Emerald Isle

Condo 702 itself was lovely, clean, and well maintained, but the problems around it seriously affected our stay. The construction noise started every morning right outside our balcony and woke us up. We hadn't been clearly told through VRBO that the main pool was closed for renovations, and the only pool on-site was much smaller. The listing mentioned construction and some parking closures, but didn't make clear how extensive the work was. It also had incorrect directions, so Condo 702 was hard to find and we had to call Beach Bum. The representative was rude and condescending, despite acknowledging that much of the VRBO information was wrong. We paid a lot for this vacation and had to keep track of several gate, pool, and building codes. Getting to the alternate pool meant a long walk and using a key fob. On checkout day, construction blocked the awning where guests usually load their luggage, making departure harder. Although the condo itself was beautiful, the inaccurate listing, disruptive work, and poor customer service left us disappointed. I wouldn't recommend properties managed by Beach Bum.

The whole building felt like a construction site, as the photos show, and we hadn't been warned that our vacation would take place in the middle of one. On the first day, the water was off for about six hours. There were roaches in the rooms, most outlets didn't work, and workers were painting around the building, leaving wet paint everywhere, great for kids. The gate codes failed about half the time. Elevators kept going out, so guests either waited 45 minutes for a chance to ride or carried their luggage up the stairs. This may have been one of the worst beach stays I've had.

Construction noise started early, around 8 am, with workers banging, and the plastic over the windows rattled in the wind. We also had a boiler room door slamming through the night. During our Spring Break visit with the kids, loud partying guests made nights noisy, and construction was going on in the building. Most days only one of the two elevators worked. The water was shut off for three hours in the middle of one day to fix a leak, and the women's bathroom on the main floor flooded. We've stayed here several times before, but this may be our last. It was disappointing to pay so much for this experience.

The construction smell and noise made the building uncomfortable at times, and the main route to the pool and beach was closed. We had to leave the property and walk around the building along the roadside, which was never disclosed and defeated the point of booking a beachfront condo. The dishwasher didn't work, and although we reported it, it wasn't fixed before checkout. We also ran out of toilet paper and found no replacement supplies in the unit. For premium beachfront prices, guests shouldn't have to go without basic essentials. The detour, broken appliance, missing supplies, and construction left the stay far below expectations. Management said they would look into compensation after checkout, but as I write this, we're still waiting to hear what refund or resolution they'll offer.