Owner Rentals at Pelican Grand Beach Resort

The view is what makes the owner's rental room special, and it's why my wife and I keep coming back. I've stayed in this room three times. It's dated compared with the hotel's standard rooms, but the price and the great service at the Pelican make it worthwhile for a quick, affordable staycation like the ones my wife and I look for.

I live near the Pelican Grand and have stayed there many times. Booking through the hotel has always been easy, and it's a very nice place. My problem was ROOM 625, an owner rental I booked on Expedia in July for Christmas week. When I went to check the accommodation for my son and daughter-in-law, I found major renovation work underway around it. Half the hotel was closed as of Jan 1, 2019, including the section with this room. The rooms around ROOM 625 were being gutted and redone, with doors off and new sheet rock, so there was loud work every day. ROOM 625 itself wasn't being renovated because its owner had opted out, leaving it as the only room on the floor untouched. The hotel is doing a major renovation, and the new rooms look great, but the listing said nothing about it. The hotel told me the owner had known about the work for months and hadn't mentioned it. That was an awful surprise, especially as I had booked the room because we didn't have enough space at home for the whole family. I asked for a refund and the owner refused. Then, on check-in morning, Expedia called to say the room had no water, not just that day but for the entire stay. My kids had to be moved to a hotel a drive away instead of one a minute's walk from my apartment. All of this could have been avoided if the owner had told us about the renovation months earlier. When you book at the Pelican, book through the hotel. Don't book ROOM 625.

You'll be charged more than $90 in fees, and nobody at the hotel or Expedia can explain exactly what they're for. The room's owner is a con artist. Even a valet employee told me horror stories about this owner. Stay away.

I love the place, the customer service, drinks and atmosphere are great. I did see a mouse once, but you don't need to be afraid of it. Just enjoy the peace of mind that only Grand Pelican can deliver, periodically.