Beach Club 201

Roxanne at the front desk was AWESOME. I can’t say enough good things about her. I was in Marco Island for a SIFMA Ops conference and missed the booking window for JW Marriott and Hilton, so I chose this much cheaper option through Expedia. It was close enough for me, a 20-minute walk to the JW that saved me on Ubers and got my steps in. I could see why it seemed like a converted condo complex: there was a kitchen area, burners, a full-size fridge, and a microwave. I believe there were tennis courts, or maybe pickleball. One important point, there’s no gym. The place is pretty nondescript, as you can see in my first crosswalk picture from across the street. That was fine for me. I just needed a place to sleep, a bathroom, a shower, and a sink to brush my teeth. I didn’t use the pool or the key fob for private beach access across the street. There was supposedly a food option there, too. I posted a picture to show some of the details. Check the picture on the fridge, picture #3, to see what I mean. The WiFi router is behind the TV. Connect to the room #, then enter the 10-digit #. I also attached a photo showing that. Places generally close between 10pm and midnight. If you want to drink late, Salty Dog stays open until 2am. It’s a 10-minute walk on the same side of the street, in the same lot as Pinchers.

The pool was wonderful, but this stay wasn’t. We’ve stayed here many times and always loved it before. Unit 309 was just plain dirty, with old food in the cupboard. The screen in the Lani was punched out, a porch chair was broken, and the microwave was on its last leg. The bed was very soft and the mattress worn down. Of the three grills, only one barely lit, and all three were very dirty.

The location is great, but the bathroom pocket doors didn’t close all the way, so there was no privacy. Two of the three gas BBQ grills on site were broken and unusable. Another guest told me the dishwasher in their room was broken. I had a rather severe allergic reaction to what I assume was the bedding or the cleaning agents used on it.

I was surprised by how wonderful the condo was, since my expectations were low. The accommodations were excellent, and I was extremely pleased. The kitchen and bath were well equipped. For Gulf views, the 9th floor or higher is best. I’ll stay again. A couple of things could be better: they need feather pillows instead of rubber ones, and steps to get into the high bed. The carpet in living room 806 needs stretching. Also, the concierge should know which restaurants are open on which days, so guests don’t walk around in the heat for nothing. Five stars!