What's not to love about this property, location on the beach, amenities and Santa Rosa area in general?!?! Our family of 9 just left yesterday and we could have stayed another week if it were possible. Wayne was such a great host from the moment we booked. I had several questions just prior to arrival and then after arrival and he was prompt to respond and left no info out prior to arrival. The house is amazing and the number of BDRS with the bed sizes was more than perfect for our group. We loved having an ice maker as well as the two full size fridges so we could keep drinks cold on the second floor to take them straight out to the beach. The kitchen has a wine fridge, two coffee pots as well as an espresso machine which was a treat. The only thing we wished for was a garbage disposal. It would have made trash a little less messy and clean up after dinner easier. We so enjoyed upper patio mornings and the evening sunsets were spectacular! We all had enough space and each bedroom having their own bathroom was very nice. We didn't use the pool area as much as I thought we would, mostly because we had amazing beach weather and a baby who loved playing in the sand. The pool was lovely and so nice go have the seating as well as the two grills that we did use. The beach was incredible. The location of this house is perfect on a private beach. We called the beach chair service prior to arrival and they added 2 more chairs and an umbrella to the already 6 chairs and 3 umbrellas provided. They were promptly set up each morning before 7:00 and put away each evening before dinner time. We also loved having the low beach chairs so we could sit right at the water's edge. The house is close enough to the water it's easy to run in for food or anything you may have forgotten. The area was much less touristy and congested than Sea Side or Rosemary. There are a few shops, restaurants and ice cream shops less than a block away and great restaurants within a 10 minute drive closer to Blue Mountain. We rented bikes and a paddle board right across the street - very convenient. Our adult children cannot wait to book this again. Just perfect for families or couples!

We had a great time. There was plenty of room for all of us especially with the layout of the house. It had everything you needed and more.

Kitchen was well equipped. Our family enjoyed the games/puzzles provided. Everyday Beach chair setup was perfect! Wayne does a fantastic job communicating. Thank you! We hope to be able to stay again. P..S a broom & dust pan is highly needed. (We would've swept)

Second time staying at this property. Overall a very enjoyable and memorable stay. As mentioned last year the house is showing a bit of wear but understandable given the elements. The location is fabulous . The beach was not crowded at all and the private pool was such a big hit with the grandkids. Would have booked again but someone beat us to the punch. Property manager very responsive and very quick to address any issues that came up.

We celebrated our 50th anniversary for a week with adult kids, spouses and grandkids ages 24 down to an 8 yr old. Lots of rooms, lots of bathrooms, kitchen with everything we needed for many many meals! The kids went from beach to heated pool and back again. We highly recommend Great Expectations and Chef Stephanie who came in and did a cooking class for lunch one day. We loved our stay and made many memories. The ice machine was a BIG hit, too! The beach was pristine and not at all crowded.

Easy and painless!

Perfect beach location. Beach, shopping, and restaurants all in walking distance. House was very comfortable.

This house was really good for our family of 8 adults and 4 children. We love having the beach right out front. The heated pool was perfect for us - and it is very protected on those windy days. Parking for 4 cars worked very well. We hope to stay at this wonderful home again!

This house was amazing!! Everyone had plenty of space and yet, we all came together as a family....the way it should be. This place offered peace, beauty and so much more. When we come back, this is the place for us.

Our family of 10 (grandparents, grown children/spouses, and grandchild) had a wonderful week at Great Expectations! We were there for Thanksgiving and loved every minute! The layout of the house was perfect for us. The main living area was big enough for everyone to gather, and there were plenty of other areas for people to go if they wanted a little peace and quiet from the crowd. Two big porch areas overlooking the gulf were perfect for watching the sunrise and the sunset. The heated pool was put to great use! Lots of nice extras...an ice machine, multiple coffee pots, two full sized refrigerators and a wine cooler, well stocked kitchen, great wifi, and big TVs for watching football (Roll Tide!). Did I mention the pool? The house was clean and ready for us on check-in day. The location of this house could not be better! Restaurants and shopping a short walk away, but still very private at the house. The only drawbacks I can think of are very minor...the bed in the master bedroom is very tall, so the bed is hard to get into! Older couples (like me and my husband) might have a bit of a struggle with that, so we gave up that room to a younger couple. I would also suggest that some of the kitchen pots and pans be sorted out and pared down. I was afraid that there wouldn't be enough pots and pans to cook Thanksgiving dinner with, but there were so many pots and extra lids that I believe it would help to declutter those a bit. Other than that, this house was lovely and Wayne was so nice to work with. He answered my questions quickly and was so very pleasant. I highly recommend Great Expectations! Katherine Davis

Wayne was easy to work with. The beach was perfect. The view was perfect. Everything was great with the one exception of a shower that did not work. No problem though, there were 4 others to choose from. 😊 Over all 5 stars. Thanks Wayne for a great trip.

Great property for a great vacation!

Our family had been separated for 20 months due to Covid-19. We all met at Great Expectations, and that is exactly what it was, a great expectation. There were no negatives to our stay. When we arrived the home smelled fresh and clean. The home was beautifully furnished, every kitchen utensil you could possibly need was there and plenty of towels in the bathrooms. The swimming pool was fantastic. There was plenty of seating and two grills available for our use (one charcoal and one propane). The pool water was crystal clear. Then there was the beach!! Crystal clear water and beautiful blue skies. Six chairs and three umbrellas were put up for us everyday, there were extra chairs available near the rinsing/shower station on the boardwalk, as well as two smaller umbrellas. The decks were also beautifully furnished with fantastic views of the gulf. Wayne was a wonderful host and we appreciated all of his recommendations of activities. The home is within walking distance of places to eat, shop and have ice cream. We had such a fantastic time!! Will definitely stay here again!! 🏖

This is a fabulous property in the upscale and quiet area of Santa Rosa. Private beach area with chairs plus many nice amenities. Local restaurants, ice cream and shopping within walking distance. The perfect beach rental!’

Loved the location and the home as it is perfectly located with easy access to the beach. The bonus is the pool so if those in your group are not beach fans then.....You have the best of both worlds. Looking forward to booking another stay!

First stay at the property. First the negatives. They are few and overall inconsequential. The property is showing just a bit of age that doesn't show up in the pictures but that is to be expected given the difficulties and wear and tear of the climate. Neighbors close but never seemed to even hear them which was nice. Positives and there are many. Location ! Location! Location! - our section of the beach was much less crowded than the surrounding areas. Also located far enough away from the brackish water inlets that our water was never discolored or impacted. Good restaurants and shops in easy walking distance which is definitely a plus given the amount of traffic during this time of year. Beautiful sunsets!!Beach and pool personnel did a great job getting the chairs and umbrellas set up daily ( a very nice touch) and checking on the pool throughout the week. Also plenty of extra beach chairs and boogie boards for the grandkids was a very nice touch. Unfortunately one broke in the heavy surf. The pool was awesome and such a plus giving the grandkids a nice place to swim since the gulf was still pretty cold. House layout worked well for us. Only suggestions I would have to make an already memorable time a bit better...(minor really)-would love a nonstick skillet/pan for cooking bacon for my grandkids in the AM-would really love a rocker or two up on the upper patio to watch sunsets and relax. Older people love such things. Loved it so much have already booked for next year!!!

Beach and pool were exactly as advertised, beach not too busy at all...within walking distance to restaurants and bars, just a really good location and Wayne was easy to work with.

Our week at the house was fantastic. The house was perfect for our family. The privacy of the house and its pool make it very unique and easily the best place we have ever stayed on the beach. The easy access to the beach made it a great experience. We definitely plan on going back.

What can I say other that it was PERFECT! So quiet but close(within walking distance) to shops/restaurants/coffee shop. We came in January and it was a little cooler than I liked but obviously the owners don’t control the weather!The heated pool was awesome! Heated to 88 degrees! With it being cool out , I seriously thought about staying in the warm pool 24/7......This was a amazing memory making trip us as we did this trip to celebrate the life ofmy mom as she had been recently diagnosed with a terminal illness. It felt like the owners bent over backwards for us and answered all our questions to the best of their ability. They were seriously the BEST and we would love to rent from them again in the future!

We enjoyed our stay. The house has great vibes. Our favorites features were the location directly on the beach, the back porches overlooking the beach, the large open top floor, the heated pool and the landscaping. Wayne was super helpful. I enjoyed my chats with him. I would definitely recommend this rental to others.

This property gets 5 stars full stop! First, the home is well equipped, layout is great, plenty of space, very comfortable beds, incredibly clean, and overall perfect for large families! Second, it’s located directly on the beach (yes directly on the beach so close you can hear the waves at night from the bedrooms). Third, it has a large in ground, private pool heated to a glorious 88 degrees. Fourth, the beach is wonderful; white sand and clear/clean gulf water. Fifth, the house is incredibly fully equipped inside and out (everything you need period) and is within walking distance to multiple restaurants and other in town amenities. Sixth (and probably should have been listed first), the owner is awesome, very responsive and a pleasure to work with during your stay. I could go on and on. You get the point. We will most certainly be renting this property from Wayne again!!

We loved Great Expectations! The house is secluded enough but close enough to walk from an area with restaurants and shopping. It was right on the beach, but we also used the nice sized pool quite a bit. The kitchen was set up well for cooking at home. Communication with Wayne was also excellent and super easy. A great setup on a beautiful beach!

We stayed here with 3 families with kids ranging in age from 6-12. The pool and ocean front location were perfect. The area has everything you need without the crowds of say Seaside or other popular 30A spots. We highly recommend this house!