We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The unit has a wide balcony with a spectacular view of the gulf. Access to the beach is via a boardwalk that passes over native grasses. Exiting the condo, you can be on the sand in five minutes, tops.
The unit was very clean and nicely decorated. The master bedroom has a king size bed and a beautiful view through sliding glass doors that we opened at night to enjoy the sound of the surf. The second bedroom has two queen size beds.
Our top priority was a view of the gulf and close access to the beach. If yours includes watching the sun sink into the gulf from the balcony, you will be disappointed, at least in October, as the building blocks the view. You can, of course, walk down to the beach to get the full experience.
We liked the fact that Emerald Surf is not a mega-development. It is only five stories tall, with the unit on the third floor, which was perfect. There is a large complex about 100 yards to the east of Emerald Surf, but to the west there are none so the beach is not crowded.
The biggest disappointment was the balcony furniture which consisted of inexpensive plastic chairs (surprising for such an otherwise upscale property) that are uncomfortable (reclining is not an option) and not suitable to sitting for long stretches. Also in the negative category is the master bath that is dated and in need of some TLC. And, shockingly, there are no recycling bins on the property. We ended up taking our empty beer cans home, but I am sure that plenty went directly into the dumpster. Despite these relatively minor issues, we will happily return.
Here are some tips. A company called La Dolce Vita handles chair and umbrella rentals for $35 per day. You can reserve ahead of time on their website, or you can contact the attendant by phone on the number posted at the beach. There is no assigned parking. Instead, you will need to display a parking pass, obtained from inside the unit, on your dash to avoid a tow. Best bet for unloading is to park near the elevator and grab one of the carts near the elevator to transport your stuff.
Finally, I will mention the snafu that we experienced with the booking. The way it is supposed to work is that after you provide payment info, the owner has 24 hrs to approve. When we didn’t hear for over 16 hrs, I reached out to Ashley. After a bunch of back and forth with we finally got it done. She told me that this wasn’t the first time she’s had a problem with the app.