Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great Condo & Location

Guest: Educators from KY (Clay,KY)
Date of Stay: 04/04/12 Review Submitted: 04/12/12

Islands Wind West #472 is a great condo and conveniently located near many great restaurants and fun places to visit. The owners are very helpful in all your rental questions. I would recommend this condo to family and friends. Gulf Shores is a beautiful place to vacation.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

seafood and sun

Guest: Andy (Channahon Illinois)
Date of Stay: 03/11/12 Review Submitted: 03/28/12

Had a great time at the condo. Very comfortable and close to everything. Dicks list of eaterys is right on the mark. Our favorites where #1 Steamers #2 Mikees and #3 Shrimp Basket. Wil return if vacation time allows. Thanks again Dick & Lynn

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Dan and Venita, Foristell, MO

Guest: venita39 (Foristell, MO)
Date of Stay: 12/30/11 Review Submitted: 03/25/12

Dick and Lynn, thank you very much for sharing your condo with my husband and myself this passed Winter. We had a great time during our stay and are looking forward to returning next year. We especially enjoyed the location as well as the wonderful view of the ocean and beach from the condo. Since we have been to Gulf Shores the passed three Winters, we have to say that your condo has the best location that we have stayed in. We love the fact that there are a number of golf courses within a short drive of the condo as well as a number of good eating establishments.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Christmas Vacation in this Condo!

Guest: Rena (Little Rock)
Date of Stay: 12/25/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

Thank you for sharing your beautiful condo with me this Christmas. I love the location and the furnishings. Your correspondences and communications were always helpful and pleasant. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. You had the best rates and the perfect accomodations for me and my family. You are a very kind couple.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Anniversary GetAway

Guest: Tim Benson, Nashville
Date of Stay: 12/16/11 Review Submitted: 12/23/11

Dick, just wanted you to know we had a wonderful time. Your condo was great, the view was spectacular. Enjoyed your Email with Helpful Tips. Myla and I had our Anniversary Dinner at the Voyager!!! You were right. it was a pampered dining experience. The food was fabulous.

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Great Vacation

Guest: Mary the Nurse (Grove Hill, Al)
Date of Stay: 09/06/11 Review Submitted: 09/12/11

A wonderful 6 days in this condo. Very clean and comfortable and had the feeling of being at home. Island Winds West has a great "family" atmosphere. Beach view is spectacular. Saw several dolphins while watching from the balcony. Close enough to hear the waves really well. Went on the beach several times to feed the seagulls popped microwave popcorn. Visited the nearby zoo and also played mini-golf at the zooland course. We always enjoy the homestyle lunches at the nearby DeSoto's Seafood Kitchen. Daily lunches feature a meat, 2 veggies, fresh baked bread and drink for $7.25 on weekdays and $8.25 on weekends. Good variety of meats and sides to choose from. Plenty of nearby food and activity choices. We visit Gulf Shores several times a year but this was our first stay @ Island Winds West. We have already reserved this unit again & are looking forward to a return trip in November. Owners are a pleasure to deal with and don't tack on extra fees like a realty company. Very reasonable rates. Thank you Dick & Lynn for sharing your condo.

Owner response:It is very gratifying that guests like our condo and it's location directly on the beach, where you canhear the surf, without having to look sideways at the Gulf or cross the highway like in the condo we used to own. There is a great family atmosphere, and we also think is is very romantic for just the two of us, or for a girls only vacation or a quiet seniors vacation.

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

Best beach vacation ever

Guest: Margo (St. Louis, MO)
Date of Stay: 08/11/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

Dear Dick and Lynn, Your Condo unit on the 4th floor is amazing. It has everything anybody could want for the perfect beach vacation. Beach chairs, towels, umbrellas for the chairs, and even a net and big bucket to go crabbing. I wanted a place to stay that was quiet, clean, bright and easy access to the beach. Your place was all of that and more. The bright blue and yellow colors throughout the condo were amazing and uplifting. The artwork made it feel like a home, instead of the sterile look of other places.the kitchen was well stocked and made it easy to make my meals. Your place is truly a comfortable home away from home with the added benefit of having the gulf at your fingertips. The balcony is such a special place; can be used for dinner, for cocktails, for reading, or just gazing into the gulf and watching the worrld go by. Gulf Shores, AL is a great place with good food, long beaches, nice breezes, and a relaxed atmosphere. Thanks so much for providing it all.

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

May 2011 Beach Trip

Guest: Princess (Normandy, TN)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 06/14/11

This was our first time stay in Gulf Shores. We loved it, it was private, quiet and so convenient to everything. We loved being able to walk to so many places. The condo is fabulous! It was so roomy and it had everything we needed. We also loved the balcony with the bar stools and table. We were able to sit above the rail and see the ocean perfect. We hope to come back soon and stay in this condo! Randy and Tina Prince, Normandy, TN

Owner response:This reviewer reminds us how roomy our condo feels, especially in the main living areas of Kitchen and Dining and Living Rooms. Our dining table can accommodate six comfortably, with three more on the barstools at the counter. The mention of barstools on the balcony is something that we fail to point out in our review. The chairs are barstool height, so you can see the Gulf beach and surf above the balcony railing. We are very happy to introduce newcomers to Gulf Shores, and look forward to our own return visit soon.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Relaxing Vacation

Guest: beachlover (Adger,Al)
Date of Stay: 04/28/11 Review Submitted: 05/13/11

My first prioity when looking for somewhere to stay is cleanliness. This unit was CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!! Which meant I could start relaxing immediately. It is in a great location with one of the best views on the beach from the very large balcony. The owners were a delight to work with. You can't go wrong by staying here.

Owner response:Our friend Cindy Jackson cleans our Home-away-from-home for us. She is very particular and works very hard to clean the unit to her high standards. Most of our guest treat the unit as they would their own and they keep it tidy and take out the trash. They also take care to rinse off and wash off the sand before coming back from the beach. We very much appreciate any efforts that can help Cindy, especially on turn-around days when one guest moves out and another moves in.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A beautiful place to vacation!

Guest: Leisa (Cornelia, GA)
Date of Stay: 11/20/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Our family was blessed to spend Thanksgiving 2010 in this beautiful condo! This is truly one of those places where all you need is food and clothes. The owners were extremely helpful with providing local information and answering questions. They have also provided beach toys and chairs as well as a well stocked condo. Our children enjoyed the games while I read one of the books on the beach. The property is so close to the heart of Gulf Shores that we walked to some restaurants and shops. The property manager was helpful as well. We enjoyed the workout room daily. I would highly recommend this property to others. We hope to visit again ourselves in the future! This is definitely a great deal on a great condo!

Owner response:We are so happy that so many guests love our second home as much as we do. We too had a great Thanksgiving there one year. Perhaps it helps to be right on the beach, not a side unit. Also, the short walk to the Gulf Shores Steamer and other restaurants and shops near the T intersection of Hwy 59 and the beach road helps also; not to mention the extra room on the balcony and in the living areas as a result of the extra room of an end unit.

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

One of best locations on beach!!

Guest: Mama T (Albertville)
Date of Stay: 09/23/10 Review Submitted: 05/13/11

We had an awesome time on this vacation. The condo has all the furnishings anyone could possibly ever need, not lacking in anything for a great beach vacation. Second floor, cornor unit, great view, and walking distance to shopping and dining. Perfect location for all beach concerts. We even had a fox to visit everynight between the parking lot and beach access, it was awesome!!!!

Owner response:We take great pride in providing a vacation home furnished to held our guests enjoy their stay. Last year we witnessed the Jimmy Buffet Concert right next to the island Winds Condos on the beach. Our view of the beach and surf is great. Because of the sand dunes between us and the water, it may look like we are on the second floor, while our floor is actually fourth. We are looking forward to seeing a fox on the Dunes on our next stay!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Excellent condo!

Guest: mommy2jhe (Alabama)
Date of Stay: 09/23/10 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

This condo was perfect. The views are awesome and we had everything we needed. My kids loved all of the extra sand toys that are available in the condo. I would recommend this condo to anyone and plan to go back for my next trip!

Owner response:We are so glad that so many of our fabulous guests like our condo as much as we do. We try to spend as many weeks as we can at our Beach Condo, and it never seems like enough!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Bob and Carol from Webster Groves, MO
Date of Stay: 09/12/10 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Dick and Lynn we really enjoyed our three weeks in September in your condo. With those high chairs on the balcony you can see over the railing perfectly. I could sit out there forever. You have a perfect location. We walked to almost everyplace we wanted to go. Thanks again for letting us rent your condo Bob

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The perfect Gulf Shores condo!

Guest: Meg (Atlanta)
Date of Stay: 08/13/10 Review Submitted: 05/11/11

This condo was perfect for our trip to Gulf Shores! The location is very convenient, yet not too loud or over-crowded. You can easily get to the beaches, local restaurants and attractions without any trouble. The condo accomodations are very comfortable and well-maintained, so if you want to spend some time relaxing indoors, it is a nice place for that for that, too.

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

Guest: Joseph and family from Arkansas
Date of Stay: 07/04/10 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Hi Dick! We had a wonderful vacation at Island Winds West in Gulf Shores. We listened to your Nephew, Wes Loper, play at LuLu's. He is a great musician! We had crab claws and a crabmelt sandwich at LuLu's which was wonderful. We ate Royal Reds and grilled Pangus at Bahama Bob's, very tasty...they don't serve Amberjack anymore:( We had the best gumbo ever at Tacky Jack's in Orange Beach...and the best fried crawfish tails too. Of course we can't forget the "all you can eat popcorn shrimp" at the Shrimp Basket...by far the best deal on the beach for $9.99. We also enjoyed music and drinks at the Hangout. We spent 4th of July at The Wharf listening to a concert. They put on a great show and the fireworks show was the best we've ever seen. We thoroughly enjoyed your condo. The view was awesome. We have been coming to Gulf Shores for almost 30 years and it broke our hearts to think about the beaches and ocean in danger from the BP well, but it didn't keep us from having a great time. Thanks again for renting to us.....The xxx's from Arkansas Owner comment: We spent August 2010 on the beaches and reply to inquiries with the photos to show the clean beach and water.

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Great Spring Break

Guest: Hilary (Huntsville, AL)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 02/07/11

Great Spring Break 2010. First time to Gulf Shores. We had the spacious master bedroom, 2 teen girls on the sleeper sofa, and 2 4th grade girls in the bunk room, we even had 1 extra bed. 1 bath for adults, 1 for kids was perfect! Lots of beautiful views from the balcony, we could even wave to the girls when they were at the beach and we were back making sandwiches. Beautiful beaches, not as crowded as Destin. Very safe, the girls roamed freely. Beach toys and some chairs are provided. Condo has an open feel with stairs or elevator to ground floor. Nice to have the pool on the beach side! Very laid back vacation. Can't wait to come back for 2011!

Owner response:We have been very fortunate to have such wonderful guests who appreciate our little slice of paradise. It brings us great pleasure to be able to share the joy of our second home, and we are very grateful that these and almost all of our guests treat it as their second home, too.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Guest: Anne
Date of Stay: 05/14/09 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Dick, Just wanted to touch base with you and let you know how much we enjoyed our trip. The condo was awesome, and we took your recommendations on some restaurants and they were great too. We all had a great time on our trip. I would like to hopefully stay there again in the future. Also, I have had a couple of people ask about the condo, I told them how great it was, and they may be interested in staying there this summer as well. Is it okay to give out your number? I am assuming so, since it is on the website. Thanks for everything. Anne

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