About Us & Reviews
Our Story
It all started in 2011 when we visited Mexico Beach for the first time and found our lot near the beach. Over the next five years and many visits, we fell in love with this close-knit community, and we started building our home. The house reflects our own personal style, and we chose every detail ourselves. We hope you enjoy Sand By Me as much as we do!
Mark & Cathi O'Tyson
Home Away From Home
Sand By Me is designed and equipped like a personal home because we stay there frequently. We’ve visited many vacation rentals, so when we built our own, we tried to include everything we wished we had when staying in other vacation rentals. Everything you need in the kitchen from a griddle for making pancakes to a juicer for squeezing fresh lime juice for your margaritas. Soft, quality linens. Extra hangars in the closets and plenty of hooks in the bathrooms for hanging up towels. We want our guests to be as comfortable as we are when staying in our vacation home.
What Our Guests are Saying
Beautiful home with everything you need
5/5
We had a wonderful time at Sand by Me. The home is beautifully decorated and stocked with all the essentials. I appreciated that there were a couple of K-cups available until I could go to the grocery store. The outdoor shower is a game changer and the yard is immaculate. We enjoyed the screened porch and the back deck. Overall, it was a fantastic trip. We really enjoyed our time and would definitely return to this beautiful home.
Sonya H.
July 2022
WOW 🤩
5/5
That’s all we could say when we drove up to this home! It was so beautiful!!! The landscape was perfectly maintained with so much pride and commitment one rarely sees these days!
As we walked through the door, we were even more “WOWED!!!”
We were greeted by the most breathtaking, and warmest surroundings one could ever want! All the motifs of colors, and interior designs, decorations, the spacious rooms, the amenities provided were gracious and plenty……We never felt we needed anything more!
The patio off the first floor, was equipped with a nice big grill, and a large ice chest to keep drinks cold! The covered deck off the master suite, was the perfect spot to see the ocean, and relaxing was so easy to do! The privacy fenced in backyard was landscaped as beautifully as the front!
This home radiated so much love pride, and a welcoming spirit inside and out!!!! A place you will always remember!!!!! It is a “True Paradise!!!”
We are definitely going to come back!!!! This “GEM” is certainly worthy of praise!
Thank you so much Cathi and Mark, for sharing your lovely home with us! Everything was GREAT
This home radiated so much love pride, and a welcoming spirit inside and out!!!! A place you will always remember!!!!! It is a “True Paradise!!!”
We are definitely going to come back!!!! This “GEM” is certainly worthy of praise!
Thank you so much Cathi and Mark, for sharing your lovely home with us! Everything was GREATShelia C.
June 2022
Sand By Me a perfect place to stay!
5/5
We loved the house and the decor. The beds were so comfy and had everything at the house that you’d need.Close to the best places to eat and shop. The beach is close. We very much enjoyed staying there !
Kim G.
April 2022
All We Needed & More!
5/5
From the moment we arrived at Sand By Me, until the moment we left, we felt comfortable and relaxed. We arrived at a gorgeous beach retreat with an inviting wide front porch and beautiful landscaping. We entered to find the home had a modern, beachy feel and was tastefully decorated. Every room of the home was comfortable and clean and had the little touches that made it feel special. The beds were extremely comfortable, the main bath with jetted tub felt like a luxury resort, and the back screened porch was a cozy retreat. You can tell the owners equipped this home with everything they would want on vacation and I feel blessed that they shared it with us! We also enjoyed being within walking distance to the beach, Mango Marley's, Shell Shack, and the colorful shops on 98. We are looking forward to our next stay!
Leigh I.
March 2022
Sparkling clean and tastefully furnished house
5/5
The house is in excellent condition. The furnishings are lovely and appropriate! We cooked most of our meals in the house and it was very easy, as the kitchen is well equipped.
Melissa M.
February 2022
Sand By Me is by far top 3 best places we've ever stayed
5/5
Sand By Me is by far top 3 best places we've ever stayed. Maybe even number 1! We booked a 3 night stay here in Mexico beach to relax after a 5 day Disney vacation. We have never been to this area and wanted to go somewhere less populated with tourists unlike PCB or Destin. My kids loved the beach and the cool shells they found. The house is absolutely beautiful inside! It is spotless! The owner has seriously thought of everything you could need for your visit. My family will 100% be back! Thank you for a much needed relaxing stay.
Lindsay C.
October 2021
GREAT STAY
5/5
WE HAD A GREAT STAY AT SAND BY ME. THE HOUSE WAS CLEAN AND BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAIN. IT WAS VERY SPACIOUS, KITCHEN WAS WELL STOCK, BEDROOMS WERE BIG, EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. CATHI WAS QUICK WITH HER RESPONSE WITH ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD. THE BEACH WAS JUST A SHORT WALK AWAY. ALL IN ALL, THIS WAS A GREAT PLACE FOR US. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE LOOKING TO STAY AT THE MEXICO BEACH AREA. FIVE STARS, 10 OUT OF 10!!
Yee C.
October 2021
Clean, comfortable and fun!
5/5
We've stayed at Sand By Me twice now and we love the location, walking distance to the beach. The house is perfect for us: love the beach themed decor, everyone has enough room and the whole vibe is just welcoming and relaxing! Looking forward to staying again!
Lisa C.
June 2021
The place was beautiful
5/5
We had a wonderful stay. The home was beautiful and everything was absolutely perfect. My husband and I actually got into town early than expected and they even allowed us to check in early. Very pleasant to communicate with. We will definitely be coming back.
Cynthia C.
June 2021
We stayed at Sand by Me in Mexico Beach during the last week of February 2021. Our stay was comfortable, relaxed, and memorable. The house is new with comfortable beds, very adequate kitchen amenities, a stainless steel outdoor grill with side burner, internet access, and a south-facing screen porch. Local markets sell fresh shrimp and fish, and the grocery store in Port St. Joe is close by and well stocked. The house is on a quiet street and we took many walks down to the beach, located only one block away.
Mexico Beach is rebuilding from Hurricane Michael. I would say don't let this change your plans. While restaurant selection is a bit limited in Mexico Beach, there really is no lack of places in Port St. Joe, and the house is really setup well for meals at home. The location was perfect for use because we were looking to avoid the spring break / party atmosphere of some other Florida locations. And the beach at Mexico Beach is the best. It is wide, flat, firm sand and you can walk for miles. During our time in Mexico Beach, there were not many others on the beach.
We have rented vacation properties numerous times all over the USA. Sand by Me ranks at the top for us.
Dan D.
February 2021
We recently stayed at Sand By Me and had a terrific time. The house is well appointed, comfortable and quiet and the landscaped exterior is well done. The main kitchen/living area is joined by a screened porch and a back patio with a gas grill and the upstairs Bedrooms are private and roomy. It’s an easy walk to the Beach straight down 35th St and the covered deck on the 2nd floor is a great place to relax and watch the Sunset. It is also an easy walk to 2 of our favorite places – The Shell Shack and Mango Marley’s. We highly recommend Sand By Me and the owners are very helpful and accommodating. We’ll be back!
Mike & Ellen L.
February 2021
Beautiful and spacious!!!!
5/5
What a charming house! Very clean, beautifully decorated, and great location. Exceeded our expectations! We will definitely be back!
Melodie H
September 2018
It was exactly as the photos and description said it would be!!!
5/5
It was exactly as the photos and description said it would be!!!
Ricardo C
July 2018
Beautiful home. Close to the beach and pier. Have used VRBO many years and this is one of our top 2!
5/5
The owners are very kind and so easy to work with. I can’t say enough about what a wonderful time we had, we were comfortable and so close to the beach. We will definitely be back next summer! Thank you Cathy and Mark!!
Tracy K
June 2018
Well designed, clean, and well located.
5/5
Sand by Me was an excellent choice for our family’s visit to Mexico Beach. The house is up to date, clean, and comfortable. It is a short walk to the beach and on a quiet, dead end street with no thru traffic. The owner was very responsive and pleasant to work with.
Tommy T
June 2018
Awesome!
5/5
This home was perfect! It is by far the nicest and cleanest home we have stayed in. Perfect location! Everything you need is in walking distance. We loved our stay!
Mandy R
June 2018
Loved this house!
5/5
Beautiful house! Perfect location. We loved staying here!
Austin K
May 2018
Clean and comfortable!
5/5
Cleanest house we have ever stayed in and we have rented approx 15 homes. Cleanliness is very important to me...this was the best! Owner was very nice and attentive. Perfect location. Best overall experience I've had as well. Clean, comfortable couch and beds and the smell was fantastic too 🙂 ...smelled like a brand new house! Couldn't ask for more!! A+!
Michele S.
May 2018
Beautiful house! So relaxing!
5/5
We loved staying at "Sand By Me"! It was so beautiful and clean! Our stay was nice and relaxing. Thank you Cathi for being so great to work with!
Jennifer S
August 2017
Beautiful home
5/5
We extended our Seaside vacation to go a little further east to Mexico Beach for 3 nights and stayed at this beautiful home. The house had everything we needed and was very clean and tidy. The entire home is decorated so nicely and looks like a model home. We felt very comfortable during our stay and the owners were also very helpful and easy to work with. I would stay here again without hesitation if/when we returned to the area.
Jen R
July 2017
Gorgeous home!
5/5
The house is amazing and beautifully decorated. It's very spacious and had everything you could possibly need provided for you. The location was very nice, just a short walk to the beach. The owners are super nice and very attentive to your needs. Would definitely stay again!!!
Tamber H
July 2017
The property is AWESOME!!
5/5
My family enjoyed our time at Sand by me. The home is beautifully decorated with a Beach theme!! We used the grill and backyard for our evening meals and entertainment (corn hole toss game). Cathi and Mark have thought of everything to make your stay so enjoyable! Would recommend to anyone going to Mexico Beach, it is absolutely the BEST place to stay!
Jane F
June-July 2017
Perfect!
5/5
SandByMe was perfect for our girls getaway. The house is beautiful inside and out - plenty of room for five of us. Plus only a short 2-3 minute walk to the beach. Cathi was great and made sure we had everything we needed. We will definitely be back!
Cathy C
June 2017
Beautiful! We loved staying at "Sand By Me"! We recommend it to anyone looking to visit the area!
5/5
This house has everything you need for a relaxing time with family and friends. The kitchen is well equipped and the decor is darling! We loved it! There were games as well which we really enjoyed! The walk to the beach was short and easy. I definitely recommend bringing a beach wagon to pull coolers, towels, etc. We used "No Worries Beach Service" who delivered umbrellas and chairs the day we arrived and picked them up on the last day. We were told to leave them at the edge of the dunes at the end of each day and they would be safe for the next day, which they were. I would recommend them also if you don't own your own. All in all a wonderful experience! Thank you Mark and Cathi!
Polly M
June 2017
Beautiful clean property just a short walk to the quiet beach.
5/5
Beautifully decorated. Clean. Plenty of room.
Caitlin D
May 2017