The Beacon

It was good to see the pool and shaded outdoor seating area added, but I was disappointed the BBQ grill had been removed. There are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance, along with a 7-11 for a quick bite. Margaritaville is going to spoil the view, and during the week there’ll be construction noise until it’s finished. Prices have gone up quite a bit since our past visits, though I’d still stay again for a family get-together. The electronic door locks didn’t work, but the office quickly sent someone with a room key, and we were allowed to check in early. I don’t understand the no-pets rule when the rooms have tile floors. We even saw a guest with a dog. They lost three bookings because of the rule.

The rooms looked newly renovated and were clean. Plenty of towels, a nice little kitchenette, great beach access, and the pool was a clean bonus. Keep in mind this is a motel with no onsite service. You get the door code by email. That’s convenient and easy, but if you have obnoxious neighbors, there’s no one there to handle it besides the police. You’ll hear the band from shuckers next door every night, roughly 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. If you want to be near restaurants and beach bars, that’s part of it. It’s definitely not for families, though it won’t be a problem if you expect to go to bed after midnight.

Never again. We had a great stay in January 2021, when they were just beginning to remodel half the building. But on our return in April 2021, we got a room on a lower, near-basement level, with a low ceiling that was uncomfortable for someone over six feet tall. Then the plumbing failed. The toilet didn’t have enough pressure to flush even a piece of toilet paper. We were moved to another room for the night, and the rest of our 10-day trip was up in the air. They couldn’t fix the water leak, so they cancelled the reservation and refunded us. Since we’d booked through Booking.com, they found another place for us, but it wasn’t on the beach as planned. The Beacon is a great place to stay in an upper-level room. But until they sort out the water pressure after the remodeling, I can’t recommend it. Being relocated thoroughly changed our vacation plans.

Town Square is only about a five-minute walk away, and the beach is just steps from the spacious suite. Everything was spotless, and the friendly staff were accommodating, even with a late checkout. There’s a small kitchenette and a huge flat-screen TV, plus all the amenities we needed. We’d absolutely stay again.