Gulf Coast Beach Condo rental rates

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What are yall seeing

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VRBO and AirBnB are playing the same game they did last year by advertising low nightly rates. Once you get to the checkout screen, they tack on a bunch of cleaning and processing fee BS that adds another $1,000 to the total.

Rates have gone up due to demand. Fhe cleaning fees are whst the cleaning fees are. From having been an owner out there your best bet is the small companies fighting to compete with the Brett Robinsons or find an owner and deal with them directly

I booked a 3/2 condo during the first week of May in Gulf Shores for 4 nights for just under $1200. Seems fairly reasonable to me. We stayed in the same building last year and it was great. Great parking, great pools, easy access to beach with chair available for purchase.

Under $1200 seems fairly reasonable for that size condo for 4 nights.

We usually stay in Orange Beach, but last trip we used Fort Morgan Property Management to get a house down there. Pretty reasonable, right on the beach, and it was nice to be in a less busy area.

They have gone up this year and they are outlandishly high, especially if you book this far in advance. We opted to go to 30A this year for the first time ever because it was less expensive. I kid you not.

I am skipping the beach this summer to go to Fenway for 3 game series the end of the summer early fall.

We have stayed away from the Gulf Coast due to the high prices and going to the Caribbean for the last few years because of the price. We use airline miles for the flights and have been staying at all-inclusive. By the time you factor in gas, meals, etc. traveling, the flights aren't much more even if you had to pay for them.

Now that we are playing baseball, we are paying $3,800 just on a rental for the week in June in Gulf Shores. We are paying $1800 to go to the Bahamas in July for 8 days lol
Of the $3800, $1,000 of it is taxes and fees.

We have been to St. Lucia, Aruba, and DR all-inclusive for a family of four cheaper than what we pay for a condo on the Gulf Coast.

In May, we are paying ~$4200 for 1 week house on Navarre beach (Gulf front) for 10 adults - including fees. We find it on VRBO and then went directly to mgmt company. Cleaning fee was $300 of the $4200.

Stayed there last year as well for about the same price. The place is one floor on stilts with plenty of parking for several cars. It's an older place but is neat and tidy and feels like the beach cottages that I grew up with in the 70s so not very fancy but functional. Not so fancy you feel like you are walking on egg shells in the joint.

ETA - we are asked to put out the garbage, have run the dishwasher, and tidied it up.

I stopped going to Florida gulf coast and started going to cancun, cozumel and isla mujeres. It's cheaper, I can get there quicker. The water is better and I can get cheap accommodations.

Be aware that rates have risen due to insurance costs have doubled for the GC beach condos. Ever since Hurricane Sally, costs have gone crazy. Owners are suffering because of it and they're trying to cover their own costs.

Instead of automatically going to VRBO or AirBnB, check with some of the local realtors in the area because many manage them for owners and themselves so the addon fees could be less. Don't be afraid to bargain with the realtors.

As for cleaning fees, they will always be north of $150. Rates will drop for August and after September 15.

Check websites to see if you're going during a festival or special event. That jacks up prices too.