Last checked: September 2026.
A heated pool can turn a cool February week into a swimming trip, but “heated” means different things in different listings. Some managers charge extra for it, some heat only on request, and no heater can promise a set temperature through every cold front. This page tells you what our five heated pool homes near Clearwater and St. Pete actually offer, what the numbers look like month by month, and where guests have told us the pool fell short. Read it before you book a winter week, because the honest answer depends on your dates.
Homes with a heated pool
Indian Shores Family Oasis
Seminole, Florida 7 min to Archibald BeachStarting at $128/Night
Tortuga Hideaway
Largo, Florida 20 min to Archibald BeachStarting at $166/Night
On the Creek
Largo, Florida 18 min to Indian Rocks BeachStarting at $176/Night
Goodtimes Waterfront
Largo, Florida 10 min to Indian Rocks BeachStarting at $225/Night
Casa Blue Horizon
Indian Rocks Beach, Florida 2 min to Indian Rocks BeachStarting at $495/Night
| Home | Area | Sleeps | Bedrooms | Pool | Pets | Beach | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Shores Family Oasis | Seminole, Florida | 10 | 4 | Heated | Yes ($150 fee) | 7 min to Archibald Beach | $128/night |
| Tortuga Hideaway | Largo, Florida | 6 | 3 | Heated | Yes | 20 min to Archibald Beach | $166/night |
| On the Creek | Largo, Florida | 10 | 4 | Heated | Yes | 18 min to Indian Rocks Beach | $176/night |
| Goodtimes Waterfront | Largo, Florida | 16 | 5 | Heated | Yes ($150 fee) | 10 min to Indian Rocks Beach | $225/night |
| Casa Blue Horizon | Indian Rocks Beach, Florida | 10 | 5 | Heated | No | 2 min to Indian Rocks Beach | $495/night |
Live from our booking calendar. "From" is the lowest nightly rate on the calendar, before taxes and any discounts. Heated pools include heating in the rate.
What “heat included” means at our homes
Included means you do not pay a heating charge on top of your total price. That was not always the case here. Two guests who stayed in 2024 and early 2025 told us in their reviews that they paid extra to have the pool heated, and one described it as “paid the extra to have the pool heated” (Nikki M., Apr 2024, Goodtimes Waterfront). Our current listings say heat is included at no extra charge, and we would rather you read that here than discover an old review and wonder.
Here is what each listing says about the setting, in plain terms.
| Home | Programmed target in the listing | Season wording |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Blue Horizon | Around 85°F, plus a spa | October through April |
| On the Creek | Around 85°F | October through April |
| Tortuga Hideaway | Around 85°F, saltwater pool | October through April |
| Goodtimes Waterfront | Around 85°F | Listing text describes year-round heat; ask us about your dates |
| Indian Shores Family Oasis | Around 80°F | Listing text describes year-round heat; ask us about your dates |
Source: the current Guesty listing descriptions for each home. “Programmed” is the setting, not a measured water temperature.
Notice that Indian Shores Family Oasis is set lower than the rest. If you want the warmest possible water in January, that is worth knowing before you choose it for the playroom.
What heat cannot do
We would rather set expectations than disappoint you. Our listings say two things that matter. First, the final water temperature depends on outdoor weather and air temperature. Second, the listings describe the heat pumps as typically warming the pool up to 10 to 20°F above the current air temperature, so on cooler days the pool may not reach the full set temperature. That is the wording from our own listing notes, and we are passing it on as a limit, not explaining how a heat pump works. Those same notes say no refunds are given for weather or heater performance. Our normal cancellation terms still apply: full refund with 30 or more days notice, 50% up to 7 days, none inside 7 days. See the booking, cancellation and house rules page.
Guest reviews match that limit. A January 2026 guest at Goodtimes Waterfront told us the pool did not reach its set temperature during their stay, while a January 2025 group there said it stayed warm. We cannot say why the two weeks differed, but we would not promise the same result every January. At On the Creek, a July 2026 guest called the water “bathtub warm” (Kristen M., Jul 2026), and a May 2026 guest liked the heated pool “on cooler nights” (Nancy Cristina S., May 2026). Both are true of the same system in different seasons.
What the weather data shows
We pulled two official NOAA sources so you can see what the pool is working against. The air numbers come from the National Weather Service Tampa Bay monthly normals for Tampa. The water numbers are hourly readings from NOAA’s St. Petersburg tide station, averaged by us for each month from October 2025 through May 2026. That station sits on the Tampa Bay side, not on a Gulf beach, and it covers one recent year, not a long average, so treat the water column as a real example, not a forecast.
| Month | Normal high (Tampa) | Normal low (Tampa) | Observed average water temperature, St. Petersburg station |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 85.6°F | 69.2°F | 80.2°F (Oct 2025) |
| November | 78.9°F | 60.7°F | 71.5°F (Nov 2025) |
| December | 73.9°F | 55.9°F | 68.7°F (Dec 2025) |
| January | 71.3°F | 52.8°F | 64.3°F (Jan 2026) |
| February | 74.0°F | 55.5°F | 61.6°F (Feb 2026) |
| March | 77.8°F | 59.3°F | 71.9°F (Mar 2026) |
| April | 83.0°F | 64.8°F | 76.1°F (Apr 2026) |
| May | 88.3°F | 70.6°F | 82.5°F (May 2026) |
Sources: NWS Tampa Bay monthly and annual normals for Tampa (weather.gov/media/tbw/climate/tpaannnormrec.pdf); NOAA Tides and Currents station 8726520, St. Petersburg, hourly water temperature averaged by Aval for each month shown. Bay water is not the same as a private pool.
Three things stand out. February is the coolest month for the water in that sample, at about 62°F on average, and the normal overnight low in January is near 53°F. Also, November through March is when the difference between a heated and an unheated pool is biggest. NOAA’s own water temperature FAQ says many people feel comfortable swimming in water between 70 and 78°F, which gives you a useful yardstick: a pool at 85°F is well above it, while the bay itself averaged below 70°F from December through February in that sample.
Now apply our listing’s own 10 to 20°F rule of thumb to those normals, as arithmetic and not a measurement. January’s normal high of 71°F would allow a pool of roughly 81 to 91°F on a mild afternoon, so an 85°F target is plausible. The normal low of 53°F would allow only about 63 to 73°F overnight, which is why the pool can feel cooler in the morning and why we suggest swimming in the afternoon. Real results depend on wind, cloud cover, a cold front, and how long the weather has been cool. A run of cold nights lowers everything.
When heat matters most
| Season | Unheated pool | Heated pool |
|---|---|---|
| June to September | Comfortable on its own; guests have called our pools very warm in summer | Heat rarely needed |
| October, and March to May | Pleasant on warm days, cool after fronts | Noticeably nicer, especially mornings |
| November | Cooler; short swims | Worth having if you swim daily |
| December to February | Likely too cool to enjoy for long | The reason to book, with the limits above |
Our reading of the NOAA and NWS numbers above and of guest reviews, not a guarantee for any date.
Which heated home fits which trip
- Casa Blue Horizon: choose it if you want a spa for cool evenings as well as the pool, and a beach four blocks away. Golf cart, e-bike and kayak use has rules: cart drivers 25 and older with a license and proof of insurance, e-bike riders 16 and older, and a $500 refundable deposit for the gear. It is new, with three reviews so far.
- On the Creek: choose it for a waterfront yard, a fire pit for chilly evenings, and the highest review score in our portfolio at 4.95. It is not on the sand; guests put the beach at about 20 minutes.
- Tortuga Hideaway: choose it for a small group of up to 6 that wants a saltwater pool over a pond and a screened patio. It is new in 2026 and has no reviews yet, so you are relying on the listing and on us.
- Goodtimes Waterfront: choose it for a group of up to 16 that wants a dock and a fire pit as well as the pool. One guest reported the pool below its set temperature in January 2026, so ask us about the week you want.
- Indian Shores Family Oasis: choose it for young children, with an indoor slide and a gated pool. It has one full bath and one half bath, and the pool is set to about 80°F, lower than the others.
The two unheated homes, and why you might still choose them
Hibiscus House and The Salty Parrot have private pools with no heater. Hibiscus House has the lowest nightly rate in our portfolio, and guests praise its yard games and beach gear in the garage. The Salty Parrot is about 5 to 6 minutes from Madeira Beach and has a pool table. Their reviews are mostly summer stays. If you want a pool swim in the middle of winter, do not book either one; if you want value between roughly May and October, they make sense. We would rather you pick the right home than be surprised by cold water.
Questions to ask before booking a winter week
- Which dates are you considering, and is a cold front in the forecast?
- Is a warm pool essential, or is a bonus? If essential, choose a home with a spa or plan indoor backups.
- Do you want to swim in the morning? Expect cooler water then.
- Who is swimming? Plan the swim for the sunniest part of the afternoon, and ask us about a spa if you want one.
- Are you booking a month? See monthly and winter stays, where weekly stays get 10% off and monthly stays 20% off.
For more on what heat really means, read what pool heat really means at a Florida rental. For air temperature and packing, see Clearwater weather in January, and for a full-year view use the best time to visit month by month guide.
Heated pool and game room together
Families who want warm water and something to do on a cool or rainy day often choose a home that has both. Casa Blue Horizon, On the Creek, Goodtimes Waterfront and Indian Shores Family Oasis all have heat included and a pool table or game room. See game room vacation rentals for what is in each one. Groups of 12 or more should look at large group vacation rentals, and if pets are coming, pet friendly vacation rentals lists which homes allow them.

Quick answers
Yes, at every home with a heated pool. It is included in your rate and there is no separate heating charge. Some guests who stayed in 2024 and early 2025 paid for heat, but our current listings say it is included.
Casa Blue Horizon, Goodtimes Waterfront, On the Creek, Indian Shores Family Oasis and Tortuga Hideaway. Hibiscus House and The Salty Parrot have private pools that are not heated.
Casa Blue Horizon, On the Creek and Tortuga Hideaway are programmed to about 85°F from October through April, and Goodtimes Waterfront is programmed to about 85°F. Indian Shores Family Oasis is programmed to about 80°F. Our listings say the actual temperature depends on the weather and that on cooler days the pool may not reach the set temperature.
Sometimes, not always. NWS normals for Tampa put the January average low near 53°F, and a cold front can keep the pool below its target. One January 2026 guest reported the pool below its set temperature. Message us before you book and we will tell you how it has been behaving.
Casa Blue Horizon, On the Creek and Tortuga Hideaway list October through April. If you plan to visit in May or September, ask us how the pool is set for your dates.
Our listings say no refunds are given for weather or heater performance. Standard cancellation terms apply: full refund with 30 or more days notice, 50% up to 7 days, none inside 7 days.
Usually not needed. From June through September the water is comfortable on its own, so an unheated home can be a good value.
Ready to check dates? Open any home above, pick your dates and you will see your total price, taxes included, before you pay. There is no service fee when you book direct. Questions first? Call or text +1 727-295-2319.




