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Last week we shared some exciting news over on our Instagram account!  We have expanded Our Little Retreats, our Seacrest Beach vacation rental business, and added a third condo to our Airbnb listings.   I skipped around a little and actually haven’t officially shared a post here about our second unit (a studio condo with bunk beds) that we bought in  February but I am overwhelmingly excited about our new one and want to share all about it here today!  If you are looking for a condo in Rosemary Beach, listen up!  Because while we are actually located in Seacrest Beach, our complex is adjacent to Rosemary Beach, making all of the great Rosemary Beach restaurants and shops only a block or two away!

So, it’s like getting the Rosemary Beach experience but without the Rosemary Beach pricetag.

Before I get started, you can always click here to view all of our vacation rentals on Airbnb and you can also click here to read my other posts about this experience.  I absolutely love being an Airbnb superhost and have learned so much on this journey so far.  I do my best to share my knowledge and be as transparent as possible in my posts here because I know this is a goal for many of you too and I really love being able to help you out!

So, I am very excited to share this one with you.  As you know, The Village of South Walton, a 3-4 story condominium complex in Seacrest Beach, Florida, is my happy place.  We first visited not long after we moved to SE Alabama and then just kept coming back.  We stayed in various vacation rentals and about two years ago actively started considering buying one ourselves.   I love the travel and hospitality industry and just had a nagging feeling that becoming an Airbnb host may be perfect for me.  Plus, we were tired of paying for vacation rentals in Seacrest Beach every time we came down.  There are a lot of small communities to love on 30A and if you are just now learning about the area I have a What Is 30A? blog post with some great general information about the area!

We hemmed and hawed for almost a year before actually buying our first studio condo and in the 18 months since we have added two more to our portfolio.  We weren’t necessarily looking to grow this quickly but it is a very competitive market down there and when we had the opportunity to purchase both #2 and #3 off-market from other owners turned friends, we had to jump on them.  Plus, each one was a little bigger than the next offering something different for our guest and my own family.

I could talk about 30A vacation rentals and Seacrest Beach condos all day long but I know you are here to see our newest one and without further ado, here is the tour!

Our newest Seacrest Beach Vacation Rental

Situated on the 2nd floor and poolside, this 640 sq foot 1 bedroom Seacrest Beach condo is a true gem!

First, there are only 8 one-bedroom units here at The Village of South Walton in Seacrest Beach with only two having a private balcony.  The remainder of the complex consists of studio condos (which we have 2 of) and 3 bedroom condos.

And this particular unit, Our Little Retreats 291, is actually just two doors down from our other Seacrest Beach condos (that also has a balcony) which makes it almost as convenient as adjoining rooms when traveling with friends or grandparents.  This is one of the reasons why I had been wanting to buy this specific unit since last Fall and am so grateful that I got the opportunity.  As I mentioned in this post, we finance our condos and that makes it hard to compete with all-cash buyers who can offer quick closings without a lot of the hoopla that comes along with the finance and underwriting process especially when it comes to non-warrantable condos in Florida.

The previous owner had such great taste and we were able to keep many things the same, and by adding our own touches to it we made it our own and it has stolen my heart.  It’s much more spacious for our family of four than our studio condos and after spending over two weeks there between closing and getting it listed on Airbnb, I actually shed some tears when I had to leave last Sunday.  I think that I could honestly live there and be very happy.   But mom-life called and back to school brought us back home to Dothan, Alabama.

Speaking of mom-life, I wanted to create a place specifically for parents and while our newest condo is perfect for a couple or a family with grade school kids like ours, I wanted it to really work for a family traveling with a baby or toddler.  And since we had extra storage space, I utilized that to provide some extras that I know mothers and fathers would appreciate!  So, as I give you the tour I will point those out as well!

I am rambling again.  Let’s do this!

The Living Room

This space has a true living room with so much amazing natural light!

The TV is a brand new 58″ Roku smart TV and we always have it set up in Guest Mode.  This allows our guests to log into all of their favorite streaming apps and set a checkout date where it will then log them out of everything.  We also have a full lineup of cable TV channels!

We added some of my favorite photographs from years gone by to the space.  The images are courtesy of FloridaMemory.com and the frames are from Target.  The extra-tall windows and patio door let in so much light and I love the view of the turquoise pools shimmering in the sunlight and the red umbrellas inviting you to come down.   The sleeper sofa is fairly new and we were able to keep that along with the coffee table and end tables.

We did, however, purchase a new 4.5″ memory foam mattress for the sofa bed and my kids give it two thumbs up!

Two pillows, sheets, and soft waterproof mattress liners (lifesavers) are stored in the main sections of the cabinet under the TV and we have books and games in the two side areas.

 

As I mentioned above I wanted this space to be baby/toddler friendly so it’s stocked up with the cutest BabyLit board books and puzzles too!

My favorite thing to do when designing a new space is to maximize window light.  In all three of our condos, I have added this iron-rubbed bronze curtain rod and had it expanded a foot beyond the windows in both directions.  This helps make the space feel bigger and lets the light in!

And while these aren’t true blackout curtains, they are light filtering and provide both privacy and dimmed light as needed.

The door to the patio is just off of the living room and leads to our private balcony overlooking the pool.  Also known as, my happy place.  It’s shaded in the morning for your coffee and gets the most dreamy golden sunset light in the afternoons.

The Balcony

I am a sunset kind of gal so being able to see the sunset from our Seacrest Beach, Florida condo is such a highlight! I love the energy of the pool too!  It is really enjoyable for me to see so many families making new memories and just having a great time in a place so near and dear to my heart.

I found the cutest patio set at Homegoods too!

The Dining Area

Ok, I am excited about this dining area! Why?  Because not all studio or one-bedroom condos have them!  It’s easy for a family of 4 to enjoy a meal together.

Plus, there are two stools at the kitchen bar which allows for some extra space for your laptop / work space.

The chairs and table are easy to keep clean which is something that is very important to me as a host!  I will never understand why some vacation rentals have upholstered chairs.

The Bedroom

I don’t know if I have ever been more excited about a bedroom door, but after the 4 of us squeezing into our studio condos, it makes the new one feel like a mansion!   We bought a brand new KING-sized bed and mattress for this beach condo.  And there is also another Roku smart TV in here.

I get asked often about our bedding because it is so soft!  I think it’s the best bedding for a vacation rental because it’s both cozy and inexpensive enough to replace often!  We use this mattress pad,  these sheets, this duvet insert, and this duvet cover in all of our condos.  We have two regular pillows but also make sure each main bed has two of our personal favorite pillows.  These cooling gel pillows from Target are a splurge but we get so many compliments on them.

The condo has one bathroom that is accessible via a main door and also a pocket door from within the bedroom.

And a full-size dresser provides ample room to settle in and store your clothing.   We added a full-length mirror as well!

The Kitchen

Our new Seacrest Beach vacation rental has a dedicated kitchen area!  This includes a full-size refrigerator and a dishwasher.  However, these were not designed to have ovens and stoves  (no ventilation, etc) but I make that very clear in my Airbnb listing and provide several other small appliances for cooking.

I love the layout of the kitchen area!  Particularly that you can still enjoy the pool view when washing the dishes!

Although there is a dishwasher so you don’t have to wash the dishes unless you want to of course!

There is a convection microwave on the counter that allows you to microwave, bake or do a combination.

And we also have small appliances available in our Airbnb.   This includes a toaster oven, two-burner cooktop, full-size coffee maker (a Keurig Mini sits on the counter), a blender, toaster, and a crockpot.

Brand new glassware including Pyrex, mixing bowls, a colander, and more are available.

New plate ware and cups are also included.  I always try to have coffee mugs for morning walks and insulated tumblers that you can take to the pool.  There is an equal mix of melamine/plastic/unbreakable options as well as a full set of ceramic and glass.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is a regular bathroom with a tub/shower combo.  The variety is painted and we just replaced the toilet and all linens.  I have plans to update the counter and tub/shower down the road too!

Making our Airbnb Baby-Friendly

I mentioned before that I wanted our condo to be baby-friendly.  Both to make the guest experience better but also to set me apart in the more competitive off-season.  As an Airbnb host, and in addition to our great reviews, it is important for me to be able to provide something extra to help a guest decide to book with me.   But I also don’t want it to deter couples or families with older kids from booking with us.  So, it’s all tucked away and only noticeable when needed.

Here is a little of what we added for families with babies and toddlers.

A Delta Mini Crib.  This folds up for easy storage when not in use and allows me to have our housekeepers put it out as needed.   We also provide mini crib mattress pads and sheets.

We have an adorable set of BabyLit books for bedtime as well as some puzzles and games.

In a kitchen cabinet, we have a Safety First Booster.  I made sure this was all plastic so that it is easy to clean!  We also have assorted dishes and utensils as well as a dedicated bottle brush.   In a cabinet, within the bedroom, we included a baby first aid kit, a sound machine, and a black-out curtain.  I think this black-out curtain is a travel essential!  It attaches to any window via suction cups and would be beneficial to adults and children.

The crib is small enough that it does fit inside the bedroom or can be used out in the main living space.

The Pool

We love the pool at our home away from home!  Here at the Village of South Walton, we have a large pool deck with two pools.  The deeper one, closest to the building is heated as needed all year, along with the hot tub.  And we also have a zero-depth entry wading pool for small children.  This pool is shallow throughout and is very popular among the little kids!

Having this pool deck just outside of our condo at the Village of South Walton is just awesome!  It makes a quick run-up for snacks (or drinks) super easy and adds to the tropical vibes.

A gate separates the main pool from the toddler pool.  There are also two gas grills located on the pool deck as well as tables for eating.

So, when looking at the H Building here at the Village of South Walton, you can see our balcony.  It’s on the second floor, second from the left.  Such a great location!

Between March and October, our tram stop is located right by the pools and takes you to our deeded beach access.  Or it’s just a short walk away!

Peddlers Pavilion in Seacrest Beach

Our favorite thing about being condo owners at the Village of South Walton in Seacrest Beach is having Peddlers Pavilion right out front!  Sitting there listening to live music in the summer is my absolute happy place.  I have a whole story highlight on our Our Little Retreats Instagram page called MUSIC for you to see for yourself.   I just love watching all of the kids dancing and seeing so many people grinning ear to ear while on their 30A vacation!

Book our Seacrest Beach Airbnb!

We book our condos exclusively on Airbnb (you can read more about why here) and I invite you to read our rave reviews.  You can click here to view all 3 of our Seacrest Beach vacation rentals and check for dates and availability.  It would be a pleasure to host you!  And if you are curious about when to visit and what airport you should fly to, check out my When is the Best Time to Visit 30A blog post and my  30A Airports Guide!

And, are you thinking about becoming an Airbnb host?  Click here to find out what you can earn!

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