My husband summed the house up perfectly, ¨This place is almost great.¨
As promised, it is in the center of town and the pool area is fantastic. The street itself, however, is rather like a small alley and tends to be a cut-through after the bars close. Two of the bedrooms face the street and it can be loud. Each morning we would find trash on the window sills and in the front of the house.
The street itself leads to the marina parking lot so if you are looking for a quick trip to the the beach then expect a 4 to 5 block walk to a spot that is without boats (and their fuel), with chairs and a nice swimming spot.
Inside the house the living room furniture is worn, the wood warped from use and the climate. The kitchen was moderately well-equipped, but expect that most of the equipment is second hand. I am all for reusing and reducing waste, especially on an island, but I would appreciate a morning coffee mug that does not have pictures of someone else's family or that isn't the size and shape of a large glass jar. This is a holiday after-all!
Separately, there were no window coverings in the bathroom which both face the pool. This meant that if you were showering and someone was in the pool area they could see you from the waist up. Fine for me, but not so much for my teenage daughters. Management did send someone to look at this and the back door which had no lock at all. We were told to hang towels on the windows. Then, after coming dangerously close to explaining to me how a lock works, the company representative did indeed realize that there was not a working lock and said he would report it back. We heard nothing further about this.
As the house is on an alley, it really isn't possible to open everything and enjoy any potential breezes or outside air through the house. In fact, one of the only instructions left was to make sure that everything (including the metal shutters on the front) are closed even if you leave the house for a very short period of time. As a result, the rooms are stuffy, dark, and all cabinets smell like mildew when opened. I was specifically told that the house was in use directly before we arrived so I assume this is not from being closed up for some time.
In sum, this house was a disappointment. You're paying a premium for the pool and central location only. For this price I at least expect an updated interior and some matching dinnerware. Next time I'd prefer a place less central with the ability to open the windows without feeling like I needed to be locked in for my safety or just for quiet from the busy street.