South Beach Cottages Apartment 4

The homes are beautiful and well located. I’ve stayed in two different ones for a week each, but the advertised features may or may not work. Wi-Fi didn’t work in either home. One wasn’t cleaned as well as I expected, and on my latest trip the dishwasher was completely broken. The cable wasn’t working until I managed to get it going. Calling the service and complaint number they provide takes about 30 minutes, and then nobody ever showed up to fix anything.

The beds were comfortable enough, and the place was cozy and affordable. With the number of people we brought, it was good value for the area since a hotel would’ve cost us twice as much. It felt fairly safe, though it’s about 30 blocks from the boardwalk. Maybe this area was considered sketchy in the past, but the property was built in 2014, the same year a Reddit post in r/MB advised avoiding anything south of 8th Ave N and between Kings Hwy and the Boulevard.

Our first vacation day turned into a rush to the tow yard. We arrived Sunday evening in a 15-passenger van that wouldn't fit in the garage and parked it parallel to the house on the private street. The owner hadn't mentioned parking rules, and no one warned us or even knocked. The HOA manager had it towed, costing us $200 to get it back before the company closed. We would have moved it if anyone had told us. The cottage itself was decent, clean, and nice, but the owners and facility management acted as if visitors' problems didn't matter. The owner wasn't helpful or understanding either. I know a car parked on a public road without a permit can be towed, but this was a private street. If you're bringing an oversized vehicle, get a parking permit ahead of time. The owners seemed more concerned with enforcing HOA rules than helping us enjoy our week.

It wasn't too bad, and still better than a hotel, but for what it cost I expected more from the unit. The cleaning crew definitely needs to do a better job.