Island Shores 457-Live the Beach Life!

The entryway to the unit was difficult to navigate if you were carrying anything in or out. The door literally opens within inches of the counters. There is no deadbolt lock on the door for privacy so I did not feel safe. One day maintenance came in while our teenage son was there by himself which was a bit scary. The man did knock, but my son was sleeping in his room and woke up to a strange man in the unit. The TV/Dish unit is hung so low on the wall that everyone hit it multiple times on their shoulders when coming in from the balcony. Once I hit the TV directly between my eyes and still have quite a lump on my head and a small cut. The kitchen was well stocked and the beds were comfortable. We had to buy additional toilet paper and paper towels during our stay. I bought hangers for both bedrooms and left them for the next guest.

The condo is super cozy, right on the beach (maybe 2 min walk to the ocean), 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, full kitchen…we had it all! There is even a gift shop with a full grocery store across the road and Wal-Mart is a 7 min drive! We loved the location & ease of access…it was super easy for my 70 year old mother to enjoy and that was important!

The condo is well kept for an older building. Very clean. But it’s small. If you need a lot of room this might not be for you. Plenty of room for us 4 though.

The location is awesome. A very short walk to the beach from the elevators. Small unit but just enough for us as a family.

So I’m optimistic I look for good in everything.. A little outdated but the cleanliness made up for that.. wiped up spilled water first night and white paper towel was still white, no dirty residue! I wasn’t impressed with the grilling area as it was right beside the parking lot, no view of beach and no picnic area. But again, the grills were very clean. The view was pretty. The pool was also next to the parking lot but maintenance did an amazing job on keeping it clean! Cleanliness 5 STARS!! Had a couple of issues, called manager, within an hour maintenance was there to fix a stopped up sink, non working dishwasher & a stove eye that wasn’t working. All was an easy fix, he was in & out in less than 30 minutes. I’d recommend to those who don’t need top of the line accommodations but want a safe & clean place to stay!

Great location and beautiful view from balcony. The kitchen is outdated but it worked and function well. Having two bathrooms for six people is great. The only thing is the mattress for the pull out couch is uncomfortable. Need more towels, pillows and blankets. But overall would stay there again.

We enjoyed our stay. Thank you

Everything was just like the pictures. All my expectations were met.

The images of this property don’t fully capture all the details. They may be even a little deceiving. This condo looks nicer than it really is in person. However, this property has a wonderful location. It’s proximity to the “hangout” and other restaurants and shopping mean you can walk most everywhere. The location was perfect. The beach behind the property is very nice with sea and suds right next door along with beach chair rental, parasailing, and jet ski rental a short walk away. The property itself is older, likely built in the 1970’s. The elevator is slow and hot like an oven inside. The condo is small for a two bedroom, but manageable. It needs a cosmetic update beyond a coat of paint. (It has recent paint) The popcorn ceilings and formica really make the place look dated. The cups, plates, and silverware are just a hodgepodge of random pieces. Very little actual cookware (pots and pans, utensils) if you’re planning on making meals. A large chair is pictured online but is missing from the condo. The dining table isn’t the same as the images either. The condo could really benefit from more lighting and airflow. The master bedroom has two tiny lamps for light. It is dark without an overhead light. There are no ceiling fans but a floor fan was provided. The pull out couch is uncomfortable to sleep on, as my kids complained about it all week. The description listed a washer and dryer, however these are not in the unit. They have a laundromat downstairs for the complex. Toilets barely flush, you have to hold down the handle for about 5 seconds and then pull the handle back up or the water runs continuously. Everything was clean except the floor. It was still sandy from the previous renters. Everything in our unit worked, nothing was broken. It was ample for our needs and we had a great time in gulf shores.

Condo was nice, right on the beach with a great view of the ocean.