Vacation Rentals by Owner

Ariel Dunes II #502

Guest: Valeriesta (Hide Away Lake, Ms.)
Date of Stay: 05/13/12 Review Submitted: 05/21/12

My daughter and I stayed @ Ariel Dunes beginning May 13, 2012. This was our second visit to Destin. The first time was about 12 years ago with our family of four including my husband, son, and the two of us. This year we wanted a "girls" getaway. I haven't enjoyed myself this much in years. Destin has so much to offer from the laid back (lounging by the beautiful emerald ocean) to the more adventurous (parasailing). We went snorkeling, seashell hunting, and sailing on the Emerald Dancer with crew members Jessie and Tony. Deep sea fishing on the Gulf Breeze with very helpful, attentive crew members Danny and Peter. We rented scooters for an all day excursion of Destin sight seeing, having lunch, bowling, shopping, and playing @ the arcade. Renting a scooter for one day at least is a must. We went to Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin a couple of times..a neat place to go day or night. Took a nice little drive to Panama City Beach to visit friends and on our way back stopped @ Seaside. Parasailed with"Just Chute Me"...crew members Tony and Christian put two very nervous women at ease. Loved it! Not as scary as we thought it was going to be. We went shopping and eating @ HarborWalk a few times. Thursday nights they have a mini air show and fireworks which we really enjoyed. There was a nice little winery close to the condo with free wine tasting. The list goes on. One of our favorite restaurants was Dewey Destin's with fresh seafood caught daily. The accommodations were wonderful. It was our home away from home. There is a fully equipped kitchen which comes in handy for those times when you don't want to go out to eat. A nice size TV in the living room which included several dvd's to choose from for your viewing pleasure. Both bedrooms were nice and roomy with full baths. We enjoyed the spacious balcony several times during our stay. Gorgeous view of the emerald waters. The beach attendants were courteous. We enjoyed the white sandy beach swimming and snorkeling. I never spoke with Emily but did speak to Pat and Rick several times. They provided a list of things to do and see in Destin which was very helpful. Both were pleasant and top notch. I can't say enough. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and look forward to our next stay with the Brown's again, hopefully soon.

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

What a pleasent experience !!

Guest: ben (florida)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/06/11

I had the pleasure of staying in this condo with my daughter and girlfriend, and it was amazing ! The level is just right for privacy, but offers a great view of the pool, and Gulf of Mexico. The Cabana Cafe had amazing food and drinks, and was conviently located on the first floor in the adjascent building. We also ate at the Whales Tail (a beach front bar and grill) wich was a nice 10 min walk along the new boardwalk. The condo was top notch !! ....the bed in the master was like sleeping on air, and the big flat screen tv was great for movies, while delaney (our daughter) was sleeping ...and her cartoons when she was awake. Check in /check out was a breeze, and the folks we rented from really went the extra mile to please us. No doubt we will definatley rent again !!!!

Owner response:Hey Guys, Thanks for your kind words. We also love the 50" plasma for the days when it's not picture perfect weather in Destin. (of course there were only 3 this year :-) Did you know the restaurant offers room service if you want to be really sorry. Again thanks for putting your trust in us. Pat and Emily

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Destin - The Last Week of Summer Break!

Guest: Sammy (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 08/29/11

Staying as guests of the Brown family in their Ariel Dunes condo was fantastic! We couldn't decide if the last week before school started back would be a good week for us to vaca in Destin or not. We spoke with owner Pat, and his wife, Emily. Upon their suggestion - we were ready to go for it. Everything aspect of that particular week and their condo and property location was more than we dreamed of. Back to school shopping was the one thing I wanted to accomplish while "away from it all". That worked out superbly. The world's biggest designer shopping mall is right across from where we stayed! I got all the kids outfitted - taking advantage of great promos including Florida's NO TAX weekend :0) You should check out ChristianCondos. net we're sure glad we did. And to recap ... the last week of summer will be our official vaca week from now on!

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

Ariel Dunes II

Guest: Rick and Lynn
Date of Stay: 08/15/11 Review Submitted: 08/30/11

We wanted to let you know just how much we enjoyed our recent stay at Ariel Dunes. The Seascape Resort is magnificent and had everything we needed for our trip. We golfed in the mornings and lounged at the pool and the beach during the afternoons. We were even able to squeeze in a little shopping at the Silver Sands outlet mall just down the street. Your condo is very well maintained and everything was just as you described. We look forward to coming back again-real soon. Thanks again.

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Best Trip to Destin Ever...Can't Wait to go back!

Guest: RobWeave (Des Arc, Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/21/11

Everything in the listing was exactly the way it was described. Photos were accurate...place was actually even better in person. Very clean and well maintained. The owner went above and beyond to make sure our needs were met. Called to check on us when we arrived and gave us all necessary information. I would definitely recommend this property to friend and family. It was great to be able to go down to the pool on a couple of days when the beach had a lot of seaweed, but then we were back to the beach. The Whale's Tail restaurant is just across the street, Pompano Joe's is just down the street, along with several beach shops and Destin Commons is very close. We had no complaints!

Owner response:Hey Rob, We're so glad you were pleased when you arrived. We want the place to be how we would like to find it if we were arriving ourselves. We really like helping people explore and find all the "local" fun places. Even though Destin has the World's most beautiful beach and clearest waters, sometimes after a storm out at sea we do get a day or so of water that's only as nice as other beaches are on their normal days :-) But since we have 4 great pools and Destin has so much more to offer it gives you some time for exploring all the other stuff to do (great shopping, golf, restaurants, parks, trails, theaters, museums, etc) Again, glad you had a great time and look forward to hosting you again sometime. Pat and Emily

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Very very nice and relaxing

Guest: Jessika (Oxford, AL )
Date of Stay: 05/05/11 Review Submitted: 05/12/11

It truly was like staying at home away from home. It was very modern and nice. Conveniently located to everything. We will definately stay here again!

Owner response:Hey Jessika, Great to hear from you Jessica. We're so glad you chose to stay in our family's condo. You are right, there is just too much to do here for just one visit. We look forward to being your hosts again soon. Thanks again, Pat and Emily

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

Luxury Condo with Great Views...

Guest: Lynn65 (Tallahassee, FL)
Date of Stay: 04/10/11 Review Submitted: 09/06/11

The views are fantastic from the balcony - you can see the ocean and the lake! We stayed mid-week in April and had such an enjoyable time. The zero-entry pool with waterfall is fun and being able to get lunch and a beverage from the cafe made it a true resort experience! The short walk to the beach is quite easy. We even played a round of golf on morning - simply walked out of our room and onto the course. The condo is really spacious and professionally decorated (had granite countertops and stainless appliances). I really enjoyed the stay and hopefully will be able to book again.

Owner response:Lynn, Thanks for the kind words. We take great pride in how well we maintain this unit, as well as our other three condos. Like you, we also enjoy being able to walk out the front door and being right on the golf course. Thanks again for letting us help you with this trip, and we look forward to helping with your next Destin vacation. Pat and Emily

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

Ariel Dunes Condo- Tina's Review

Guest: Tina (Alexandria, LA/United States)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

We stayed at the condo in September 2010 and loved it! Everything was very nice and Pat & Emily were very helpful! We will stay again!

Owner response:Thanks Tina, We look forward to hosting you guys again! Pat and Emily

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

Guest: Andra
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

We just wanted to say we love ALL your condos. We have been fortunate enough to stay in all four at different times over the last couple of years. Each one offers something special and we would be hard pressed to say which is our favorite! They offer shopping, beach, pools and entertainment. Each is special in its own way. Can't wait to make our next reservations.......hmmm.......maybe Azure this time?!

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Guest: Kalli & Chris
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

----- Original Message ----- To: Kalli How thoughtful you are to have sent the precious card. Few folks take the time and effort to follow through on their good intentions and we simply want you to know "your goodness touched us"! I will enjoy inserting your card in our guest book at Ariel Dunes the next time we get to go ourselves :0) We are glad with a bit of effort we were able to achieve the three way switcharoo allowing your family to be all together this August. With God, all things are possible :0) Hope we can take part in facilitating your beach reunions for years to come. Blessings - Pat and Emily

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Guest: Jestina
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

Thank you so much!! I know it is a long time till July but I am so excited!! :) Thank you again! Tina

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Guest: Sue of Hope, Arkansas
Date of Stay: 11/25/09 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

If asked for our Favorite Place to Stay while in Destin … hands down it’s through the Brown family! They have 4 different condos in the area – each one uniquely different. We’ve been Pat and Emily’s guests in three of their fabulous condos and plan to try the 4th over the holidays! All are CLEAN, in great locations and they have made these home away from homes everything we could dream of. Check them out via their website http://home.comcast.net/~DestinRentals – We happily refer this Christian families condos!

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Guest: Liz
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

----- Original Message ----- From: Elizabeth Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 12:50 PM We wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed staying in your condo. It was so nice and roomy with all the kids I Knew we would not be able to stay in a hotel and feel comfortable. Thanks for all the recommendations, it was just so beautiful with so much to do and see. We will definitely be going back and I will recommend you. Thanks so much, Liz Owner Response: Thank you Liz for the sweet note! We are so happy you and your family had an amazing time :0) And are especially glad you hope to vacation with us in the future! Thanks also for spreading the word of your discovering The Brown's Destin Beach Rentals with family and friends.

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Guest: Irina
Date of Stay: 05/12/09 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

On behalf of our whole group, let me say THANK YOU! for our wonderful vacation. Everything was great, the condo was very comfortable, the weather was nice. We had a great time! It was our friends' first visit to Destin and they loved it! Thank you again!

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Wonderful condo!

Guest: Lynn65 (Tallahassee, FL)
Date of Stay: 08/12/08 Review Submitted: 07/22/11

This was a last minute rental and it was worth it. The condo was extremely well-appointed, comfortable and clean. The master bedroom and bath are extremely nice. The girls shared the 2nd bedroom and the boys shared the bunks. Kitchen had everything we needed. It was a bit rainy when we visited so we spent limited time at the pool/beach. Pool, though, is zero-entry and fun. Building had a small bar that made good drinks. Short walk to beach. Golf course right outside the front door and we played with a discount. Nice course. Close to shops, restaurants and bowling for the kids! All in all, I would definitely stay here again. You can tell the owners are very conscientious about the upkeep of their condo.

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