This was our 2nd time in Siesta Key, but 1st time staying near Siesta Village. The location of this impeccable home is unbeatable. A quick 5 minute walk to the beach access point or a 2 minute walk to the Siesta Village strip. Perfect for not having to fool with the car (minivan) and for our teenage girls and 20 yr old daughter with boyfriend to walk on their own without us having to overly worry about a major road, etc.
We've stayed in a lot of places and this home was not only beautiful but it was well-appointed with plenty of towels, dishes and cookware/utensils (which has been lacking in other rentals). It made cooking very easy for our big group which took the stress out of that daily need.
The pool was an exceptional amenity since the kids sometimes just wanted to chill out there rather than go to the beach.
Understandably for these post-pandemic times, there was not a spice rack but there is a Walmart Neighborhood Market on Bee Ridge Road, as well as other groceries in Sarasota, and there is Siesta Market a 5 second drive up Canal Rd, but the prices reflect the convenience since there isn't a major store on Siesta Key. So buy salt and coffee filters in Sarasota! Our flight arrived at night in St. Pete so by the time we drove down, we made a stop along the way to pick up the bare essentials to get started in the morning.
However, next to the Siesta Market (a 2 min walk up the road) is a walk-up coffee and donut stand so if you arrive late a night, you can at least get a quick coffee before your next move to get your supplies.
Siesta Village strip has tons of restaurants - we went to Daiquiri Deck twice for their lobster rolls and decked out baked potatoes with shrimp and crab. Gilligan's for the music and best Pina Coladas I have ever had. The whole strip is the perfect beachy laid back vibe and not too crowded.
We stayed next to Crescent Beach on the south end last year, so we went down there several times to snorkel at Point of Rocks - great shelling and fun to watch the fish) - and comb the sandbar for shells, you can find amazing shells here. Up at the beach where we were at, the kids were finding abundant dead sand dollars when it was low tide, about 1/4 mile out in about 4 feet of water. We were easily standing, the surf is mild all along Siesta Key and the water beautifully clear - you can't beat the sand. I've bareboat sailed the Caribbean my whole life with my parents who were sailors and Siesta Key is one of my top faves!