Il Dolce Far Niente (Italian for "The Sweetness of Doing Nothing") is an upscale condo in the beautiful Lighthouse community. It has a big, well-equipped kitchen, 4 HD TV's, 3 DVD players, elegant furnishings, premium linens, floor to ceiling glass doors that open onto the lovely, big balcony which overlooks the gorgeous Gulf, two king size beds, 2 twin beds in an extra bunk room, a queen size sleeper sofa, and a master suite with an oversize Jacuzzi bathtub and an ocean view. There is also a Pack n'Play crib with mattress and sheets available for our guests with toddlers. The complex offers two big, sculptural pools with fountains and palm trees, (one of them is a zero entry pool, which is especially nice for children), a heated indoor pool, two hot tubs, a fitness room and a sauna, all either on the beach, or with a beach view. Except the sauna of course! There is also a large DVD library, and a selection of board games for you, your family, and your guests to enjoy.

The Lighthouse is close to everything. At Il Dolce Far Niente, you have the best of both worlds: seclusion when you want it, and proximity to the Oyster Festival, the Shrimp Festival, the Hangout, Sea & Suds, the city pier, the annual Christmas boat parade (right off the balcony), every kind of seafood you ever wanted to try, wonderful local restaurants, and to everything else that everybody loves about Gulf Shores, when you want that. On the 14th floor, you are close enough to hear the delightful hustle and bustle of the beach community, but high enough that it's not intrusive, but summery and cheerful, even in the wintertime.

And the views are nothing short of spectacular. Fourteen floors up, they're also breathtaking. Look to the east and the west, and the beach seems infinite. Look straight ahead, and the view is so endless, and so unobstructed that you can actually see the curvature of the earth. You can watch the dolphins play, and cheer for the pelicans when they sail by the balcony, always in formation, several times a day. On a clear night, the stars are so bright, and so close you can almost touch them. This is not just 5-star accommodations for a family vacation, or a personal getaway. This is a place to renew your soul.

We've gone to a lot of trouble to make this beautiful condo welcoming and comfortable for you. It is our sincere hope that you find the same spiritual and physical renewal that we always leave with. We are firmly committed to your comfort, and we want you back, year after year.

You'll find us immediately available if you need us once you're here, and quickly responsive to your request to book what we hope will be a break from the world that you'll want to take with us over, and over, for many years.

As wonderful as Il Dolce Far Niente is, you may have a larger group than it can comfortably accommodate. If that is the case, please look at our equally beautiful, but bigger condo at the luxe Bel Sole resort condo community. You can find it here on VRBO if you search for property number 2744237. The address is 1920 West Beach Boulevard, Gulf Shores, AL. We call it "Gracehaven," and a more graceful haven of rest and renewal you won't find anywhere. Sleeps 10.