Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house
Photo gallery for Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house
Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house
🌅 Enchanting Lakeside Escape: Unwind at Gator Nest 🌅
🌟 Breathtaking Lakefront View: Relax and Recharge 🌟 Experience stunning sunsets from our spacious back patio as the sky paints itself in vibrant hues over Lake Jesup.
🏡 Welcome to Gator Nest 🏡 This charming 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom retreat is hosted by Black Hammock Getaway in Oviedo, FL. Nestled among trees and nature, it's a bird watcher's paradise and a tranquil haven for families.
🛋️ Spacious and Comfortable 🛋️ Gator Nest boasts a roomy layout with a cozy living room, a relaxing sitting room, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, a laundry room, and a large back patio perfect for family gatherings.
🌳 Nature Lover's Dream 🌳 Located in a serene, private area with a HUGE yard, Gator Nest is just minutes from the bustling city of Oviedo, offering shopping, restaurants, bowling, golf, and swan boat rides.
✨ Your Private Getaway ✨ Renters will have the entire house to themselves during their stay. Our staff is available 24/7 by phone or text to assist with any questions or issues.
📶 Modern Amenities📶 Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a smart TV for Netflix and Amazon Prime, and iHeartRadio for your favorite tunes. Cooking utensils, linens, towels, and a washer and dryer are all provided.
🚤 Boating Fun 🚤 Boat slip available for just $20/day!
Important Details: - 🕓 Check-in: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM - 🕚 Check-out: 11:00 AM ($50 Early Check-In or Late Check-Out if available) - 🚗 Parking: Up to 2 vehicles included; additional vehicles subject to fee - 🐾 Pets: Considered on a case-by-case basis; no cats. Pet fee of $50 plus tax will apply - 🚭 Non-smoking accommodations - 🧼 $170 taxable cleaning fee - 💳 Credit cards accepted - ♿ Accessible 24/7 - 💰 $1000 security deposit or damage protection insurance required
Starter Supplies ONLY provided. 1 towel per guest, sheets, blankets, pillows, 1 roll of paper towels, 2 rolls of toilet paper per bathroom, 1-2 trash bags, dish soap, dish washing cloth, and 2 dishwasher tablets. Additional supplies need to be purchased by guests.
Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
All accommodations are non-smoking
A license plate number must be provided for all vehicles staying overnight at the property before check-in.
Parking is included for up to 2 standard sized vehicles. Oversized trucks, RVs, and trailers are an additional fee. No EV charging.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 4105885
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Oviedo
Located in Oviedo, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Regal Oviedo Mall and Twin Rivers Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Black Hammock Wilderness Area and Spring Hammock Preserve. Congo River Golf - East Orlando and Firkin and Kegler Family Entertainment Center are also worth visiting.
University of Central Florida - 23 min drive - 17.7 km
Kia Center - 33 min drive - 42.6 km
Universal Orlando Resort - 42 min drive - 56.1 km
Universal Studios Florida - 44 min drive - 56.2 km
Getting around
Sanford Station - 18 min drive
Orlando, FL (SFB-Orlando Sanford Intl.) - 16 min drive
Restaurants
The Food Factory - 9 min drive
Dragon City - 9 min drive
Sonic Drive-In - 9 min drive
The Town House Restaurant - 7 min drive
Oviedo Bowling Center - 8 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.
How much does it cost to stay at Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house?
As of 22 September 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house on 20 October 2026 start from NZ$2,133, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Gator Nest: Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, sleeps 6. Excellent for a relaxing, nature getaway . New! Bring your own boat and enjoy fishing right from the house located?
Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is steps from Lake Jesup and within 6 mi (10 km) of Black Hammock Wilderness Area and Overlook Park. Bark Park at Shane Kelly Park and Trotwood Park are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Our stay was great! Check-in was easy and Joel and Christina are very easy to work with. Definitely recommend if you're looking to stay in the Oveido area.
The Gator Nest was perfect for our family of 5 (children 10, 7 and 1). It was peaceful, quiet and allowed us to be close to everything we needed. We will definitely book again the next time we are in town.
Needed a place for my staff & myself to stay near Orlando for business. We found the perfect place! It was quiet, clean & the price was just right. The jacuzzi was great to come home to after a long day of meetings. All the wildlife we saw in the area was an added bonus. ❤️
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 27 March 2020
Thank you so much for staying with us Betty. We are glad you enjoyed your stay!
I recently stayed at the Gators Nest and were pleased. The house is back a lane and situated close to a small canal. My free time at the house was mostly mornings up to early afternoon and I enjoyed having breakfast on the back deck. We enjoyed staying here and will return if I’m in the area again.
We also took advantage of the airboat ride and dined at the Black Hammock restaurant a few times. The airboat is a must do experience in my opinion and we had great service at the restaurant.
Beautiful view from back porch and pool lots of birds to watch. Could use some fixing up. Very responsive to messages a storm blew out wifi box and they did their best to try to fix. Great pool.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 31 July 2022
Thank you for staying with us Theresa. I apologize again for the issue with the wifi. Obviously it's not every day a storm like that comes through. We hope you enjoyed your stay otherwise.
The property was as described. It is located out of the mainsteam of Florida, which is what we wanted. We wanted a place where we could walk our dogs and just relax. The house and location are exactly as described. We enjoyed watching the eagles nest and turtles laying their eggs. Also, we had one small problem with dishwasher, we called the property manger, Christina, and the handyman was there within an hour. Very well run VRBO. Had a wonderful time.
We enjoyed our stay in this simple and spacious rental. It had a few flaws but nothing a normal house wouldn’t have. We wanted quiet, check. Wanted space, check. Wanted a nice view of water without paying too much, check check. It’s older but has some updates. I’d replace the wood panel but at the same time it brings old world charm, which I kinda liked. In all, we were happy.
The only issue was the property was advertised with a pool, which is why I booked it. When we arrived the pool was in the process of being filled in as it was damaged by the storm and some of the patio area was cordoned off. As much as this was disappointing we still enjoyed our stay, the property was lovely and we loved the view of the lake. When we contacted Christina to let her know the garbage disposal wasn’t working she responded straight away and was very helpful during our stay. I would recommend this property and would book it next time we are visiting .
This was our 2nd time staying at this property. We come down to florida from New England once a year to visit family. 2 years ago a dear family member passed and gators nest was where we chose then, this year it was so nice to come back to such a beautiful area. Sitting out back in the screened in area listening to the immense amount of wildlife brought us so much peace in this time. The owners are very attentive and even messaged me to make sure we got in okay! I can not thank them enough for opening this beautiful home to us! Very clean, spacious, beautiful and one of a kind home! 10/10
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Jennifer K.
13 January 2022
Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Gator Nest review
I liked the location of the house, perfect for my two little dogs.
Areas of the house needed some updating. A thorough cleaning of the house needs to be done. Blinds are all tattered. Cookware items need to be replaced. The dryer was not working, I should have been told this before checking in. The next day I was offered a clothesline for drying. I was not happy with that. The manager tried to help with the dryer situation but was not repaired while there. I was offered a discount for the next rental. The screens on the porch need replacing.
Overall is a nice house and location, it needs some serious updating and major cleaning. Thank you.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2022
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for your feedback
Everything is fixed. There is a new dryer. Screen has been repaired. Additional cookware. There are new windows. The house has been cleaned thoroughly.
Verified review
4/10 Poor
Bryan G.
25 July 2023
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Adequate at best
Pictures can be very deceiving. It looks like a clean airy home away from home but in reality it felt dirty (we wouldn’t go barefoot) Upon arrival we were greeted with a stale urine scent. There were large dust bunnies found in hallway and family room. It’s in desperate need of painting and updating. We had 1 wash cloth for 4 people to share. And 1 towel each. There were no extra linens at all. No dressers so you have to leave your clothes in your suitcase. When turning on the sinks in the extra bath, they spray everywhere and the shower was 1/3 shower spray and 2/3 bathtub flow. No way for full shower flow.
We were under the impression that there was a swimming pool but there isn’t.
And maybe a small thing but the various chairs on the patio were all willy nilly. Not welcoming at all. We rearranged them.
A good thing is there were little stickers on the light switches telling what they go to.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 24 January 2024
Bryan, I am a little surprised to read this review when I checked with you the morning after your arrival how everything was and you said, "All is good! Thanks" If I would have known about these issues, I could have sent someone over to address them. I have changed cleaning teams, our new team does an amazing job and leaves the houses in pristine condition. We do try to keep a full amount of towels in the house but occasionally a guest damages or loses one and we have to replace them. Please feel free to reach out if you don't have enough basic provided items in the house such as towels. As for the swimming pool, it does not say anywhere in our listing or show on any pictures a swimming pool. There is not a pool at this house.
Thank you for your feedback we are always looking to improve. We hope you enjoyed your stay.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Al G.
21 September 2026
Black Hammock Gator Weekend Retreat
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay while at the Black Hammock Gator Nest location. We were there for a weekend gator hunt and the access to the lake via the canal behind the house made our outing that much easier for our boat captain. Communication with the host during our stay was always a phone call away and that made things that much easier if any issues arose.
Our gator hunt was successful and we will definitely return if given the opportunity to hunt the lake again.
Wir haben unseren Aufenthalt sehr genossen. Das Haus ist sehr schön gelegen. Die Nachbarhäuser sind etwas weiter entfernt und nicht sichtbar. Daher hat man gerade früh morgens und in den Abendstunden die Chance zahlreiche Tiere zu sehen. Das Haus selber ist schön, könnte aber hier und da ein paar Schönheitsreparaturen vertragen. Wir hatten z.B. vier Gartenstühle, von denen aber leider zwei kaputt waren. Die Hausverwaltung ist ständig erreichbar und sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Insgesamt definitiv weiterzuempfehlen.
While this is not a new property, it is spacious and private and everything you need to chill and enjoy family or the area or both. It’s close enough to restaurants and the highway. The restaurant on the property is really good.
We enjoyed the wildlife —especially since the raccoon family.
We will definitely consider this property and management company if the need arises. Thanks Joel!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Verified review
4/10 Poor
David J.
5 April 2022
Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Disappointing
We knew from the pictures it wasn't going to be a 5 star resort, but cleanliness and simple amenities could have gone a long way to make up for the home's shortcomings. Our biggest issue was that the hall/guest bathroom commode would not flush. Property management was very responsive and plumber tried to fix, but it needed more than a snake or plunge. Four adults had to share the master bathroom commode. Could have worked, but then the pocket door to bathroom breaks and no privacy. The couple in master bdrm moved to the third bedroom so we could regain some privacy. Other issues: 1) Found numerous dishes/cookware stored in cabinets to be dirty. 2) Someone started to clean oven but didn't finish and we had to clean before using. 3) Hard beds, flat pillows and bed linen had those little pills on them and no change of sheets. 4) lack of towels - only one per adult. 5) Only 4 outdoor chairs with a wobbly table. I requested some kind of refund from owner's, but nobody's responded yet.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022
Verified review
8/10 Good
William C.
22 February 2022
Liked: Communication, location, listing accuracy
Waterfront Home in loveley Wildlife Preserve
If you are looking for a quiet vacation Gators Nest may be for you. We are two elderly couples (with 2 old Dachshund dogs ) that stayed 4 weeks and the only real complaints are the house is in need of some TLC and the cleanliness of the house upon our arrival was not up to our personal standards. Staff made an effort to quickly fix anything that we brought to their attention. The property sits waterfront on Lake Jesup with Gators and all variety of birds, deer, just abundant natural beauty. An Air-boat ride at Black Hammock is a must do. I believe that if the owner would do some updates to the house and hold the cleaning service to a higher standard this would be an annual must visit. Dog friendly, nice folks. Beautiful scenery and central to lots of other Florida activities. Oh, food at the Black Hammock restaurant is great. We especially liked the Fish Tacos and the Shrimp and Grits. Best we have ever eaten. Got to know the restaurant staff and general manager and they are the best.
Wonderfully quiet property. Wildlife and airboats are all that you hear. Loved it!!
Frankly, the best Thanksgiving I've ever had. The home had everything (except for a large pot and pan we had to purchase at the local publix-supermarket, but had everything else) we needed to make and cook our Thanksgiving dinner.
Plenty of cooking and eating utensils, plates, bowls, and glasses were provided.We brought our own food, drinks and ice.
We also trailered our motorcycle, which we stored in the 2 car garage. The roads were great for motorcycling with little traffic.
The rooms were spacious. Our small dogs had room to roam on the large property. But be careful with gators!
For my family, it wasn't too country and wasn't too city. Just right, as many shops and restaurants were 5-10 minutes away.
We will stay here again.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 4 January 2022
Thank you,. Daniel. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to hosting you again in the future!
This house was amazing. The view from the back porch is like watching National Geographic live! So many birds and deer and other wildlife. It was the closest I ever got to a bald eagle. There were 2 flying around the yard all week. House was clean abd accommodating. I will be booking the property again for sure!
The location was beautiful, the lake and all that it offered were exactly what we needed.
The process was easy, communications were answered quickly. This was in a beautiful location. If you like fishing, or just listening to the beautiful lake wildlife, this is the place.
The home was spacious and welcoming. Great value for money.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020
About the host
Hosted by Christina
Joel Martin was born in Paris, France. His family moved to Africa when he was young, and there he grew up surrounded by the magnificent wildlife. He spent a lot of his youth out in the jungles hunting snakes, alligators and other creatures. His survival skills were honed by his many African and Malgache friends.
He returned to France to do his tour of duty. He chose to be in the Navy which had their base at Toulon, in the beautiful south of France. After his tour of duty was over, he settled in Corsica, where he opened a restaurant and nightclub. He also had a small ranch where he could ride his horses.
After 12 years spent in Corsica, he decided to open a franchise of mini supermarkets in several ski resorts in the French Alps.
The lure of the French Riviera drew Joel and family. There he went to open a real estate company. But all plans changed in 1995, when he won a green card and was allowed to emigrate to America. Without hesitation, he packed up the family and moved to the States. Joel chose Florida as he enjoys the heat and humidity, so reminiscent of his youth.
His choice of lifestyle led him to the Oviedo area where he could live in the country and keep his horse. On a morning walk one day he discovered that not 5 minutes away is the Black Hammock Restaurant, on lovely Lake Jesup, with it’s mangroves and wild life. Now he knows he is in paradise! He is at home just as he was in Africa. Joel obtained his American Citizenship, fully living out his AMERICAN DREAM!
To further improve Black Hammock Adventures' air boat business Joel obtained his Master Airboat License. He, as well as all of Black Hammock's airboat pilots, have their Master Airboat Captain License.
Why they chose this property
I love this property because of it's location. It's 5 minutes away from a major Florida highway but the house is secluded on a large lot hidden in the middle of Florida's natural wildlife. From your backyard you can bird watch, fish, and experience one of the most beautiful sunsets of your life over Lake Jesup.
What makes this property unique
Perfect for nature lovers and photographers
Languages:
English, French
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests