Best Beach Getaways | Navarre Properties — Local services in Santa Rosa Island

I have thought hard before posting this review in an attempt to be as fair as possible, as I know that managing properties like this is not an easy job and not one I would want to do myself. Overall, we had what I would call a mixed experience with our condo, and I will explain the pros and cons here so that other travelers might be able to see what matters or doesn't matter to them and make the best decision for themselves. We stayed in the Gulf Island Condominiums during July. PROS: 1. The condominium was IMMACULATELY clean. Absolutely spotless. 2. The condo was the perfect size and layout for us as a couple. 3. The dishwasher worked really well, and the washer-dryer worked well, too (just be aware that the dryer makes a very loud noise when it's done, so don't run it late at night or it will wake you). 4. Location, location, location. The condo is about halfway between the beach and the sound (maybe a little closer to the sound); the sound itself rarely had anyone on it and was, in some ways, just as nice of a beach as the ocean. We really enjoyed snorkeling and swimming in it. Also, there's no building (yet) right next to it, so the view of the sound is totally unobstructed. 5. Most of the people in the Gulf Islands buildings seemed to be actual residents, or at least people who live there for a good part of the year, so it was mostly calm and quiet there. 6. The lady who checked us out at the main office was very kind and helpful. 7. We did not end up using the pool at all, but it seemed nice, clean, and not overly crowded. CONS: 1. Everyone who I had talked to on the phone prior to our arrival was really personable; however, after driving ten hours and finally getting to the rental office, our check-in had the tone of "Welcome to Vacation Gulag." The man working there was pretty severe and unfriendly and slapped down a fairly sizable list of weird little rules (which are not on the website), like how if we don't bring the pool pass back to them and physically hand it to them we have to pay $25 dollars. I understand everyone has a bad day, but it was just a really punitive, grumpy start to the vacation, particularly regarding... 2. The rule about the air conditioner. This is what I think is kind of ridiculous, and from what I understand it applies to all of their units. You can't turn the AC below 72, "or the unit will freeze over, it will have to be repaired, and YOU will have to pay for it." The guy was almost threatening about this. Honestly, if I had known this beforehand, I wouldn't have booked this condo, as both of us "run hot" due to health reasons. We obeyed the rules but, as a result, were never really comfortable inside the condo for the whole week. I think it's kind of crazy to be in Florida and not install AC units that are powerful enough to cool an area below 72 degrees (especially because it seemed to get the hottest in the bedroom where we were sleeping), but that's just me. If this doesn't matter to you, then you'll still have a good time, but I wanted to put it out there because it's not advertised beforehand. 3. The kitchen, in some ways, is well-stocked, but then again is missing some kind of important things like a colander or a baking sheet (so if you plan on cooking, bring your own). 4. You're not allowed to set the fridge below medium and it takes forever to get your food cold. 5. Again, to some people this may not matter at all, but the internet (which was super-slow) only worked for the first two days and was out for the rest of the week; also the TV channels went out periodically, especially if the weather was bad. We did not call this in because we didn't especially need it but, again, I am just putting it out there in case it would matter to other travelers. So, that was our experience – not horrible by any means. We were still grateful for the cleanliness of the unit and especially for its quiet, convenient location, just confused by some other aspects and not really in a rush to...

Arrived at 1AM and checked in to a lovely condo. Unfortunately we were not made aware that work was being done on the complex and we would be without electricity for the entire day. Called the property management company who barely apologized. We were informed there was a sign posted prior to the work being done, however, living 800 miles away would have made viewing any kind of prior notice difficult at best. Management company refused to offer any kind if compensation whatsoever, even after a call and my asking for some kind of refund for what was essentially a non functional condo unit. No AC o. A 90 degree Florida day, no way to cook meals and the food we had brought quickly spoiling...they didn't care and implied it was my fault for not knowing before I came. Asked why we weren't notified if the issue before our arrival the manager simply said there was a sign posted.

Things happen and situations are less than ideal. When a customer or guest is impacted, a caring company or manager will do all they can to make a situation better or to make a customer/guest at least reasonably happy. Had I been given the opportunity, i would have cancelled my stay had I known abiut the lack of power. Since I wasn't given that chance, the offer of a night's refund would have seemed like a fair trade off. Instead u got a perfunctory (at best) apology and and implication that it was my fault for not knowing ahead of time! Since I pre-paid I couldn't check out early and leave or I would have.

Don't recommend booking a property with this company. Their basic inability to provide a good guest experience by notifying guest ahead of time of a significant impact to their stay or making it better once it happened speaks volumes to this company's bottom line: it isn't about the guest experience at all, it's about their own profit, sadly too often the case in our...

We enjoyed our stay in Beachview unit 5. The condo was perfect for our group of 8. It was beachfront with an amazing view. So easy to get to the beach from the lower balcony. Lifeguard was on beach. There’s a balcony off the master bedroom which was very nice. The condo had 2 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and the washer dryer upstairs on the 3rd level. The 2nd level had 1 bedroom and bath, kitchen, dining area, and living space. The first level is the entrance and the garage. In the garage there is 7 beach chairs, 1 umbrella, beach toys, and a grill. These beach extras were so nice to have. There were plenty of linens and towels. There were starters provided but if staying more than a few days you need to get laundry and dishwasher detergent, trash bags, spices, coffee & filters (none were provided). No pantry so you have to put dry goods on the countertop. Kitchen has all major appliances and I’ve maker. Beds and couches were very comfy. AC worked great. Good communication with the company. Only cons were the pool needed cleaning and if you cannot handle stairs this is not the place for you. This did not negatively affect us but be aware of the many stairs. Overall it was a wonderful vacation and I would recommend and...