301 Coral Sands

The balcony ocean view is stunning, and getting down to the beach is an easy, short walk. That’s why this is two stars instead of one. My husband and I stayed in Unit #201 the first week of May and paid $2000 for a condo that felt more like an Econo Lodge than a properly kept beach condo. I rented without checking online reviews first, and learned my lesson. Many of our complaints had apparently been reported for at least two years with nothing fixed, which felt disrespectful. The kitchen made even basic use difficult. There was just one thin dish towel, one stemware glass, broken shelves in the refrigerator, and an automatic ice maker that didn’t work properly. Storage and access to food were a problem. The living room loveseat had a broken arm, and the TV was frustrating to use because it was complicated and came with no instructions. In the bathroom, there was no bath mat, the shower/tub drain plug had to be handled manually to drain, and the shower caddy and toilet paper holder were completely rusted. The missing mat also felt like a slipping risk. The second bedroom closet doors were hard to use because the track was rusted. Of the three beach chairs, two were broken, so we bought our own chairs to use at the beach. We didn’t call management during the week because we didn’t want to spend our limited beach time waiting around all day for maintenance. Then, seven days after checkout, we were told we’d be charged for damaging two bath towels. They sent random photos of very “dirty” towels. We hadn’t damaged them. We had washed them ourselves two days before leaving, and they were pristine then; after only two more showers, we can guarantee we didn’t ruin them. One towel in the photo looked like it had black oil stains, as if housekeeping had used it to clean the floor. We’re both retired and have stayed at many condos and hotels over the years, and have never been accused of damaging anything. Most of the condo problems are the owner’s responsibility, but Dunlop Property Management dba Amelia Island Vacations has shown itself to be very dishonest. We love Fernandina Beach, the downtown area, and the restaurants, and we’ll definitely visit again. We’ll never rent from Amelia Island Vacations again.

The best parts of unit 101, which we booked through StayAmelia, were its balcony and the lovely, uncrowded beach right outside. That’s about it. The complex badly needs maintenance and updating. A waste line was leaking in the parking garage, and parking was difficult because there wasn’t enough space. Our unit might have been fine ten years ago, but it was worn out and needed major work. Sand and other debris came out when we ran the tub. We could hear everything from upstairs and smell whatever they cooked. The rooms were cramped and tiny, and the only window covering was a “privacy shade” that couldn’t block the sun. We complained from the time we arrived, but it took until halfway through the week for them to bring a new mattress. The maintenance lady said this building and the one next door were dumps and that much nicer places were available on the island. I couldn’t agree more. DONT STAY HERE!

The view was pretty, and the place was good overall, but cleanliness was a letdown. There was sand on the floor and in my sheets, and wiping a hand over a surface left it covered in dust. They have you leave six hours early so they can clean, yet it felt like they only changed the sheets and left.

The view and beach access are the main positives. The place is decent, but it’s not in great shape. Parking is odd too, since a stranger can block you in and you never know when they’ll come back.