Lovely condo

Review submitted: March 14, 2013   Date of arrival: February 1, 2013

My husband and I used to be frequent winter visitors to By The Sea Condos but hadn't been back for several years. Always loved this location because of the direct views of the Gulf and the ease of getting anywhere on the Island. This time, decided to use the VBRO and read the reviews on this particular condo-sounded very nice. Our expectations were exceeded when we actually arrived at this condo. Aaron, the owner was very nice to communicate with and very helpful and accommodating. Each time I messaged him with a question, my emails were promptly replied to. The condo was very spacious for the 2 of us with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The beds were very comfortable and everything was very nicely taken care of. The kitchen was very well stocked and decorated like in a design magazine. Very nice. Everything worked fine-the Wii Fi was set up and working and there were two very nice televisions, one in the living room and one in the back bedroom. The views are spectacular from the balcony which is very large. Love the security of the building and parking lot. Would definitely stay here again.

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Great value, gulf front hi-rise

Review submitted: December 29, 2012   Date of arrival: December 14, 2012

Great spot for a weekend visit to the Island - with excellent view of the Gulf for this price. Remodel kitchen baths very nice. Owner is great to work with and very responsive. Time to replace a few lights in bath, and some of the bed linens. Convenient location to both east and west ends of the island.

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

4 night stay prior to Cruise

Review submitted: December 29, 2012   Date of arrival: November 28, 2012

Well pleased!! just as described in the listing - would definitely stay again, very modern with good wi-fi connection. New kitchen and well equipped. Lounge area looks really big due to the mirror walls (the sofa is a bit tired looking but comfortable - can only to be expected as colour is off white, not easy to keep stain free). Bedrooms are well furnished with lovely wall pictures and beds very comfy, bathrooms clean with plenty of towels. Owner Aaron responded immediately to queries Thanks for an enjoyable stay...

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

By The Sea 2 bedrm.

Oceanfront (Spring,Texas USA)
Review submitted: August 25, 2012   Date of arrival: August 19, 2012

We were very pleased with the rental of at By the Sea Unit #805.
Great Location, pool was clean, very private.
I have recommended it to friends and family already. Loved the Tile floors and best of all, sitting on the balcony and listening to the waves.
Great place for relaxation, which was what we wanted.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Unit 805

Dave (sugarland, tx)
Review submitted: July 18, 2012   Date of arrival: July 11, 2012

The 805 unit was very nice, well kept and very comfortable. The owner, Aaron was a pleasure to deal with and very helpful with assisting with my reservation. I would definitely rent this unit again and recommend it to friends looking for a nice condo on Galveston. Unit is close to the main seawall area for anyone wanting to enjoy the area.

The only negative is with the rental managmemnt company, they did not get the number in our party correct (listed 1 person when should have been 4). The rental company took a long delay (days) in sending reservation confirmation. The Condo owner was very helpful in assisting with ecpediting the rental company to send my confirmation.

Finally when I went to check in at the 3 PM time, the Rental Company told me the unit was not ready and the previous renter was still there, which later turned out not to be the case and we were able to get the Condo at the check in time. Overall the expeience I had with the Rental Company was very poor and sub-par. This would be the only reason not to rent the unit due to the grief you have with very poor customer service of the Rental Company.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Excellent Condo!

Allisoningalveston (Houston)
Review submitted: June 29, 2012   Date of arrival: June 20, 2012

This condo was wonderful! It was extremely well stocked and had everything you needed including a great selection of pots and pans for cooking. The Condo was lovely with upgraded flooring, counter tops and fixtures, the residents of the condos were extremely friendly and the staff was a true example of Texas hospitality! It was truly better than what you could ascertain from the photo's! The condo is conveniently located to Moody Gardens and many other attractions and the view of the Gulf is stunning. I have spent a lot of time in Galveston and even lived there for a few years. I must say - I hope to have the pleasure of staying at this unit again in the future! Thanks for helping make my Families trip a success!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Review

Review submitted: March 21, 2012   Date of arrival: February 23, 2012

Hi Aaron, Here are some thoughts we would like to share regarding our time at By the Sea in your condo. • Location and views were excellent • Well-furnished condo • The kitchen was renovated (as advertised) and well stocked with cookware, utensils, dishes, glassware, etc. (We did wonder who would leave a half bottle of red wine and some kernels of popcorn in a bowl for us) • Convenient parking to unload our car in the front and gated parking in the back; security cameras • Very friendly long term residents; helpful and friendly front desk staff Suggestions to consider for future renters: • Mats for the tub and the floor in the bathrooms; stepping out of the tub onto the tile was a little slick • Lock in knob of outside door was sticky Unfavorable Impression of renting through this management company: • Inconvenient office location three miles west of condo; mandatory insurance fees • Management co computers were down when we checked in so payment could not be completed (this happens); we made two additional trips to the office. One on Sunday for which there were posted office hours but no one there; another on Monday when payment was completed; arranged to leave key in condo due to early departure and this info was entered into the computer; we were half way to Ft. Worth when an employee called to ask when we were leaving; this was more interaction with a management co then we would like to have Thank you for sharing your home !

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5

Guest

Review submitted: March 21, 2012   Date of arrival: February 28, 2012

Great view, size of unit exactly what we needed. Beds very comfortable. Appreciated 24 hour security service. Kitchen supplies could be improved and a few large trash bags should be provided. living room furniture needs updating. However, none of this was a detriment to our stay and we would certainly come back! Thanks

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Great Affordable Condo

(Arlington, TX, USA)
Review submitted: March 21, 2012   Date of arrival: March 16, 2012

This condo is very affordable and very nice. We stayed two nights and could not have been more pleased. The condo is very clean and updated and has a lot of space (we were two families). The view of the ocean from our balcony was amazing, I just wish that it was beach across the street from the condo and not rocks. We had to walk only a very short distance down the seawall to get to the beach though.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

By the Sea Comfort

Kcva22 (Woodbridge, VA)
Review submitted: September 7, 2011   Date of arrival: August 24, 2011

The decription of the condo was accurate and no details were spared. I received a response immediately from the owner regarding the condo's availability and he was very professional and answered all my questions thoroughly. The condo is very bright, was furnished with plush, comfortable furniture....perfect to sit in while enjoying the sounds of the sea just across the street. The view from the condo and its balcony is stunning!! The kitchen was amazing, had every utensil you could possibly need along with beautiful dishes. Everything about my stay at the condo at By the Sea was pleasant. However, due to the seawall, it was somewhat inconvenient to get to the beach. You really have to drive east or west to a beach access. I do, wholeheartedly, recommend traveling west in the direction/vicinity of Jamaica Beach. The water was better for swimming and seemed cleaner. There was a bad odor of dead fish at the East beach Apffel Park area and you had to go out many many yards into the water to get deep enough for swimming. I also saw a couple shards of broken glass at the Apffel Park beach. The activities and attractions in the Galveston area are pretty expensive and are overpriced, in my opinion, for what they offer, which was quite disappointing. I do recommend making a stop at Murdoch's on Seawall Blvd. It's a large souvenir shop and they offer various beach-themed home decor pieces that are gorgeous and inexpensive.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Fun Getaway

dawnof56 (Ft Worth)
Review submitted: July 24, 2011   Date of arrival: July 18, 2011

The condo was cute and had a nice view. It was smaller than I expected but for a couple who wouldn't need a lot of space it was adequate. I wish there had been a broom because when you come back from the beach no matter how well you wash off there is sand and it was all tile. I would recommend the property for a couple.

Recommended for: tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Nice Condo

drdon366 (Copperas Cove, TX)
Review submitted: April 29, 2011   Date of arrival: April 22, 2011

The condo is in great condition and has a wonderful view. The building is also nice. The only thing I didn't like was the location of the management company. It was a little inconvenient to everything else.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Wonderful Stay!!! Beautiful Condo!!!

Pete (Tomball)
Review submitted: April 18, 2011   Date of arrival: April 13, 2011

We go to Galveston quite often and love By the Sea Condo. We stayed in this unit and will stay again. It is a very comfortable unit and has all we need. Not many of the units at By the Sea have been renovated to the extent of this unit. It is very nice. It is also very quiet and peaceful. By the Sea is a condo that is more family oriented and you are left with the feeling of being in a very safe place. The condo is very close to all the great restaurants, stores and walking distance to the new pier at 61st street. Thanks Aaron for making your unit available on the rental program to enjoy Galveston.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3