of our neighbors. The backyard borders a freshwater canal, so children should always be supervised around the pool, backyard and water.

As with any Florida home, native wildlife may occasionally be seen around the canal and neighborhood. Please enjoy wildlife from a safe distance and never feed or approach it.

POOL & OUTDOOR AREAS
Our heated saltwater pool is professionally serviced weekly and is heated to approximately 86°F. Pool heat is included at no additional charge.

The pool pump and heater operate on a daily schedule from early morning through evening. Pool heating is gradual, and actual water temperature may vary depending on weather, wind and outdoor temperatures.

Please turn the pool heat off when you are finished using it. We do not charge separately for pool heating, and unnecessary heating can result in significant energy use.

During cooler weather, the pool may lose several degrees overnight. On particularly cool or windy days, the heater may run for an extended period and still take considerable time to recover the water temperature. Heat-pump performance also decreases as outdoor temperatures fall.

Guests may adjust the pool temperature up to a maximum setting of 86°F. Please do not adjust pool pumps, valves, schedules or other pool equipment.

Because this is an outdoor Florida pool, occasional leaves, small debris or insects may find their way into the water between scheduled service visits. Pool, lawn or other exterior service providers may occasionally need brief access to the pool equipment, lanai or yard areas to perform routine maintenance.

AIR CONDITIONING & ECOBEE THERMOSTAT
The home uses an Ecobee smart thermostat with a programmed daily schedule. Guests have some flexibility to adjust the temperature, but the system may return to its scheduled setting at the end of each programmed cycle.

Cooling may be set as low as 68°F, and heat may be set as high as 78°F.

During very hot Florida weather, particularly when outdoor temperatures reach around 90°F or higher, the home may realistically maintain approximately 74°F during the day and around 70°F overnight. Actual indoor temperatures can vary depending on outdoor heat, humidity and how frequently exterior doors are opened.

Exterior doors should remain closed while the A/C is operating. Door sensors may temporarily pause the HVAC system when an exterior door is left open.

INTERNET & CONNECTED HOME SYSTEMS
Please do not unplug, reset or factory-reset the Xfinity modem or router.

The home’s internet connection supports several connected systems, including the thermostat, smart locks, lighting, televisions and other remote features. Resetting the network equipment can interrupt these systems and may prevent us from assisting remotely.

If you experience an internet issue, please contact us so we can determine whether the problem is related to the equipment or an Xfinity service outage.

NEIGHBORING PROPERTY
The home borders a privately owned vacant lot that is not part of The Golden Gator. Maintenance of that property is outside our control, and the grass may occasionally be taller than surrounding lawns.

Please enjoy outdoor games and activities on our property and do not enter or use the neighboring lot.

A FEW HOUSE QUIRKS
Like many homes, ours has a couple of little quirks. The pocket doors for Bedroom 4 and the primary bathroom can sometimes be particular when closing and locking. They work properly, but may require gently pulling the door completely into position before engaging the lock.

A locked owner’s closet is reserved for our family’s personal belongings and is the only interior area unavailable to guests.

HOUSE SAFETY
Candles and other open-flame decorative items are not permitted inside or outside the home.

The outdoor grill and patio fire table must be attended while in use and completely shut off, including the propane valve, when finished.

MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT
The primary guest making the reservation must be at least 25 years old and must be present for the duration of the stay.

SECURITY CAMERAS
For the security and protection of the property, exterior security cameras monitor the front entrance, driveway and garage, lanai area, outdoor HVAC equipment area, and both side yards. The lanai camera’s field of view includes portions of the pool area.

Cameras are not continuously recording but may capture video and audio when activated or accessed. There are no surveillance cameras inside the home.