Cottages Christian Retreat

I liked the location and it was just a short walk to the beachfront. We just had to cross the street and we were there. Location was perfect. I was able to park in front of my unit which was convenient for our family. I loved how close the stores were; CVS, Aldi, Dunkin Donuts, Waffle House, Dollar General were all within 5 mins or less to drive to. I liked how there were plenty of beds for a large group, although we did not need that many. We were just two parents with 7 of our kids. I didn’t realize we booked so many beds. The largest room had single bunkbeds to fit 10 kids in each bed, and then two more bunkbeds in the same room to fit more kids and adults. This would be great for multi family vacations. The unit is very large and roomy. It came with two full bathrooms and 4 bedrooms. One bathroom came with a toilet in the same room as two shower stalls. Outside of that was the sink. Next to it were the two smaller bedrooms. Each bedroom had a full/queen bed with a twin bunk bed next to it. The largest room had the many bunkbeds which had a large bathroom (Jack and Jill bathroom) that was attached to another bedroom, that had a queen/full bed with a twin bunk bed. The bathroom had 3 shower stalls, and two toilet stalls, and 3 separate sinks all in one room. It was quite large, felt like a school bathroom. Very old and dated style. Needs upgrades asap.

The owners were nice and friendly. When I first walked into the house after check in, it was pleasant to walk through, but then when we started to get settled in, I smelled the place and with me, I am very particular and I love a clean house and I need it to SMELL clean and fresh. It smelled like residue from when people stayed there, like musty. The air filters need to be changed out and replaced. The entire house needs to be cleaned with bleached. I HATED THE SMELL of the whole unit. I would not have been able to sleep if I had not done the actual cleaning myself! We were planning to cook every night to save on costs, but that didn’t happen because I was disgusted with the kitchen. The cabinets had so many dings and the white paint peeling off- also on the walls and doors- looked like landlord’s special. There were kitchenware and cookware available but I was not comfortable to use because people have used them and the policy at this place was that the tenants had to wash them themselves. I was not happy with that because not everyone will clean PROPERLY. There was no dishwasher, and to me that is great because it would steam clean for you. FYI: Others could piss in a bowl, rinse it out and put it back, and you’d never know. Imagine that! There needs to be some responsibility and accountability of the cottage owners to make sure they check those things before renting to the next family. I could not use those kitchen things, even the coffee maker. Imagine someone drinking from a water bottle and then immediately pouring it into the coffee maker to use it. The state of the place was in poor condition, and we had to provide for everything, such as cleaning supplies, trash bags, paper towels and rags, towels and linens, paper plates and bowls and utensils, kitchen and bathroom rugs!!

Good price and good location

Very spacious place with lots a bed’s which was perfect for our family of 25, and plus just a few steps away from the beautiful beach, definitely looking forward to booking here again next year!

Affordable, clean, well maintained, quiet and the perfect get away for myself, my fiance, my mom and 4 kids!!

Location was great! Room is dated and lacks regular maintenance. Room wasn’t cleaned very well up on check in.

Great place to stay close to the beach, price

Simple, easy, and beach access.

We had a good overall experience during our stay in Panama City. The property is very well maintained, in an excellent location, and the staff was friendly and respectful at all times. However, there were a few things we wish we had known beforehand. We were charged by Expedia, but the invoice from the property was significantly lower — which means Expedia kept a significant markup. Also, while the listing mentions that extra sheets cost $15, it’s not clearly stated that no sheets or towels are provided at all unless you pay for them. We had to pay an additional $45 just to get sheets and towels for our family (two small beds for our kids and a larger one for us). The unit also does not include any toiletries (no soap or shampoo), dish soap, or even a sponge. If you’re prepared for those extra costs or bring your own supplies, the place is actually a great spot to stay.