welcome to the fern haven studio bungalow

The PERFECT Siesta Key Getaway. April 2024.
Ali and Rich are tremendous hosts. They have an incredible collection of "Old Siesta Key. The jungle gardens, pure privacy, beach bikes, it's like going back in time. I'd book this again before some 5-star massive hotel. It all depends on what you are looking for. Thank you Ali and Rich, you truly just reflect the true feel of the Island.

Siesta Key is paradise. Summer 2023.

I stayed in the Fern Haven and had a lovely experience. Rich and Ali are kind and attentive hosts, and Siesta Key is paradise. I liked being able to walk or bike to the village, but mostly I enjoyed the cottage. I work from home so this was a lovely place to be to work and play. I brought my cat as well and I think he liked it more than I did thanks to the sunny windows and critters outside (birds, lizards, squirrels). I would happily stay there again, and don't hesitate to reach out to Rich and Ali to book early! It says a lot that they have so many repeat visitors.

Well Stocked

I’ve rented from Rich & Ali in the past and they’re the best. In 2023 I rented this bungalow & it was first rate. Privacy plus a fully functional well stocked (with every utensil, plate, glass & corkscrew needed). The location was ideal, as I parked my car for a week at a time & rode my vintage beach cruiser that Rich provided to the beach or village. I highly recommend this or any other rental property of siestabungalows.

Location is everything!  November 2022

Rich And Ali are wonderful hosts. They are happy to Take care of all your needs immediately. They live only two minutes away and are easily accessible. We loved staying at Fern Haven.  location is everything! Short walk to the beach, Shopping, groceries and restaurants. Super clean bungalow which is very important to us. Would highly recommend staying here. This is our second time renting from Rich And Ali

Cute, clean bungalow. May 2021.

Rich and Ali are fantastic hosts. Fern Haven is a cute, clean bungalow. I stayed for 6 weeks with my two dogs and we really enjoyed our stay. There were no issues at all during my stay and Rich was responsive to the couple of questions I had. The location is great, quick walk to the village but very quiet, which is what I was looking for. I highly recommend!

Perfect Little Oasis. February 2021.
My husband and I stayed at Fern Haven this past February and March of 2021. The Covid pandemic was still going on and we went to Flordia and Siesta Key planning on spending a lot of time outdoors and out of public places. Fern Haven was a perfect little oasis for us to enjoy the beauty of Siesta Key beaches and then return to our little bungalow and relax in the privacy of our own tropical garden. In the evening there are bistro lights that come on at dusk and the atomosphere is just charming! We loved to spend the afternoon at the beach (which is about 1/2 a mile away, a 10 minute walk) and then return to our Fern Haven bungalow yard which was always cool and relaxing to have a drink and later, a dinner under the lights and the stars. We brought our Carin Terrier with us and the bungalow and neighborhood were very dog friendly. The neighborhood was great to go on dog walks and most people who live there have dogs themselves. The neighborhood residents were friendly and welcoming and we got to know many of them and their dogs! We brought our bikes and used them every single day biking to the beach, Siesta Village and on bike rides around the area. I highly recommend bringing bikes. We really enjoyed all the physical activity we got by walking, running and biking everyday. The bungalow is small but livable for 2 people and one little dog. The one downside for us was the tiny kitchen and cooking space. It may or may not be an issue for others but we went with the intention to cook most of our meals at home due to the pandemic. We still did a lot of cooking but it was challenging at times. For simple meals you will be fine but we like to cook. Siesta Village is a 10 minute walk and you can get anything you need there. There are many good restaurants where you can dine in or get carryout. Rich and Ali are really nice people and hosts and are always available to assist you. Spending the winter months at Fern Haven and Siesta Key was a great place to be.

Quaint Oasis. January 2021.
Wow, I stayed at the Fern Haven bungalow for 3 months, and I'm going to have a very hard time leaving this quaint oasis just minutes from Siesta Key village. Rich and Ali were supportive and very responsive, and I'm already planning my return for an extended stay!

A private spot. November 2020.
Our experience at Fern Haven was wonderful. The owners are extremely tentative, accommodating and genuine. The cottage was extremely clean and private. When our air conditioner started having problems the owners were there immediately and had the air conditioner replaced within no time. We really enjoyed our time at Fern Haven and you can't beat all the amenities within walking distance.

Our stay at the Fern Haven cottage was simply wonderful in every respect.
This was a wonderful experience at Fern Haven cottage. It is cozy, clean, and very well equipped. The deck and backyard are a treasure both to the eyes and to the years. In the evening and morning, all we could hear were wonderful bird sounds. The property is in a great location a few blocks from the center of Siesta Key. But you do not hear a single sound from the festivities in “downtown” Siesta Key. And In a few more blocks you are at a beautiful white sand beach that never seems to get crowded. One of the very special treats of this property is the access directly across the street to a beautiful Canal. There is a little dock there where we sat and enjoyed both the view and the peacefulness. Rich and Ali are splendid hosts; they just try to make you comfortable, satisfied in all respects, and respond almost immediately to any requests. Our month in Siesta Key at Fern Haven cottage was one of the most memorable of our lives and we will cherish these memories forever!

Excellent pet-friendly bungalow, Mar 02, 2020
This studio was perfect for our 4-week stay in Siesta Key! The neighborhood is beautiful and quiet-and everyone we met was so friendly to us and to our dog! Every day we walked into the Village-where there are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars-many with live music every day. While the bungalow is small, it was immaculate when we arrived, and there is more than enough storage-there was no wasted space. There is also a great outdoor space. We could walk to the beach-and chairs were provided. Rich is fantastic-always available to answer any questions-about the bungalow and about Siesta Key in general. He leaves a binder with lots of great information-restaurants (with descriptions and phone numbers), available transportation, and activities in Siesta Key and nearby Sarasota. I highly recommend!

Fern Haven met our expectations and then some! Apr 20, 2019
First of all, the bungalow itself- Exactly as pictured on the webpages and clean and for such a small space, well equipped except for a two-burner cooktop and a portable oven stored in a cupboard under the counter which as a cook I found to be a bit of a challenge so we had to eat out more...such a hardship!!! We loved our little sitting area in the secluded garden shared with the main cottage (also owned by Ali and Rich). The garden is well-lit with hanging fairy lights (which we turned off at night), motion lights at the entrance and plenty of solar garden lights. We were pleasantly surprised that it was so quiet. We had avoided renting “in town” in the past but we loved walking to town for an ice-cream at Big Olaf’s or to grab something from the grocery (try the locally made orange marmalade) and best perk of all: the beach is 1600 Fitbit steps away! Rich was helpful without being intrusive)a true talent) and we will certainly return.

The Winter stretch “up North” is broken with our pleasant break at Fern Haven
We enjoyed our FL visits to Hollywood; Winter Haven and Venice seeing family and friends BUT our home base at Fern Haven at Siesta Key was, for us, a vacation. It is a short walk from the bungalow to the Beach or to Siesta Key stores and restaurants. Staying at the bungalow for the evening was no problem because everything inside was thought of and there is a grill and a deck for enjoying the evening. The proprietor thought of everything! My wife agrees! 

Our stay at the Fern Haven cottage was simply wonderful in every respect.
This was a wonderful experience at Fern Haven cottage. It is cozy, clean, and very well equipped. The deck and backyard are a treasure both to the eyes and to the years. In the evening and morning, all we could hear were wonderful bird sounds. The property is in a great location a few blocks from the center of Siesta Key. But you do not hear a single sound from the festivities in “downtown” Siesta Key. And In a few more blocks you are at a beautiful white sand beach that never seems to get crowded. One of the very special treats of this property is the access directly across the street to a beautiful Canal. There is a little dock there where we sat and enjoyed both the view and the peacefulness. Rich and Ali are splendid hosts; they just try to make you comfortable, satisfied in all respects, and respond almost immediately to any requests. Our month in Siesta Key at Fern Haven cottage was one of the most memorable of our lives and we will cherish these memories forever!

The personification of Comfort and Relaxation
Fern Haven personifies comfort and relaxation. It’s perfectly located along the canal in a quiet neighborhood where you can enjoy your private dock and walk to both beautiful Siesta Key beach and the little lively village. This charming bungalow is impeccably clean and fully equipped with everything you’ll need for ‘home away from home’ comfort. It’s surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty made up of palm trees and ferns that makes it perfect for sitting outside to enjoy morning coffee, an evening cocktail or a delicious cook-out. Rich and Ali are lovely hosts who will go out of their way to make sure your stay is pleasant and will always be available for you, if and when needed. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss the opportunity to stay in Fern Haven bungalow. You’ll certainly be happy that you did!

My ideal winter! April 2022.

I stayed in Fern Cottage from February through the end of April. It was me and my large Labradoodle, Sky. To say it was the perfect environment would be an understatement. The bungalow had everything I needed, even a blender for smoothies! I don’t cook much so the two electric burners and outside grill were perfect. 
The outside space was a tropical paradise. I sat on my comfy lounge chair reading when I wasn’t at the beach. Sky got plenty of exercise lunging after the lizards, never catching one, thank goodness. 
On the cool nights, I kept the windows open and the fans going. Later on, at the end of April I used the air conditioner, but not very often. 
I rode the bike Rich provided, along with a beach chair on my back. The bungalow sat across from the canal for complimentary kayaking or sitting on the bench for morning coffee. A five-minute walk to the village or the beach, leaving a quiet neighborhood, a mix of original bungalows and multi-million dollar homes. People everywhere I went were kind and talkative, I even made a few lifelong friends.  Great restaurants I could take my dog to and sunsets that were out of this world!
Rich was the consummate host. If I needed something it was there within an hour, or fixed within two. The bungalow was immaculate and cozy. Can’t wait until next year to come back and experience my ideal winter!

Great location and private.

Very nice and clean place close within walking/biking distance to Siesta Key village and the beach. I highly recommend the studio. 

Cottage, beach, restaurants and the good life

I spent 6 months here and could stay forever. Perfect location for a walk to the beach or dinner. Very private and quiet. Great place to relax and enjoy life.

Fern Haven Cottage
My partner and I stayed at Fern Haven for the first 2 weeks in March. It was exactly as described, clean and comfortable. We particularly loved the seclusion and the lush landscaping. We enjoyed eating breakfast on the deck, grilling out and spending time in the Hot Tub. For us, it was about a 15minute walk to the beach. We were glad to have brought a beach cart with us. 10-minute walk to the Village. Parking at the beach and the Village is at a premium so being able to walk to both was a bonus. Bikes and a Kayak were provided. Owner was friendly and helpful.

Fern Haven Cottage

My husband and I just spent a week at the Fern Haven Cottage and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The studio cottage was clean, well-stocked with all you could need, and perfect for a couple, with a beautiful lush patio for grilling or enjoying breakfast to the sounds of the birds chirping. We thought we'd have preferred something closer to the beach but ended up really enjoying this location along the canal, especially since we could jump in the provided kayak in the morning for a row. At the same time, it was still a short walk to the beach, restaurants, and a grocery store. Rich was great. He greeted us to show us around the place, made great restaurant suggestions, and made us feel at home from the start.

Needed a break and found it!

I stayed at the Fern Haven unit during December 2013 and found it was ideal for myself. The unit was very clean; quiet & fully supplied with dishes; silverware; pots/pans, etc.. Just bring your clothes and personal things and enjoy the sun. The owner was excellent in answering any questions promptly.