Our family loves to visit the beach. As often as we can we pack up the entire family and go for a visit. Since the kids have gotten older, I had forgotten how challenging it can be to travel with a baby until we started doing it again five months ago. When we were offered a chance to stay at Turquoise Place, a luxury property in Gulf Shores, I expected a pleasant experience, but we got a tranquil vacation even the baby enjoyed.
Our condo was located on the 19th floor with views overlooking the beach. It was spacious, at 2300 square feet and had three bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths. As soon as we arrived I told the kids, “I know which bedroom is mine!” The master suite was huge, with an out of this world bathroom, featuring a jacuzzi tub, a separate shower with multiple jets, double sinks and a walk in closet. My daughter asked, “Can you share this bathroom with me?” The bedroom featured wall to ceiling windows with a sliding glass door leading to the balcony, giving me ocean views and direct access to the hot tub. The room was big enough that I could place the baby on the floor and let her play while I sat in the chair, supposedly “working,” but mostly looking out at the ocean.
As for the kitchen, wow! I’m trying to decide how to convince Bryan I need this kitchen in our home! Filled with stainless steel and subzero appliances, it came fully equipped with everything we needed for cooking. From the granite counter tops to the wet bar with wine chiller in a corner, it oozed luxury.
Another feature that made our stay with a baby so much easier was the fully equipped laundry room. Do you remember how many clothes, blankets and other things a baby can go through in a day? The washer and dryer made it easy to stay on top of the laundry. When we arrived, I glanced into the laundry room and said, “This is great! We’ll stop and purchase some laundry detergent this evening.” Justin walked into the room and said, “We don’t have to! They have provided it for us.” They’d also thoughtfully provided dish washing liquid, dishwasher tabs, and toiletries in all the bathrooms. We didn’t have to purchase a thing!
While the relaxing bedroom beckoned to me, Justin was draw on to the deck. An avid fisherman, he discovered the outdoor kitchen (including a grill and sink) and started planning a variety of fish dinners. Because the rest of us had zero interest in fishing, we checked out the amenities Turquoise Place had to offer. There were a lot. Here’s a few of our favorites.
*Unlimited DVD rentals. All of the bedrooms and the living room were equipped with flat screen televisions. When we arrived we were given a card allowing us to watch free dvds as often as we wanted. The DVDs are updated regularly for new releases, but they also have classics.
*Five Pools (including designated kiddie pool and zero entry pool, two pools are indoor)
*Daily planned activities (We just missed the Whipped Cream eating contest.)
*A Lazy River
*Steam room, sauna and fitness rooms
* Keyless entry on doors (meaning we didn’t have to search for our room cards. I always misplace them in my purse and it is a hassle to find)
*Private beach access
*Private assigned parking place (Easy to find the car when we were ready to go somewhere)
I’m a stickler for clean rooms so I was especially happy to see the “Clean Bed Guarantee.” I did not realize that typical vacation rental comforters are laundered less than twice per year (yuck.) All the bedding at Spectrum is laundered before each guest arrives, making me feel very pleased with the cleanliness of the condo.
We arrived on a Saturday and the Turquoise was hopping. They were lots of people staying and I was afraid it would be loud. That’s not conducive to sleep for a baby! Instead, our floor was exceptionally quiet. I couldn’t even hear the baby when she woke up during the night in a different bedroom in the condo.
While anytime of the year would be nice, we had a great time in October. The temperature is pleasant, the water temperature is still warm and I could leave the sliding glass door open to hear the sound of the ocean. We didn’t have to turn on the air conditioner the entire stay. Of course, each condo comes equipped with central heat and air and a fireplace, so it would be cozy no matter what time of year you stayed.
This was our first trip to Gulf Shores and to Turquoise Place, but it definitely won’t be our last. The kids asked as we were leaving, “How soon can we come again?” That lets me know the vacation was a hit.
Omg what a gorgeous place to stay!!!!! That refrigerator in that kitchen is to die for!
What a beautiful place to stay and Turquoise Place sounds fitting. I’ve never been to Alabama except one time when we got lost lol, but I hope to visit and explore it sometime.
This place is gorgeous! I love the touches of turquoise that you can see from the outside, it’s stunning! I need to check this out next time I go down south. It’s funny because you don’t really think of Alabama as a beach-trip, but I’ve seen so many House Hunters episodes that prove me wrong haha! Gorgeous pictures!
Wow! This place looks amazing. I’ve never been to Alabama before and would love to visit!
This place looks perfect for a family vacation! So many great amenities, I would love to stay there for our next family vacation.
Wow, what a nice place. The kids would love to stay for a week there.
The place looks gorgeous. It has a nice ocean view too. When on vacation, I prefer staying in a condo than hotel.
What a beautiful condo and a stunning view. I like it when I can stay in a condo vs a hotel, I always feel more at home and relaxed.
Such a beautiful place! The rooms are beautiful..breathtaking. I would love to be able to hear the beach from my sliding glass door. I bet you were in heaven!
I love spacious rooms that are ideal for families. We have an energetic 6-year-old boy to keep busy.
Wow! What a stunning condo. I love how clean it really does look, and the fact you were on the 19th floor must have been some nice views. Looks like a great place to stay!
What a great place to stay! It looks so neat and comfy! I wish we can visit Orange Beach next summer!
Wow! That’s a lot to take in, the whole condo is huge I can imagine the struggle when you had to leave the place! It’s beautiful and so is the view. I love that there are many amenities for the whole family to enjoy.
What a gorgeous condo!! I love this!
What a beautiful place to stay! That tub is calling my name!
This looks like such an amazing place to stay. I would love to have a girls vacation and visit Alabama.
Stunning! Like you, I LOVED the kitchen! But that view? I’d be sleeping out on the balcony lol! Thank you for sharing!
What a beautiful place to stay, I agree with Ann’s comment above – so much better than a small hotel room!
Oh my goodness this wasn’t a hotel – this is like your own private apartment – and there’s a spa??!!
This looks like an amazing place to stay. So much better then a small hotel room.
That room had some serious perks! It sounds like such a lovely place to relax!
This looks like such a wonderful place to vacation to! The beach looks so gorgeous!
What a fantastic vacation rental! I’m researching vacation destinations for our family right now, and this one is going to the top of the list!
What a phenomenal place to stay while in Alabama! The view is just breathtaking! I cannot get over how large the accommodations are.
I have to admit, when you think of Alabama you don’t think about the beach. So, thank you for giving me another vacay spot to consider. Your hotel room looked awesome and I love the little details that in each room to keep it consistent.
This looks like a really nice place to stay and I love the tub. I will keep this in mind if I am ever in the area.
Beautiful hotel! I would love to visit this place. When we go on vacation, the hotel is my kids’ favorite part. They love going to the swimming pool and playing in the game room!
I have never been to Alabama but I would love to check it out. This place looks amazing to stay at too!
Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. I always opt for top notch places like Turquoise Place when the family travels. Vacations are about fun and relaxation, and a good room is part of that.
That is lovely! I always opt for a suite situation whenever possible when the family goes on trips. We’re already on a fun trip, why cheap out and stay at a crappy hotel?
This place looks GORGEOUS! I have a friend that goes down to the Gulf Shores almost every year. They were looking for a new place to stay, I KNOW they would love this!
Wow, that looks amazing! I bet you all had a really good time!