Pros

  • Quiet Fort Morgan Peninsula location with private beach access
  • Competitive rates for multi-bedroom, multi-bathroom units
  • Wide selection of spacious, fully equipped condos and cottages
  • Six spacious pools and five whirlpools with loungers
  • Seven tennis courts, putting green, basketball and shuffleboard courts
  • Seasonal cafe that sells Starbucks
  • Gated community with 24-hour security
  • Fitness center with variety of equipment plus sauna/steam rooms
  • Coin laundry facilities, gift shop, and ATM
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
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Cons

  • Isolated peninsula location is a far from Gulf Shores
  • Quality and condition of the condos can vary substantially
  • Cleanliness and maintenance problems reported in some condos
  • Cafe not open year-round
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Bottom Line

The mid-range Gulf Shores Plantation, adjacent to a golf course, offers a quiet beachfront setting about 20 minutes from central Gulf Shores in a gated community. The sprawling complex’s amenities include six pools, lighted tennis courts, a putting green, fitness center, sauna and steam rooms, and direct access to a private beach. The complex has a seasonal cafe, but no restaurants are within walking distance. The 225 units of condos and cottages are individually owned, and quality and conditions can vary widely. Guests have reported cleanliness and maintenance problems in some. Typically, a three-night minimum stay is required, and some units require longer stays, especially in high season and over holiday weekends. Rates are competitive, but for a similar complex with comparable rates that’s less isolated, travelers might prefer the Phoenix Condominiums in Orange Beach.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

Gulf Shores Plantation

Scene

Sprawling, family-friendly resort in a quiet location

The hotel is composed of several buildings, with 4,000 feet of private beach -- everywhere guests turn there are pools or recreational facilities like tennis courts or a putting green. The lobby is tasteful, but its small size belies the sprawling complex it represents. Handsome wicker furniture sits under the low ceiling. Next to the white registration desk sits a display of branded souvenirs for sale, along with racks of tourist information on the many attractions in the area. At the far end of the Fort Morgan peninsula, this complex, which is definitely geared toward families on extended stays, is generally quieter than the hotels and condo complexes along the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach strips. 

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Location

Directly on a private beach on the Fort Morgan Peninsula

This quiet condo complex is on the Fort Morgan Peninsula, with direct access to a private beach. Some guests love the serene setting, while others find it too isolated. No restaurants are within walking distance, but a few are within a four-minute drive at the adjacent Kiva Dunes Golf Course and the Beach Club. The City of Gulf Shores and its many restaurants and shops are 13 miles east (a 22-minute drive), and the Fort Morgan Historic Site is a 15-minute drive west. The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier, Jack Edwards National Airport, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, and Waterville USA Water Park are a 20- to 25-minute drive away. A Walmart Supercenter and Tanger Outlet Foley are about a 30-minute drive. 

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Rooms

Spacious and individually decorated, with full kitchens

These 225 spacious, individually owned condos vary widely in style and size. The units that we saw were tastefully decorated in a style that incorporates a casual, beachy lifestyle, although their decor was a bit dated. Typical furnishings include wicker or light-wood furniture with floral-pattern upholstery, light earth-tone or bright pastel walls, and tile or laminate floors in shades of earth tones. Artwork includes beach or nautical accents on the walls or incorporated into the tables, and bedspreads are typically floral-pattern. The full kitchens include bars with stools and full-size refrigerators. Bathrooms can vary widely in style, size, and furnishings, but those we saw had shower/tub combos. Some have granite vanities while others are more modest acrylic. There are multiple flat-screen TVs; some accompanied by DVD players. Washer/dryer units are in many but not all rooms. Some units have nice patios or balconies with sweeping ocean views, while others have partial or no views of the beach. As is often the case in large vacation rental complexes with individual owners, housekeeping can vary -- guests report that some units are clean and tidy, with housekeeping subpar in others. Free daily towel and linen changes are available, and all units have free Wi-Fi. Options range from studios to three-bedroom condos or three-to-five-bedroom cottages. 

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Features

Private beachfront, six pools and five whirlpools, seasonal cafe, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, and putting green 

This large vacation condo complex is packed with amenities, including six pools and five whirlpools -- one of the spacious pools is located inside a large dome with an adjacent whirlpool. Two other whirlpools are located indoors, and there are kids' pools as well. The complex also offers direct access to 4,000 feet of private beachfront. Beach umbrellas and chairs can be rented by the week or day in season from a separate company that services the beach. The Connections cafe is open seasonally and offers Starbucks coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and other food. The fitness center has both cardio and weight-training equipment, and there are steam and sauna rooms. Outdoor recreational activities include horseshoe pits and lighted tennis, basketball, and shuffleboard courts. Seven of the eight tennis courts are lighted. A putting green is also beachside, and the Kiva Dunes Golf Course is next door. Charcoal grills and picnic tables are available throughout the complex for guest use. The lobby has a small gift shop that sells various souvenirs and rents DVDs. Coin laundry facilities are available on-site, as is an ATM. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Gulf Shores Plantation

Scene

Sprawling, family-friendly resort in a quiet location

The hotel is composed of several buildings, with 4,000 feet of private beach -- everywhere guests turn there are pools or recreational facilities like tennis courts or a putting green. The lobby is tasteful, but its small size belies the sprawling complex it represents. Handsome wicker furniture sits under the low ceiling. Next to the white registration desk sits a display of branded souvenirs for sale, along with racks of tourist information on the many attractions in the area. At the far end of the Fort Morgan peninsula, this complex, which is definitely geared toward families on extended stays, is generally quieter than the hotels and condo complexes along the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach strips. 

See More Scene

Location

Directly on a private beach on the Fort Morgan Peninsula

This quiet condo complex is on the Fort Morgan Peninsula, with direct access to a private beach. Some guests love the serene setting, while others find it too isolated. No restaurants are within walking distance, but a few are within a four-minute drive at the adjacent Kiva Dunes Golf Course and the Beach Club. The City of Gulf Shores and its many restaurants and shops are 13 miles east (a 22-minute drive), and the Fort Morgan Historic Site is a 15-minute drive west. The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier, Jack Edwards National Airport, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, and Waterville USA Water Park are a 20- to 25-minute drive away. A Walmart Supercenter and Tanger Outlet Foley are about a 30-minute drive. 

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious and individually decorated, with full kitchens

These 225 spacious, individually owned condos vary widely in style and size. The units that we saw were tastefully decorated in a style that incorporates a casual, beachy lifestyle, although their decor was a bit dated. Typical furnishings include wicker or light-wood furniture with floral-pattern upholstery, light earth-tone or bright pastel walls, and tile or laminate floors in shades of earth tones. Artwork includes beach or nautical accents on the walls or incorporated into the tables, and bedspreads are typically floral-pattern. The full kitchens include bars with stools and full-size refrigerators. Bathrooms can vary widely in style, size, and furnishings, but those we saw had shower/tub combos. Some have granite vanities while others are more modest acrylic. There are multiple flat-screen TVs; some accompanied by DVD players. Washer/dryer units are in many but not all rooms. Some units have nice patios or balconies with sweeping ocean views, while others have partial or no views of the beach. As is often the case in large vacation rental complexes with individual owners, housekeeping can vary -- guests report that some units are clean and tidy, with housekeeping subpar in others. Free daily towel and linen changes are available, and all units have free Wi-Fi. Options range from studios to three-bedroom condos or three-to-five-bedroom cottages. 

See More Rooms

Features

Private beachfront, six pools and five whirlpools, seasonal cafe, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, and putting green 

This large vacation condo complex is packed with amenities, including six pools and five whirlpools -- one of the spacious pools is located inside a large dome with an adjacent whirlpool. Two other whirlpools are located indoors, and there are kids' pools as well. The complex also offers direct access to 4,000 feet of private beachfront. Beach umbrellas and chairs can be rented by the week or day in season from a separate company that services the beach. The Connections cafe is open seasonally and offers Starbucks coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and other food. The fitness center has both cardio and weight-training equipment, and there are steam and sauna rooms. Outdoor recreational activities include horseshoe pits and lighted tennis, basketball, and shuffleboard courts. Seven of the eight tennis courts are lighted. A putting green is also beachside, and the Kiva Dunes Golf Course is next door. Charcoal grills and picnic tables are available throughout the complex for guest use. The lobby has a small gift shop that sells various souvenirs and rents DVDs. Coin laundry facilities are available on-site, as is an ATM. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Cable

  • Cribs

  • Fitness Center

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.