Arrival went well. We got a tour of the building & amenities. Really appreciated help finding things. Loved having the snack place downstairs, very convenient. Kids enjoyed the pool. Felt safe inside the gates. Rooms were clean, plenty of towels/beach towels/linens/pillows, had foldout chairs for use at the beach. Kids loved the TV, could stream a lot of different providers, wifi was fast enough for what we needed. Helen responded quickly to all my questions.
Why 3 stars?
- Some kitchen items are provided: small skillets, pans, bowls, silverware. But no pans/sheets for baking, no measuring cups. Simple cooking will work but no baking / no large meals / no leftovers. Unpacking, lots of closet space & hangers, nice. In bedroom only one drawer, but worked ok for me. Says sleeps 4, only option for a 3rd/4th is a fold out cushion on the floor or the couch. The couch is not a sofa bed so not a sleeping option. No privacy for the bedroom, no door, only curtain. IMO this sleeps 2 adults sharing the bed or 2 adults sharing the bed with no expectation of privacy with 2 children willing to sleep on the floor.
- Very hot during the day, 90+ outside 80+ in the room. Not sure how it works but the HOA decides when you can use the AC. So please look into your dates, the forecast, and the HOA's rules about the AC. This wasn't as much a problem at night, windows open and there's a good cross-breeze. But is miserable when trying to get ready after the sun comes up. It affected our plans as we had intended to spend the hottest part of the day in the room.
- Essentials: We ran out of toilet paper. Started with a half-roll, found another half-roll in the bathroom. When I asked where to find more, I was told I had to purchase "extra". I understand not supplying consumables, i.e. shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. But to me TP is an essential and should be provided.
- The cleaning fee is an expected expense. I was aware of the cost, so this is not about the amount. At the end of our stay, we were asked to take out the trash. Since I paid a cleaning fee, to me that falls under the cleaning category. Not sure if that's standard or not, but IMO the cleaning fee covers trash.