Our Pad to Crash for Her Last Splash!
I recently stayed in Joanna and Mayer’s Las Olas House. I planned a trip for eight women for my cousin’s bachelorette weekend. Bad weather significantly delayed our arriving flight. By the time we checked into the home, with the key code, it was 3am. I was notified a few days prior to arrival that minimal supplies would be provided. My delay meant retiming my grocery delivery for the late morning. But, I knew I was to have 1 roll of toilet paper per bathroom. It was very disappointing, after a difficult travel day, to have to ration one, half used, roll of toilet paper among my tired group.
The lack of supplies (hand towels, paper towels, kitchen sponge, garbage bags, toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, etc.) was problematic. Even the smallest quantity I could buy, left extras that I could not take home. I saw this as a wasteful expense. Perhaps the nightly rate could be increased or an add-on package could be offered by the host so the necessities mentioned above could be included for guests staying a short period of time.
The house is on a safe tucked away street. The home’s charm comes from the loving restoration which has maintained the 1920s Florida beach cottage feel. However, old homes have their drawbacks, notably with lighting (although natural light was plentiful) and temperature control.
The host’s up-to-date decor choices match the current trends for a shabby, beachy vibe. There were various types of seating, a large dining table plus ample shelves, mirrors and hooks; all pluses when traveling with a large group of women looking to prep for the evening then gather at the table or in the living room to wrap the night or start the day (or film a few TikToks!). The house was also very clean with very minor wear/damage and the bedding and towels were also well laundered.
Most of the bedrooms looked to be created spaces by the host and not necessarily part of the original home. They varied significantly in size, bed type, road noise level, temperature, lighting and storage. Dividing up sleeping arrangements could be a challenge if you are not traveling with very close friends or members of your family. I also would not recommend using the loft area at all which would reduce the number the home can sleep.
The Keurig was finicky, as other reviewers have mentioned. Getting a new one would probably be a wise and nominal investment. Once the coffee was able to be made there were not enough mugs for all of the guests.
The a/c seemed to be on the fritz throughout the entire home at one point. The host was fast to respond to me and sent a handyman, with my permission, while we were out. He installed a freestanding window unit in the front living room. It did the job but was noisy and killed some of the aesthetic.
I was surprised to see that some critters wanted to join our party! Roaches were found throughout the weekend, both dead and alive, in the bathroom, kitchen and on the front door/porch. I know that the climate and dense vegetation are perfect habitats for these bugs. So it seems the only way to address this issue would be for the host to begin or increase a regular extermination program.
There is a 24 hour 7-11 just a 3 minute walk from the house. It is moderately stocked with items you may have forgotten, has a large selection of liquor, plus brewed coffee available (no other coffee shop is as close). Just beyond the 7-1 1 are a couple of breakfast, lunch and dinner dining options. Also very nearby is the Tipsy Salon Bar. A member of my group walked there one morning for a wash and blow-dry. She highly recommends it - ask for Hashem!
While originally booking this home for its walkable location, I came to rely on Ubers as the primary mode of transportation. Fort Lauderdale is large and the “must-dos” on our list were spread out. The home is in an easy to find spot one block off a main Fort Lauderdale thoroughfare. So the Ubers never had trouble finding the home and always arrived quick. The trips to the hotspots were short and reasonably priced. In cooler weather a walk up and down the adjacent Las Olas Boulevard could be fun for shopping, dining and sightseeing. When ordering UberEats and using other delivery services there also were no issues in finding the home making arrival time adequate.
I expected the generous 12pm check-out time to work well for my last day. Then my flight was delayed. As soon as I was notified of the change by the airline I reached out to the host for options. It was nice of her to allow us full use of the home for a complimentary 1.5 hour grace period.
Having now been a guest at Endless Summer I have come to find that many of the reviews here are accurate. If the reviews and photos help you to check your boxes… then I see no reason why you shouldn’t to book here.