Top of the Gulf by Emerald View Management

We stayed in Room 825 through RealJoy Vacations and would come back. It was updated and very quiet, with a clean pool that even had extra floats to borrow. Getting to the beach was easy. The arm bands were just stretchy rubber bracelets, no big deal despite what other reviews said. My kids wore them as anklets. I only saw one person asked to show theirs at the pool, and he’d left it in his room. They simply reminded him to wear it on the property. The gym was closed, but we walked the beach for exercise. Since the rooms don’t have balconies, we liked having chairs in the breezeways overlooking the pool and beach for morning coffee. The big windows were nice too. The bathroom was tiny, so you had to squeeze between the toilet and counter to close the door. There was a big step up into the shower, and the door stuck on one side, so we could only enter from the back. Turning on the water got me right in the face with a shot of cold water. One night we walked along the beach to and from Pineapple Willy’s instead of driving, since parking there is limited.

The room was small for four people, and the bathroom was small too, but every balcony has an awesome view. The location is perfect, with just a short walk to the beach, and the large swimming pools were well maintained. My only complaint is the required wristband. Wearing it for all five nights was annoying, and we couldn’t take it off until we left. I understand why they require it, but there should be a better way.

We stayed in one of Norris Condos and had one of the best stays I’ve had anywhere. The bed was five-star comfortable, the room was immaculately clean, and the private patio was perfect. We were told ahead of time that parking was $20 per vehicle. You also have to display the pass in your car and wear the arm band the whole time. They said it was for safety, so not just anyone could enter the property. I noticed lots of feral cats in different places on this trip. Some locations have signs saying you could be fined $100 for feeding them. At first I didn’t understand why, but a condo owner explained that local advocates work hard to spay and neuter them, then tag the cats that have been fixed to help control the population. Feeding them brings more and more cats and can make the situation get out of control again. They’re wild and may carry diseases that could be a safety risk. The owner I spoke with loves animals and has tried everything to get help, but local resources are limited given the large cat population. It made me realize how important it is to spay and neuter pets.

Our condo on the seventh floor was clean and nice, and the view from there and the main deck on each floor was great. It’s an eight-story property. The courtyard is lovely, and the pool has an eight-foot deep end, which I like since you hardly see that anymore. There’s also a good-sized kiddie pool. The only drawback for me was that the pool closes at 11. This was my first real vacation in a long time and the first with my children, who absolutely loved it. The condo had board games, beach chairs, a boggie board, and a kitchenette with everything needed to cook or make drinks. There are dedicated smoking areas on the main deck of every floor. We’re very happy with our stay and would recommend it to anyone.