Ocean Reef 106 by Youngs Suncoast

The courtyard around the centrally placed pool was lovely, with palm trees and some shade, and the beach is a manageable walk away. Our unit, #110, didn’t have a beach view, though. From the front door we saw other unit doors or, off to the side, the pool; out back it was the busy street. Traffic could get noisy, especially when the trash truck came at 4 a.m. The complex is on the beach side of the road, but crossing nearby to shops and restaurants takes care, even though Bahama Bobs is a short walk on the same side. We also went to the pizza and ice cream shop about a block away across the road. There’s a package store across from the intersection. Getting up the three flights to the main entrance with luggage or beach gear could be hard for some. The wood was being replaced, and some boards had been wobbly. There was a warped step near our unit and the railing by the entry door was shaky. The back door was blocked from outside while the work was underway, so we couldn’t use the back porch. The $30 parking charge was annoying with workers, machinery, and materials making it hard to get in and out of our assigned spot. Two couples came from different states in our two pickup trucks, and neither fit in the covered parking. Two small cars could share it by parking one behind the other, but one truck had to stay in the sun. Water was bubbling up from the ground beside that spot. I was unloading luggage when I heard it, and had to grab a bag before it got wet. The pool shower didn’t help much with sand, since you have to walk through sand to reach it and leave it. Dogs can stay in the condo, but a sign on the beach walkway says they can’t go out there. I wasn’t keen on the spiral stairs to the loft or the fact it had no privacy door. There were three full beds up there, and two badly needed new mattresses. We didn’t use the one in the wall. The loft has only a toilet and sink, no shower, so everyone has to share the one shower on the first level. There’s no closet up there either, just a tiny wire shelf on the wall. The beach chair and umbrella company charges $45 for two chairs under an umbrella, sets up at 9 a.m., and stays until 4 p.m. unless the weather turns bad, as it did for us.

It’s an older two-floor condo, though the balconies throughout have been redone, and it was a nice place to stay. Parking is limited, and the walk to the beach was a little longer than I wanted.

Unit 504 was clean and recently updated. The beach views are obstructed, but you’re only steps from the sand and surf. The townhome condos have an old-school beach feel, with a private shaded pool and covered parking.

The couch definitely needs replacing, and it could have been cleaner. Still, we had a great time: the location was awesome, the pool was very nice, and food and shopping were within walking distance. There are grills too.