Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great place to stay

Guest: Becky (Wetumpka, Al)
Date of Stay: 03/16/12 Review Submitted: 04/02/12

Enjoyed my stay!! Everything was great. Went with a friend and we had a nice relaxing time. Thanks Terri for a great stay!! The weather was perfect and the sunrise and sunset was beautiful!! Property was really clean and beautiful!

Owner response:Thank You so much for your reveiew.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Just Where I Needed To Be

Guest: Carol (Alpharetta, GA)
Date of Stay: 10/20/11 Review Submitted: 10/28/11

This studio rental is just where I needed to be ... it was quiet and peaceful ... the beach was almost deserted ... the sunrises were awesome ... the weather was outstanding ... it it so convenient to almost anything you would need ... though I was by myself, it is the perfect size for a couple ... did not plan to do any cooking, so I did not miss that there wasn't a stove, but there was a two burner hot plate ... I just used the microwave ... I did a great deal of walking ... if you plan to take moonlight walks, be sure to take a flashlight ... there are no street lights ... just lots of twinkling stars and the moon ... I plan to make "Gone to the beach" an annual stay on my calendar ... I would recommend this rental to everyone ... it was a pleasure dealing with Terri.

Owner response:Thanks for your review. I hope you'll come again soon!

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Arkansas vacationers

Guest: T and C (Pine Bluff Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

Finishing another wonderful vacation here! Thank you Terri for providing a great place. Last year was our first time at the Studio apt and we promptly knew we wanted to book again as soon as work schedules allowed...as will be our plans for next summer also. I read some other reviews with concerns about hearing living noises from surrounding neighbors...we always travel with a box fan...drowns out any noises...highly recommend this travel tip. Thanks again, Terri for providing what you advertised.

Owner response:So glad you enjoyed your visit! Thank you.

Recommended for:Age 55+

Awesome Place!!

Guest: Wedding Host (Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/06/11

My husband & I reserved Gone to the Beach so that we could attend our friend's daughter's wedding. Upon our arrival, the bride's mom visited & was SO impressed with the unexpected exceptional beauty that the wedding location was promptly changed to the beach behind Gone to the Beach. The studio is PERFECT in every way. We had about 20 people over for the wedding ALL of whom LOVED the place & commented on how much nicer the studio is in comparison to the MUCH more expensive places they were staying. The large covered patio is one of the best assets. We prepared a rehersal dinner & post wedding meal using the grill and well stocked kitchen. Indoors was EXCEPTIONALLY clean and so very pretty. The arrangement makes it spacious. The beach behind the studio was not crowded due to the residential location. We met local people who were so nice! The use of Gone to the Beach MADE the wedding - a totally unexpected blessing for all. It will forever be a very loved place that is part of fond memories. It could NOT have been more perfect. All who attended the wedding want to go back to Navarre & stay in the studio. Words can't express the gratitude to Terri & the high level of satisfaction we had with our stay. Throughout the process of reserving Gone to the Beach, from first contact to check out, Terri was AWESOME to deal with. She ensured that everything was perfect for us. Terri was very professional & extremely easy to work with. During our stay we contacted her several times for general info & she responded IMMEDIATELY. Words can't convey how perfect she made our stay & the wedding. We will be forever grateful to her for making a special occasion become a such a very happy memory. If you are researching places to stay, be aware that the pictures do not do justice to Gone to the Beach. It is SO much nicer than the pix convey. The beach is Navarre's prettiest. Also, you could not find a better person to deal with than Terri. A 5 star rating isn't adequate as both Terri and the place rank so much higher than the star system reflects. My advice, book early to ensure that you have the VERY best place in Navarre as well as the most courteous, professional, and personable agent on the planet. A personal thank you to Terri. You are TOTALLY amazing! We will never forget our stay and YOU are responsible for 100% positive memories!! We look forward to returning to Gone to the Beach at our earliest opportunity. We found the most perfect place in the world. Thank you!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful experience!

Guest: theflyingpig (Maryville, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/03/11

We just returned yesterday from our stay in Navarre. What a wonderful experience! We were thrilled to see how close we were to the beach and, because we were blessed with perfect weather, spent every single day there. I don't understand a previous complaint about the view of a sand dune. What did you expect? And, we could still see the water above the dune anyway. We came to Navarre for the non-commercialized, crowdless and peaceful beach...not to sit inside and look at it from where we were staying. "Gone to the Beach" was just as described. Yes, we could hear people upstairs but it wasn't in any way distracting. The unit is perfect for two people and the price is great for the location. As far as "irritants" go... *dirty floor- it's stamped concrete with a white sealant which shows a few scrapes. I did not find the floor dirty. *dirty rugs- I don't feel they were dirty. However, I'm one that has to go in and clean certain things regardless. I threw the rugs in the washer on the first day but that was for my own piece of mind. It was nice that they were washable and I had the facilities to do so. *bathroom- Yes, the door drags a little. Don't recall if the toilet was not secure. It is a small bathroom with a pedestal sink but there is a shelf above the commode. *paper products, toiletries, etc.- I've never rented a condo or townhouse where I did not have to supply my own items. *ignitor on grill- mine never works for more than a few months before I have to start using a lighter. No biggie. This place was perfect for us and we hope to book it again for next year. I guess when I'm at the beach I'm having too good of a time to notice the small things. A note to Terri- Everything suited us just fine. The man that owns to the right of you was soooo nice! We enjoyed getting to know him and his family. A friendly neighbor is definitely an asset! Also, a recycling can was dropped off the day we left. That's so nice! I really hated throwing away the plastics and cans.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Awesome week

Guest: theflyingpig (Maryville, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/03/11

We just returned yesterday from our stay in Navarre. What a wonderful experience! We were thrilled to see how close we were to the beach and, because we were blessed with perfect weather, spent every single day there. I don't understand a previous complaint about the view of a sand dune. What did you expect? And, we could still see the water above the dune anyway. We came to Navarre for the non-commercialized, crowdless and peaceful beach...not to sit inside and look at it from where we were staying. "Gone to the Beach" was just as described. Yes, we could hear people upstairs but it wasn't in any way distracting. The unit is perfect for two people and the price is great for the location. As far as "irritants" go... *dirty floor- it's stamped concrete with a white sealant which shows a few scrapes. I did not find the floor dirty. *dirty rugs- I don't feel they were dirty. However, I'm one that has to go in and clean certain things regardless. I threw the rugs in the washer on the first day but that was for my own piece of mind. It was nice that they were washable and I had the facilities to do so. *bathroom- Yes, the door drags a little. Don't recall if the toilet was not secure. It is a small bathroom with a pedestal sink but there is a shelf above the commode. *paper products, toiletries, etc.- I've never rented a condo or townhouse where I did not have to supply my own items. *ignitor on grill- mine never works for more than a few months before I have to start using a lighter. No biggie. This place was perfect for us and we hope to book it again for next year. I guess when I'm at the beach I'm having too good of a time to notice the small things. A note to Terri- Everything suited us just fine. The man that owns to the right of you was soooo nice! We enjoyed getting to know him and his family. A friendly neighbor is definitely an asset! Also, a recycling can was dropped off the day we left. That's so nice! I really hated throwing away the plastics and cans.

Owner response:It's great to hear you had a wonderful week at Gone to the Beach! Thanks for your kind review. Hope you can come enjoy the beach again soon. It's definitely one of Gods greatest creations!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Great time, but .....

Guest: mobeachgirl (Columbia, Mo)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

First I would like to say that the location of this property is great, the beaches are so nice and we had a wonderful time on our vacation in Navarre Beach. Overall the property is as presented, and although small, is just perfect for two people. The property owner was very easy to work with during the booking process. However, there are a number of fairly small maintenance items that detract away from the property and provide little irritants throughout the stay. Some of these are: the toilet is not secure to the floor, the bathroom door drags and does not fully open, there is not much room for toiletries in the bathroom (no vanity, pedestal sink), the television picture has lines through it, we could never figure out how to operate the dvd player, the gas grill ignition would not work (had to buy a lighter to get it lit), and the floor and throw rugs appeared quite dirty. Also, you should take practically EVERYTHING that you think you might need while staying there. Items supplied are fairly sparse. Particularly remember to take hand soap, dish washing detergent, and all paper supplies. And lastly, while we were aware that this is a bottom floor unit and that there would be people staying above us, the noise from the above unit is terrible. You can hear every footstep they take, every time the sliding glass door opens and closes, and every time the toilet flushes. I would think that a lot of my complaints are fairly simple maintenance items and if they would be corrected, I could recommend this property. Something also needs to be done to help with noise reduction. Our favorite restaurant was the Beach Monkey - nothing fancy, but good food with reasonable prices. You should definitely check out the Gulf Islands National Seashore and if you like history, see Fort Pickens.

Owner response:I've added to my description what you should bring and plan to do what I can with the other maintenance items that were mentioned. Anytime there's anything that needs to be done, please bring it to my attention. I live less than 2 miles from the unit and will be glad to do anything to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. The unit has just been freshly painted, I bought new sheets & towels, I love the new patio furniture I bought for the unit. The grill is not very old, but the salt air is hard on the ignition. I don't know what I can do for noise reduction. I just try to make it as nice as I can and hope people appreciate the good things it has to offer and enjoy the location of being right on the beach. I look forward to the day that I can move back in and enjoy it myself.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Fun, Fun,Fun on the beach!

Guest: sarahbeth (eros, la)
Date of Stay: 05/08/11 Review Submitted: 05/16/11

We really enjoyed our experience at 'Gone to the Beach'! Very cute. Weather was perfect. Our two year old had a wonderful first beach experience! I have and will continue to recommend this condo to friends and family!

Owner response:Thank You!

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway.

It was wonderful!

Guest: Sandra (GA)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 04/17/11

It was wonderful! I most definitely will come again! Loved that it was the "off" season...almost like we had the beach to ourselves... My "wittle" puppy dog enjoyed it too!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

... and then there's the view!

Guest: Jessica (New Orleans)
Date of Stay: 04/01/11 Review Submitted: 04/21/11

"Gone to the Beach" encompasses all that is special about Navarre Beach. It is quiet, simple but well-appointed, and steps away from the crowdless beachfront. Future vacation rentals beware - the bar has been set high.

Owner response:Thank You!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

We'll be back!

Guest: John (FL)
Date of Stay: 03/10/11 Review Submitted: 03/15/11

We had a great time at Gone to the Beach. The unit was very clean. We spent a lot of time on the covered porch listening to the gulf. Everything we needed.

Owner response:Glad you enjoyed your stay! Hope you'll be back to enjoy the beach again soon.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wouldn't return

Guest: Sharon (Dothan, Alabama)
Date of Stay: 09/17/10 Review Submitted: 09/19/10

The unit was very quiet and close to the beach. We found that it wasn't clean, the TV, DVD and VCR did not work, there were bleach spots on the towels, the shower curtain was torn and there were roaches under the sink in the kitchen. There were other places around that appeared to be better maintained.

Owner response:Dear Future Renters, I met the guests at "Gone to the Beach" on Sept 17th and the unit appeared very clean as usual. We had bad weather that week and unfortunately the cable was out the 2 days they were there. The guests did not complain or make any comments to me about anything. We showed the tenants how to operate the DVD and I don't have a VCR. I did not know about the shower curtain being torn but would have replaced it immediately had I known. After reading their bad review, I checked everything out. One towel looked faded like it had been washed in beach, the others looked fine and I didn't find any bugs under the kitchen sink. Since then I've replaced the towels and the shower curtain. The people who checked in today seemed to be very happy with the unit. I hope you will disregard the poor review.

Recommended for:

WONDERFUL!

Guest: T and C (Pine Bluff Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 08/22/10 Review Submitted: 08/29/10

The whole vacation was wonderful!. Terri and her staff answered all of our questions any time I called. The room and amenities were perfect for us. The room was clean and well maintained. We enjoyed our grocery shopping (Publix is an awesome grocery store), cooking dinners in the room and just totally relaxing. The covered deck is a pleasant area to sit out day and night and provided shelter from the rain and the sun...we didn't have to limit any of our outside time due to weather. We had a very short walk to the gorgeous white sand beach. Already making plans to return next summer. Thank you again, Terri!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Great Beach Experience

Guest: msociety (Carrollton, Georgia)
Date of Stay: 07/23/10 Review Submitted: 03/22/11

Property owner is the nicest, most accommodating lady. It felt like we were staying in an extension of her home, a quaint studio furnished with all the comforts we could need. The studio is clean, well lit, off-street parking, comfy deck, right on the beach- We're going back again this year if we can get booked-in!

Owner response:So glad to hear you enjoyed Gone to the Beach. I've ordered new patio furniture that I think you & others will enjoy. I'll post the new pictures soon! Look forward to your next visit!

Recommended for:Families with young children

Great Vacation!

Guest: John & Jamie (LA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/10 Review Submitted: 03/30/11

This was the first vacation that we took in a long time. The accomodations were marvelous, with everything we needed during our stay. We really look forward to come back some day. It was much more than what we expected for the price we payed.

Owner response:Thanks for your review!

Recommended for:Pet owners, romantic getaway.

Great Place for A Great Price

Guest: Randy (AL)
Date of Stay: 05/31/10 Review Submitted: 03/30/11

This is a great little place right on the beach. I liked the fact that it was away from all the high rises and it wasn't crowded on the beach. The unit inside was clean and nicely decorated! Looking forward to comming back again this year.

Owner response:Thanks!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

It's unlivable with people upstairs

Guest: griffin (Southeast)
Date of Stay: 05/25/10 Review Submitted: 03/28/11

We headed to the beach for a long weekend and found this listing. The beach was fantastic. The accommodations were not. The apartment itself has a view of a sand dune, not of any water. The space was clean and what we expected. The problems started when the renters upstairs arrived. They were not particularly noisy, it's just that we could hear every sound, every scape of every chair, and every word discussed in conversations. It really cuts into a relaxing evening. After one night of putting up with it, we decided to call the owner. Terri's response to our concerns about the noise coming from upstairs was "Turn the tv up." That was not the goal of our beach vacation. After our conversation with her, we decided to make alternative arrangements with no offer of compromise or compensation from Terri. It's the only place we've ever left. We enjoyed the rest of our vacation in a lovely apartment on the same beach, thanks to the rental office in Navarre.

Owner response:I try to give the best description I can of “Gone to the Beach” so the guests know what to expect. The VRBO ad states , “This studio is the ground floor of a 3 story townhouse.” Of course, there may be people staying in the unit above. When these guests complained of the noise, I suggested they turn the TV or radio on, not up, so they wouldn’t be sitting in a silent room listening to sounds from above. They replied that they didn’t like to listen to the radio or the TV. They just play dominos. I do all I can to make things nice, but some things are out of my control. There is a white sand dune, as shown in the picture of the covered patio, but you can see the Gulf of Mexico above the dune. And as soon as you open the sliding glass doors to the patio, you hear the sound of the surf.

Recommended for:

Guest: Brian and Lisa Graber (-)
Date of Stay: 10/24/09 Review Submitted: 10/24/09

Our stay in the condo was PERFECT! There was plenty of space. Everything was as described if not even better!!! Best vacation we've ever taken! Thank you for sharing your amazing condo with us, Terri! We hope to be back soon!

Recommended for:

Guest: Carrie Grimes (Athens Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 09/27/07 Review Submitted: 09/27/07

Terri, We really enjoyed our visit. It is a great space for two, wonderful location and very nicely decorated. Looking forward to visiting again.

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/26/07 Review Submitted: 05/26/07

I stayed in the studio condo in May, 2007 and is perfect for one or two people. It is clean, tastefully decorated and has everything you need. Nice location in a quiet area. Lovely.

Recommended for: