[sircharles]

[SIZE=3]A few things about Laketown Wharf and Panama City Beach that you will not be told on their webstites: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]From 1 to 5, they are 2.5 tops.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Laketown Wharf operates like an extended stay hotel where you are not pampered. You take care of yourself like you are at home until you leave. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Panama City Beach is far from pedestrian friendly. Everything is spread out and behind huge parking lots.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Laketown Wharf is extremely proud of the Dancing Fountain and annual X-mas party. What a disappointment! The 1st 30 seconds of orchestra makes you take notice. After that, what accompanies the show is common and crass music, and the speakers, rather than being pointed at the passers-by, are directed right at your hotel room so blocking it out is not an option. The same is true about the music (common & crass) and the speakers (directed right at your hotel room) during what they call a live “Christmas” event. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]The whole experience makes you feel like you are staying at the Motel 6 across from the State Fair.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[jambo101]

Thats really tough to read..

[sircharles]

Sorry. Cut and paste problem.
A few things about Laketown Wharf and Panama City Beach that you will not be told on their webstites:
From 1 to 5, they are 2.5 tops.
Laketown Wharf operates like an extended stay hotel where you are not pampered. You take care of yourself like you are at home until you leave.
Panama City Beach is far from pedestrian friendly. Everything is spread out and behind huge parking lots.
Laketown Wharf is extremely proud of the Dancing Fountain and annual X-mas party. What a disappointment! The 1st 30 seconds of orchestra makes you take notice. After that, what accompanies the show is common and crass music, and the speakers, rather than being pointed at the passers-by, are directed right at your hotel room so blocking it out is not an option. The same is true about the music (common & crass) and the speakers (directed right at your hotel room) during what they call a live “Christmas” event.
The whole experience makes you feel like you are staying at the Motel 6 across from the State Fair.

[jambo101]

I'll be staying in Panama City for 2 nights on Jan 10-11, would like something on the beach,close to restaurants preferably under $150 a night.$100 a night would be even better..
Any recommendations?

[stpeteguy]

Panama City beach is the Redneck Riviera.

I thought only spring breakers went there anyway.

Head over to Destin if you want something nicer that's close by.

[jambo101]

We will be doing the visit family and friends routine for Xmas and thought a drive to the panhandle would be a nice distraction on the drive home as the rest of the family have never experienced the white sand and emerald green waters of the panhandle.
I'll check out Destin.. Or if any one else has a suggestion that has restaurants ,shopping and beach in that area.

[FSUgal]

sircharles is completely right. I lived at Laketown Warf for 8 months and it was a horrible experience. The location is awful because it's almost impossible to get to without running into horrible traffice and the building itself is not built well. I felt like it would crumble under my feet any day when I was living there. Spring breakers flock there and make all kinds of noise, to which the security team does not respond even if you call them and ask them to. Stay in Destin, avoid PCB like the plague.

[jambo101]

Turned out well as we got a waterfront efficiency across the street from a small outdoor mall,maybe half a mile east of a pier presumably THE pier. beach was nice,restaurants were good,we went to a rib joint across the street..Panama City? not bad for our over night stay..

[GreggT]

When visiting PCB, most folks stay at Laketown Wharf because relatively speaking, it is cheap. It was built at the end of the real estate boom in 2008, went through bankruptcy a few times, and still a huge amount of developer units still unsold (bank owned units now). They turned these units over to a management company who will rent to almost anyone to just get a "head in a bed" and create a little cash flow. Laketown Wharf has 750 condos across the street from the Shores of Panama which also has 750 condos, you can imagine how that effects the beach in front of these two monsters. As a condo owner ourselves we have found there is a group of folks that are looking for the absolute cheapest thing they can find, then complain about what they get.