A 6-bedroom, 22-guest home minutes from Anna Maria Island, told through the words of the families who’ve stayed.
When you’re planning a trip for 15, 18, even 20 people, the math is brutal. Most “large group” rentals just cram more beds into fewer rooms and hope nobody notices. Mermaid Manor was built on the opposite idea, and after 33 stays and a wall of five-star reviews, the families who book it keep saying the same things. So we’ll let them do most of the talking.
Room to spread out, not squeeze in
The first thing guests mention, almost without exception, is space. One family of 20 put it plainly: they never once felt crowded. A group of 11 adults who came down for their annual get-together noted that so many Florida rentals cram as many people into a bedroom as possible, and that this was the opposite. Four-family groups have stayed here repeatedly, with each couple getting their own king suite and private bath.
That’s the layout: six bedrooms, four of them king suites with private ensuite bathrooms, plus a bunk room that keeps the kids happy and out from underfoot. Five full bathrooms total. As more than one guest pointed out, with a group this size, no one ever has to wait for a shower.
Designed for every generation
A detail that surprised us in how often it comes up: the single-floor, no-step layout. One multigenerational family told us it made the home easy to navigate for grandparents in their 80s. Another family hosted three generations and singled out being able to watch the kids swim from the living room.
This is a house where the 80-year-olds and the 9-year-olds both have a good trip. Families have come for weddings, a military ceremony, Thanksgiving dinner cooked in the full kitchen, fall break, and plain old reunions.
The 15-foot island everyone remembers
If there’s one feature guests fall in love with, it’s the kitchen. The massive 15-foot island gets called the heart of the get-togethers and the biggest island guests have ever seen. Families cook big meals here every night, gather around it for cards, and use it as the natural center of the house.
And the kitchen is stocked. Guests routinely say it’s better equipped than any rental they’ve used, with everything labeled and easy to find, plenty of dishes and silverware, and the kind of extras (trash bags, dish soap, first aid kit) that other rentals forget.
A backyard built for downtime
After a beach day, the backyard is where everyone ends up. The heated pool and hot tub get near-universal praise, and the privacy-fenced yard means you can actually use them. One family marveled that they spent hours outside with zero mosquito bites.
Then there’s the cabana game room, which guests describe as being used nonstop: a pool table, poker table, and ping pong. More than one group has confessed the guys played poker every single night.
Minutes from Anna Maria Island
Mermaid Manor sits in a quiet, safe neighborhood about 10 to 15 minutes from the beaches of Anna Maria Island, with free public beach parking nearby and Publix, Target, and Walmart close by. Guests love that the home is tucked away from the crowds but still close to everything. Beach chairs, umbrellas, and a cooler come with the house.
For families who’ve come for IMG Academy soccer showcases and tournaments, the location and the game room make it a favorite home base. One group of six moms and daughters turned a soccer showcase into a girls’ trip and said they’d absolutely stay again.
The part guests mention most: the hosts
Across nearly every review, one theme is constant: Tony and Christine respond within minutes, accommodate early check-ins and late checkouts, and check in throughout the stay to make sure everything’s right. When one guest couldn’t find a cutting board, the hosts had one delivered to the door.
That’s the difference between a house and a stay you rebook. As one family wrote after fall break, they loved the home so much they booked their next trip before they’d even left.
Planning a big group trip to Mermaid Manor?
If you’re organizing a family reunion, a multi-family vacation, a tournament weekend, or a multigenerational getaway near Anna Maria Island, Mermaid Manor was built for exactly this. Six bedrooms, room for up to 22, and a backyard nobody wants to leave.
Book direct and skip the platform fees: bourboncityrentals.com/mermaid-manor
Plan your stay: See Mermaid Manor · Compare our large Bradenton homes · Things to do on Anna Maria Island · Guest FAQ
Visiting in winter or spring? See our Anna Maria Island spring break guide, and plan your days with our Anna Maria Island travel guide. Coming for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s? See our Anna Maria Island holiday rentals guide.