Best place in Port A!
We've been here three times, all summer, with various groups of families and friends, and it's been wonderful each time. It has to be the biggest pool at Port A (plenty of shade two for the grandkids!), the two hottubs are huge and always work (and host an amazing cast of characters to visit with, esp. late at night), and the views (esp. the rooms with beach/pool views) are to die for. You can see exactly the view from ur room with the webcam of each unit on the hotel's website...gives interior views too. Teh furniture is pretty, decor in rooms nice, beds comfy.. some rooms have queens some kings-- a few murphy beds so if you don't want that specify. also some have couches or futons so you can have more folks in to sleep over. Covered parking for some cars (if you get there firstI), nice laundry room if you stay awhile (close to pool so you can sun while you wash!). Front desk folks nice. Check out how cheap it is to stay for amonth after Septl 7...may have to do that! It is hot over the summer at Port A but the beach is right down their boardwalk, which has an amazing turtle pond just FULL of huge turtles that swim up to be fed! Close to the action in Port A (restaurants and pier)I but far enough out to feel a little more on the wild side than say the Dunes. We set up our UT canopy on the beach at the end of the boardwalk and left it all day...came and went and nobody bothered anything. I would definitely recommend taking shade!!! Let's all pray oil doesn't hit our beloved port a beaches! p.s. while ur in town, check out my cousin's wonderful homestyle cooking at frankies kitchen on tarpon st., across from Tarpon Inn, open fri through sun 7 a.m. to 3 pm. breakfasts, desserts, seafood, meat loaf, chicken and dumplings, etc. to die for! I'm surprised no one else has written in anything lately about Sandcastle...maybe we're all being greedy about a great find, but heck they've got a lot of rooms! They do book early tho I've noticed, but some of the nonpool side (southern exposure) rooms have a great view of the beach and a kind of new englandly landscape of marshes and cool painted beachhouses....these lesser views seem to be available more often. Of course avoid the parking lot views! The front desks folks are nice and are knowledge; we rode out the hurricane and they kept us from worrying too much! (had tequila and played Texas Hold 'em with all the folks in our party...who were in four separate rooms....while we watched the water obliterate the beach road! A little scary!) Anyway, for goodness sake stay here, have fun and tell 'em Michelle from Austin sent you!