Portside – Riviera Beach Singer Island – Airbnb Review
Heading to Riviera Beach for some diving, I wanted to book accommodations near the dive sites and dive boat, away from the noisy Interstate; a place with a pool, and somewhere on the water, preferably near Palm Beach Inlet.
After searching and searching, nearly giving up and booking a hotel, I finally found Portside on Airbnb. With only ten units inlet-side, this quaint 1950’s seaside hotel looked promising. It’s funny how when you are booking a place to stay on a short vacation, you spend hours and hours searching for the perfect place to stay. I suppose your accommodations can truly “make or break” a vacation.
Portside made it. I knew the Singer Island location would be fairly quiet; what I didn’t realize how exciting staying right on the inlet would turn out to be. From sunup to sundown, the constant boat traffic had my attention.
Every size, type, length of vessel paraded by. I’ve always said the way to learn about any country or area is to check out their grocery, hardware, dump, and port or boat launch – to see how people live, what is important to them, and especially how they are making their living on the water. This Airbnb has the ideal boat watching location! Looking at Marine Traffic, it’s apparent that South Florida has several very busy ports, and Palm Beach Inlet is a perfect location for boat spotting.
Anywhere on the inlet would have provided that view and experience. However, what Portside added to the experience was charm. That 1950’s vibe; from the “jealousy windows” to the pastel bathroom tiles; the visit was like stepping back into a calmer, friendlier, more relaxed time.
Portside Unit 5 was the only room available for my dates, and it is the smallest room, but was perfect for two divers.
With a comfy queen bed, a couple chairs, closet, teeny dining spot, and apartment-sized fridge and full oven/stove, it was everything we needed.
The one moment I thought I might have made a mistake booking it was when my dive partner announced that there was no shower in the bathroom! I didn’t panic. I quickly tried to keep it positive, and said well, we can jump in the pool and then rinse and soap at the outdoor shower. It turned out the shower was behind the bathroom door. Plenty roomy and tons of hot water. Shew!
If you can picture a 50’s seaside hotel, lush landscaping, rented bicycles leaning against trees ready to take a spin around the neighborhood, the sound of happy vacationers chatting pool-side, you can picture Portside.
There are plenty of quiet places at Portside to relax, eat some takeouts, read, and just enjoy the tropical breezes.
Upon arrival, we unloaded our bags, made plans for dinner and grocery shopping, and headed to read by the pool. Everyone introduced themselves! Everyone! There were three or four couples from New Jersey who have known each other’s families over 50 years, shared life’s sorrows and joys, and even some inter-family marriages and employers. I heard their whole story. Twice.
And although I had an excellent book to read – one all about rum running and boats heading out inlets – as I watched boats in front of me head in and out, I happily disconnected from 2018 and listened to the family stories from people who had been vacationing at Portside for over 30 years together. That is how popular and dependable this place is.
At Portside, there are small gardens about which to wander, where you can admire the biggest hibiscus flowers you’ve ever seen, a couple stands of very unusual black bamboo, and other tropical plants.
The seaside hotel is a short walk to The Easternmost Point in the United States! It is the perfect place for spectacular sunrise and sunset photos full of deep colors. We saw a lot of couples taking “selfies” from the best vantage points.
A paved walkway between the pool and the inlet is accessible for biking, walking, running, and even walking dogs. We met plenty of friendly leashed pups taking the air and watching the fishermen cast in the rock boulders.
Portside turned out to be one of those kinds of places where you stay and don’t want to leave. It’s a destination itself; a slice of life in the area, part of the local experience, and very much satisfies what the Airbnb goal is – to reach somewhere, and already belong. It’s clean, comfortable, in walking distance of restaurants, and in very short driving distance of dozens of shops and restaurants. Parking is off the road, which is in a very quiet residential area. 
Discount Codes!!!
