Surfsider Resort

Surfsider is a good choice if you want a relaxing vacation and friendly, helpful staff. We appreciated Sam, Sarah, and Cinnamon for making our stay restful. The facility was clean and well kept, in a central spot on Ocean Drive with beach access, a pool, tennis, and pickle ball courts.

Our unit had a nice sized balcony overlooking the end of the canal, but there was no real divider from the neighbors, so there wasn’t privacy and we could be affected when they smoked. We also lost some power during a community outage, mostly to the appliances. It took a lot of insistence to get staff to help with an extension cord for the fridge so our food wouldn’t spoil. They stopped answering the phone even though they were in the office and weren’t with another guest or on another call. One TV lost cable too, and we didn’t get timely help. The elevator scared us every time we used it. A sign said the building was being maintained, and the stairs were painted during our stay. It also looked like some staff might live in units. The location is very good for somewhere not directly on the beach. It’s on a canal leading to the intercoastal, with just 20 units and parking. On site there’s a tennis court and a pool table. Guests can use the neighboring resort’s nice pool, but have to go through its front lobby and sign in, which means a hassle and a longer walk. The lobby here is small and dated. Staff were nice. We stayed a week on the fifth floor. Our unit was large, with two bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, washer and dryer, dining and living areas, and a balcony. Both bedrooms were a good size. The kids’ room had no TV, which was an issue. The master had a large flat screen with Comcast, a decent closet, dresser and nightstands, plus a private bath. The bed was decent. There was another large flat screen in the living room. Both bathrooms were clean and sufficient, with great water pressure, but could use more towel racks or hooks. A faucet needed unclogging because it sprayed the wrong way. The furniture was dated and should be updated. The kitchen had a newer oven, microwave, and fridge, but an older dishwasher. The cabinets were in bad shape and wouldn’t open or close properly, and it needed more cookware like a whisk, scissors, and baking sheets. The stacked washer and dryer should be replaced. They barely fit any clothes, only two or three towels, and there was lint behind the dryer’s lint catcher that could be a fire hazard. The gated beach access is across Ocean Blvd. It’s a bit of a walk to a quiet, nice private beach. The property is halfway between the Pompano fishing pier and Lauderdale by the sea pier. Average for now, but could be above average with some TLC.

There’s plenty of room in the units, but the furnishings are worn and old. When I called the day before arriving to book, they quoted one rate, then charged a higher one after we got there after hours. The bait and switch was clear. We checked out instead of paying an extra $35/night. Not recommended.

I come to Pompano every year, but after this I’ll never stay here again. My daughter was in critical condition in the PICU, so I asked to cancel. They said it was already paid for and they couldn’t refund me. I asked if we could move the dates a couple of months later and got the same answer. They’ll rebook the paid room after we don’t show and get paid twice for it. Allegiant Airlines refunded my non-refundable flight, and my non-refundable car rental was refunded too. These heartless souls don’t deserve to be in business.