Checking in/checking out

Our unit at The Wharf was managed by Meyer Real Estate in Gulf Shores. Although the unit's door lock was electronic, Meyer required us to check in in person at their office in Gulf Shores.  This proved to be less of a problem than we anticipated, since their office was an easy, short drive up Canal Rd.  The check-in even saved us a few dollars, since we took highway 59 into Gulf Shores instead of the Orange Beach Expressway, which I don't think saves you as much time as you think; it is an "expressway" in name only.

There are 2 parking garages, a right and a left one, and it is important that you know which one your assigned parking spot is in.  We asked when we checked in this time, but last year we didn't know to ask, so had more difficulty finding our spot. It may sound minor, but your assigned spot is on the top level of the garage, so you will drive around a fair bit looking for your spot before you discover that you're in the wrong place.

The Wharf provides carts for transporting all your stuff from your car to your condo.  This is very convenient when you're traveling with children, since you will no doubt have lots of extra, loose stuff to get into your apartment.  There are loads of carts, so even if you're checking in at peak time, as we were — first Friday evening of spring break — we had no problem obtaining one.

The Wharf - mini vacation

Our daughter's competitive cheer team was signed up for a cheer competition at the Wharf.  It was also scheduled the same time as spring break. We decided to plan a mini vacation at the wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama.

I began investigating booking a condo 4 nights. The VRBO websites required 5-7 day minimums. I saw an ad for Meyers Real Estate. I gave them a call. They were able to book a 4 night stay.  The rental was $729. They add on taxes, cleaning fees and resort fees. The total was $1,156.

Big question, was it worth it?

Yes, the condo was unit 419 with 3 bedrooms and three bathes. It was very clean, well decorated, comfortable beds and  lots 

Here is the link to rent this unit - http://www.meyerre.com

Bathrooms - The Wharf Unit 419

Master bath is really large. Tons of counter space for getting ready.

You will need to bring a hair dryer, soap and shampoo.

They provide one roll of toilet paper per bathroom. Depending on your length of stay,

You may need to bring extra rolls of toilet paper.

There is a Dollar General right down the road if you forget anything.

They are very generous with clean towels for your stay.

The master shower is huge. The hot water never ends.

Perfect for those who love a relaxing hot shower.

Bedrooms - The Wharf Unit 419

The twin beds were perfect for David's mother and sister. 

The kids took the queen size bed. 

Made sure they both had their favorite pillows and stuffed animals.

Pros - mattress very soft

Cons - light show on Main Street every night from 9 -10 with loud music.

There are no dust mite covers on the mattress. 

You may need to bring one from home if your child suffers from 

Dust mite allergies and asthma.

Kitchen - The Wharf Unit 419

Nice kitchen, fully stocked with pots and pans, toaster, coffee pot, 28 bottle wine cooler, gas range, microwave and oven. The refrigerator was big enough for all the food we brought.

The dishwasher worked well. Plenty of counter space for setting up a lunch buffet.

What do you need to bring from home? 

Extra dishwasher powder or tabs. 

Dish towels

Extra roll of paper towels

We brought our own Keurig from home.

I am a little spoiled with k cups. 

Paper plates for lunch.

                         There is a Dollar General right down the road if you forget anything.

Living Room - The Wharf Unit 419

Relaxing living room for drinking coffee in the morning. 

Watching movies before bedtime with the kids.

The room has a roku box. The kids could watch netflix.

We all watched the Avengers.  

The Oasis

The pool at The Wharf, called The Oasis, is very good. It is a short hike from the condominiums — not a bad walk, but they run a shuttle from the condos to the pool if you prefer. With a 10- and 8-year-old, the walk from our unit — which was on the far side of the building from the pool — was absolutely no problem. In fact our youngest, Paul, was out in front wanting us to hurry up.The condo issues an electronic card-key to get into The Oasis. On Saturday when we went, there was also a registrar at the gate who wrote down our unit number and number of people, to prevent, I suppose, guests from bringing too many guests. We inquired how many people we could bring: He asked how big our unit was and we told him 3 bedrooms plus a sofa-bed for 8 total; he said he'd allow "about 10," so it sounded like he might be flexible about that 11th. On Monday when we went, there was no such attendant, and we gained free admittance by scanning our card-key. It should be noted that the rental management charges a $150 fee if you lose your card.Amenities at The Oasis:

• Wave pool
• Lazy river
• Rope climbing bridge
• In-water basketball hoops
• A tunnel and waterfalls
• Water slides (these are designed for smaller kids)
• Jacuzzi
• Several zero-entry entry points into the pool
• Ample inner tubes for floating around the lazy river
• Ample lounges, chairs, and tables
• A bar, which serves alcoholic drinks
• Sand volleyball
• Sand island with palm trees and hammocks (currently off-limits, however, as they have had to replant the palms due to the unusual severe freezing Orange Beach got this past winter)

The Oasis does not have a lifeguard on duty, and for the worriers among you who always need to keep an eye on your children, The Oasis does not provide such a vantage point, but the maximum depth of the pool is 3 feet, so you have little to worry about.

Pictures

Lazy river:

Wave pool:

Rope bridge (with basketball hoops behind)

Water slides:

Fountain at smaller children's pool: