Shipwatch 408a by Wild Dunes, Oceanfront Condo

My parents stayed at Shipwatch before, including in the summer of 1988 /89. I was 1 year old when Shipwatc was built in 1984. They had nice condos, and these buildings still look awesome. They even survived Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and are still standing after 41 years. I love them. I'll be 42 this year.

Shipwatch would be a great place if you weren't visiting in April or May, and maybe all summer, so check before booking. Beach construction meant heavy equipment kept driving back and forth in front of Shipwatch. We weren't told about this before renting, which meant we didn't get the peaceful beach vacation we wanted. I'd have given 5 stars if we'd been alerted.

The room was decent, but the TV never worked during our week, even after we reported it to maintenance. If you're staying in building D with an SUV and a rooftop carrier, expect to bump the luggage cart over a step every time, or go through the garage. There's no easy access. Turning the elevator completely off during a storm or hurricane also seems unsafe and impractical when an evacuation could be announced at any moment. I guess they don't care about disabled people.

The IOP fire department were the ones who actually helped my family, and I’m incredibly grateful. They got my parents out so we could enjoy our vacation together. Management had left them stuck on the fourth floor for three days after the elevators were shut off, with no notice to us and, according to the fire department, no notice to them either. The firefighters were shocked by how we’d been treated. My parents are elderly and disabled, and we’ve stayed in these buildings since the 80s because they can’t manage stairs and need the elevator. During Tropical Storm Debby, Michelle Lundry, the regime manager, was away but still made decisions for the property with the HOA board. We were told the elevators were shut down to avoid a circuit board failure that might cost money. There was no information about when they’d stopped working or when service would return, and no calls, knocks, or signs. The only apparent way down was to ask the fire department to carry my parents down four flights. When I called for updates, the response was appallingly rude. We were told to “suck it up,” that nothing could be done, and to call the fire department if we were worried. We know management can’t control the weather, but they could have communicated with guests and residents, and with local emergency services. Even after the storm moved on, we heard nothing from management, Wild Dunes, or property management. We spent thousands for the week and got no useful updates. Neighbors who own here told me this kind of thing happens often, as does the overflowing trash. We’ve never seen such disregard for my parents’ safety, comfort, and disabilities. I wouldn’t recommend staying here or buying a property here if guest and resident wellbeing comes second to money. Huge thanks to the IOP fire department. The men and women who helped us were so kind and stepped in without hesitation.