Paradise Pointe by Elliott Beach Rentals

This boutique condo community has just 45 units, each with three or four bedrooms, and four floors of covered parking. The oceanfront and marsh views are exceptional, with truly awesome panoramas. Amenities include an indoor heated pool, an outdoor pool, a hot tub, and a lazy river.

We stayed in 12E, next door to someone in 12D who acted like a Karen. On our first day, we left our beach chairs against the outside walls, out of the way, but she pushed them into the middle of the hallway. She left a note saying she lived there and nothing could be kept in the hall. About ten minutes later, she'd reported us to the workers, who came to our door to tell us the same thing. There were signs and rules everywhere, and it felt like the building didn't want vacationers. The room seemed clean but was very dated, and our fan was broken. The beds were comfortable, and the rooms had sound machines, but there was no body wash or shampoo. I also forgot to mention the flies. It felt infested: swarms were by the elevator and in the lobby, and there were some in our room too.

The place itself is lovely and usually clean, but our room wasn’t ready at the 3 o’clock check-in time. We waited until 5:30 while they said they were cleaning. Even then, the bathroom had mold in the shower and something left in the tub. There was hair and dirt on the floor in one bathroom, and stuff on the other floors too. We had to wipe down the kitchen counters ourselves.

The condo and outdoor pool were nice, and the people at Thomas Realty were friendly. Ms. Anna M. was especially helpful and pleasant. Getting to the beach was a problem, though: the access wasn’t suitable for elderly or disabled visitors. Parking was also a pain unless you have a small or midsize vehicle.