Dock and fish cleaning station, overlooking the marsh at sunset
Approximate location of the house
The Salt River is on the left (the east), while the St Martin’s River is visible near the top of the photo, and flows off to the west (the right side of the photo).   Great fishing, just a quick paddle down the canal!
Paradise at Ozello Cottage  - Crystal River
Screened in porch for nice days.
Well equipped kitchen with a drip coffee maker and a keurig
Cook your catch in your comfortable kitchen.
Paradise at Ozello Cottage  - Crystal River
Master bedroom.
King size bed in the master bedroom.
Second bedroom.
Second bedroom with a queen size bed, a dresser, and a desk.
Bathroom.
Step in Shower
Bathroom.
View from front yard, showing house and carport.
View of the house showing part of the front yard, and carport.
Carport and steps leading to back entrance.  There is a gas grill provided for your use, kept under the carport area.
Steps leading up to the back entrance.
Another view of the dock/fish cleaning station
Canal in the backyard.  Launch your kayak in the canal, and be on the St. Martins River after a short 5-minute paddle.
Launch your kayak here, in the backyard, and enjoy the marsh, the St. Martin's River, and the Salt River- right at your doorstep!
There are three sit-inside solo kayaks, and two sit-on-top solo kayaks, provided for your use.   There is also one sit-inside tandem kayak provided.
Two sit-on-top kayaks provided (Wilderness Systems Ride model, 11.5 ft. long).
Boat house - suitable for parking smaller boats.  No boat lift.
View of the house, from the canal
The view of the house from the water.
View of the house when driving in.
Large backyard, seen from the kayak launch.
View of the house from the backyard.  There is a fire pit you can use, but we do not provide firewood.
View of the house from the backyard.  There is a fire pit you can use, but we do not provide firewood.
Snook season means great fishing!  Currently, the season is March 1- April 30, and September 1- November 30 in our area.   Catch and release anytime.
Nice redfish caught just a few hundred yards from the house.
Mangrove snapper are great eating.  This pair was caught just a short paddle down the river from our house.
A couple of nice spotted seatrout, caught not far from the house.
Local seafood dinner.......blue crab and spotted seatrout, both caught minutes from the house
Crabs harvested from our dock (guest's photo)!
A couple of crab traps are provided for your use.
Fish and crabs caught very near our house, and cleaned at the fish cleaning station.   (Guest's photo)
Birdwatching is one of our favorite activities.  This anhinga stopped by for a bit to dry his wings.
Ibises and other wading birds are common here.   We often see great blue herons, little blue herons, green herons, great egrets, and snowy egrets in the marsh right next to the house. This photo was taken in our back yard.
Wood storks are often observed in the canals and marsh.
This osprey stopped by our yard to eat a fish he had just caught out in the river.  Bald eagles are often seen very near to our house also.
On some of the islands not far from Pirate's Cove, you can sometimes see groups of white pelicans.  Pirate's Cove is a popular place to launch kayaks, and is just a few minutes down Ozello Trail from our house.
Gopher tortoises can sometimes be seen around our neighborhood
If you're lucky, you can spot manatees from the property!   Dolphins can sometimes be seen out on the river, just a short paddle from our house.
Kayaking down the canal.  Photo taken from our back yard.
Kids who are not experienced kayakers can kayak in the canal adjacent to our property, where the water is usually calm.
A sunset paddle from the house, about 200 yards from the house.
sunset view from the backyard
Kayaking in the St. Martins River, not far from our house.
Another sunset view over the saltwater marsh.
Sunset paddle near the house.
On a corner lot at the end of a dead end road, the water and marsh surround you.
Water view in all directions!  Watch the both the sunrise and sunset  from the screenporch, and view the marsh and water in front of you all day long.   It’s a quick paddle or boat ride to the river, or explore the mangrove tunnels.

Paradise at Ozello Cottage - Crystal River

4 guests
2 bedrooms
1 bathrooms
750 Sqft
Vacation HomeEntire place
Lorena profile picture

Hosted by Lorena

5 years hosting on Houfy

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About this place

Nature Lover’s Waterfront Paradise in Ozello (Crystal River)

FREE kayaks, and crab traps for your use.

Live "Island Style" in our updated 2 BR/1 BA cozy stilt waterfront home on a huge corner lot at the end of a private road. Launch your kayak just out the back door and be out on the St. Martins or Salt River in minutes where you can often see dolphins and catch redfish, snook, seatrout and blue crabs. Clean them at your fish cleaning station. Harvest scallops in the nearby Gulf waters. Several kayaks are available for your use. Enjoy fishing, birding, paddling, boating and relaxing!Watch the sun rise over the water to the east, enjoy the screened porch for watching birds on the marsh, and finish your day by watching the glorious sunset over the water to the west. If you’re lucky, you may see manatees or dolphins in front of the house. Birdwatching here is excellent. Serene, peaceful, and full of wildlife, you’ll find our house and this area to be the perfect place to relax and enjoy the natural world around you.

High speed Wi-fi is provided, along with streaming tv possible via provided Roku. Our compact kitchen is well equipped, and there is also a gas grill available. We have a regular drip coffee maker as well as a Keurig for your use- so bring your favorite coffee or enjoy the supplied coffee. Grab your cup and watch the marsh wake up from your screened-in porch. We will have all of the basics you need for a comfortable homey stay. Spices and other essentials are supplied should you want to cook and dine at home.

Extra touches like new memory foam mattresses make it feel like home. Our comfortable home is ideally suited for 2 guests, but can sleep a maximum of 4 people. This romantic location is ideal for a couple!

Our neighborhood is very quiet and safe, as we are at the end of a short private road used only by neighborhood residents.

We are within walking distance to John Brown Park, a large public boat landing for small boats. We have a small boat house for your small skiff/jon boat. A marina for larger boats is approx. a mile away where our guests can launch and store boats for a very reasonable charge.

We have several different kayaks for your use- a tandem kayak, an older sea kayak (it moves well through the water!), three traditional sit-in 12-13’ kayaks great for our waters here, AND two sit-on-top fishing type kayaks. You’ll find one to fit your paddling needs.

Ozello is a small community of friendly people, about a 10-15 minute drive from Crystal River. Three restaurants are within just a few miles of our house. If you enjoy "Old Florida" living, you will enjoy your stay in Ozello.

Due to the small size of the house and the quiet neighborhood, no parties or gatherings are permitted. With all of the wood pilings, decking, stairs, boat house, etc, there is no smoking allowed on the property.

Please note- maximum of four guests! The house is small, with two beds total. With the small road and one lane drive into our house, we can only allow a maximum of two vehicles. Sorry, no pets.

Sleeping configuration

Main bedroom

1 king bed

Second bedroom

1 queen bed

What this place offers

53 Amenities
Washing Machine
Hair Dryer
Linens Provided
Towels Provided
Full Kitchen
Mini fridge
Fire Pit
Gas Grill
High Speed Internet
Laptop friendly workspace
Desk
Desk chair
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Nearby activities

13
Scuba diving or snorkeling
Fishing Charters
Deepsea fishing
Pier fishing
Cycling
Fishing
Walking
Nature Viewing

Property Suitability

Please review these important guidelines to ensure this property meets your needs and expectations.

Child friendly

There is no child-proofing, and you would be responsible for the safety of your children in our stilt house and elevated screen porch. Children should be 6+.

No events allowed

No parties or events or guests, due to the small size of the house. Two car maximum, as we have a two-track road with limited turn around space.

No smoking allowed

Absolutely no smoking or vaping onsite due to all of the wood decks, piers, docks, decking.

No Parking

There is covered parking under the carport for two cars and/or a small boat.

Meet the Host

Lorena profile picture
Lorena

Owner

English
We found this cozy stilt house, and live in it half of the time. When we are away, we love to share our place with those who want to experience "Old Florida" and enjoy the quiet rural fishing and kayaking that we love. Ozello is a great place for birdwatching as well!
Response Rate
100%
Response Time
within a few hours
Member Since
December 2020

Have Questions?

Lorena typically responds within within a few hours

Co-Hosts

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Scenic views

River viewWater view

Location

WaterfrontRiverfrontVillage

Getting around

Walking around our neighborhood is safe and easy. John Brown Drive (reached by a very short walk) has light car traffic and is also safe for walking or biking, for those who want a longer walk or bike ride. There are many bike trails and hiking trails in the Crystal River area. There is no public transportation in our sleepy little village.

More places to stay in Crystal River:

Policies & Rules

Check-In
3PM
Flexible timing
Check-Out
11AM
Standard
Max Guests
4 People
Including infants
Min Age
25
Primary renter
Not Allowed
Pets • Smoking • Parties
$Security Deposit
350
Refundable

Click sections for details • All policies strictly enforced

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