Cedar Cove Beach and Yacht Club

The service was amazing, and the pool was exactly what we hoped for. We spent two nights in room 216, which had plenty of space inside and a roomy balcony. The floor sloped so much that a couple of us nearly lost our footing. The view from the balcony was blocked by another large rental unit, and the air conditioner struggled to keep up with the heat. I'd stay again, but on the hotel's more updated side.

This hotel is in an excellent spot, with a lovely park and pristine white sand beach right next door, and everything else an easy walk away. We enjoyed sitting on the deck even though the tide was low when we arrived and left, and there was only a shallow amount of water in the cove at night. The room was spotless, warm in its decor, comfortable, and everything worked perfectly. There was some noise from footsteps upstairs, but it stopped early. The proprietor greeted me in the office with his pitbull. It's more motel-like than hotel-like, and the property has extensive damage from the August 2023 hurricane: the whole first floor of our building and the restaurant were destroyed, and the roof was being rebuilt. The building visibly leaned toward the gulf. I used the newly installed electronic lock and its code opened the door right away. Inside there was just a knob, no bolt or chain, which concerned me because there was no other security and at least two little cards in the room had the code written on them. I didn't know how many people might have had that code. I hope the repairs get finished. I'd like to stay again.

Room 214 was spacious, clean, and modernized, with two queen beds plus a daybed and a pullout, for four sleeping areas. Gina at check-in was welcoming, accommodating, and great with people. She knew a lot about town and boating in the Gulf, and gave us plenty of useful information. I stayed two nights with my fishing crew. The hotel's exterior looks a little old and rural, but it fits the small-town oceanic heritage feel. It's next to a nice park with picnic tables overlooking the Gulf. In a town that isn't very diverse, the accommodations and customer service put us at ease. A nice place for any occasion.

I was excited to finally eat at The Island restaurant on the first floor, but Hurricane Idalia blew it away last year. I hope it's open again by our next anniversary trip. I booked back in March for a particular room, then found out they'd given it away. They offered a loft, which I couldn't manage for health reasons, and then a third room facing a two-story group of condos instead of the Gulf view I'd requested. I took it anyway, though I wouldn't have if I'd known there'd be a couple cockroaches in it. Still, this is my favorite place to stay and dine, and none of that will keep me from coming back next year.