Is Condo World reputable?

I%26#39;ve been reading all the inquiries as to what is the best realty companies for vacation rentals. We have never been to North Myrtle Beach and I%26#39;m bringing my 2 daughters and their husbands, along with 4 little children. When researching where to stay, I chose Crescent Shores and booked through Condo World. I%26#39;d really appreciate any input as to whether I should have any concerns.

Is Condo World reputable?

Let me say how nice Crescent Shores units are, Very nice, they do have an on-site office at Crescent Shores affiliated with another rental company you may want to stop by and talk to them should you like to book for the next year. I hesitate to speak poorly of any rental company but there are good ones and bad ones, generally they get ';bad'; reviews because of customer service issues. Once you check in, many of them forget who you are and don%26#39;t seem to be interested in providing any help should an issue arise.

You have already booked your unit there is really nothing you can do now except don%26#39;t worry, I can tell you that your experience at Crescent Shores should be fine!

Is Condo World reputable?

Have seen unhappy reviews for one of the ';Condo'; outfits. Either Condo-World or Condo-Lux. Not sure which one but I wouldn%26#39;t worry about it.

Went back and searched a little. What I found about Condo-World was if you can wait til close to your week to make reservations, you can usually get a lower rate. In other words if a unit isn%26#39;t rented they%26#39;ll lower the rate to get something out of it. Something%26#39;s better than nothing.

Even if they aren%26#39;t the perfect hosts at check-in, you probably won%26#39;t have to deal with them the rest of the week. Just grin and bear it for the few minutes at check-in then enjoy rest of your stay.

Have heard good things about Cresent Shores. Shouldn%26#39;t be any problems.

Here%26#39;s some info on Cresent Shores and pics. also a trip report from last July.

www.funbeaches.com/forum/viewtopic.php鈥?/a>

www.funbeaches.com/forum/viewtopic.php鈥?/a>

I%26#39;ve never used Condo World and I%26#39;ve heard good and bad reviews about every realty in NMB; some get more bad than others. Many times it%26#39;s unwarranted but problems happen, just like they do at home. Most of the time, someone will look after the problem in a timely manner. I can%26#39;t understand why Condo World doesn%26#39;t improve their website; it%26#39;s been poor for years. That has nothing to do with how they treat customers. For 99% of rentals in a place like Crescent Shores; you%26#39;ll have no need to see the Realtor again. In case you have a problem with your condo, the Condo World office is 200 feet away; right beside the 9 story parking building. If you see/have a problem with the Crescent Shores property outside the condo (elevator, oceanfront hot tub, leak from the condo above, exercise equipment, etc)...contact hart1 in the 1st floor office of the south tower. She works for a competitive Realtor whose company looks after and runs the office for the Noble Building management company and the HOA. It%26#39;s their duty to take care of those problems. You%26#39;ll like Crescent Shores; enjoy your stay!

Thank you to hart1, pop2748, and gonefishinll. I really appreciate your responses. Going somewhere new, especially with 4 babies, (all 2 and under), it is nice to be reassured. Really appreciate your help.

We%26#39;ve used Condo-World dozens of times and have always been very happy with them. The few times we ran into any problems (like a coffeemaker full of mold or a window that leaked during a hurrican - it was only a Cat 1, so we%26#39;d stayed put) they were very pleasant and professional to deal with and took care of the problem immediately. Yes, you can get cheaper rates if you wait to book closer to your vacation week - but you run the risk of not getting the building/unit you%26#39;re interested in. We like the Windy Hill area best and it%26#39;s not always easy to get a really nice 3 or 4 bedroon unit there if you cut it too close. We did stay in Crescent Beach once but not at Crescent Shores. We ended up gravitating toward Windy Hill (the far south end) because of the proximity to Barefoot Landing and the White Point Swash inlet which our kids loved to explore. But really all of North Myrtle Beach is wonderful and so much more family friendly than Myrtle!

We used CondoLux last year because it was a sort of a last minute trip and they had the building available we were interested in (Condo-World was all book) We did have a problem with a disconnected phone in the unit for the entire week (something the owner had told them she%26#39;d corrected) and very spotty cell phone reception. We had used them several years ago and may give them another try in the future.

One BIG plus for BOTH Condo-World and CondoLux is that departure cleaning and linens, plus ';set-up'; items (starter packets of dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, etc.) are ALWAYS included in the rate. Some of the other companies may APPEAR to have lower rates UNTIL you ad in their higher booking fees, departure cleaning (per bedroom!) and linen packages (again per bedroom!) Who wants to bother with packing your own sheets and towels and we don%26#39;t own a king size bed which the condos often have.

Bottom line - Condo-World is a reliable company and you shouldn%26#39;t have problems with them. Their phone staff has always been particulaly helpful.

If you have any other questions or concerns - we%26#39;ve been going to NMB for over 20 years now, since our two daughters were 5 and 10, and I%26#39;d be happy to help anyway I can. I hope you and yours make wonderfully memories and have as many happy times there as we have over the years.

P.S. We live in the northern panhandle of WV about 40 miles west of Pittsburgh so if you have any questions about travel routes, etc. we can probably help with that, too. You can contact us directly through our ';profile'; if you%26#39;d like.

Elevator Access at Crescent Shores first week of June

I have read an awful lot of complaints about access to the elevators at Crescent Shores. My family and I are considering renting a 15th floor condo the first week of June. I am concerned about having to spend a great deal of time waiting for the elevators. The condo is on the North tower.

Anyone have any experience with the elevators in the North tower of Crescent Shores in early June??

Thanks!

Elevator Access at Crescent Shores first week of June

There are 2 elevators in the North Tower and 3 elevators in the South Tower, you might prefer South. You can rent direct with Crescent Shores office at 800-276-4200. The only real issue is generally at check in on Saturdays from 3-5. If you have a unit that was not rented the week before, which you can call day or two before you arrive, you can check in early if no one was in that particular unit, it should be clean. Many resorts will have the same problem, large number of guests and very few elevators.

Elevator Access at Crescent Shores first week of June

Sat. is the busy elevator day at all high rise condo buildings; other days aren%26#39;t bed. Check the prices with direct owner rentals.

vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/鈥?505

It is rather crazy at check-in time. I have stayed at Crescent Shores that past 4 years. I don%26#39;t think the management is doing a good job with the upkeep of the property. Last year, our room wasn%26#39;t ready. I could deal with that as I own my own vacation rental property. However, the room we chose in the North Tower was at the end next to the trash chute. It was very rank smell as you walked out of the unit in the afternoon. So don%26#39;t rent an end unit or just make sure you are not next to the trash chute. All of these units are individually owned so try to see pictures of the unit that you will be renting. You can also check out individual units through VRBO.com. Feel free to email me with any questions. I think next year we are going to try Blue Water Keyes. It is just down the beach from Crescent Shores. Parking is in the same building, not located across the street.

Upkeep is done to the 3.75 year old property (it will be 4 in June) every Fall, Winter and early spring. We pay out the ying-yang for it. I could do it for 1/2 and make a killing. The exterior sprayed ceilings were a small, very minor cosmetic problem that got held up in court with the original contractor; they were taken care of last fall. I get your drift on the end units with the garbage chutes. They have a door and the chute has a door but if I owned an end unit; I%26#39;d want help on slight smell daily if necessary. It%26#39;s not terrible but it can be smelled while entering the chute end unit. Maybe hart1 can help take care of that?

As others have said the check-in/out days are crazy at the elvators, and with you being on the 15th floor that could be annoying, but I%26#39;d dare say any place you go that requires elevator use on check-in/out days is maddening. Especially if you are on a higher floor. I don%26#39;t know if I%26#39;d not book because of it though.

Overwhelmed by all the choices

My husband and I are planning our first trip to HH. We would like to rent a 1 bedroom condo on the beach for a week. $250 or less a night is our goal price range. We would like something nice though and are willing to pay more if necessary. We would like to be able to sit on a balcony and look out at the ocean.

We are in our mid 30s. We are interested in mainly hanging out at the beach and partaking in beach activities and maybe taking a couple boat tours, and it would be nice if we could walk or be within short driving distance of a few stores and restaurants. We are not big into nightlife and are not golfers.

I have been looking on vrbo at all of the condos, and I am overwhelmed. They break the island up into nine areas with numerous condos for each area.

Any suggestions on areas or condo complexes to look into?

Overwhelmed by all the choices

I wanted to add that based on my initial impressions, I think we might enjoy the Palmetto Dunes area. Do you think this would be a good choice? Any condo complexes in this area that you would recommend? Thanks!

Overwhelmed by all the choices

SunnyDey: Since you gave us a price range, you need to give us a date range. As you can imagine, prices vary greatly with the time of year. I would highly recommend the Coligny area.

Check out beach-property.com and look at North Shore Place(not on ocean), Ocean One, and Sea Crest (Oceanfront). Then check out the same rentals on VRBO. We really like the Coligny area (just before the toe). It%26#39;s within walking distance to ocean, shops, restaurants etc. Rent bikes. It%26#39;s a must. They are only about 18 to 25 dollars a week but a real big bang for your buck. Get baskets and you can bike to the shops, even bring home a bottle of wine! There is sand volleyball right at the Coligny beach access near the Holiday Inn.

D in Muskoka

Thanks for the info.

We are flexible with our travel time. Anytime between May-September is our goal. I am just doing the initial research for a condo. I know they book up fast, so we are trying to be flexible with our schedule.

If you are not familiar with the plantations in Hilton Head, hunting for a condo could be very frustrating. Sea Pines is on the toe and a great deal of the oceanfront is homes. The MOnarch ( Marriott ) property is one of the few which faces the ocean on that plantation. I cannot think of any on Shipyard which face the ocean. There are some properties on North Forest Beach Road - near Coligny which have houses on the beach. There was a significant amount of building in the recent past on Palmetto Dunes and I do believe that they are properties which you are seeing in the postings. This is the area where we usually stay so am more familiar with this area.

Not sure about Hilton Head plantation and since we usually stay in a timeshare - have not had a need for a condo but looked at at tripadvisor site and noted the Palmetto Dunes properties - which would be lovely.

As for time 0 if you can go before June or after August you will have less bugs humidity and people. We do not go in the middle of summer because of all the people in for summer vacation. Good luck with your search -I do believe you are on your way to a great vacation.

I found a condo we like in Hampton Place in Palmetto Dunes. Has anyone stayed there?

What is the weather like around May 10? Is it warm enough to swim?

Thanks for all of your help!

May is beautiful! Nice and warm but no crowds like in April or the summer. September/October are just as nice.

We have been going to HHI for 17 years and I am always repeating myself- we have stayed all over the island and really prefer the North/South Forest Beach area. You can walk to so much- we have left our car for most of the week and walked or rode bikes everywhere. However- i have never rented a 1 bedroom- usually a 2 bdrm as we go as a family. SeaCrest may have 1 bedroom condos and it is lovely. If you stay in PD- while it is lovely- you will be driving to dinner, driving to get a paper etc.... andit is very busy down on that end of the island. There are afew amenities in PD- a country grocer and a few restaurants- Alexanders and the Hotel restaurants- otherwise- you%26#39;ll be driving. Shelter cove is across the street with more restaurants and shops- but again you will probably want to drive over to it.Not fun!

Travelluvr really likes Forest Beach, but it%26#39;s not for everyone.

She is wrong about PD. Both PD and SeaPines have internal transportation, so you don%26#39;t have to drive.

PD has the buggy, a van service which will take you door to door for shopping and restaurants in Shelter Cove, The piggly Wiggly center, The mall, and plantation center. You have lots of fine restaurants in these places, and YOU DON%26#39;T HAVE TO DRIVE!!

As for one bedrooms in PD, The Hamptons, and the Barringtons have them. VillaMare has lock out units, so some of the rental companies and owners will rent you the 1 bedroom side.

In Forest Beach you will find 1 bedrooms at the SeaCrest. If you rent try and get a high floor, since the ocean views are better there. SeaCrest also has lockouts so if you cn rent one of those, you%26#39;ll have a better view. SeaCrest%26#39;s one bedrooms are larger than many two bedroom units available elsewhere.

Stan (hhiguy)

As someone who likes to travel independently- I can%26#39;t see using the glorified shuttle system that PD has. Nothing beats walking to Coligny for a cup of coffee and the paper and walking back along the beach to your condo- all within about 15 minutes. When I travel to the ocean- I like to stay on the ocean- not on a golf course- but that is just my opinion. We have stayed in PD and it isn%26#39;t for everyone! The ocean-front section is beautiful but IMHO SFB/NFB is more user friendly.

I wholeheartedly agree with travelluvr. Let me prefice this by saying. Palmetto Dunes is beautiful. We always stay at the Hilton Oceanfront in Palmetto Dunes. We have biked all through PD, but we have never rented a house/villa/condo in PD. The beach area in PD is wonderful. The drive into PD Plantation gives me goosebumps everytime. That being said, we have rented a private house in North Forest Beach on Osprey which was only 50 steps from the ocean with only Dune to cross. We LOVED it. Biking to Coligny Plaza is great with the shops, restaurants, ice cream shops, newspaper stands, etcs is so nice. We have just returned from a week in Shipyard and so we were able to, again, bike to Coligny and the beach from there. We have also stayed at Ocean Palms in Port Royal. In my honest opinion, the NFS/Coligny/Shipyard area is the place for us and our teenager. But to each his own. Everyone has different needs/wants. We need a place that our teenager and friends can bike to the beach, shops, surf shops, ice cream places and it be safe and not too far to go. That%26#39;s our idea, as parents, of a good place on the island for us. If we were just a couple with no kids, then that might be different. If we want to cross the island from one end to the other, we use the Cross Island toll. We like being close to the ';toe'; because of it%26#39;s proximity to Harbourtown and South Beach Marina.

D in Muskoka.

I will have to agree with hhiguy. PD is beautiful with plenty of bike trails and the best beach on HHI. Contray to others the shuttle is nice. We have stayed in Shelter Cove and have riden our bikes to just about everywhere there they even have a trail under the highway so you dont have to fight the traffic to cross to Shelter Cove. To us Sea Pines seem quite busy and Coligny seemed like a mad house with the traffic and noise. PD is located in the island center making it easy to get to either end for dining or shopping.

laser cartridges

Seeking a 3-4 Bdrm OF Condo or House Rental--Need Advice!

I need some advice from those of you familiar with NMB. For the first time, my husband and I are planning on staying in NMB from 5/31/08- 6/7/08. We will be joined by my brother-in-law, his wife, and their 4 children (3-11). I have read through almost every post in this forum and am still a little unsure as to where to stay. We are interested in a 3-4 bdrm Ocean Front condo or house. Would like to pay $1000-1500.

I was looking at Ocean Bay Club and called to rent a condo from Elliot. Had a negative customer service experience (condo ended up being nearly $300 more than I expected based on info online--agent was not helpful to say the least). Now I am unsure as to which Condos (or homes) might be the best in our price range.

We, of course, would like to find the nicest place we can for the price. Kids want the lazy river and pools. Adults want 2 decent sized bdrms with K or Q beds and possibly 1-2 other bdrms for children. Prefer t.v.s and cable in LR and at least 2 bdrms. Prefer wi-fi.

I have checked all of the Realty websites and am now very confused...too many options. Any suggestions? Anyone have a top 5-10 list that might meet our needs? Anyone prefer a certain agency? Or does anyone know of a house that might work? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!!! :)

Seeking a 3-4 Bdrm OF Condo or House Rental--Need Advice!

try www.northmyrtlebeach.com. There are many nice oceanfront resorts and you find many good choices and great customer service. You won%26#39;t find many companies that offer many discounts and you will probably be in the 3bdrm price range. I am not saying your won%26#39;t find $1500 in 4 bdrm but it won%26#39;t be luxury. Check out the Wellington on the website, its a 3 bdrm/2 bth you can get under $1300 w/o travel insurance.

Seeking a 3-4 Bdrm OF Condo or House Rental--Need Advice!

http://www.vrbo.com/101972

http://www.vrbo.com/136061

http://www.vrbo.com/167465

http://www.vrbo.com/112081

http://www.vrbo.com/56708

http://www.vrbo.com/125383

http://www.vrbo.com/77257

http://www.vrbo.com/99921

mail.seasideproperties.com/avwebcam2.shtml

Was going to send list of realtors but you said you%26#39;ve checked them all. Here%26#39;s web cam for Avista Resort. Can get good look at pools and lazy rivers.

walking distance to Main Street. Beach shops, snack bars and couple actual restuarants.

Have you tried VRBO.com?

Your experience is exactly why we don%26#39;t like Elliot (or several others). They list what looks like great rates. . .until you find out they don%26#39;t include cleaning or linens (or even toilet paper or dish detergent in some cases). Personally, we don%26#39;t want to pack an extra suitcase full of linens and towels or have to spend Sat. morning cleaning the whole condo just to get their ';good'; price. Their booking fee is a lot higher than some others too. We usually book with Condo-World.com, cleaning and linens are both included in the rate, of course there%26#39;s still a booking fee and tax to add no matter who you use.

I was just on Condo-World%26#39;s site this morning and they have a special going on right now for the week you%26#39;re interested in. They are giving $200 off. I found a 4 Bedroom unit at the Crescent Shores for a base rate of $1240 and a grand total with tax and fees $1464. That unit has King size beds in 2 bedrooms and 2 Queens in each of the other 2 bedrooms. That Building also has Indoor Pool, Outdoor Pool, Kiddie Pool and Lazy River. That%26#39;s a pretty good deal!

$1000-$1500 is on the low side for that time of year and a nice ocean front house would easily be 2 to 3 times that much.

Condolux.net includes cleaning and linens in their prices also. We%26#39;ve used them a couple of times and their prices are usually around the same as condo-world.com.

Hope this helps - We%26#39;ve been going to NMB for over 20 years and always have a great time. Good Luck with your condo search - I know you%26#39;ll have a great time, too.

What are the condo names next to Mar Vista?

I think Mar Vista Grande will be all booked by the time my sister gets to book hers (within the next 2 weeks) and my family is staying at Mar Vista. I was wondering what condos are next door so my sister can come next door instead of driving to see us.

Next door on either side or even the next 2 on each side would be greatly appreciated!!!

What are the condo names next to Mar Vista?

The Windemere may be next door. I like the website northmyrtlebeach.com to check the rental market.

What are the condo names next to Mar Vista?

Wyndam Ocean Boulevard....she needs to look at Timeshare weeks for rent.

Wyndham

isn%26#39;t the VERANDAS in there somewhere as well ?

Verandas is the one right next to Wyndham. If just for a bedroom the one bedrooms would be OK.

Odd set up. Walk from outside into bedroom. Then through very tiny ';kitchen'; into decent sized living room.

Thanks everyone for the quick reviews and replies. Still wondering if there is anything on the other side. We stayed at the Barefoot North Tower resort last year for the pool and the intercoastal waterway lights.

This year we opted for oceanfront AT THE Mar Vista and my sister (family of 4) decided to join us after we booked. So yeah we are looking for a condo close. Thank you.

Going south from the Mar Vista you%26#39;ll come to Xanadu III, North Shore Villa and the Wellington. Going north is Tidemaster, The Verandas then Ocean Bay Club. Hope that helps. Try condo-world.com or condolux.net they both include cleaning and linens in their rates and that usually makes them cheaper than a lot of other rental companies. You also can check availability by building name at both sites.

Just had a thought - I don%26#39;t know what size unit you have already booked, but you might check with the rental company and see if you can get a bigger unit without a penalty. We had to do that one time and the company was happy to move us to a bigger (read MORE EXPENSIVE) unit. If you%26#39;re going during high season and they%26#39;re likely to be able to rent the unit you originally booked, they may be willing to do that. One bigger unit is ALWAYS a lot cheaper than two seperate units. Last fall it ended up that we were in NMB at the same time as our daughter - however, as she was on her HONEYMOON we opted for seperate locations! ;-)

Check out the Mapquest Satellite view....fairly recent. The 3 buildings (4th across the street) that are in the same complex north of Mar Vista are Wyndham Ocean Boulevard. She may find one here?

vacationtimesharerentals.com/United-States/鈥?/a>

www.sellmytimesharenow.com/searchrent.php鈥?/a>

myresortnetwork.com/Condo-Rentals/鈥?/a>

Thanks again, that is perfect! I am renting from an owner and it is completely paid for already sooo, and at prime summer, a bigger place for 12 won%26#39;t be easy to find. Family of 6 + grandparents + sister%26#39;s family of 4. So, thank you all sooo much!

Roxanne Towers Sand Renourishment May 18-22???

Does anyone know if the sand renourishment project will be underway near the Roxanne Towers around May 18-22? Roxanne Towers is located around 15 Avenune North. This is our first trip to Myrtle Beach and since my wife is in a wheelchair, it%26#39;s difficult for us to move up and down the beach. Thanks!

Roxanne Towers Sand Renourishment May 18-22???

I am not sure about the renourishment situation for that area, but i do know, that back in 1994 (i realize that this is a long time ago), I went to Myrtle with a friend, and her family, and her mom was in a wheelchair. We rented a beach wheelchair from the lifeguard, so we could take walks with her on the beach. Just thought i would let you know that this was available at one time. It is basically just a regular wheelchair, with 4 wide rubber tires of the same size on it. It has to be pushed, she won%26#39;t be able to travel with it by herself.

Hope this helps,

Terry

Roxanne Towers Sand Renourishment May 18-22???

In all honesty ..I do not believe any one know where the project will be at any given time thorughout the summer!

Rolling the dice from PA mid June........

Compass Cove Buildings

Does anyone know which is the better building to stay at in the Compass Cove resort? There is the Schooner, the Pinnacle and the Mariner (condos). Is any one better than the other?

Thanks!

Compass Cove Buildings

They are all different

-Pinnacle is the tall one building resort that has a garage attached to the front of the building. They have recently upgraded things in there about 1 year ago. They have pools and stores and cafe thing in there. The rooms are effeciency type rooms. Beds with kitchenettes, and a table and chair type room. Balconies, etc.

-The Schooner Building is the smaller ';motel'; type building that is only about 5 floors. It sits directly in front of a pool but it%26#39;s still oceanfront. They have recently been upgraded as well. Large studio type rooms with beds and balconies, etc.

The Mariner Building sits atop of the Schooner building and that%26#39;s the newest of the buildings and it has been upgraded recently. They are the larger of the rooms. Garage at the building.

You would pick it based on how much room you need. If you are coming with kids and you would like separate living quarters, then go with the Mariner building. If you just need a basic room with a kitchenette, then go with the Pinnacle. The SChooner will be the cheapest as you may not have a good view of the ocean depending on the floor or side view of the room.

Otherwise you can use all pools and other things in all buildings. They are all right there next to each other.

Compass Cove Buildings

We stayed in the Mariner bldg this past summer. If you choose it, be sure to ask for a room higher up. We had a corner condo (it was beautiful, no complaints) on the 6th floor (which is really like the first floor since the prkg garage is floor 1-5) and it really wasn%26#39;t oceanfront. More like oceanview with a great view of the roof of the Schooner roof. It was nice because we didn%26#39;t have to deal with the elevators but we lost out on the view. The higher up the better.