Villa Emeraude, Destin, Florida Vacation Rental by Owner

The home far exceeded our expectations in every way. We will definitely be back!

The house and of course the host, Karen, were beyond amazing. If you are looking for a gorgeous home only footsteps from the beach this is definitely the one.

Karen is the most responsive host from whom I've ever rented a vacation home! The neighborhood is quiet and private. After walking around, we felt this house is the best in the community as no neighbors can peer into the backyard / pool / verandas, and because the driveway is outside the gate, it was easy to come and go in cars and have food and rental bicycles delivered. Highly recommended for large multi-family vacation, especially with kids. There are every cooking appliances you could need, including air fryer, panini maker, and popcorn machine! The oven cooks perfectly even! Do note that beds are on the soft side so may not be comfortable if firm beds are preferred. Also, pack or buy beach towels! (Target and Walmart are not far)

Everything about this stay has been nothing short of AMAZING! The homeowner has gone above and beyond to make her home teen, kid, toddler, infant, and adult friendly. We needed nothing for our stay. We came with our 2 daugters, their husbands and 6 children, ages 6 months to 15 and no one was bored! We also traveled with my son in laws father. We both own restuarantsand are chefs in Iowa and this kitchen was nothing short of perfect. We created so many memories this week! The bedrooms are perfectly located with each family having their own bathroom and private balcony! The views were beautiful. The pool was fantastic and perfectly heated for our littles! The beach was a short walk crossing no streets. Karen provides 4 beach chairs and 2 umbrellas for our daily trips to the beach! The boardwalk was was a 2 mile drive with lots to do! So many great restaurants near by as well. This trip was nothing short of PERFECT and Karens home made it even better! If traveling to Destin with your family I would definitely choose Villia Emeraude every time! It's perfect in every way! We are already looking at possibilities for next year! Thank you Karen.

We absolutely enjoyed our week at Villa Emeraude, beginning with the excellent communication throughout the whole process to the home itself which was absolutely perfect for our large family of 6 adults and 9 children. The pool, and beautiful beach were a big hit with everyone. Thank you Karen for sharing your home with us!!

WOW! WOW! WOW! I've rented A LOT of houses in my time but this one is the best EVER. Everyone was happy! Shocking! The owner has thought of everything! Location is terrific! Neighborhood is safe and convenient! Highly HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PROPERTY!

We were a group of 16 between kids and adults!! We spent thanksgiving break at this home and it was wonderful!! The house is walking distance to the beach. The house has everything that you need, the pool was a total success. At the end we had a wonderful time without any issues! Everything is very well explained and we did not have any problems but Karen was very responsive to our questions. Thank you for a great experience!!

If you’re looking for tons of space, comfortable beds & sitting areas, incredible backyard/pool patio area, bar w built-in bar ice (one of our favorite features), huge kitchen, 2 minute walk to beach- look no further! This place is perfection!! And Karen, the owner, was a fabulous host & communicator. We will return! Location is top notch too w/private beach area.

Karen Lugo's reply:

Thank you so very much, Jana! Really enjoyed hosting you and you have gone down in the Villa Emeraude book of luckiest fishing folks in World's Fishing Village. Just Wow! This is what Destin is all about. So glad you had a great time. Ice machine is a big deal for me too!! Hope you come back soon -- Karen

It’s beautiful and the owner, Karen, is terrific.  It’s our second time here and the kids and grandkids love it.  Beach is a half block away—1000 feet of private sand and gorgeous water. We have 15 family here, 10 adults, 5 gkids, plenty of room for everyone. Karen Lugo, owner, has two other smaller properties nearby in Destin. Karen is also a great resource.

We stayed with 8 other family members and two grandchildren. What an incredible home Karen and Ron shared with us! Everything was so well maintained and clean; even the huge gas grill was clean and new. The kitchen, the furniture, the beds and linens, the bathrooms, and the backyard pool, we’re all so clean and in excellent condition. The televisions with easy program access, the ice maker that never ran out of ice, the large kitchen with all the appliances and two large tables, the pack and play baby bed, the baby safety gates for the stairways, the small children’s beds, the children’s game room, and the beach access with four chairs and two umbrellas, all made for a perfect, incredible vacation. Absolutely awesome home and wonderful, accessible hosts! We’ll be back again next year!

Our family of 17 (8 adults and 9 children) had plenty of room in this beautiful house. It is well-equipped and Karen (the owner) has thought of just about everything. The beach was a short walk away (chairs and umbrellas were ready for us). It was perfect for us. Karen is very personable and accommodating. She responds to any questions immediately, usually within minutes. We really can’t rate her high enough.

House is as advertised! Great size in all the rooms and the kitchen is perfect with plenty of frig and freezer storage. The owner Karen is on top of everything and is just as concerned about your quality of stay as you are. We have stayed at this house for the last 3 years and definitely will be back again!

Karen saved our family 4th of July vacation! We had booked another place down the road only to arrive and it not be anything like the online photos. We cannot express how punctual and caring Karen was to make sure we got into the home asap! We were blown away with how beautiful and clean this home was! We plan on renting this home every year! I felt like Karen was a long time friend by the time we left. Thanks for everything!

This house is amazing!! The location to the beach is GREAT! You have your own section of the beach with 2 umbrellas and four chairs included! The kitchen has everything you need. LOTS of room to hang out on the main floor and upstairs. Balconies off of every room. The pool is perfect! Karen the owner is a pleasure to work with! The boys loved the game room. The adults loved cooking in the huge kitchen and enjoyed the mini bar area! We went out to dinner twice but stayed and enjoyed the beach/pool/house most of the vacation!

Everything about our stay was absolutely perfect!

Our family thoroughly enjoyed staying at this property. It was clean, beautiful, and a very short walk to the beach. The owner was easy to reach and ensured all details were taken care of prior to our arrival. We had a wonderful spring break vacation--thank you!

This is a great house in a quiet location right in the action. 2 min walk through the development to private gorgeous beach. House is very large and has everything you need included. Communication with Karen the owner was great. Nice benefit is the fenced in backyard with pool. More privacy than some other homes in development although they are all lovely.

Truly enjoyed the property. Excellent location with access to private beach. Host Karen was extremely helpful in communicating with us on all aspects of property and local activities. Highly recommend as 5 star location and my family would definitely stay again. Thank you Karen we loved your beautiful home !!!

Truly enjoyed the property. Excellent location with access to private beach. Host Karen was extremely helpful in communicating with us on all aspects of property and local activities. Highly recommend as 5 star location and my family would definitely stay again. Thank you Karen we loved your beautiful home !!!

This pictures for this home are spot on. The home is in a great location, as it is just a short walk to a gorgeous beach. Our family rents a lot of properties, and I can honestly say, hands down Karen was the best host. Our family had the pleasure of staying at Karen's home during Christmas. Due to the cold weather, we spent a lot of time in the house. There were numerous things to rave about, but I would be remised if I did not point out that the beds were extremely comfortable. There was plenty of space to hang with the family or read a book in the upstairs loft. If I could definitely give more stars. This picture-perfect home is a must see.

We rented Villa Emeraude for an extended family Thanksgiving week. We were impressed by the online listing and were so pleased to see that everything was EXACTLY (if not better) as it appeared in the listing. The home was clean (we had a 10 month old crawling around and we never worried once), well stocked with EVERY convenience for relaxing and cooking a large meal for 12 and everything was in working order. Karen was a pleasure to work with - she was more than accommodating to some of our challenges with a large group arriving from 4 locations at different times. Her communications up to and during our stay were the best - I couldn't have asked for more.

It's clear she takes pride in maintaining the home and ensuring her guests get exactly what they are trying to get out of their vacation. I would give this more than 5 stars if I could.

Our second wonderful trip to Villa Emeraude--the best beach house we've found in over thirty years of family trips to Destin. So much space! Rooms and beds for all our kids and their kids, two tables (one for dining, one for gaming), huge kitchen completely stocked with everything we need to cook for 16 people (even an air fryer!), beautiful interior decor surrounded by two levels of wrap-around porches filled with comfy furniture, great private backyard with more seating and a covered patio area next to the large pool. Easy neighborhood walk to private beach, second community pool on the lake just across the street. Thanks to Karen for sharing her beautiful home for another memorable family trip. Can't wait to come back!

My family and I were evacuated from New Orleans for hurricane Ida and the property owner was so helpful and kind. She did everything she could to help us including letting us check in early. We are so grateful to Karen! The house itself was so very clean, comfortable, spacious, inviting and wonderful. It housed 4 kids ages 10-15 and 6 adults including two grandmothers with ease. The kitchen was beautifully stocked with equipment and had everything we needed to be able to cook at home every night. The pool in the back yard is a total bonus. The boys loved the game room. And the beach is really just a block away- an easy walk that even the grandmothers could do. My whole family was so very grateful to stay in this beautiful house. Between the hurricane and COVID it was amazing to have this safe and lovely space for our families. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!

First and foremost, Karen is a delight to work with. She is prompt in her communication and eager to help. The house was wonderful. Our party had 3 families with kids of all ages and 2 sets of grandparents. We loved the pool; it is bigger than we expected based on pictures. The beds were extremely comfortable, with extra sleeping options like futons and roll away beds for kids to sleep by themselves. The kitchen was beyond stocked with anything you might need to cook for a family; the griddle was great on pancake mornings. We appreciated the built-in ice machine, perfect for cold drinks on the beach. The house has everything you need from USB ports on night stands to a wagon in the garage to get your stuff to the nearby beach to the outside shower for washing off the sand. The house has well appointed outdoor spaces on all three levels for enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. The location of the house provides easy access to shopping, restaurants, grocery stores, and fun activities in Destin.

My family really enjoyed staying at this house. The beds were extremely comfortable. There was plenty of room to spread out. Lots of stairs from garage/driveway to main level and top floors. Kitchen was well equipped with everything we needed. The wet bar, wine chiller, and ice machine was great. Owner was very responsive to any questions we had. The beach was very close and beach chairs and umbrella was a great addition. Highly recommended this house!

Owner was wonderful, she went above and beyond to make sure we were up to date on anything we needed to know about the house. Great location in Destin!

Owner was wonderful, she went above and beyond to make sure we were up to date on anything we needed to know about the house. Great location in Destin!

Perfect location. Great beach access. We had 4 families and teenagers. Everyone had their own bathroom. Pool was perfect. We had it heated. Kids and adults loved it. Karen is a fantastic host. We will be back.

This vacation home was absolutely perfect! Only two families stayed so we had plenty of room. We had a great time! So close to the beach, pool was perfect along with all the other amenities. Very clean home and I’m super picky.... The owner Karen is great to work with and easy to get a hold of. Not one complaint! Would definitely stay here again!!

We had such a wonderful time in Destin, the house is in a perfect location. The house is so beautiful with plenty a room for everyone. The pool was large, with a beautiful private beach. The owner was in close contact with us, making sure we had what we needed. Thank you Karen. Everything was perfect ♥️🎉

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay! The property was awesome. The owner was thorough and did everything to ensure we were comfortable and had everything needed. (Loved that she checked in!) The beach was beautiful and just a short walk away. I have already sent the property to a friend!

Karen was a lovely host and offered a top notch property which was fully stocked!! Super short 6 min walk to beach. Well groomed backyard, spotless pool, beautiful wrap around balconies on top floors. Lovely interior, wonderful decor, the most stocked kitchen we’ve ever seen! Great location. Quiet at night, very safe area. Tons of TVs, good sound systems, working appliances lots of areas for gathering. Really awesome place 10/10!

This house was perfect for our large family. Plenty space for the adults and kids to spread out. The house had everything we needed to make it feel like a home away from home. Even the outdoor space was perfect. Large space to eat, seating around an outdoor TV! It was clean, comfortable and truly enjoyed our week here.

The perfect place for a 2 week social distance retreat. E-learning and lockdown, time to head to Florida :) This house has everything. From the wide open spaces to the nooks and crannies both inside and out. Our whole crew was able to find privacy for work and remote learning ALL streaming high quality video without a hiccup. The pool is wonderful and warm, the outdoor space is so well thought out and maintained. This home is amongst other beautiful architecturally significant homes within a fly ball from of the beach. The kitchen has everything you could imagine as does the wet bar with filtered ice! Really an outstanding home. Thank you Karen and Ron!

We had 15 people, adults and kids and everyone enjoyed their room accommodations and all the kids had their own sleeping space. The kitchen had all of the pots and pans and utensils we need to cook each day. This place is in a perfect location for us, since we had a pregnant wife and a handicap mother-in-law, being close to the beach was a must. We were all able to walk to this private beach and enjoy the day. The house even had a wagon to help us carry our beach things. Plus this house is just walking distance to nearby grocery store and shops and restaurants. Overall, our whole family had a wonderful time and even though it rained the last couple of days, we were able to make the most of it by watching tv, playing video games, and cooking indoors and the kids got to play hide and seek around the 3-story house. The management and the owner were very nice and hospitable. Definitely will consider this place again on our next Destin trip.

Hands down, this home was the best decorated, best equipped and configured home we’ve stayed in.  Twenty two of us travelled from as far away as Scotland to celebrate my Mum’s 80th birthday. The only issue was the pool, which I/we appreciate the owner taking quick action on. We understand she has put a lot of money into the home (it shows).

We had a family group of 13 with 4 families. It was great that each room had a bathroom & a few of the rooms had so many beds.

Just returned from our annual Destin week with the family (nine adults and seven children) and the first time staying at Villa Emeraude in Dunes of Destin. This house is fabulous! Huge living spaces inside and out, with wraparound balconies and private backyard with pool and plenty of comfy outdoor furniture.The community pool overlooking the lake is just across the street, and was unused by others the whole week which essentially gave us two pools instead of one. The house has been recently redecorated in a beautiful beach house/modern farmhouse style with non-slip gray plank flooring and soothing tones of blues and grays and artful touches throughout. Biggest and best equipped kitchen of any place we've ever stayed--a pleasure to cook and clean and spend meal time with family. Two dining tables gave us one for the annual jigsaw puzzle and another for breakfasts and dinners and games with adults when the children went to bed, plus two more tables on the deck and patio for al fresco dining. The third floor loft quickly became the kids' favorite play space, until they discovered the game room off the garage. The family bedrooms were amazing (king beds with single/double bunks and twin beds and futon) and large bathrooms for parents and kiddos. Two additional guest rooms with private baths, one with balcony, one with direct access to pool. Master is spacious with large en suite and walk-in closet with dressers, and its own entrance to the third-floor balcony with hammock and view of the lake and fireworks over the harbor. The stroll to the beach takes about two minutes on a quiet street past the other beautiful Dunes of Destin homes and brings you to the gated access with a shower, curving flower-lined boardwalk, and a gazebo. Prettiest beach access ever! And then you're on the sparkling sand of Destin with your beach chairs and umbrella waiting for another day in paradise. Thanks to the owner, Karen, for thinking of everything to make our vacation perfect! 

Villa Emeraude is an exceptional property for a family vacation. The house is very well kept and very well appointed. The owners have thought of everything! It's an easy walk to and from the beach and the private pool and surrounding outdoor furniture areas are great for group conversations and lounging. The owners and management are very responsive and take their guests' comfort seriously. We will stay at Villa Emeraude again next year - it's the best place we've found in Destin for our large group of 18 people.

Karen Lugo's reply:

Bonnie, we are looking forward to welcoming you back to Villa Em! We very much enjoyed hosting you and your group.

Our family just completed our fourth vacation stay at Villa Emeraude. As we were leaving, one of our sons said, "I love this house." Everyone agreed. The layout of the house is efficient and functional. It is well kept and clean and has an airy decor that is beautiful with blues, whites, and light grays. There is no carpet anywhere in the house. The owner has updated the entire house and has made an effort to provide modern conveniences and comforts (a top-of-the-line washer/dryer, an ice maker, big TVs with the ones in the bedrooms being adjustable so they can be turned to adjust to where you are sitting), Netflix, a huge grill, two full sized refrigerators, and a mini fridge on the third floor along with an extra Keurig coffee maker. The kitchen has up-to-date appliances, including a professional gas stove, an ample supply of cooking utensils, and loads of flatware. We never ran out of flatware between dishwashings. The living area is large with plenty of seating and has two dining areas. The bedrooms are well designed with comfortable beds, and each has its own bathroom. The Kid's room is the best layout we have come across (one king, two separate twins, and one double/single bunk). Two King bedrooms on the third floor are both like master bedrooms, with one having an additional double/twin bunk. Two other King bedrooms (one on second floor and one on ground) are not huge, but they are a comfortable size. The outdoor sitting areas are large and spacious with patios for sitting on all three levels. The pool is not huge, but it is big enough and gets the job done. Our grandchildren have loved it for four vacations. Nice planting and cool lights around the pool make it even more enjoyable. The garage and the driveway provide ample parking for four cars. I asked family members for an estimate on how long it takes to get to the beach from leaving the house. Opinions ranged from three to five minutes. It depends on whether you walk fast or walk at a leisurely pace.

Karen Lugo's reply:

Drue, I am so happy to have families note all the little things that I try so hard to provide. You are so welcome at Villa Emeraude any time. (Just for yucks, i timed my walk to the beach gate last time I was there and it took me 1 1/2 minutes. I was walking a normal, leisurely pace but did not have my 3 year old grandson with me.)

We were able to escape to Villa Emeraude prior to the COVID-19 shutdowns and I strongly encourage others to check out this property this summer (or really any time). I have stayed at a lot of properties in Destin and surrounding areas and this is by far the nicest home yet. Many homes claim to sleep x number of people, when what they really mean is there are some built in bunk beds only tiny children can fit in or maybe an air mattress or cot somewhere - but not Villa Emeraude. There are truly enough (comfortable) beds to sleep a large extended family or several families. The layout of the home is perfect as well. The kitchen is a chef's dream - fully stocked with any utensils, cookware, and small appliances you could want plus high end appliances. Oh, and the pool is amazing! The pictures do not do it justice! It is one of the largest private pools I have seen at a house this close to the beach. An added bonus is the home has a garage so our cars were safely out of the hot Florida sun. The location of the house is a major plus, too. It is a very short walk to the beach with sidewalks the entire way. The beach walkover itself is a treat with a gorgeous covered Gazebo for sitting and watching the sunset. There is a pond in the neighborhood with turtles, ducks, birds and seagulls that our kids absolutely loved. The neighborhood is close to several grocery stores and lots of restaurants. I could go on and on about Villa Emeraude, but I think you should check it out for yourself - I know we will be back. This was definitely one of our best vacations!

Karen Lugo's reply:

Ginni, so happy to have you stay at VE and to know you enjoyed the space, decor and kitchen! I have tried to think of EVERYTHING in that kitchen!! And, I agree that the pool is one of the largest around. The corner lot afforded enough more space to give us a great pool. Just replastered and retiled it -- loving it this year!

Words cannot describe this house!!! Super clean and so much space for everyone. Great location and so close to the beach! Karen the owner was very accommodating and thoughtful. We will definitely come back!

We decided to do a family beach vacation this Christmas and chose Destin Florida. Once we arrived, the house was even more spacious than it looked on the website. All the codes worked for the gate, garage and house. The beach was a short walk from the house and was our favorite hangout during our stay. The homeowner emailed me directly to check in and was responsive when I replied. Highly recommend and would definitely rent again if we went back to the area to visit.

Karen Lugo's reply:

Veronica, we were delighted to share our home for Christmas. Hope you enjoyed the little decorations! Thank you for great review and we hope to welcome you back soon!

Our family had a great vacation and this home played a huge role. Plenty of room to spread out, great decor and layout was extremely functional. Close to the beach but in a location with almost no thru traffic - which is a plus for our young grand kids. Private pool was awesome and the outdoor TV was a huge hit.

You have an absolutely beautiful home. Thank you for opening it up for guests to enjoy. We had a great time and the house really was perfect. I have nothing bad to say about the house at all. None of us do. It was well furnished and supplied from the bedrooms to the kitchen/dinning areas to the patios and decks. We will be back again.

Karen Lugo's reply:

Cheri, thank you very much for taking the time to let me know that you enjoyed your stay. I really enjoy sharing the home with guests like you! We will be excited to welcome you back to Villa Emeraude!

This was the constant word we all used during our stay at this Lovely Home. Not one complaint. Every detail, amenity, was Wow! The kitchen was well thought out and we LOVE to cook, never left the Villa, well....of course the Beach. We had the most amazing vacation staying at Villa Emeraude and we will return. Karen, thank you!

Karen Lugo's reply:

Carolina, I am also a cook and I am so happy with the convenient prep sink and the many features on the GAS range. I really enjoy that kitchen. Talk about open concept! Took a lot of planning and it is so nice when it is appreciated. Will be a pleasure to welcome you back!

We will be back!!

Karen Lugo's reply:

Hai, so glad that you had a great time. I have tried to prepare the home so that everything is easy and convenient. Will be great to have you back!

My family loves Villa Emeraude. This was our third time to stay there. Only this time our stay was much better than our two previous one because the new owner has totally refurbished the house. The decor is light and airy, in soft blues and grays and whites. The coverlets on the bed are lightweight and don't weight your toes down. My daughter raved about the mattress in her room. Then, all the adults agreed that their mattresses were also very comfortable. There are large TVs in every bedroom as well as one outside by the swimming pool. The kitchen is equipped with everything you need for cooking a meal. Plenty of pots and pans in good cooking condition. A shiny new dishwasher that really washes the dishes well. (We brought our heavy duty chopping knife from home. In midweek, I packed it up because there were sharp knives there and we didn't need it.) So much silverware that with fifteen people we never ran out between running the dishwasher. The gas stove is top quality and was a pleasure to use and clean. One of the nicest surprises was a second refrigerator. It was so wonderful to be able to fill it up with Cokes, Capri Suns and water. That left the main refrigerator to be filled with food so that we didn't have to go to the store every day. There is also a large new washing machine and dryer. There are plenty of beds. There were 15 of us and no one had to sleep on a sleeper sofa. All the furniture in the living and sleeping areas was CLEAN and COMFORTABLE. There was plenty of comfortable outdoor furniture on the porches and around the swimming pool. Our children love that swimming pool! I almost forgot to mention the new grill. Be sure to check it out in the pictures. It's huge and works really well. We all agreed that this was our best vacation ever, and I give the house credit for it. The owner has been meticulous in trying to make this house have everything, and I believe she has succeeded.

Karen Lugo's reply:

It was such a pleasure to welcome you back to Villa Emeraude (formerly Havana Daydreamin)! We worked really hard to make it a place that would be comfortable and carefree. Thank you so very much for the detailed review. We also like having a second refrigerator - who wants to run out while on vacation to grab things that would not fit in a single refrigerator? And, we agree that the large grill and gourmet gas range are a delight. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay so much. We are excited to welcome you back!

This home really is only a sidewalk stroll away from gated beach entrance. And the beach really is dedicated to the private use of Dunes residenta. Our beach "camp" was set up in the morning (owner pays for one set-up) and we went back and forth at our leisure. It just does not get better. The home is filled with wonderful light and the decorator themes are beach-like aqua and ocean tones. It is so hard to find a gas range and this home offers a new one with impressive cooking options. And, who gets a prep sink in a beach rental? Loved the kitchen. So organized with labels for all the various appliances and cooking tools. Bedrooms are huge with arrengements to accommodate any family sleeping options. Our kids really enjoyed the separate game area and adults had a great time at the ample pool with outdoor TV. We look forward to our next stay!

Karen Lugo's reply:

Thank you for your detailed review. We really appreciate the informative comments and we are so glad that you enjoyed a great stay!

This home is comfortable for large groups. We had a total of 17 people and could easily have had a larger group. The loft provides great entertainment space that is separate from the living room. There is even a dedicated kids' video game room off of the garage! The searing element at the Kitchenaid grill center was great. Pool was larger than many homes have had and we were amazed at short walk to beach. There is nothing like a private beach with chair service (this owner provides one set with umbrella up for each guest.)

Karen Lugo's reply:

Thank you for taking the time to comment. We are just reintroducing the home to guests and we are really proud of all the improvements!

This home has it all. Every room has a beautiful balcony or patio! The 3 bedroom on 2nd-3rd floors have private balconies and 3rd floor master has expansive wrap-around deck with a hammock. The ice maker and beverage center for beer and wine are unusual amenities and were so very convenient. Kitchen is just beautiful and so spacious. The prep sink is so handy and doubles as an ice-filled beverage holder for buffet service. Ample dining seating which is unusual for home this large. Our three families really enjoyed our stay and could not think of anything else that would have made our visit to the wonderful private Dunes beach more enjoyable!

Karen Lugo's reply:

Thank you for your comments! We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay and would love to welcome you back to Villa Emeraude.