Stayed April 2024
"Great stay steps from the beach - We loved this property tucked in the heart of Grayton Beach. The beach is only steps away along with Red Bar, Hotz, and Chiringo around the corner. West Lake is close by as well. The house has everything you would want for a classic beach house. Two showers, 3 bedrooms, a large common area, and large porches front and back. Great parking attached to the property."
Stayed April 2024
"Wonderful location - We enjoyed our few nights in Grayton. We loved the front porch and it was just a short walk to the beach."
Stayed March 2024
"Location! Location!! Easy walk to the beach—and the Red Bar. Real Joy was a pleasure to work with!! Communication was great from the day we booked until we left. Herons Watch is a very cute, quaint house—very bright and fun—but could use some updating."
Stayed March 2024
"Loved this quiet little place and the area surrounding it! Only wish we’d have had more time here. We will definitely be back!!!"
Stayed March 2024
"We absolutely love staying here! The amenities are wonderful and the location is perfect. You will not regret it!"
Stayed January 2024
"Just loved our stay
It was prefect
Great location
Look forward to next time"
Stayed December 2023
"The perfect spot! - The location was wonderful, the hosts were attentive & Grayton was as GRAYT as always!"
Stayed November 2023
"Wonderful location."
Stayed November 2023
"Our stay was wonderful thanks to RealJoy!"
Stayed October 2023
"The house had some issues, but the location made up for it. "
Stayed October 2023
"Third year in a row for us to stay here. It’s a perfect size for a small family and very convenient walking to the beach and night life"
Stayed September 2023
"This place was perfect for our small family. The location was amazing! We rented bikes and golf carts and had the best time exploring nearby Watercolor and Seaside. We were able to walk right over to the Red Bar (delicious!) and Chirringos. The place was very cute, neat, and clean. I would totally stay here again."
Stayed September 2023
"Great Location! - We love Grayton Beach! This is one of the older, small houses - a bit quirky and cool. So close to the beach and the lake —and The Red Bar! Community pool is excellent. Furniture is comfortable. TV is very small, but was rarely on anyway. Front porch is very nice. We will be back!"
Stayed July 2023
"Great space for our family vacation."
Stayed July 2023
"Loved staying here! A quintessential grayton house!"
Stayed July 2023
"Location could not have been better! Great place and would definitely recommend!"
Stayed June 2023
"Love the location to the boardwalk for the beach. Great front porch and plenty of room in the house. "
Stayed June 2023
"Amazing rental and location. We will be back!"
Stayed May 2023
"I was pleasantly surprised. Better in person than the pictures!"
Stayed April 2023
"We loved our stay in Grayton Beach. RealJoy was incredibly communicative and responsive, and the house had everything we needed for a relaxing beach getaway. We’d love to visit again!"
Stayed April 2023
"foreman - great stay, amazing location,"
Stayed January 2023
"You could not ask for a better location in Grayton Beach! Very short walk to the beach and several shops and restaurants. The beds were super comfortable and the kitchen had all the cooking utensils you could ask for. The front porch swing was a highlight, as was the big dining table and comfy couch. A short drive to several grocery stores.
There were plenty of towels, but no beach towels (this was in the instructions we just missed it) And make sure and bring extra paper towels, toilet paper, and salt/pepper, etc. if you're planning on using the kitchen.
Overall a great option for us- would stay here again!"
Stayed November 2022
"A Greaton Week! - Katheryn was a hard worker. We ran into a problem with our original rental days before arrival. Katheryn helped us find an appropriate alternative. The communication during our stay was a real bonus. Will be back. Will recommend RealJoy to others."
Stayed October 2022
"Great location. This property is perfect for a small family and provides a necessary amenities. This is our second year in a two to stay at Heron’s Watch and hope to stay there next year"
Stayed August 2022
"We enjoyed our stay at Heron’s Watch.
Cute and comfortable. Roomy and all one level. Beds were great. Location is outstanding."
Stayed August 2022
"This was a perfect stay for us! The location is fantastic and the house is so cute! I would definitely stay here again!"
Stayed August 2022
"Fabulous location! Loved the short walk to the beach and restaurants. Already trying to plan when we can rent it again.
👍👍"
Stayed July 2022
"Give this cottage a shot! It’s super cute and pretty clean! My family had such a good time so close to the action. It’s not updated but if you don’t mind that it has really good vibes."
Stayed May 2022
"Artsy cottage in the best location! - Scroll past all those negative reviews. This cottage was just the cutest. It’s an older house. I’m sure the people who only live in new manufactured homes can get prissy. But there is nothing like the charm and character of an old home. The solid wood doors, glass door knobs, claw foot tub, etc all just add to the unique charm of this cottage. Top it off with original artworks in every room (I’m an artist and really appreciated that), artsy paint jobs and matching furniture ALONG WITH the absolute best location, it really is a gem. Maybe add a cushion to the front porch swing. My only critique! We will definitely be staying here with the kids again. They loved it as much as I did!"
Stayed May 2022
"Super easy check in. Good communication with host. Incredible location. No stress, hate to leave."
Stayed May 2022
"Herron's Watch is located at a truly prime location in Grayton Beach on Cottage Street probably 15 yards from the walkway over the dunes to the beach and we would rent the cottage again. The cottage is a well maintained and updated older structure, which was actually moved to its current location from another location near the Red Bar.
Cottage Street is not a through street (it dead ends at the walkway to the beach). Because of this, the front porch is useable and quiet.
The roughly dozen houses on Cottage Street share the pictured pool which is less than 20 feet from Herron's Watch. The maximum depth of the pool is only 5 feet so it is more for sunbathing or smaller children. We never saw more than a handful of people around the pool.
The initial furnished perishable supplies for the cottage were more than adequate.
While we did not cook, the cottage was amply furnished with glassware and kitchen supplies.
The cottage is furnished with ample towels and wash clothes, all of which were either new or in very good condition.
Flaws and faults were very minor (hence the five star review).
Each bathroom needs a hairdryer. The standup shower could use a plastic liner in addition to the shower curtain to help contain water within the shower. Great water pressure. The hot water tank delivered hot water at high water volume for two extended showers.
HVAC system and ceiling fans delivered ample cooling. The Unit was clean with no sand or grit on the floors (often an issue with beach property).
For sleeping quarters, we only used the king bed bedroom. The bedspread and decorative pillows for the king bed bedroom could use an update. The regular pillows were in good condition and the cottage comes with one set (that we saw) of additional regular pillows that were also in good condition. The king bed was still fine for sleeping and was comfortable with no sagging while sleeping but, perhaps because space is tight in the king bedroom, the end of the bed does give substantially if you sit on it. My personal preference would be for a queen bed in the room rather than a king given the dimensions of the room.
The real estate company sent text updates during our stay inquiring as to any problems and reminding as to checkout times.
Our all in cost for three nights during the second week of May was $1208 which was far less than any property with comparable proximity to the beach and the fact that Herrons Watch has only three bedrooms makes it a viable option for a couple looking to spend a long weekend in Grayton."
Stayed April 2022
"great location"
Stayed March 2022
"Lovely Vacation 🌴"
Stayed February 2022
"Excellent location. Beyond cutely decorated. A circa 1930 or 1940 cottage, excellently maintained."
Stayed January 2022
"WONDERFUL!!"
Stayed October 2021
"Great location! Property is nice and clean and provided everything we needed for our vacation"
Stayed September 2021
"Great location!! - We loved our stay. House has everything we needed. Best location."
Stayed September 2021
"Great spot"
Stayed April 2021
"Great location - We loved the house! It’s in a great location, very close to the beach, well stocked kitchen and access to the heated pool was a plus."
Stayed September 2020
"Great location! Just steps from the pool, and a few houses from the beach walkway. So convenient!"
Stayed July 2020
"Great location, easy walk to beach and pool."
Stayed July 2020
"Perfect Family Vacation - This was hands down one of our best family vacations. The location is ideal for getting to and from the beach with beautiful views of the lake and the gulf. The porch was the best for coffee, in the morning, lunch at the picnic table, and wine at night. We cannot wait to go back!"
Stayed March 2020
"Charming old-school budget rental close to beach - Frankly, all the negative reviews had us prepared for a pretty bare-bones experience. We were pleasantly surprised. Although it’s the smallest house on the street for sure, it fit our needs just fine. Very beachy and cozy and we had a really great time. This being said, we did bring a lot of our own stuff because of past reviews. I would recommend doing the same. We brought better pans, better knives. The silverware is super cheap and could be bent in half with one hand, so if that bothers you maybe bring that as well. We also brought a dish scrubber, laundry and dish pods, toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, shampoo and bar soap. You will also need your own beach towels and chairs. Also, if you are planning to bring a cart to take to the beach, you might want one with big sand wheels. The sand is pretty thick at the end of the walkway. It’s super easy to get to the lake from the house. If you have canoes or kayaks, bring them."
Stayed August 2019
"This was a great find. We loved the house and the location was perfect!! - We loved our stay the house is just steps to the pool and beach. Grayton is so cool and fun. The house is older and needs some updating. A lot of knobs on cabinets are loose or stripped out but over all it was ok. Everything worked and it was clean. We will definitely stay here again."
Stayed July 2019
"Very nice location and house with two bathrooms and a nice dining room for eating and game playing with the rain..."
Stayed July 2019
"Great for a small group - Had a small issue with the dryer when we arrived. They were very responsive and fixed within an hour of my call."
Stayed February 2019
"Very nice and clean. Small tv in front room, little bigger would be nice.. - Very spacious. Well taken care of. I would recommend maybe 4 beach chairs so that when you go to the beach you don’t have to go buy them or rent them. One other thing might be a couple of pods for the laundry. Everything else was nice. I would highly recommend and I will visit again."
Stayed September 2018
"Girls weekend - The house was very cute - great location. We could walk to so many places. All the beds were very comfortable. Kitchen is not really well equipped but we ate out the whole time so it was not an issue for us. Easy walk to beach and the pool is almost across the street. Very quiet area at this time of the year. Would definitely go back to this house and this area."
Stayed August 2018
"Heron's Watch - great communication with agency, great location for this property and very nice accommodations. Plenty of linens and soaps and large beds. Clean and neat. We had a great week at this property! "
Stayed August 2018
"Perfect location - We had a wonderful stay at herons watch, the location was perfect and the house fit the 4 of us perfectly! Will definitely look into coming back next year"
Stayed July 2018
"Colorful! - Comfortable and FUN!"
Stayed June 2018
"Charming colorful home! Enjoyed our stay! - Very comfortable home close to the beach . Loved the swing on the porch and walking to shops and restaurants!"
Stayed May 2018
"This house was amazing. Very close to the beach and also to local restaurants. It was in a quiet area and had plenty of space! The short (2 min) walk to the beach was a big plus!"
Stayed April 2018
"Charming place with a great location."
Stayed October 2017
"Wonderful beach house and location!! - We loved our stay at Heron's Watch. Close to beach and restaurants and bars. House is comfortable and cutely decorated. The only negative is there are only two coffee cups. And we are a family of coffee drinkers😃�👍�☕️! Also make sure to bring your own beach towels, umbrellas, and chairs. We loved our stay and will visit again."
Stayed September 2017
"Quaint and Lovely, a great beach getaway - We loved Heron's Watch. Great location and family friendly. Thank you."
Stayed September 2017
"Vacation was perfect! - Convenient and cozy. Would definitely recommend it to others!"
Stayed August 2017
"Place is great! Right within walking distance to a nice, quiet beach. Place was perfect for the long weekend getaway!"
Stayed July 2017
"Charming beach cottage, cozy, tasteful and convenient. - While you can't help that it rained the entire time, it wasnt so bad because Heron's Watch was just what my husband and I needed. It was convenient, yet private. We had all we needed within walking or biking distance. The house is older and needs a few boards replaced but it was so charming and comfortable able, I will definitely book again."
Stayed June 2017
"Fun place to stay! - The location of this cute, little house is awesome! We loved being close to the beach and close to The Red Bar. Grayton was quaint and secluded - far away from the touristy scene - which we loved.
There was enough hot water for five showers in a row, a washer and dryer for our dirty towels, and a nice swing on the front porch. You'll need your own trash bags, washing detergent and condiments for the kitchen. We used the charcoal grill twice, and the parking spot by the house was great.
I would highly recommend this rental, and if we make it back to the panhandle of Florida, that's where I'd like to stay again!"
Stayed June 2017
"Adorable cottage, walkable to the beach and the four restaurants we went to. There were many more in the area, but we found four we loved and just kept going back. Three bedrooms (we only used two) and a small but fully equipped kitchen. If the restaurants weren't so close, I could have easily cooked.
We spent HOURS on the beach and if we had little ones, they could have played in the community pool.
I look forward to our next visit"
Stayed March 2017
"Perfect cottage by the beach - We absolutely loved this cottage and hope to stay at Heron's Watch again. The house looked exactly as these pictures show. It is very thoughtfully decorated and appointed with many little conveniences such as shelving for your things. Lots of art everywhere which is nice. It is small yet spacious. It is a block from the Red Bar and yet quiet at night. It was closer to the beach than I had realized! You just walk down the short street to the board walk and you're there! The property managers were excellent to work with too. When we emailed questions, they responded immediately. We were extremely pleased with our entire experience."
