While traveling in Florida (last week, February 2008), my sister and I stayed at the Oceania Beach Club in New Smyrna Beach. Please know, we have traveled the coasts for years. We have rented beach front homes, beach front townhouses, beach front condominiums, we have seen gorgeous, and average. But we have NEVER seen a more disgusting mess than this place.
We arrived late and when there wasn't much lighting, as we always look at a rental prior to committing. Unfortunately, we had no reservations anywhere else in New Smyrna and our choices were limited.
The first clue as to the condition of this place should have been the smell. It was musty, moldy and had some sort of odor we couldn't identify. The blue leather furniture that appeared new in the low light revealed disgusting food, liquid, dirt, etc. all over it in the morning. It was awful. The sofa smelled of something I don't care to write into this review. The drapes were smelly and falling down when you pulled the string. The bed, sunk in the middle and the bedspread, OMG...let's just say it was about fifteen years old and looks at those it hasn't seen a washing machine in a decade or more. The bathroom shower poles were covered in rust. The cabinets and vanities in the bathrooms were chipped, and the hinges rusted.
There were fruit flies buzzing throughout the entire unit. The two closets were filled with dozens of paint cans, an old gas grill, smelly mops, old pictures taken off the walls, and grimy, filthy old pillows, etc.
It was hot in the unit so we went to turn up the air conditioning. Guess what? No air conditioning. There is a thermostat on the wall, but it is dead, so the air conditioning must be controlled by management. The television had nine channels, minimal cable, and there was no internet available, even though they said there was. Come to find out, the internet was via dial up in their "recreation room", which was also worn, outdated and filthy.
We should have recognized the red flag of the room numbers being written in magic marker on the doors, on ALL the units. No number plates. It looks as through the place has recently been painted a strange gold color, because the minimal balcony furniture was covered in paint drops.
While the Oceania is on a beautiful beach front lot, with a fresh coat of paint and new balcony railings...don't be fooled. I have only two words for this place....HELL HOLE.
Live and learn.