Hidden Gem in Crystal River SUPER CLEAN AND DIRECTLY ON WATER Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Hidden Gem in Crystal RiverSUPER CLEAN AND DIRECTLY ON WATER pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Hidden Gem in Crystal RiverSUPER CLEAN AND DIRECTLY ON WATER located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is within 1 mi (2 km) of Plantation Inn and Golf Resort and A Crystal River Kayak Company. Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge and Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge are also within 2 mi (3 km).

10/10 Excellent

Kaylee F.

Jul 21, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyed mine and my family’s stay here. We were able to check in early which we greatly appreciated. House was very clean and had everything we needed! Having a dock right out back was a plus! We will definitely be back!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marilynn L.

Jul 20, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Ee had a wonderful time? Everyone lkved the cottage! We wanr to nook it again!

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lauren L.

Jul 8, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location, easy communication

We stayed while visiting family nearby. The location was great. Property was as described. Very easy to get answers and communicate with owners.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stacey L.

Jan 18, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect getaway

It was the perfect; we saw manatees and dolphins right from our dock. It was peacefully tucked away with kayaks, outdoor propane fireplace and grill.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

kathryn l.

Jul 10, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Busy weekend!

We enjoyed the location and dock of this little house the most. It was cozy, perfect for 4 people. Would stay again in the future.

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pam D.

Feb 6, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Manatees, birds and more!

This place was super clean and host thought of everything you might want for your stay. The bed was comfortable. Host was super responsive for any questions we had. Now the best part… location! Your own Crystal River adventure! Right on the river with lots of birds (even a bald eagle) and manatees, manatees and more manatees. You don’t have to go anywhere during your stay to have an amazing time and make wonderful memories! Will definitely be back!

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Lori P

Jan 6, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness

I loved the location right on Crystal River. It was easy to enter the water with a nice deck. We saw so much wildlife from our rental and from the water. It was nice to have a washer and dryer was nice to have. There was only enough hot water to fill the tub a third of the way. The middle laundry room had water on the floor a couple of times??? The house smelt funny like a old persons house. All of our things smelt like the house and I had to rewash when I got home. I think the price was high for what you got.

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gail T.

Feb 5, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Nature lovers delight… The selling point is the location: Peaceful area, lovely scenery, manatees swimming by the dock, and kayaks were a real plus. All the basics are provided, good communication w host, nice restaurant recommends (Cedar River Seafood was our favorite). Not a place for divas. A nice place for mom & dad and up to 3 kids, or 2 couples.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Davis L.

Jan 10, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing property

Can't rave enough about how much fun we had. Can't wait to come back!

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Colleen J.

Feb 1, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Holy Sea Cow! What a great location!

I rented this property solely based in the pictures of manatees from the dock and the reviews of seeing manatees. Yup, manatee lady right here! Our first 5 minutes after pulling up to the property were spent on the dock and we were welcomed by a mama and baby manatee! We saw manatees every day from the dock as well...even getting in the water to swim with one! We also saw a group of about 7 dolphins chasing fish, lots of osprey, pelicans, and heron. The dock was its own aquarium, housing a variety of fish and little sting rays (skates?). What a magical place to get away from it all. The cottage was adorable and cozy!

Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mike G.

Jan 2, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacationers

Gorgeous spot. Very close to best springs for manatee viewing. Just a quick kayak trip away each morning.

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Marsha P.

Dec 27, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

For Manatees - this is the Location, Location, Location

Our Manatee experience was amazing - and right from the dock! We saw every behavior except birth. The location of the house is AMAZING as off the path of the boats and the Manatees know it and love it here! We saw mom with 1 year baby and older sibling too. I am hoping the owner will add the photo I texted her of the three of them. Lost track of how many we saw and with incredible views! Also the owner had 5 kayaks and was SO helpful and responsive! The small house was older but very clean, beautifully decorated, and with everything you need. Having 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a washer and dryer and 2 living rooms each with a smart TV was just perfect. We were here over Christmas and it was the best present for my family as the experience was unforgettable! It was our best manatee viewing during 3 days at Crystal River - right in the back yard!

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jody T.

Jul 27, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place to Stay!

If you at all considering staying in Crystal River and visiting the surrounding waterways and springs, this is the place to stay. Right on the water (Kings Bay), perfect if you bring your own boat, or not. The little River Cottage was clean and dressed up perfectly. Thanks for all the dining suggests and the goodies provided!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Andrea R.

Jul 5, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exceptional!

We had a wonderful experience! The first evening we got to see a manatee right off the dock. We also seen a baby alligator the same day. We paddled to three sisters and the surrounding bay. It was beautiful! The house was super clean and convenient to everything. Also there was a gift basket full of goodies waiting for us when we arrived! Would definitely recommend!

10/10 Excellent

Layne L.

Jun 11, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Stay!

We had a wonderful stay in Crystal River. Every detail was thought of, from welcome signs to snacks! The house was well stocked and in a great location. We look forward to renting again soon.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Greg L., Spring Lake MI

May 14, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Stay!

Perfect location on the bay. Really cute cottage, very clean and inviting. Carley made us feel so welcome down to the last detail. If you need to relax this is the place! We saw manatees every day and sometimes a dolphin or two. The kayaks are a huge bonus. It was so great to be out on the water and see all the wildlife. Great food experiences nearby. We plan on coming back again ;-)

Stayed 4 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Lillly C.

May 10, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Weekend get-a-way!

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed exploring the area and taking in nature at its best! Gators, manatees and dolphin! The cottage is quaint and quiet. The owner was easy to get a hold of and the amenities were good. We hope to return!

Stayed 4 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer G.

Apr 20, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Crystal River

We had an amazing time! Location is perfect and amenities were plentiful. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie M.

Apr 15, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

So much fun!

We had the best trip!! We only spent 3 nights and will be going back. We saw multiple manatees off the dock every day! The house is small and older but it was so perfect. Literal steps to the dock and water. The house was SPOTLESS! Beds are so comfortable; neighbors were super nice and friendly. Carley was so helpful and available with suggestions about the area and kayaking, etc. Also some of the best seafood we’ve had. Be sure to check out Charlie’s & Seafood Seller!!! We absolutely loved every minute of it.

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Tracy V.

Apr 14, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Manatee glory

We very much enjoyed our stay at this property. It was very clean, location was wonderful directly on the river with a dock, an outdoor area for grilling and eating with a view, and plenty of manatees daily to enjoy! We were hoping to use the kayaks to explore the area but the wind got too strong...next time! We did get to scuba dive in some of the springs, which are close! This property sleeps six with the use of 2 cots, which worked for our family of 4 but just so others booking know that. Thank you for a peaceful place for our family to get away and enjoy! :)

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kristen W., Chesapeake, Va

Apr 9, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A trip to remember!

This was our first time visiting Crystal River and this location did not disappoint! The house is cute and the perfect location, we really loved that we had a small yard and dock to hang out at. There are lots of fun water toys and our kids really enjoyed the water pad. We had three kayaks to use but one did not have back support so we could really only go far on two of them. (No paddleboard at the time of our visit) Beds were very comfortable and it was nice to have two living room areas so the adults could have one and the kids could have the other. The house really has everything you need! A few questions I was hoping to have answered prior to arrival... Kayaking to three sisters spring from this location is about 30 minutes or so, it’s fairly easy and there are laminated maps in the house that help you navigate to it. After speaking to a local, swimming at the house is safe. We had concerns about alligators but she said that if there is one spotted you would know about it from the neighborhood. They report it to wildlife officials and they are removed. We assumed it was still a risk but it helped to ease our minds. There are fishing poles left by previous renters to use but bring some tackle with you. We stayed in early April and were still able to see the manatees. There were lots that would swim by the back dock and of course you can find them by kayaking to their sanctuary areas (which is on the laminated maps). At the time of our visit there were not many at three sisters spring but we came across 4 of them. We knew it was nearing the end of the season for them as the ocean is warming and they are heading out. My last bit of advice is, if you are planning to go out to dinner, make reservations. It was nearly impossible for us to find a place to eat at dinner time. Hope this helps! We loved our stay here. Being able to walk right out to the dock with a morning coffee was heavenly. I would absolutely stay here again and again.

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

gwenn p.

Mar 30, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Riverside gem

Cozy cottage on the water with kayaks, dock, fire pit and two separate living rooms for parents and kids! A short kayak to 3 sisters springs. Very clean.

10/10 Excellent

JORGE R.

Mar 16, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent, cozy and relax

Host is great! A cozy house on the river, we enjoy the outside, very relax and quiet area. We Watched manatees from dock. Wonderful area for kayaking and boating. To launch the boat we used the plantation hotel and it was great and very closed. We really enjoyed our stay!!

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

m f.

Mar 15, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome!!

If you want an awesome time to relax and view the water and manatee with your morning coffee, this is the place to go! In the evening you may catch a wedding by the gazebo across the water at Plantation resort. The owners are great people and made the experience extremely pleasant.

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Tammy C.

Mar 15, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely

Wish we could have stayed longer

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

Hidden Gem in Crystal River SUPER CLEAN AND DIRECTLY ON WATER

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