This week didn't go as planned, but I couldn't be more thankful for Melissa, the owner, and her team. They were incredibly kind, caring, and helpful every step of the way. Melissa truly went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of, and her dedication did not go unnoticed. The houseboat was beautiful, spotless, and exactly what we hoped for. If you're looking for a houseboat rental company that genuinely cares about its customers and provides exceptional service, I highly recommend them. Thank you again for everything! -- Chris & Jen Hasselkus read more

Staff was fabulous and the houseboat accommodations were perfect! What a trip and adventure up and down the Saint John's River! read more

Holly Bluff Resort Marina - The Gator Hunter - Boat Repair Near Me - Deland, Florida

the river itself a great experience. but the boat we rented was infested with roaches and half of the switches didnt work. the boat was very dated and in bad need of a refresh. even the skiff add on was terrible. we made the best of it but the roach and knot problem was terrible. read more

First of the St Johns River is super coool. Lots of manatees and crocs. Fun! We had a little mechanical problem with our little houseboat and the owner did a great job managing the issue. No fuss, no muss, just super easy to work with. Highly recommend read more

My cousin and I take an annual fishing trip, and this year we decided to try something new--a houseboat rental from Holly Bluff Marina. From start to finish, the experience was outstanding. The staff went above and beyond, especially considering we're not very experienced with houseboats. The ladies at the front desk were incredibly welcoming and helpful, and Tim, the new owner, was kind and accommodating. The team that assisted us with the boat was extremely knowledgeable and patient with all our questions. We had a wonderful time and are already planning to return next year. Highly recommend Holly Bluff Marina! read more

This review was of previous owners from 2024, they declared bankruptcy and wouldn't pay anyone, the help, the people who had leases on slips, anyone. They just walked out and left the Marina in a mess. The new owners now are wonderful.the marina looks great. Clean. Full of house boats. They returned our 500 dollar deposit the other owners owed us after 6 months of trying to get it.Thank you,Dianne Cost read more

We rented a houseboat for late December, 2024. Unfortunately a hurricane hit the marina and they had to close. We had trouble reaching the marina, but persistence paid off and we finally got hold of the office manager who guaranteed that we would receive our $500 deposit back. After 2+ months, still no refund. Called again, was told they would look into it, but after 7+ months, we were told that we were not going to get our deposit back. Not a good business practice and very dishonest. read more

We rented a houseboat that slept 8. It was immaculately clean and well appointed. We were delighted with every aspect of their service and had a fantastic time on the river. But if you rent, be sure and bring a boat ladder, because the houseboats' ladders are not long enough to get in the water comfortably. read more

This was the second time renting a pontoon from this marina. It was just as much fun as the first time. The boat was clean and well maintained. It was ready when we arrived and they helped us get my handicapped Mother in law onboard. We were given a water proof map of the area and advise on where to go to make the most of our four hours. We had a great time and it was worth every penny. read more

We rented a houseboat totaling $2500 plus $500 deposit and had to purchase their fuel at $5.29 per gallon totaling $359for Friday at 1:00 pm through Sunday at 4:00 pm. We thought it was a bit pricy but decided to try it. We also decided to purchase additional insurance for $20 per day. We were told at that time that it would cover any incidentals. The heater blew out cold air most of the time. The windows were leaky and the paneling below them was water damaged. There was only one motor on the vessel which caused the boat to veer back and forth from one side of the river to the next and the steering had so much play the wheels had to be turned completely from one side to the other to get the boat to turn at all. The window being old and shoddy, completely shattered when my husband went to open it while anchoring the boat. We weren't allowed to take the boat past the 10 marker or into lake Monroe so distance was very limited. When we returned we were told there was a $500 deductable on the so called additional insurance to cover the small window that shattered. The mechanic said any window replaced on that vessel would be at least $700. Seems a little high to us but there goes the $500 deposit and the additional $60 for the insurance. All in all it was a very expensive (in excess of $3000) for a less than mediocre vessel for less than 3 days. Take your money elsewhere. read more

Rented a houseboat to cruise on the river and wasn't sure what to expect. These folks couldn't have been more accommodating, answering all my questions and even some I didn't know to ask!! It's one of the most relaxing trips we have ever taken. Highly recommomend! read more

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We have rented a houseboat twice for a week thru RCI over the past few years with Holly Bluff. Very friendly, helpful, professional staff/crew. They didn't ding us for minor bumps/scrapes, or even a broken glass blender pitcher. Appeared very fair on gas charges. Always took note of any repair issues upon our return for next customer. Boats are a bit older, but they do change out items as needed (mostly). Highly recommend and hope to rent for longer when retired! read more

The boat and marina facilities were great, the river spectacular. Very enjoyable weekend and I would have given them a great review except one total downer. Broke a propeller in open water on the first day 3 hours out from dock. I intended to idle it back for a replacement but was told to stay put and wait for a towing service to come and replace it. My understanding was I would only have to pay $35 for the prop so I agreed. At check in we were charged $415 for the prop replacement. Clerk stated she only said we would not have to pay the tow service on the river. The prop was cheap composite plastic and well worn. Not sure if it wasn't previously damaged and just failed or if we hit something floating below the surface out of sight. They offer no prop insurance and we were not offered to have a replacement brought to us by the marina staff. I feel we were intentionally mislead and will not return nor would I recommend. read more

I guess 1 star is required. Not deserving. This business is TERRIBLE! Rented a roach invested houseboat for a full week. 20+ roaches and not a SINGLE apology from anyone anyone at the marina. Not the apathetic woman at the front desk who was very RUDE. Every concern was met with excuses or casual dismissal. They indicated they had sprayed for roaches and the smell was so bad they had to wash it down again. That smell was with us the whole trip. They scammed a 'service visit' to fix something that could've been addressed at the marina. The maps of where to camp were marked incorrectly and as a result the prop blade was damaged. Again, NOT A SINGLE "we are sorry, or what can we do to make this right with our customer. The grill was so caked with grease and food from prior tenants that it nearly caught the propane take hose the grease fire out the bottom. Understanding what a customer says about the trip and having no empathy is ridiculous. For $400 - night we would not have stayed in a roach infested hotel. We took good care of the boat and if it weren't for renting from Holly Bluff it would've been an even more lovely time on the St John's River. read more

Rented a time share boat through Holly Bluff June 2013. This was one of the best vacations we have ever had. My friend nor I knew the first thing about operating a houseboat & the staff at Holly Bluff could not have been more helpful. They really went above & beyond in every possible way. Every one of the staff were SO nice to us. The boat was great and everything was very clean. We are searching our schedules for an opportunity to return. read more

What an amazing adventure and relaxing trip! We cruised north to Silver Glen Springs and parked the boat there for several days. It was like having our own private island in the springs. Grilled steaks on the boat. We brought our own kayaks and paddled around the crystal blue springs. No gators in the springs but lots of turtles and some otters. We saw bald eagles, osprey, egrets, deer, turkey on the way up the river. What an amazing vacation! Thanks Holly Bluff for the great memories! read more

Rented a 53' houseboat for the weekend with friends. The staff were great, boat was a dream to drive and maneuver, maps were very easy to understand to make navigating our first time on this river a breeze. The only downside was the cock roaches found on the boat. We told the staff upon returning, they thanked us and said they would look into correcting...nothing more, nothing less. For a $2,400 weekend I would have expected a roach free boat or at least an apology. read more

Sad excuse for a Marina. Took my boat to be serviced. Paid for 100 hour service only to find out, nothing was fixed or replaced. They just checked it. Said all was ok. I paid $300 for some guy to look at my boat? This place is a joke. A friend took his Chapparal to them for service and he asked for a reciept. Or some proof that they had the boat. Owner said, Just take it. He was like, What? Owner said, We dont want to be resposible for your boat, so take it. So he did. Wish, I would have. read more