Travel once looked very different than it does today, and we aren’t talking about the advancements in transportation; we are discussing the way we looked at our vacation accommodations. We tended to feel that our accommodations were nothing more than a place to rest our heads in between adventures, and we learned not to expect much in the way of amenities. Today, the winds of change have blown that outlook straight out of the water, and we look for so much more, expecting our vacation escapes to not just provide comfort but to offer luxury, entertainment, and so much more, a concept that Poole & Associates has grasped on to quite firmly. Read on for an extensive list of the top amenities you can’t miss out on in our Gulf Shores rentals, ensuring that you will enjoy a vacation filled with everything you dreamed of, and more! Here’s what to expect with our Gulf Shores rental amenities.
Ocean Views
An ocean view isn’t something you can touch or feel, but it is something that makes the difference between a wonderful vacation and one that outshines all others, and many of our Gulf Shores rentals with amenities sit right at shore’s edge. You never have to be far from the waters of the Gulf, stopping to peek out the windows of various rooms in your retreat, sighing at the joy and serenity those views will bring. Perhaps your favorite at home activity each evening will be the simplest of ones, sitting out on balconies that offer that ringside view of white sand beaches, blue waters, and the sun that turns the sky to fire every evening at sunset. Raise a toast to Mother Nature’s most impactful performance and perhaps give a little cheer of approval, memorizing the views that you probably will not be able to give justice to in the photos you try to take.
Pet Friendly Rentals
We are starting with the more intangible amenities, the ones that can’t be touched but can definitely be felt, and our next can’t-miss amenity is the ability to bring your favorite fur child on this vacation journey. Our pets are the most loyal of companions, offering unconditional love without judgment or scorn, but when we travel, we often treat them like another chore that needs to be taken care of. Hiring someone to water the plants, gather mail, and oh yes, can you make sure Zoe the pitty has plenty of food and water? Our pet friendly retreats are designed to allow the entire family to join in the excitement and although some companies may offer their less popular properties for this purpose, Poole & Associates don’t offer less popular and you will enjoy all the same comforts, luxuries, and styles, just with your precious pooch making the spaces feel like home.
Fully Equipped Kitchens
The one thing you soon learned, back in the days when everyone stayed at hotels, was that the most expensive part of vacation was the meal portions of your adventures. The math grew complicated as you multiplied the number of people in your traveling party by three meals each, and you couldn’t forget snacks such as ice cream, because what sort of summer vacation in Gulf Shores would one without ice cream be? Fully equipped kitchens in today’s vacation rentals make all the difference, giving us the opportunity to enjoy some of our meals at home, ratcheting the costs downward with each meal. We still encourage guests to explore the culinary landscape of our coastal town, but mixing up dining out with meals at home can take the edge off your vacation budget. Modern and updated appliances take much of the effort out of kitchen duty, especially as most escapes offer dishwashers for easy clean up and even if you just use the kitchen for breakfasts or sandwiches to carry down to sandy beaches for lunch, you will definitely appreciate the difference.
Deep Tubs for Soaking
How many nights have you eased your way into sleep by ending your day with a soak in a deep tub, a book in hand, soft music streaming, and a glass of chilled wine in your other hand? Continue that tradition or start it in Gulf Shores when you rent one of our sanctuaries that offers a deep tub in the en suite bath. Steam showers or multiple shower heads may also be found in our modern and updated baths.
State of the Art Electronics, High-Speed Internet, Office Nooks
The modern conveniences are not overlooked, and whether you are interested in watching your favorite shows while lying in bed before falling asleep, are working on a TikTok video that is sure to get plenty of views, or have decided to take advantage of the work from home culture by working from our homes, we’ve got you covered. Televisions will be large and from this decade, offering crystal-clear pictures that will make you feel like you are sitting on the 50 yard line of the Super Bowl, and yes, they will be in the living room and in most bedrooms of your space. High-speed internet has many uses, of course, and who are we to say that your TikTok dance is more important than your virtual meeting with your boss, especially as we aren’t here to do argue over levels of importance, just to inform you that both will be possible. And some of our sanctuaries may even offer quiet areas set up with office equipment to make your meetings more professionally satisfying.
Board Games, Puzzles, Game Tables, DVDs, and Books
The more lowkey the activities enjoyed with family, the more impactful they can be, and although it doesn’t cost us a lot to provide board games, puzzles, movies, and books for our guests to use, the impact it will have on your vacation will be priceless. There is a relief that can be had from not having to pack games, puzzles, or books cross country, and if you don’t see any DVDs in the cabinets or on the shelves in the living room, chances are the television is a smart one and you can stream whatever you want to watch. Although the majority of our properties are condos, we do offer a few standalone homes and those spacious rentals may provide game rooms with a variety of gaming tables or just a space set aside for one ping pong, pool, or foosball table, giving you more ways to play without having to step outdoors.
Community Amenities
As we just mentioned, many of our Poole & Associates properties are condos, often sitting on the white sands of Gulf Beaches, but if you are worried you won’t have as many amenities as you might in a standalone home, we are happy to put your fears at rest. In fact, when you choose a condo, you are also choosing all the amenities that the community has to offer, ensuring that your vacation will actually be even more fun than it might in a home somewhere.
Community Pool
Some people ask why a pool is important when the Gulf of Mexico lies just steps away, but the reality is that not everyone likes to swim with the creatures that live under the sea. A pristine swimming pool can bring the most pleasure, offering the chance to swim, soak, or simply sit on lounge chairs poolside, sipping margaritas, and desperately wishing that you could win the lottery and live this lifestyle full time. Our condo communities will offer impressively large resort pools, surrounded by those lounge chairs, offering a sun worshipping experience that will never be forgotten.
Community Hot Tub
In warmer climates, the hot tubs aren’t as popular as they are in colder areas, but to us, a soak in a bubbling hot tub is a restorative adventure that we will never be able to enjoy enough, and our condo communities almost always offer one for visitors to use. Some of our best conversations with complete strangers have been held in those hot waters, and on more than one occasion, lifetime friendships have been made. Even better, you won’t feel sad if your only companion is the one you’ve traveled with, enjoying romantic moments that will bring you closer together.
Boat Slips
The Gulf waters provide some of the sweetest fish in the sea, and many of our guests love to spend entire days out on the water, anchors dropped, coolers filled with snacks and beverages, and with the sun beaming down on their fishing adventures. What most guests do not arrive with, however, is a boat and somewhere to park said boat. You could choose to hire a fishing charter, but now it becomes a numbers game. A deep sea fishing charter for 8 hours can cost as much as $1300 or more, and although you will definitely enjoy that experience, you can rent a boat for three full days for nearly the same price. And because some of our condo communities offer boat slips for you to tie your rental to for free, you can spend the same amount of money and spend three times as long enjoying your favorite activity.
Barbecue Grills
Now that you have caught your limit during your fishing excursions, are you going to clean it and fry it up in a pan on the stove of your fully equipped kitchen, or are you going to keep the muss, fuss, and smell to a minimum and prepare it outside, following the cleaning activities by tossing it on community barbecues, letting the scent waft through the community and making mouths waters? We already know your answer will be the latter, and as such, you will be pleased to know that our condo communities often offer barbecue areas for your convenience and dining pleasure. If you rent one of our standalone escapes, you will probably find a propane grill waiting to be used on the back deck of your sanctuary, and the community ones will tend to be charcoal grills, but both will ensure that your dinner will taste absolutely delicious!
Private Pools
One of life’s ultimate luxuries is a nighttime swim, and when you rent one of our Gulf Shores standalone homes, you may also be choosing to enjoy the benefits of a private pool. Greeting each morning with a refreshing swim, cooling off in the night hours with a dip under the glow of the moon, and enjoying pool parties with the family at any time of the day or night. If you do choose a nighttime pool party, however, be sure to keep the noise levels down, as neighbors may be trying to sleep, but being quiet won’t mean you won’t have any fun. The cool and clear waters have fun built right in and promise to be yet another memorable adventure you will remember with fondness when you return home to real life and real life responsibilities.
Joy Is Found Here
After reading through that rather extensive list of amenities, it will be easy to see all the changes that have occurred in vacation accommodations and all the ways we at Poole & Associates have risen to meet the challenge of giving guests more. Our sanctuaries are designed to be an integral part of your vacation experience, perhaps ranking right up there with the sea in the list of things you will miss most. But there is one thing we haven’t really discussed, and that is the warmth and the welcome you will feel from each space you rent. Joy is found here within these walls, joy and an easy going vacation experience that we promise will be even better than you dreamed it could be. Waking up early and watching the rest of the world wake up around you, going to bed late because you and your favorite traveling companion found the balcony overlooking the Gulf irresistible and the conversations you shared addictive. Reserve your favorite Gulf Shores escape today!
