Yves M.
Yelp
I give this place a 5-star rating with a couple of caveats. This is a condominium complex where some units are rented out by owners and others are rented out by people in the rentals business. You need to look up the reviews for individual units on rental by owner websites like VRBO to gauge whether or not the unit is worth renting. The complex itself is near the beach but not on it which helps with getting better rates. It is fairly quiet there.
The unit we rented last February was OK but it had not been properly maintained and was quite dusty and dirty when we arrived. We were there for a month and I spent some time vacuuming (ceiling fan and vents were gross), cleaning (parts of kitchen were very bad - old food, spills and stains, bathroom needed a complete scrub-down) and fixing (latches, locks, blinds, electric box cover and trim) to get the unit to an acceptable level. Everything was supposed to be supplied but we had to spend a lot of time getting the owner to replace promised items that were missing. He did supply some but would not replace all. We bought some kitchenware to get by in the kitchen. The A/C was not working and it took a few days to get that fixed. I note that the unit we did rent is not up for rent this year.
We are returning this February (to a much better unit from another landlord) because the condo complex has a lot going for it.
The common areas really make this place stand out. There is a pool / clubhouse complex with a business room (printer and fax), common room, gym, showers, laundry facilities, heated pool and hot tub. All are in excellent condition and generally well looked after. WiFi is available in and near the complex. On the grounds are a gazebo for the weekly "winter Texan" meet, some grills (missing grates), some picnic tables, a fishing pond, lots of dog poopie bag dispensers and a place to hose off the salt from cars.
The second caveat is where I have to agree with the first reviewer (that Yelp did not "approve") namely that the complex staff are hard to contact or to get any sort of action taken. There is a person looking after the grounds but he spends more time yakking on his cellphone or having a cool one with some of the condo owners (during work hours) than doing any work. As such, there are lots of groundhog mounds on the property, gardens appear neglected, and common hallways aren't cleaned which detract from their otherwise fine appearance.
The beach itself is a short 5-minute walk away and is great for walking, running, sitting or watching the heavy machinery "plow the beach" some weekday mornings. There are lots of shore birds to see. The annual Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade is a highlight. If you are walking a dog, keep to the paths, sidewalks, roads and beaches because there is a pervasive weed that has sharp, spiny seeds that will pierce paws, cause a lot of pain, and be hard to remove.
The complex is a short drive from most services and within walking distance to a couple of restaurants, a hardware store and a couple of convenience store / gas station complexes.
Most shopping can be done in Flour Bluff (20 minute drive). There is also plenty to see and do both on the Island and in Corpus Christi. There is a transit service that goes by the condo but we did not use it so we can't comment on its usefulness.
Overall, I highly recommend Beach Club Condominiums as a place to stay particularly for winter Texans if the right unit is available.