PARADISE ON THE HEART OF SIESTA KEY
Island
Palm
Bring your furry friends
We are Ali, Rich and Chloe Light
Sarasota, Florida, US
Ph: +1.941.586.4554 call or text
Email: Siestabungalows@gmail.com
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About Us
We are a local family of three (Ali and Rich Light with our daughter Chloe! 👨👩👧 ) that rent out cozy and private bungalows on Palm Island neighborhood in the heart of Siesta Key, off the West coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico.
Over the years we have learned how to help you, your family or group of travelers enjoy their experience on Siesta Key by providing clean, comfortable, and cozy homes. We also love helping you find family fun activities, recommend restaurants, and sharing our secret beach spots!
Whether you stay for a few weeks or a few months with us, we know you are going to love the Siesta Key lifestyle.
We discovered the Palm Island neighborhood on Siesta Key in 1995 and bought our home then started buying homes to rent. We love it here! The lifestyle is so easy here, so relaxed, it's hard to not feel at home even if you're just visiting, and we wanted to share that. It is super friendly here too, and we have made friends here that are family to us. We keep busy with our rentals, boating, beach picnics, kayaking, bicycling, going to the farmer's markets, enjoying the local entertainment, cooking with friends, and making fun a full-time job! We also love to travel and bring back many ideas that have changed the designs of the houses. We brought back the trim color for the Lily Patch from a trip from Kenmare, Ireland. The colors for Blue Lagoon were from a trip to Hawai'i, as was the design for the back deck benches that we saw on the North Shore of O'ahu. Each time we travel we bring a little piece back home with us, which adds just a little sparkle of our adventures.
Welcome to our slice of paradise!
Exploring Siesta Key: Paying homage to the
old-world Florida bungalow
https://siestasand.us/paying-homage-to-the-old-world-florida-bungalow/
Article written by author, Janet Bartnett. Published in the Siesta Sands newspaper on April 29, 2023.
I have always had a fascination with old houses that tell the story of how a place came to be. Here on Siesta Key, I discovered that the charming bungalow has played an important role in our island’s history. Traditionally created as one-story vacation properties, many of the original island bungalows that dotted the island when built in the 1940s and 1950s have now given way to new and much larger homes. While they may not be as plentiful as they once were, thanks to Rich and Ali Light a collection of bungalows has been preserved.
The Lights, who live and work in Palm Island’s canal country (just south of the Village) with their daughter, Chloe, are passionate about the bungalows. While preserving a piece of Siesta Key history they have found a way to share it with others and keep this important part of the island’s history alive.
After discovering the Key more than 25 years ago, the Philadelphia couple fell in love with the old-world feel of this special place. Captivated by the many original bungalows that dotted the island, they decided to make it their home. Soon after, they created a business that preserves these small Palm Island homes and also offers visitors a chance to experience the old-world charm of bungalow living.
Blending Rich’s background in construction, real estate and business management, along with Ali’s talents as an artist, the couple began to purchase and renovate cottages when they came up for sale. “It was a generational time,” said Rich. “People in their 80s were interested in selling. When we bought our first bungalow in 2000, the owner wanted to be sure that we would keep the house intact.” During the next several years, the Lights found other sellers who shared that same desire to keep the tradition alive. Instead of putting the houses up for sale, the Lights kept the properties and made them into rental properties that they marketed to island visitors. Their company, Siesta Bungalows, was born. “Our business model is grandma’s beach house,” says Rich with a laugh. And Ali calls their style “old-Florida comfortable.”
“Many of our guests are what I call old house people,” said Rich. These visitors, he noted, come from areas of the country where older homes are valued and cherished. “When the island was first developed,” he added, “there were shell roads and the houses were built with large overhangs and lots of windows to allow for good ventilation. These bungalows were built to be winter cottages.” While so much of the island’s history gives way to new construction, these cheery and welcoming bungalows stand proud.
The Lights currently own and manage six pet-friendly bungalows on Siesta Key. “We’ve painted them in timeless, fun colors that are not serious,” said Ali.
All bungalows, she reported, are fully equipped for long-term stays and each house has its own name reflecting a tropical casual island vibe. Rentals are available on a monthly, seasonal and annual basis. Rates and availability vary for each unit. Siesta Bungalows rentals include two studio cottages named Fern Haven and Garden Terrace. The Tropical Hideaway has two bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths. The Lily Patch and the Blue Lagoon are both two-bed, two-bath houses. Canal Place, the largest bungalow, has three bedrooms and two baths.
The couple also own and manage two other bungalow properties in the historic Sarasota neighborhood of Granada, near the Siesta Key north bridge.
Under Rich’s watchful eye, each bungalow is well-maintained and preserved. “Customer service is extremely important to us,” he said. “We treat our tenants with respect and deal with any issues that come up. Each year we focus on various updates.” “Our rates are reasonable,” he added. “Many of our people are retired couples who want an extra bedroom for family visits and room for their pets. When they arrive, we have bikes, beach chairs, and coolers ready for their use.” Many guests return year after year. “We’ve got people who’ve come back for more than 10 years,” said Ali.
Clearly, the Lights are two people who have found a calling in their lives. Photos and property details of the bungalows are available at SiestaBungalows.com.
Fortunately, this important piece of Siesta Key’s history is being cared for and nurtured.