Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center
Report
Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center is one of the largest condo-hotel resorts in Daytona Beach area. Even though it is located in one of the best places on the Beachside, across the street from Bellair Plaza with tons of stores, restaurants, and anchored by Publix Supermarket, it is not exactly a tourist destination. Better say it is a good mix of residents and tourists, where residents dominate the crowd.
If you stay in Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center, you do not need to have a car, as everything is just walking distance. And the best restaurants are all within a 10-minute walk. The only other place like this on the Beachside, where you can survive without a car, is in Daytona Beach Shores.
The resort was built in 1971. The conversion to condo-hotel started around 2000, and sales started in 2001. Still, the Developer, DAYTONA BEACH RESORT LLC, owns 60 units out of 322 units in the resort, making it the longest conversion in Daytona Beach area.
Situated on a little over 3 acres of oceanfront land with 442 feet along the ocean, the resort has plenty of space on their 32,000 sq. ft. pool deck with 2 heated pools, kiddie’s pool with waterfall in addition to a heated indoor pool and 2 Jacuzzi.
Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center has changed dramatically since converting to condos. Developers spent serious money on upgrading the property, and it also had a second upgrade after the damage sustained in the hurricanes of 2004. It is an impressive property, marble floors, tons of mirrors to the point of complete confusion. 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space allows them to host practically any event they want.
All units have full kitchens. Some of the balconies on the north and south side are so narrow that you can hardly put a chair there. All units in the 12-story tower have the view of the ocean, but in the 5-story south wing some do, and some don’t.
Monthly Association fee is $450 for any unit, whether a studio or a one bedroom suite.
From the point of view of condo-hotel, I have mixed feelings about this property. They are a bit far from all the buzz, and this can affect rentals. I am sure one can argue that this is a very good location, and they simply have a different clientele. Maybe. I asked a great guy and my former mentor Alex, who taught me how to do night audit (gosh, this place had the most difficult night audit I had ever done), who’s been working in Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center for 16 years, about the operations, and he proudly said they were doing great. I trust him. He is the guy who watches money coming, so if he says they are doing great, there is money.
However, I know that for condo-hotel the more you have, the fancier you are, the more you pay. I understand that in summer both pools might be busy, but you are paying for 3 outdoor (including kiddie’s) and one indoor pool, and this is maintenance.
The conference center part seems a mismatch for this property in this location. It is too far from the Convention Center and all the activities to really attract conventions. Also, convention business is a very specialized business, and I do not think they have a professional doing it. So, it is used for weddings, proms, church groups, local meetings, and other events that are not really money makers. Meanwhile, you have to maintain the space, clean carpets, fix roofs, pay electric bills for AC, keep personnel to do all this work.
Not everything that is good for a hotel, is good for condo-hotel. Eventually, it may reflect in higher fees and Special Assessment.
Meanwhile, Alex said they are doing very well, so, folks, keep it in mind. And here is the list of units for sale in Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center in Daytona Beach.
Call me 396-405-4408
