Door to sand in 2-3 minutes. First floor, one flight of stairs and out the private dune walkover, no elevator wait. Gulf view from your balcony, close enough to hear the surf and watch the summer fireworks.
Updated unit, pet free building. Private king bedroom, bunk nook off the hall, sleeper sofa. Six sleep, nobody on the floor.
Stewby's, ice cream, and putt putt across the street. 15 minutes down the beach to the pier and Boardwalk.
2 chairs and umbrella included, set up for you Mar-Oct.
Gulf front and beachfront, with the water in view from your balcony.
The sand is a 2 to 3 minute walk from your door. Take the stairs if you are in a hurry, or the elevator, which sits a few steps from the condo door. Either way you come out at ground level, and from there nothing between you and the water has a step in it. The east building's walkover crosses the dune on a ramp, so strollers, wheeled coolers, and beach carts roll straight down to the sand.
Heaven on Surf is Gulf Dunes 105, a one bedroom on the first floor of the east building - the building with the heated pool. No pets anywhere in the building. Updated throughout.
Before you read further: the booking guest must be 25 or older and stay with the group, the unit comes with two parking spaces, and the maximum is 6 guests.
=== THE BEACH ===
* Gated beach access straight from the property. No crossing the highway, no hunting for public parking.
* A ramp at the dune walkover instead of steps, and an outdoor shower there so the sand stays outside.
* A large beach tote is in the condo for hauling towels and gear down and back.
* Beach service March through October: 2 chairs and 1 umbrella included with your stay and set up for you. More can be purchased on the beach.
=== YOUR BALCONY ===
The argument for the first floor over a higher one:
* Gulf water out front, and the pool deck just underneath.
* Low enough that you hear the surf, not only see it. From a high floor the Gulf is a view. From here it is a sound too.
* The Boardwalk fireworks are visible from the balcony in summer, and from the sand if you would rather walk down. The Boardwalk sets the schedule and there is not always a July 4 show, so check their calendar before you plan an evening around it.
=== THE POOLS ===
* Two Gulf-front pools, plus grills on site.
* The east building pool is the heated one, and it is the pool below your balcony. There is one step into the pool area, with a ramp beside it if you would rather not take it.
Pool heat is scheduled and controlled by the Gulf Dunes HOA, not by us. This HOA takes it seriously: they heat the pool November through March and monitor the water temperature rather than switching the system on and walking away. That is not something every complex on this beach does.
=== THE CONDO ===
* Updated throughout: porcelain tile floors and new coastal furniture.
* Jack and Jill bath: a sink and toilet off the bedroom, a second sink and toilet off the hall, and a roomy walk-in tile shower connecting the two. Six people, two toilets, two sinks.
* Full kitchen set up for real cooking, with a drip coffee pot and a single serve Keurig, plus an all in one washer and dryer in the condo.
* Keyless entry. No key handoff, no lockbox in the dark.
* High speed wifi and cable TV.
=== WHERE YOU SLEEP ===
* Bedroom: king bed and a 43 inch TV. Sleeps 2.
* Hallway alcove: built-in bunks with hybrid mattresses, in their own nook rather than in the bedroom. Sleeps 2.
* Living room: sleeper sofa with an 8.5 inch commercial grade mattress. Sleeps 2.
* Maximum 6 guests. Nobody on the floor, nobody on an air mattress.
=== WHAT WE STOCK ===
BATH
A hair dryer in each of the two vanities. Travel sizes, 2 each: hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and makeup cloths. 4 rolls of toilet paper.
TOWELS
6 bath towels, 3 hand towels, 4 wash cloths, and 1 beach towel for each guest.
KITCHEN
A pack of grounds for the drip pot, 4 K-cups, 2 coffee filters, and 2 tea bags. A small bottle of dish soap, 2 dishwashing pods, 1 kitchen hand towel, and 1 roll of paper towels.
LAUNDRY AND TRASH
2 laundry pods and 2 trash bags.
A NOTE ON SUPPLIES
We provide a thoughtful starter set of essentials to make your arrival hassle-free. If you run out during your stay, you will need to purchase additional supplies.
=== WHAT IS NEARBY ===
Across the street, on foot:
* Stewby's Seafood Shanty
* Ice cream
* Putt putt
Dinner, dessert, and something for the kids afterward, without moving the car.
Down the beach, about 15 minutes on foot:
* The Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier
* The Boardwalk, with restaurants, coffee, and small shops
Walking there on the sand beats driving there on the highway, in both directions.
A short drive:
* Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park - 0.7 miles
* Wild Willy's Adventure Zone - 0.9 miles
* Publix - about 3 minutes
* HarborWalk Village in Destin - about 8 minutes
* Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, VPS - about 16 minutes
=== IN THE OFF SEASON ===
October through February is the quiet stretch here. For a lot of guests this condo is better in January than in July. March and April start filling up with spring break.
* The heated pool is the one you look down on.
* The same sand, without the summer crowd.
* Dinner is across the street, so an evening out is not a drive after dark.
* We take monthly stays in the off season. Message us with your dates.
=== A GOOD FIT? ===
This condo tends to work well for:
* Couples who want the water close and the logistics simple.
* Families with younger kids. The bunks have their own alcove, the beach is a short walk, and putt putt and ice cream are across the street.
* Anyone hauling gear. Nothing has to be carried down a flight of steps.
* Guests who cannot manage stairs. Elevator to ground level, a ramp at the pool, a ramp over the dune.
It is probably not the right condo if:
* You need more than one private bedroom. There is one, and the bunks are in the hallway alcove.
* Your group is larger than 6, or arriving in more than two cars.
* You need two separate showers. There is one shower, shared between the two vanities.
* You want a party house. This is a residential building with quiet hours the HOA enforces.
=== BEFORE YOU BOOK ===
* The booking guest must be 25 or older and must stay with the group for the whole reservation.
* Maximum 6 guests. A hard cap, not a guideline.
* Two parking spaces. Gulf Dunes tows unauthorized vehicles at the vehicle owner's expense.
* No pets anywhere in the building. Emotional support animals are not service animals and are not permitted.
* The bunks are in a hallway alcove, not a separate bedroom.
* Beach service runs March through October only.
* No daily housekeeping. The condo is professionally cleaned before you arrive.
* As in any beachfront building, occasional noise or maintenance work happens.
=== CHECKING OUT ===
* Take out all trash, and clear the fridge and freezer.
* Start the dishwasher with any dishes left in it.
* Close and lock the balcony door and all windows.
Please do not strip the beds, our cleaners handle that. This short list is what lets our housekeeping team fully clean and sanitize the condo in a tight turn.
=== HOUSE RULES ===
-- Primary guest(s) must be 25+ years old and closely supervise any guests under age requirement, maximum of 6 guests in the condo
-- NO PETS, NO SMOKING, NO VAPING in the condo or balcony, no parties, no luggage carts inside the condo
-- Condo association quiet hours 10pm-10am
-- Pool hours 9am-10pm
-- Check-in at 4pm, Check-out at 10am
-- Failure to follow any rules as listed in the reservation agreement will lead to eviction with no refund!
-- **This is a pet free building and enforced by building security/ Emotional support animals(ESA) are not required by ADA laws to be allowed in vacation rentals.**
-- We are located in a condo building - we are not responsible for noise from other guests or construction, any closed amenities due to maintenance or any other building issues. Guests must adhere to HOA/building rules and quiet hours.
-- Guest agrees to abide by all rules and regulations posted on the premises related to the Rental Property
-- Guests agree not to use the premises for any commercial activities or purpose that violates any criminal law or governmental regulation
-- In no event shall Guests assign or sublet the Rental Property in whole or in part
-- Failure to follow the condo and/or building rules can result in eviction with loss of all rents and deposits. Condo/Building rules are posted inside the unit.
-- No refunds will be provided due to inoperable appliances, pools, condo amenities, elevators, etc. The Owner will make every reasonable effort to assure that such appliances will be and remain in good working order. No refunds will be given due to power blackouts, water shortage, flooding, snow, construction at adjacent properties, or other potentially dangerous situations arising from acts of god or nature.
-- Guest is responsible for all shipping costs for any Lost and Found items that Owner is requested to return to Guest. Items found and not claimed within 30 days will be disposed of at the discretion of Owner.
-- In the event Owner is unable to make Rental Property available for any reason other than described above or a reasonable substitute as determined by Owner, Guest agrees that Owner's sole liability as a result of this unavailability is to provide a full refund of all monies paid under this Agreement and Guest expressly acknowledges that in no event shall Owner be held liable for any special or consequential damages which result from this unavailability. Guest also agrees to indemnify Owner from and against liability for injury to Guest or any other person occupying Rental Property resulting from any cause whatsoever including, b