Summer Place #303

The pools were nice, and I never had trouble finding a chair there. The beach was busy, as you'd expect for that time of year, so get set up with the chair service when you arrive. Finding a good spot with your own chairs might be tough. We stayed in 505 from June 23-July 1. The oceanfront view was great, and our room seemed recently refreshed. The higher up you are, the better the view. The description didn't mention free chairs, but we had them, which was a nice bonus. There are places to eat within walking distance or a short drive, plus a nearby Publix and a couple of good spots to pick up drinks. Construction around the area can add to traffic, though, and a short drive might take a while depending on when you go. The washer sometimes flooded, so it needed watching, and the dryer was inconsistent. Water pressure was poor, which we were told was due to a water main break. The room also had a strong odor when we arrived. It took about three days and some Febreze to clear it. The condos are non-smoking, but a lot of people seemed to smoke on their patios, so keep that in mind if it bothers you. All in all, it's not a bad place to stay, especially if being right on the ocean is important to you.

The pool patrol was a complete disaster. I got up early, left towels on a couple of chairs, and went back to my room for about 25 minutes. When I returned, a woman from the patrol had taken them. She said anything left unattended for over 15 minutes was removed, and I saw her folding towels and putting them on a cart. There were two chairs beside me with towels that had been there for more than 30 minutes. I pointed them out and told her she should take those too. She claimed they were “in the pool,” though they weren't, then said she felt threatened at work and would have security remove me from the pool area. I get that a towel shouldn't reserve a chair for the whole day. But we're all paying good money to stay here, and people should be able to manage themselves. As they teach kids, the early bird gets the worm. You can't sleep in and expect a good pool seat. This is otherwise a perfect vacation spot for anyone with young kids. We had an amazing time.

The spacious balcony had a fantastic view, and the rooms were all a good size. Our condo was very clean and had plenty of towels for the family. It was ready well before the stated check-in time. We really enjoyed our stay. There are two pools and a hot tub if you'd rather not swim in the Gulf.

We loved the pool area and the condo's location. That's the only reason I'm giving this a 2. Our family vacation in unit 101 was a huge disappointment, and we paid more for it than other family members paid for their units. Their rooms were so nice, while ours was awful, and we couldn't check out fast enough. The unit was outdated, the dryer didn't work, the sliding door was broken, and the shower curtain had mold all over it. The sinks were clogged and drained poorly, and the beds were terrible. The kitchenware was dirty, clearly hadn't been replaced in years, and wasn't usable. We paid a lot for this place. Not all the rooms at this condo are the same. The owners need to fix and update this unit or describe it as it really is. It isn't worth the price they're charging.