Portside Riviera Beach // Airbnb Review Units #8 & #9
The first time we stayed at Portside in Riviera Beach to do some SCUBA diving at Phil Foster Park next to the Blue Heron Bridge, we stayed in a small efficiency #5 without a water view, but this time, we booked early enough to score #8, an upstairs inlet-side suite, and how glorious it is!
Waterfront Inlet-Side Views
While only about $20-$30 more than the non-waterfront view; the waterside suites are spacious. Our dive partners grabbed the other inlet-side suite, #9 also upstairs. So together, we had the entire top floor with plenty of room for cooking, drying out dive gear, and lounging around.
This turned out to be great, since we had five divers, five wetsuits, five… you get the idea. We were able to rinse everything by the pool, then hang up everything to dry on the balcony railing. That way, our gear was out of view and way of other guests.
As soon as we entered our suite, we were astounded at the generous size, and the $14 million view. Only a few properties are inlet-side, so we are fortunate this place still exists.
Above is the view approaching the front door, which is on the left. Outside, there was a full patio-style table and several chairs as well as an umbrella and one lounge chair. Here we are using them for drying dive gear.
Unit #8 Upstairs and to the East
With a king-size bed overlooking the pool and inlet views through double sliding glass doors, very cleverly, opposite the bed was a wider-than-full width double closet with full mirrored doors. The effect further enlarged the room, and had the bonus of reflecting more of the view to the East of the waterway.
Beyond the bedroom, at least 15 feet by 15 feet, there was a desk which we used plenty for photo editing, then the kitchen and small dining table.
To the left there was a bathroom of normal proportions.
The closet is enormous with double rods, shelves, and even drawers. I imagine some people vacation here from “Up North” for a month or two at a time, and they would have plenty of room. No dressers necessary!
There is a lounge chair in one corner by the bed, and two chairs and a table by the kitchen.
The views from the entire unit are beautiful, and the king-sized bed ended up serving as a staging spot for all our diving photography needs!
Fully Stocked Kitchens
To the right there was a full kitchen with fridge/freezer, microwave, oven, four-burner stove, and sink. Everything we needed. The oven and stove is actually an apartment-sized appliance, simply perfect for vacationeers.
The kitchen is nearly fully-stocked with toaster, blender, coffee maker, as well as plates, bowls and dessert plates, forks, knives and spoons, and most kitchen utensils. There is a regular set of cookware including one rectangular casserole and one baking large flat pan that was made to fit the oven.
Unit #9 Upstairs and to the West
Our diving friends stayed in the suite West of us on the top floor.
Upon entry, there was a huge bedroom to the left with two sofas creating a living room, another room straight ahead with a single bed. Then to the right there was a second living room with another sofa facing a double sliding glass door. Behind that lies a kitchen much like the one in #8 but larger, and a table with chairs.
In front of their suite was a huge roof-top with several lounge chairs and table and chairs. Their suite had a door leading in, large window toward the inlet and pool facing the king-sized bed. There are double sliding glass doors facing the waterway.
Delightful Views in All Directions!
From the top floor, watching the boat traffic both during the day and at night was fascinating. The inlet is very busy, with a boat or two going by every minute. We saw everything from a small cruise ship to large motor yachts, large deep-sea fishing boats. Also, we saw smaller fishing boats, to huge sail yachts down to distance cruisers of 30-50 feet, and even some smaller 20-30 foot sailboats, jet skis, kayaks, paddle boarder.
The harbor pilot came and went, as well as Sea Two and Tow Boat US, and some Sheriff’s and Fish and Wildlife Commission boats. We saw several boaters pulled over by the law enforcement vessels. At night, you could see the blinking blue lights from a long distance.
The pool is a very convenient size, and there are tables with umbrellas and chairs, as well as loungers spaced around. You can find anything from full sun to full shade, and there are lovely palm trees giving that wonderful tropical feeling.
Bill grilling; site manager Colleen zipped around gathering grilling utensils for us. She’s available by text, and responds nearly instantly!
Additional Amenities
Guests also can use the grill, which we cooked our hot dog and hamburger lunch on, as did the group staying below us.
Several tables around the pool area area available for impromptu feasts – either under cover or under umbrellas.
For our dive gear, there is a hose by the pool, and we were able to rinse gear and drip dry on the lush grass, then move it to our balcony for further drying.
In cooking two breakfasts and two lunches, we used nearly every pot and pan, all the plates, and much of the utensils. We always travel with our own coffee kit and spatula. This time, there even were two spatulas.
Colleeen, the site manager, arrived only moments after texting her when we needed to borrow a few grilling utensils. She brought a second set and offered for us to even use the grills at their other properties if we needed to cook a lot at the same time. Harbourside and Southwinds are next door!
The place was fully stocked with soap, shampoo, hand soap, dish soap, bath towels, pool towels, dish towel, five rolls toilet paper, and two types of paper towels. There was not any conditioner, but I knew a text to base manager Colleen would have resulted in some appearing almost immediately. There were about eight shampoos, so I figured it was just a mistake and used my own conditioner.
In the property information folder there was a note that the first set of everything was on the house, and further supplies should be provided by the guest. I thought the volume of supplies was very generous. Several rolls of paper towels were in the kitchen cabinet!
Stunning Landscaping on the Grounds
The grounds are absolutely stunning and photo-worthy. Every ten feet there is another photo opportunity, and the public spaces are set up almost like individual gardens with a bit of privacy between each table, chair and umbrella set.
There is black bamboo, very striking and unique. We saw absolutely stunning bird of paradise blooms. There were several types of succulents, several in bloom.
Several flowering bushes attracted all sorts of dragonflies. In every direction, there is another beautiful tropical scene, with hibiscus flowering here and there, then plumeria in another direction.
While walking to the car each time we went diving, we had to stop several times to photograph new blooms or cheeky curly-tailed lizards or newly-opened blooms.
Dive Trip to Blue Heron Bridge
Only a mile or two from Blue Heron Bridge, Portside is an eleven-minute drive to Phil Foster Park at the rush hour.
It is the perfect location for jumping off on dive trips whether shore diving from the park or even with the several dive boat operators.
Portside’s Other Offerings
The entire complex has about ten rooms. The room we had before, #5 shown above – it’s door looks exactly like #3’s door – held a double bed that was in front of you right as you came in the door. Then there is a tiny bathroom with shower stall to the right. Also there’s a tiny kitchen and a table for two to the left, and two chairs on the porch outside.
Portside is part of a group of vacation rentals, and the properties next door, Harbourside and Southwinds, are equally fab. They also can be booked on Airbnb. Harborside is the furthest East of the three, with a pool on the inlet like Portside. Southwinds is in the middle, with their pool in a courtyard in the middle of the property. Portside is the furthest West, pool on the inlet.
1960’s Vibe
Portside is the most kitschy, 60’s, charming seaside teeny motel you can imagine. It’s like going to your great aunt’s South Florida apartment; a mix of vintage 60’s furniture and 90’s pieces.
In the small efficiency we stayed in on our last trip to Riviera Beach, there was a lucite coffee table that had to have been some famous designer from the mid-60’s, next to an 80’s dresser.
The effect is not irritatingly eclectic, or fakey-fakey faux minimal, but rather a hodgepodge of pieces from various eras. It feels as though your great aunt had been cruising the consignment shops and furnishing the place as she went; utilizing all eras quite sensibly.
Take Non-Toxic Sunscreen on your dive trips (And a Good Hat!)
For the smartest eco-friendly travel kits imaginable, head to Stream2Sea and take a look at the completely guilt-free products. Don’t be duped by front labels that say “reef safe” or “natural ingredients.” Sometimes advertising is misleading.
Not only is Stream2Sea the only completely reef- and coral-larvae safe sunscreens and shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and sting relief, but also they are packaged in sugar-cane resin containers, so no guilt about throwing away more tiny single-use plastic containers!
Remember; toxic sunscreens are banned in more and more vacation destinations; it’s happening so fast now, I can’t even keep up with the list! Yay! Don’t get sent to the sunscreen police! Use code “KimW” for 10% off your order.
The Florida Keys have banned sunscreens with the toxic ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate. So, treat yourself to a new tube of Stream2Sea sunscreen this season. Here’s a 10% off discount to reward you for being environmentally conscious; just use “KimW” at the checkout.
Airbnb – Make Your Trips “Off The Chain!”
Ok, so, here are two Airbnb discount codes. Try either one! The offerings from Airbnb change every couple months, so use whichever gives you the best deal. You can only use a code one time, so compare, choose whichever gives you the best deal since they change periodically, and make it count!
As of today, this one, Airbnb http://bit.ly/dwhAIRBNB says, “Kimberly gave you up to $55 off your first trip.”
Also today, this one, Airbnb http://bit.ly/dwhAirbnb2 says, “Deep gave you up to $415 off your first adventure. I’m ready to book from this one right now! I’m thinking it’s a computer glitch – so jump on it fast!
Once you get somewhere and find parking… Let someone else do the driving! Today, this one from Uber: http://bit.ly/dwhUber This link currently is for $2 off first 3 rides, however, this also can change – sometimes it’s $5 off your first ride.
What to Read Next:
Ultimate Florida Keys Road Trip // Key West Dive Trip
My Method for Booking a Great Airbnb Property
How to Dispose of Toxic Sunscreen Banned in Several Vacation Destinations
In Search of the Best Sailing Hat Ever
What to Watch Next: Trying & Applying Reef Safe Mineral Sunscreen – Tinted and White // Deep Water Happy
Update: Winter, 2022 – Unfortunately, Portside was torn down this season to make way for high-rises. So sad.
