St John's Cottage Astor- escape to the forest!

A little bit of Old Florida - stay in this quirky cottage on the edge of Ocala National Forest with its beautiful clear springs! NEW FOR APRIL 2022 - SPACE X SUPER FAST INTERNET! Set in an acre of land away from the crowds, with plenty of room to bring your toys, you're all set for outdoor adventures - Springs galore, river boating, horseback,kayaking ,skydiving, hiking- gorgeous outdoor deck& patio, grill! Important: PLEASE UPLOAD GOV. I.D BEFORE REQUESTING TO BOOK! This is a perfect bug-out place to escape a town or city and to spend time in nature. Most of our guests come to enjoy the spectacular springs and forest trails while still being close enough to civilization to grab a pizza! Enjoy your own home from home, with heaps of space to grill, relax and soak up the sun. We will have installed superfast Starlink Internet (Space X) by April 4th. This will allow you to stream your favorite shows on our Roku TV and work remotely with video conferencing. In most of Astor, even though other properties advertise wifi, the only other internet service available are DSL with data capped, modem-like speeds that are virtually useless. We are one of the only homes here to have Starlink! We are meticulously undertaking deep cleaning and disinfection after each stay. This means our earliest check-in is at 4pm. Please bear with us -we are taking our time getting it perfect for you! The cottage is in a small quiet town within walking distance of the river and includes free use of the residents' boat ramp which leads onto beautiful Blue Creek (see photos). There you will encounter bald eagles, manatee, gators, ospreys, and more. Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegills, shellcrackers and catfish are the highlights. But redfish, snook, flounder, striped bass and warmouth are also present in the river and its lakes. If Kayaking is your thing, then nearby Juniper Springs Run is just gorgeous. The home has a fully equipped kitchen, including dishwasher and an undercounter fridge/freezer, which is an apartment sized. It works fine but if you overfill, the air can't circulate and it won't cool properly. It's a good idea to bring a cooler if you have large bottles etc. Ice is available at a machine at Triple Z family grocery store very close to the house. A larger fridge and laundry facilities are available only for stays of 7 nights or more. There is a charge for more than 2 guests. 4 is the maximum and includes children. Only guests included in the booking are permitted to be on the property at any time, whether visiting or staying. (If you are booking for two people please be aware that the sofa bed will not available as a bed). We request guests to please uploaded government-issued I.D plus recent selfie. We also do not accommodate smokers - we strictly enforce no smoking ANYWHERE on our property, both inside and out. We will retain the full deposit in the event of any person smoking. PET POLICY: Generally we do not allow pets however we may allow 1 small dog ( under 35lbs) that does not shed. Kindly contact us before booking if you intend bringing your dog since it requires our agreement. No cats, sorry. If we agree to your dog, it must not be allowed on the furniture at any time, including when you are out, since it is also sleeping space. We require your dog to be securely crated when you are out at all times, this is a firm condition of booking. The yard is fully fenced however we make no warranty that it is escape proof! We advise owners to make their own checks and not to leave pooch unattended outside, not least because of the wildlife. Unlike most places, we don't charge a dime for agreeing to host your four-legged best friend; most owners are respectful of our policy, so it has not been necessary. We hate to have so many rules but keeping the cottage clean and healthy for all our guests is our top priority. Because of this, in the rare event that there is an unauthorized pet on the premises or that we have to clean up after yours, a fee of $200 may be chargeable excluding damages. Applies also to failure to pick up after your dog in the yard. Thank you for taking the time to check out our cottage, stay safe and hope to see y'all soon! The garage is not available for parking or storage. Available by message anytime! Astor Forest Campground is on the edge of the beautiful Ocala National forest. The springs are close by, Silver Glen Springs and Juniper are only 10 mins away. It is a community where most residents are seniors and most homes are part-time vacation homes or mobile homes. This is a place to relax in nature, not really a vibrant scene or somewhere to party. You will need a vehicle. But there are five restaurants, three of which are excellent, two grocery stores, two gas stations. Daytona Beach, Flagler and Ormond Beach are about 40-50 mins away, Deland with its beautiful downtown and Fri night market is are around 30 mins away. This is the most beautiful area of Florida, if you love nature. Unspoiled and largely undiscovered. If you paddle, off-road, boat, swim or hike, you're not going to be disappointed. You can often go all day without seeing another soul. Getting to the Springs from the cottage is super easy by car. Alexander Springs, DeLeon Springs and Silver Glen are all around 15 mins away. It's about 20 mins to Salt Springs and 25 mins to Silver Springs. You definitely need a car around these parts, but once you get where you want to be, the adventure really begins! Guests who choose to book during hurricane season and take advantage of our lower seasonal rates, do so at their own risk. It may be deemed necessary to evacuate due to extreme weather. We therefore recommend careful consideration of any decision to travel at this time, especially during the peak months of September and October. Astor is a riverside community. In the summer it is a little hotter and more humid than surrounding areas. Bug spray advised for summer months. We are right on the edge of the Ocala National Forest and we do have Florida bears that like to visit the yard to see what's been left out. Please be bear aware especially at dawn and dusk and don't leave food waste outside. In order to preserve pristine water quality of the St John's (and plumbing installed by the river authority) we must ask that guests do not flush any products down the toilet except for toilet tissue. Blockages to the system caused by kitchen roll, female sanitary products, wipes etc. that result in the involvement of the river authority will be chargeable to guests.