Notes from the host
Mermaid Retreat
Home away from home on Bethune Beach, in quant New Smyrna Beach, Fl.
New Smyrna Beach is, in fact, a beach town, with all the natural enticements that term implies: 17 miles of sandy coastline, a laidback and friendly atmosphere, and surfing, fishing, and boating opportunities galore. But New Smyrna Beach is also a town that defies easy categorization. Though parks and water recreation might draw you here initially, this is a place where culture and the arts are woven into the fabric of everyday life. It's also where you'll find a culinary scene marked both by internationally recognized chefs and seafood shacks that have been favored by locals for decades.
So, yes, come for the beaches, and the surf, and the easy welcomes that greet your return, but stay a while to explore everything else New Smyrna Beach has to offer. New Smyrna Beach lays claim to the best Florida offers: Excellent backwater and offshore fishing, golf, historical sites, cultural events and eclectic shopping and dining experiences along historical Flagler Avenue and Canal Street. The business community is thriving, with companies including Epic Aviation and specialty manufacturers that call New Smyrna Beach home. The current population is 25,796.
Just south of New Smyrna lies the Canaveral National Seashore, which offers excellent swimming, bird watching, hiking and more. Anglers at nearby Mosquito Lagoon have set international records with giant redfish catches. Deep-sea charters leave New Smyrna Beach daily, giving offshore fishers an easy way to wet a line in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. Many historical and cultural sites also make New Smyrna Beach noteworthy. From the Turnbull and Sugar Mill Ruins, to the Eldora State House and the Ponce Inlet lighthouse, the area is rich in history. Named one of “America’s Top Small Cities for the Arts,” New Smyrna is home to the Atlantic Center for the Arts, an artists-in-residence community and educational facility, the Harris House, The Hub on Canal, the Little Theatre and Arts on Douglas. Frequent art shows featuring visual and performing arts take place throughout the year. Enjoy culinary delights from fresh seafood to steaks and pasta on the waterfront, or under an umbrella at a sidewalk café. At the end of the day, retire to the lap of luxury in this charming home away from home.
The New Smyrna Beach area is easy to get to, and easy to get around in once you’re here! Our area is accessible from five international airports and one municipal airport. If ground transportation is more your thing, we can be accessed from Interstate 95, Interstate 4 and U.S. Highway 1 (Old Dixie Highway), or by boat!
Just an hour away from Disney, Universal Studios, and Kennedy Space Center you can stay with us and get to everything you need in just a short time!
Please apply all sunscreen and tanners outdoors, under the house. Please rinse everything and everyone returning from the beach with fresh water from the hose downstairs. No smoking. No parties. No glitter or confetti. No hair dye. Trash day is Monday. The blue bin goes to the road by 7am with the lid flap opening to the road. Please return the bin to storage Monday night. Please keep windows and/or doors closed. No trespassing on neighboring properties. Violators will be evicted, trespassed, and prosecuted.
House Rules
-Leave your shoes outside the door
-No student groups
-No unregistered guests
-No pets
-No smoking on property
-No candles
-Parking for 3 vehicles in the driveway only. Please do not block driveway or park on the street or in the yard.
-9pm-9am is quiet time
- BUT, you can go to the beach or Flagler Ave and be as loud as you'd like :)
-Do not wash food down the sink. Please use the trash instead.
-The WIFI network and password is posted on the modem.
-Be sure that the magnetic seal is engaged each time you close the fridge (left door closes first, then the right door).
-The locked door leads to owner's private space. This area is by invitation only.
-Please take care with faucets and shower handles, turning them enough to prevent drips without over-tightening. The cold water on the indoor and outdoor showers require special attention.
-Please do not sit on furniture or bed with wet clothing/bathing suits.
-Beach towels are provided to dry your body. Beach sheets (not terry cloth) are provided for laying in the sand (the sand doesn't stick in the tighter weave).
-Please don't take the bath (solid color) towels out of the home.
-If it went to the beach, please do not bring it inside without cleaning with fresh water to remove all salt and sand. This includes yourselves, your supplies, our supplies, linens, clothes, traveling companions, and anything that might be salty or sandy.
-There is an outdoor shower with hot/cold water for your use after the beach. Please use this or our hose to get all the sand off before coming inside. (Shower is indicated by the white fenced shower area). Hose is located in the breezeway.)
-Please rinse off with fresh water anything that you borrowed, and return it to the condition and location it was found (except beach sheets and towels-these may be left on the coat rack outside the door).
-We recommend the bathroom door be closed and the light (exhaust fan) turned on during and after use of the shower. This will help keep your digs less humid, overall.
- Remember this is our home, not a hotel. Please be gentle with the space and considerate of the neighbors.
-Sea turtle nesting season runs from May-October. Please do not use lights on the beach during this time. If digging holes on the beach please fill them in when you leave as these can be dangerous to people or turtles coming to nest. Do not disturb any turtles or nests that you see.
-Please don't litter. Take back with you whatever you bring to the beach so that it can remain beautiful for those who come after you.
-Be VERY mindful of the rules of the beach. It is considered a state and national park; and in certain areas, a highway. The beach patrol are EMT, Police, and Life Guard (3D). They are not funded or inspired by tourism and it shows. "3D" = They can save a life, take a life, or make life miserable. Take heed.
-Check out is 10am
-Dishes must be washed and put back on racks.
-Trashcans should be emptied upon departure. There are trash bins downstairs.
-Used linens should be gathered in one area of the floor.
-Life happens. We live here, so we take a pro-active approach. If you have challenges (make a mess, something is lost, spilled or broken, or anything else that warrants our attention) please contact us via text message.
Here at the Mermaid Retreat, your 5 star New Smyrna Beach experience is our priority. Our success depends on our ability to meet or exceed your expectations, and your review of your stay. Please give us every opportunity to earn your 5 STAR review of Mermaid Retreat. Thank you for choosing Mermaid Retreat as your home away from home.
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