Phoenix East II in Orange Beach, Alabama
If you’ve ever driven down Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach, Alabama, you’ve seen them: tall white towers with the word “Phoenix” on the side, lined up along the sugar-white sand like they own the place. (Spoiler: they kind of do.) We’ve driven past them more times than I can count, but this trip was our first stay at one of the Phoenix complexes, and we picked Phoenix East II.
There were four of us on this trip: Jeff and me, plus a couple of good friends. We spent a week in a three-bedroom condo, so nobody had to fight over a bed. It was super comfy, and the view of the Gulf from our balcony was the kind you want to stare at with a cup of coffee in the morning and a plate of barbecue at night.
A Little History of the Phoenix Condos
The Phoenix name belongs to Brett/Robinson, a family-owned company that has been on the Alabama Gulf Coast since 1968. Brothers Tillis and Gene Brett started out with just $500, then teamed up with Tommy Robinson, a subdivision developer and hardware store owner.
The very first Phoenix, Phoenix I, opened in Orange Beach in 1985. It was built on the spot where a beach house had burned down, which is why Gene Brett suggested naming it after the mythical bird that rises from the ashes. (I love a building with a backstory.)
Today, Brett/Robinson manages more than 1,800 condos, beach houses, and hotel suites. According to its Phoenix condos page, the Phoenix family includes more than 15 condo complexes and two Phoenix All Suites hotels:
- Orange Beach (Gulf-front): Phoenix I through Phoenix X, Phoenix East, Phoenix East II, Phoenix West, Phoenix Orange Beach, Phoenix Orange Beach II, and Phoenix Gulf Towers
- Orange Beach (bayfront): Phoenix on the Bay
- Gulf Shores: Phoenix Gulf Shores, Phoenix Gulf Shores II, Phoenix All Suites Hotel, and Phoenix All Suites West Hotel
Two former Phoenix properties have new names: Phoenix West II is now The Oasis, and Phoenix on the Bay II is now Lighthouse on the Bay.
Where Is Phoenix East II?
Phoenix East II is located at 27120 Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach, Alabama, right next door to its older sibling, Phoenix East. It sits between Turquoise Place and Perdido Beach Resort, near the eastern end of Orange Beach and Perdido Pass. It’s about 8 miles east of Highway 59.
The hometown airport is Gulf Shores International Airport (GUF), The Pensacola International Airport is about 30 miles away (roughly an hour’s drive).
Booking and Checking In
We booked our stay directly through Brett/Robinson, the company that built and manages Phoenix East II. Before the trip, I bought our parking passes online, which saved us a little money.
Here’s something that confused us at first: check-in isn’t at Phoenix East II. Even though we had a door code for our unit, we still had to stop at the Phoenix East Service Desk next door to pick up our parking passes and the wristbands everyone has to wear while staying at the property. The guest entrance to Phoenix East II is also at Phoenix East, so plan to pull in there when you arrive.
Our Condo at Phoenix East II
We stayed in unit 2113, a three-bedroom, two-bath condo on the 11th floor. Every unit at Phoenix East II has a private balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Gulf, and ours had plenty of room for four adults.
The Living Room
The living room had a large L-shaped sofa, a recliner, and another comfortable chair, so everyone had a spot. There’s a large TV with Dish satellite for the evenings when you’ve had enough sun.
The Kitchen
The kitchen was fully stocked, with three barstools at the counter.
We stocked up at Walmart and cooked a lot of our meals in the condo: homemade biscuits for breakfast, meatballs in the Crockpot, meatloaf, homemade dinner rolls, and pot roast with potatoes and carrots. (We eat well on vacation.)
There’s a washer and dryer in the unit, too, and we put it to good use. I love doing laundry before we leave because I get to go home with a suitcase full of clean clothes. And if I have to do laundry, I prefer to do it with a view. (Wink, wink.)
The Bathrooms
The bathrooms are small, but they have everything you need. We thought there wasn’t a hairdryer until we found one on our last day, so look around before you dig yours out of the suitcase. The water pressure wasn’t great, but it was adequate.
The Balcony and the View
The balcony is a decent size, with a table and four chairs. This is where we spent a lot of our time, and it’s where we ate pulled barbecue that Jeff had smoked at home before the trip. We saw lots of dolphins swimming in the Gulf right in front of the building.
Maintenance
We had one small hiccup during our stay. We called maintenance, and it was taken care of quickly.
Amenities at Phoenix East II
If you can’t find something to do at Phoenix East II, you aren’t trying very hard. The complex has:
- A Gulf-front, zero-entry outdoor pool (it’s handicap-accessible, too)
- A children’s splash pad
- An indoor pool and hot tub
- A sauna (look for the small door inside the ladies’ restroom on the basement level; I almost missed it)
- A fitness center
- Tennis, basketball, and racquetball courts
- Barbecue grills
- Direct beach access and beach chair rentals
- Parking
- Free Wi-Fi
Good to Know Before You Go
- Check-in: Head to the Phoenix East Service Desk next door for parking passes and wristbands, even if you have a door code. Check-in and check-out times vary by season, so look at your booking confirmation.
- Parking passes: Buy them online before you arrive to save money. You’ll still pick them up at the Service Desk.
- Wristbands: Everyone in your group has to wear one while staying at the property.
- Parking: On-site parking is available with your parking pass.
- Hairdryer: Look in the cabinets and closets before you pack one. Ours was hiding until the last day.
- Smoke-free: The entire building is smoke-free, including balconies and pool decks.
- Pets: Pets are not allowed at Brett/Robinson condos (unless you are an owner).
- Groceries: We shopped at Walmart and Publix. (If you hit the Publix just over the line in Florida, know that you have to buy both items to get the buy-one-get-one deal.)
Checking Out
Check-out was easy peasy. All we had to do was:
- Take out the trash
- Run the dishwasher
- Lock the doors and windows
- Check the thermostat
- Put the dirty towels in the tub or shower stall
How We Spent Our Days
Most mornings started with sunrise on the beach. The guys spent a lot of their time fishing (after a stop at the bait store, of course), and Jeff caught a large black drum. We also hit the Tanger Outlets in nearby Foley.
Beachcombing
I walked the beach every chance I got, all the way to Turquoise Place and a couple of days all the way to the private pier near The Tides and back. Jeff brought his metal detector and found seven cents and a shell ring. Not exactly buried treasure, but it’s the hunt that counts.
Evenings
We spent our evenings eating dinner in the condo, playing Wordle, and watching the Gulf from the balcony. We also picked up a few lottery tickets across the line in Florida, and I won $10 on a $10 ticket. (Hey, I broke even.)
Where We Ate
Here’s a money-saving tip: we made lunch our big meal out each day. Lunch prices are usually lower, the restaurants were less crowded, and we got to unwind over dinner on the balcony every night. (Tip we got from a waitress: if you are going to order anything fried, order it at lunch at 11:00 when the oil is the freshest.)
Doc’s Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar
Doc’s was new for Jeff and me. It claims to have the best fried shrimp in the entire civilized world. That’s a bold claim, but it was delicious. The location where we ate (26029 Canal Road) was almost like a hole in the wall, with a tin roof. Every so often, nuts or something would fall on that roof and startle us.
Flora-Bama Yacht Club
The Flora-Bama Yacht Club is the open-air waterfront restaurant across the street from the famous Flora-Bama, right on the Alabama-Florida line. It’s one of my favorite places to enjoy a Bushwacker. That frozen, creamy, boozy goodness is a must every time we’re in the area.
Salty Pearl Raw Bar (Perdido Key, Florida)
The Salty Pearl, just across the line in Florida, was new to all four of us, and we loved it so much that we went back for a second lunch. On our first visit, our server Tritan took great care of us. I had a Shrimp Po’ Boy, and the amount of shrimp on it was unbelievable. To say it was generous would be an understatement. The others all ordered tacos.
Next Time
We’re hoping to finally make it to Louisiana Lagniappe on our next trip. A friend also passed along a few recommendations that we may need to try:
- Kitty’s Kafe
- Duck’s Diner
- Hub Stacey’s at the Point
- R’Reileigh’s Daybreak Cafe (in Lillian)
- The Perch at The Lodge at Gulf State Park
What’s Nearby
Phoenix East II is close to some of the best things in Orange Beach. The Gulf Orange Beach restaurant is within walking distance, and the marinas across the street offer fishing charters, water sports, and dolphin tours. The famous Flora-Bama is just a short drive east, right on the Alabama-Florida line.
If you’re planning a trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast, here’s more to explore:
- My list of Things To Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
- What to Eat in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach (and salads and healthy options for when you need a break from fried shrimp)
- A Wild Hearts Day Cruise in Orange Beach
- Other places we’ve stayed nearby: Perdido Beach Resort, Turquoise Place, the Hilton Garden Inn Orange Beach, and The Lodge at Gulf State Park
Final Call
Would we stay at Phoenix East II again? Absolutely. The unit had everything we needed, and it felt homey. Our first Phoenix stay definitely won’t be our last.
Have you stayed at one of the Phoenix condos? Tell me in the comments below which one is your favorite, and save this post for your next trip to Orange Beach.
