Last Updated on October 1, 2024 by Marybeth
And we found the perfect bungalow for your home base.
When you hear “This town has undergone an amazing transformation into a vibrant beach destination,” you absolutely want to go to see for yourself, right? This happened for us, so we went to check out Pompano Beach for ourselves. And for you!
Transformations spark curiosity and excitement: How did they do it? Where did they get their vision and determination? Was it fun? Were tears shed?
While reading about economic development, strategic investments, and public improvements the question of tears being shed hardly factors in. (Though, deep down, I still want to ask.) These visionary leaders – city commissioners, tourism committees, and the mayor – know what they’re doing.
We could dive deep together and talk about the Smart City Concept that Pompano Beach is following, the major investments already completed in streetscape and infrastructure, and the integration of residential, commercial, cultural, and cutting-edge industries. We could.
But how about a conversation surrounding the fun you can have here? With some great visuals to show rather than just tell? There’s a distinctive buzz surrounding Pompano Beach’s sparkling beachfront Fishing Village, colorful Fisher Family Pier – an architectural jewel, its end shaped like a pompano fish – and all the fresh new places to explore around town.
After a $181 million major redevelopment initiative there’s a lot to talk about. Including where are you going to stay?
Always first on our list, because where you stay illuminates the path forward for your whole vacation. Check that all-important box, check in, and then sit back and plan to explore.
Whether you choose to spend a day lazing on the gorgeous beach, dining, shopping, strolling the waterfront or even picking up the pace to make it a workout (an outdoor fitness station is just steps away from a tiki bar! No judgement here if you visit one and then the other in quick succession) we found the perfect bungalow for your headquarters.
STAY
Floasis by Sunvibes Vacation Rentals
Just 5 minutes to the beach, in a quiet neighborhood, this 2/1 (plus a bonus room with a twin bed) accommodates five guests. The interior designer / owner completely revived a 1949 home with a cramped, dated interior into a visually stunning haven, for rest and reset. When I saw “before” photos and videos of the bungalow my mind was blown. Truly. Talk about the above-mentioned tears! That would have been me, crying, and giving up.
Owner Cristina Andrade, of Detori Design, related her fascinating timeline from finding the house to completing the extensive renovation. “When I first saw the house I fell in love. Though honestly, it looked terrible.” Family members were shocked that she and her husband were considering buying a neglected, abandoned house. But Cristina could see the future: the potential this house held.
View an astonishing video of how Floasis looked before, and now, on the Detori Design Instagram page, @detoridesign. ‘ ‘Detori Design’ is a play on “design + stories”; isn’t that perfect? Read more, at the end of this article, about the full-service offerings of Detori Design and what sets them apart from other interior designers; creating spaces that are not just beautiful but also functional for everyone involved—guests, hosts, even the cleaners!
The journey begins for Floasis
A structural engineer, who took a month to review their plans and assess the house, told the new owners “Demolish it. It’s not worth keeping.” Fortunately the couple found another structural engineer who was on board with reinforcing the original structure and bringing out the potential the house already had.
The renovation took over a year and the setbacks were many. In her own words, Cristina beautifully described the experience, and her devotion to the house and the project:
“For me fixing up an old house is not only about smashing walls, tossing out the old, and replacing it with new prettier things, it is not only about taking an ugly house and flipping it into whatever buyers want nowadays; For me, it is more than that.
It is understanding that each house has its own story, in this case, it is recognizing that this house was built with love and excitement 70 years ago and that it has been through SO MUCH, so much life, so many stories; It has been loved, admired, and unfortunately, slowly forgotten.
So for me, it is about giving the house another chance at love, at life; Another chance to be that home where stories will be told around a table, naps enjoyed in a comfy hammock, delicious meals made within the kitchen walls, and dreams told under the stars in the garden. It is another opportunity to be admired, cared for, and loved but without ever forgetting all the life it has already seen, and hopefully honoring those who once loved her too.”
A property that is loved, honored, and modernized while preserving its charm and history speaks to our hearts and entreats us to spread the word!
Fast forward to today: our stay
During our visit, besides feeling awe at the beauty and creativity everywhere we looked, we were amazed by how many sitting, chatting, lounging, and napping spots there were all around the compact layout.
In this photo, above, you’ll see the hot tub in the background – another spot to unwind. The hot tub is located just steps from the pool bedroom french doors. So you can, if you’d like, claim it for yourself, you pool bedroom dweller! Also note the wooden enclosure on the left, with a door; here is the completely private outdoor bathtub. This space also leads into the bathroom (indoor) and shower. No need to track through the house, dripping from a dip in the pool.
This getaway was a mother-son trip, long overdue, time spent with my only son, Max. Max was born right before my birthday, and I brought him home from the hospital on my birthday. Best birthday present ever!
Our trip was to celebrate our birthdays and just hang out together, which doesn’t happen often enough. What a phenomenal setting for us to reconnect and totally relax.
One of us may have slept in until almost noon… I won’t say which of us, but I will say vacation is for these kind of indulgences: sleep in if you want! Watch Jiminy Glick on YouTube until 2 am! Make a pink drink for your mom at any hour!
A few steps down from the dining area is a lovely bonus room/game room – another spot to lounge. A twin bed, an arcade table (Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga and more) and a hanging rattan chair make this room a place that kids and young people will be drawn to (and may not want to leave.) Also not-young kids, and their mom.
You may notice I’m reading my latest issue of Flamingo Magazine! (And trying to hide behind it.) By Floridians, for Floridians: Florida’s only statewide lifestyle magazine. Check it out!
From several of the rooms in the house the vista is of the raised deck, the swimming pool and the spacious, completely fenced (great for kids and dogs to run around) backyard. That pool beckons, all times of the day. I must have taken 30 photos of it, in various lights: the pale glow of early morning, brilliant blue afternoon, and evening when the skies all around turned pink and tangerine. The pool invites you to wade in after a day exploring in the sun. Swimming feels like the best kind of exercise for this mature body; I swam ‘my little laps,’ I call them, and felt so refreshed and ready to venture out again.
With Detori Design’s knowledge and over five years’ experience designing and hosting short term rentals, it’s no surprise that Floasis has been thoughtfully created down to each small detail. I read somewhere that while vacationing in a beautiful place we are “dreaming, plotting, and remodeling.” Never so true as when I’m roaming around scribbling down ideas that I want to copy once I get home to my little bungalow.
The natural materials, fabrics, and soft white paint colors bring an airy, light energy.
“Small” details that made a big difference for our stay:
- Blackout electric shades in the bedrooms and bathroom.
- Strategically placed motion sensor lighting at the base of doorways, corners, and steps, for safe late-night wanderings.
- New Samsung appliances in the kitchen, including a Bespoke Refrigerator (my husband is dreaming and plotting for one right now.)
- Full size washer and dryer, placed behind a lovely shoji screen.
- Breakfast bar with comfy stools, perfect for watching someone else cook.
- Herb garden with everything you need to add flavor to a meal or garnish a fancy drink.
- Public Goods luxury bath products.
- Even the spice jars have really cool, well-designed labels (copying this for my house!)
We chose to dine out for our evening meals, but Max “made breakfast” for me one morning, (more on that later*) and we took turns mixing pink drinks for each other. It was a pink drink kind of weekend!
PLAY
How we play while on vacation is subjective: for many in Florida, boating, snorkeling, fishing and diving are at the top of the list for fun. Pompano Beach is often called the “Wreck Capital” of Florida, with 18 wrecks just off the shoreline. Plenty of boat tours and charters offer family-friendly trips for sandbar visits, fishing, sunrise tours, dock-and-dine trips, glass bottom snorkeling tours, and more.
Shipwreck Park
We were intrigued to find out that Pompano Beach is home to an educational marine park: Shipwreck Park. From a City of Pompano Beach press release earlier this year:
“The mission of Shipwreck Park, a growing network of underwater conservation parks, is to use art and technology to raise awareness of how to preserve our natural coral reef systems. Currently, Shipwreck Park consists of two dive sites, both about a mile off the Pompano Beach Coast: the Lady Luck and the Okinawa, both decommissioned ships that are located in one of the most easily accessible major dive sites in the U.S.; and the latest project, Wahoo Bay, an educational site designed to provide an immersive experience for park visitors, especially young children, which will advance Shipwreck Park’s mission to raise awareness of the importance of keeping our oceans and reefs healthy and thriving in an entertaining, educational and memorable way.”
At time of publication Wahoo Bay had begun hosting school groups for the Wahoo Bay Field Experiences. We’ll be watching to see when the park may be open to the general public. Stay tuned!
Beachfront park promenade and Fisher Family pier
For us, “play” during vacation is lounging (because our regular lives are crazy busy, in a good way), exploring, dining and drinking!
More Fishing Village restaurants
The Fishing Village and Fisher Family Pier area boasts multiple restaurants with serious culinary credentials:
Not pictured: BurgerFi and How You Brewin’ Coffee Company. Shops by the pier are Alvin’s Island and Salt Life.
The new Atlantic Boulevard Bridge
Between your Floasis getaway bungalow and the beach is the award-winning Atlantic Boulevard Bridge, a must-see destination in itself.
Undergoing a $5 million renovation, the 65 year-old structure has become an iconic landmark, with nautically themed infrastructure, grand bridge entrances with four large tensioned sails, and energy- efficient computerized up-lighting that changes colors. The tender house design mirrors the design of the beach life guard stations.
Other restaurants close by
Not all the great restaurants overlook the ocean. Close to the bridge, and Floasis, are some standouts:
A ten minute walk from Floasis, and highly recommended by our host, is Lester’s Diner, a classic American eatery since 1967.
Even closer by is Dandee Donut Factory. Recommended by Cristina, and by us: you may have heard me say that there is an actual law commanding the consumption of fresh donuts and ice cream while on vacation. Which brings us to the story of *Max “making breakfast for me.”
POV: Your son is making breakfast for you! You’re excited to see what he’s concocting… He turns from the stove…
Breakfast is SERVED! Courtesy of Dandee Donut Factory!
Thank you, Max. For real. Thank you. You always were a funny kid, full of delightful creativity and laughter, but also born with a true understanding of people, and especially your mom. I NEVER eat donuts (well, every ten years or so) and this was an extraordinary treat.
As was this trip with Max: a treat that fills my heart with happiness as I write about it. How often do we parents have the chance to spend one-on-one time with our grown children, setting aside life-stuff, parenting worries, to-do lists? Hanging out as the friends that we are now. Isn’t that the greatest part of getting old? Being one of your kids’ very best friends. Talking about everything that comes to mind, and also nothing in particular.
That timeless adage is true: “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”
So next time someone tells you about a town that has had a remarkable transformation and you’re going to want to see it for yourself, text your son or daughter to ask them to join you. Or a significant someone in your life you don’t see often enough; your favorite aunt, crazy/fun cousin, the friend who is always up for a road trip but life gets “too busy” to make it happen. They can be your captive audience in the car, your fellow explorer and camera person, and CEO in charge of breakfast. And what a chance to renew your connection, within these walls of Floasis, that were preserved especially for making new memories.
Book your stay at Floasis on Airbnb
Or book direct, Floasis on Sunvibes Vacation Rentals
View Sunvibes Rentals’ other beautiful vacation homes
Detori Design on Instagram
SunvibesRentals on Instagram
From Detori Design: “Our main focus is the full-service offering we call “From Zero to Listed,” where we take properties and transform them into vacation rentals. Our process starts by researching the local rental market—getting to know the guest profile, their needs, and evaluating the competition. We gather insights on what will set the property apart and wow the guests. With this in mind, we create a custom design plan that covers everything from paint colors to furniture, linens, and standout amenities. From there we take care of everything: from purchasing everything and managing repairs, to setting up the furniture and styling. We go beyond just design, making sure kitchens are fully stocked, linen closets are organized, all the right amenities are in place for a seamless guest experience and even getting professional photos taken. By the end, the investor has a vacation rental that’s fully equipped and ready to welcome guests.”
View a fun video of the pier and Fishing Village, “Look how far we’ve come with the transformation,” on Pompano Beach CRA’s Instagram.
Our stay at Floasis was hosted, and as always, our opinions are our own.
