Benefits of renting a Florida villa with a private pool
Benefits of renting a Florida villa with a private pool
Potential visitors to Florida are often torn between renting a villa with a private pool or staying in a hotel or motel.
Renting a villa with its own pool in Florida offers many desirable benefits for guests looking to relax and unwind in style. Having your own pool allows you to swim whenever you want without competing with crowds of other guests. Heating the pool means you can enjoy swimming even during cooler months.
Before purchasing our villa we always rented a villa with a private pool when visiting Florida and one year we decided not to bother with a pool. We regretted it immediately. Even if you spend all day at the theme parks, nothing beats coming back to your own pool at the end of the day.
Read on to learn all about the advantages of booking our Florida Villa by the Lake vacation rental with its own private heated pool.
Enjoy Exclusive Backyard Swimming at Your Leisure
One of the biggest perks of renting a villa with a pool is that you can swim in privacy whenever you want. There's no need to jostle for space in a crowded communal hotel pool or wait your turn for an open lounge chair.
With a spacious pool on our pool deck, you'll have plenty of room to swim laps or relax in the water. The pool is all yours, so you can take a dip at 6 a.m. before breakfast or after dinner without worrying about pool opening hours.
Swimming in privacy is especially great if you're vacationing with family or friends. The little ones can splash around safely without disturbing other guests.
Swim Year-Round Thanks to Pool Heating
Not all hotel resort pools are heated and during the winter months the water may be too cool to swim. Those pools that are heated generally are are typically only heated to 82 degrees F (28 degrees C) whereas we heat our pool to a very comfortable 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).
Thanks to our pool heating system, you can swim morning, noon and night. The water temperature should never dip below comfortable levels unless the outside air temperature is close to freezing.
This makes renting our villa with its heated pool ideal for shoulder season visits to Florida. You can take the plunge in spring and autumn (fall) when hotels don't heat their pools.
With a temperature-controlled pool, you can enjoy the benefits of the water at any time. The heating transforms the pool into a year-round oasis.
Pool heating can be turned on for an extra charge if required.
About our Private Pool
The pool at Florida Villa by the Lake is one of the largest on the Eagle Pointe community. It measures 28 feet (8.5 metres) by 14 feet (4.3 metres) at its widest points.
It is 3 feet (0.9 metres) deep at the shallow end and 5 feet (1.5 m) at the deep end.
We had the surface of the pool relined in 2016 with a beautiful turquoise finish called “StoneScapes Aqua Cool”. It is decorated with tiny flecks of blue and gold pebbles that glisten in the sun.
Thanks to the resurfacing, the pool's finish is smooth, pristine and gleaming. The fresh plaster creates a comfortable, non-abrasive surface underfoot. It also brings out the pool's vivid blue colour.
The pool's total restoration guarantees you'll be swimming in the most ideal setting.
An extra feature that enhances your pool experience is the two built-in spray jets that kids especially love playing in. These are at the shallow end and they inject extra fun into the pool for all ages to enjoy.
As well as the two spray jets, the pool is fitted with a large shelf which makes a great place to sit with a drink and watch the sun go down. Entry and exit is via a set of easy access steps.
Pool Cage and Deck
Pretty much every villa with a private pool in Orlando or Kissimmee will have a pool cage. The pool cage is a metal frame that sits over the entire pool and deck and is covered in a fine mesh screen to keep out the bugs but let in the sun and the fresh air. Do not take any notice of Jonnie Irwin on Channel 4’s “Place in the Sun” when he calls the pool cage a lanai!
Some pool cages only stretch across part of the back of the villa but our pool cage extends across the entire back of the property giving guests the maximum amount of enclosed space.
Our deck is painted with a non-slip paint to reduce the risk of slipping without being uncomfortable on bare feet.
One of the villa features that prospective guests request the most is a south facing pool. Remember that Florida is much closer to the Equator than northern Europe and has a sub tropical climate. This means the sun tends to be higher in the sky and it stays light for longer in the winter months.
When looking to rent a Florida villa with a private pool, you need to make sure there is plenty of shade. Florida summer temperatures can be brutal with temperatures often between 90 and 100 degrees F (32 to 38 degrees C).
Our pool runs north/south and faces west. We get sun on the deck from around 10 o’clock in the morning until the sun sets over the lake every night.
A lanai is the covered porch/verandah typically cut into the back of the property. If the villa does not have a lanai, a couple of sun umbrellas will not cut it. You need a good sized piece of covered space to relax in when the sun gets too hot.
Our particular villa model does not have a lanai but instead the previous owners had a large heavy duty metal framed gazebo built on the back of the property complete with a beautiful tiled floor, where the patio doors lead out from the family living room. We think this is even better as it is larger than a typical lanai and gives you a better view of the lake. Even if it is raining there is always plenty of cover.
Note that all doors leading out to the pool are fitted with audible alarms and additional high security locks to stop small children being able to get outside undetected.
Lounge in Total Comfort with Poolside Furniture
Another benefit of your own pool is you always have somewhere to sit. There is no need to worry about having to get up early to reserve yourself a seat by the pool!
To complement the pool, our villa provides an assortment of poolside furniture so you can lounge comfortably.
A lot of villas only have four pool side chairs. Our villa sleeps eight so we have ensured that we have eight large comfortable pool side chairs. There is a large hexagonal table so everyone can make the most of the outside space.
There are also two reclining loungers and a couple of side tables so you can sit with your drink, your phone/tablet or a book wherever you choose, or enjoy an alfresco lunch in the shade of the gazebo.
With so many seating options, your whole travel party can relax poolside together.
Pool Toys
Previous guests often leave pool toys but they can picked up quite cheaply at local stores like Walmart, Publix and Target. We even have an electric air pump in the garage/games room to help you inflate them.
One piece of advice though is to not leave any pool toys in or near the pool when you are out as they can blow into the pool and block the skimmer. This can potentially reduce the flow of water through the pump which affects the filtration.
Florida Outdoor Living
One of the lovely things about Florida is the year round warmth and sunshine. It is possible to eat and live outdoors pretty much every day of the year. We have even eaten Christmas dinner on the pool deck!
For many months of the year, you can happily have your breakfast, lunch and dinner outside on the deck every day.
Fishing & Wildlife
A lot of our guests enjoy fishing and the lake is well stocked with a variety of different fish. These include Florida’s famous large-mouthed bass as well as carp, catfish and alligator gar.
We have a couple of fishing rods, a catch net and assorted fishing accessories for our guests to use. You can easily pick up many other things like floats, line, lures, bait etc. at the local Walmart. There is also a large Pro Bass Shops Outdoor World store on International Drive.
Note that all catches are strictly “catch and release” though the local herons, egrets, anhingas and osprey fish eagles do not seem to take notice of that particular rule!
The lake is a haven for wildlife, particularly water birds. There is everything from common ducks to white ibis, herons, egrets, kingfishers and the majestic sandhill crane. We have a family of sandhill cranes who live around the community and you can often hear them trumpeting to each other with their distinctive call.
You may be lucky enough to see a raptor like an osprey, red-shouldered hawk, swallowtail kite and occasionally a bald eagle. The osprey and bald eagles can often be seen diving for fish in the lake.
We have even seen a river otter playing on the bank.
Soak Up Stunning Lake Views
A sparkling pool is even more inviting when paired with beautiful scenery. Our villa sits right on a peaceful lake, surrounding you with nature's beauty.
Everyone who stays at our villa comments about the beautiful lake views and the fabulous sunsets.
As you float in the pool or lounge poolside, you'll take in serene vistas of the lake, the many water birds and the surrounding palm trees. The villa's lakefront location provides a calming oasis.
With no tall buildings or crowds obstructing the view, you can thoroughly immerse yourself in the relaxing setting. Framing the pool with such gorgeous scenery makes swimming and lounging that much more special.
Having stayed in a villa on Eagle Pointe a couple of times with a lake view, we knew that when we bought our own Florida villa, it would also have to have a lake view.
As luck would have it, Florida Villa by the Lake came onto the market when we were in Florida looking for a rental property to buy.
Watch Dazzling Sunsets from the Pool Area
One of the best perks of the pool's lakefront location is that you can watch magical sunsets. As dusk falls each evening, keep your eyes to the west for an incredible sunset display reflecting across the waters.
Watching the sunset is the perfect way to cap off an evening swim or unwind after dinner. Grab a refreshing cocktail and settle into a pool chair for the best seat in the house.
We never tire of sitting outside in the evening, watching and listening to the birds heading off to their roosts. As the sun slowly sets, it colours the sky in shades of purple, orange and red.
No two sunsets are the same, so be sure to catch the show every evening. With our pool, you have front-row seats to one of nature's spectacular light shows.
Enjoy Seamless Pool Maintenance
Yet another advantage to renting our villa is that pool maintenance is handled for you.
As part of the rental agreement, professional contractors provide a weekly cleaning and maintenance service.
The maintenance crew balances the water chemistry, keeps the pool surfaces sparkling, and ensures the heating system runs properly. They take care of everything needed so you can simply enjoy the beautifully maintained pool.
With the included maintenance service, our pool stays in top shape and is ready for swimming anytime.
Conclusion
One of the things we particularly like about Florida Villa by the Lake is the cabana door. This leads straight from the pool deck into the master bathroom suite. This means you can get out of the pool and walk straight into the large shower in the bathroom without worrying about trailing water through the property.
The double aspect master bedroom suite also gives you a clear view of the pool from the bedroom.
A private heated pool is the ultimate vacation amenity. Renting our Florida Villa by the Lake with its own pool gives you exclusive swimming access, total comfort, and enhanced ambiance for relaxation.
The benefits of our villa's spectacular 28ft by 14ft pool include:
- Swimming at your leisure in privacy
- Heating for year-round usage
- Flexible poolside lounging
- Built-in jets for added enjoyment
- Lakefront views and sunsets
- Hassle-free maintenance
With your own heated pool and plenty of amenities, you can completely unwind. Booking our villa with a private pool allows you to vacation on your terms. You control the pool experience to create your ideal Florida getaway.