Emerald Island Vacation Rental condo

This was our 4th trip to Orlando in 3 yrs and the first that we did not stay in a Disney on-site resort. We have previously stayed at the Beach Club Villas, Saratoga Springs Villas and the Caribbean. There were 5 of us. 4 adults and 1 12-yr old child. None of us is handicapped. (If you are handicapped or have trouble going up and down stairs, this is probably not the place for you.)

Pictures are not misleading. What you see is what you get. My e-mails to the owner were quickly answered in a straightfoward, truthful and pleasant manner. I was provided with the owner's emergency contact information prior to leaving on vacation. HomeAway provided me with their advertised guarantee.

This vacation rental is located in a well maintained, neat development with 24 hour security on-site. The on-site staff was pleasant and well-mannered. There are tennis courts, basketball hoops, playgrounds, pools with spas, staffed Tiki Bar, walking trails set around conservation areas, grills and picnic tables.

This 3 bed/2.5 bath townhome is a good rental value. It was a drive through often heavy traffic to get to Universal and SeaWorld; but still a good bargain over other hotel and vacation rental rates.For Disney vacationers, this place is very well located.

Parking is at your front door. There is a lighted front porch.

You walk into a foyer with the 1/2 bath to your right, well-equipped kitchen area to your left, with full sized appliances including dishwasher and disposal. Behind the bathroom to your right is the laundry/utility room with full size washer and dryer. The remainder of the ground floor is comprised of a living/dining combination. Seating is adequate for 6 at the table and there are two barstools at the breakfast counter. There is a sofa bed in the living area along with a love seat. There is a slider to a small covered patio with 2 chairs.

Upstairs there are 3 medium sized bedrooms. The master has an ensuite bathroom with sink, toilet and step in shower only. There is a balcony off the master which is accessed via a slider with additional night lock. There is a hall bath with tub/shower combo. Master has queen size bed with foam topper, the other bedrooms are 1 full bed and 2 twin beds, respectively. There is a stroller and portable crib provided. All bedrooms have t.v.'s, one has a PS2 with some games from 2005. There is a t.v. and dvd/vcr combo player in the living area. High speed internet connnection is by ethernet and it located on top of the entertainment center in the living room. Cord is long enough to use the modem at the dining table or in living area. Internet speed was little slow compared to what I had at home; but was acceptable.

This unit was clean, there were plenty of bath towels (including beach towels) and bed linens, extra pillows and blankets. There were no kitchen linens, oven mitts, hot pads, etc.and there were no wash cloths or face towels.

Management was excellent. We found an appliance problem when we arrived on Friday evening. Repairman arrived by 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Remember this is a self-catering apartment. Expenses over staying in a on-site hotel are ground transportation, washcloths, kitchen towels, laundry detergent (you're required to start a load of towels before leaving), soap for the kitchen and bathrooms, toilet paper, etc. You can buy all of these things at local supermarkets which are very close, well stocked and easy to get in and out. Prices at the Marketplace and Publix were reasonable. Lots of good restaurants in the area also. Great miniature golf courses. And, like most of Orlando, lots and lots of great shopping areas nearby. The bus is quite a trek, so a car is important. If you are flying in and not going to rent a car, this might not be the place for you.

Pool and hot tub are located just over a block away. Tennis center (2 courts, one with basketball hoops) is just outside the gate (about a 3 block walk) along with the dumpster (you're