We stayed in the Van Zant house this past weekend. It was simultaneously MORE than I expected and LESS than I expected.
We chose the property because my boyfriend is a huge Lynryd Skynryd and .38 Special fan. Because of the privilege of staying in the house the Van Zants grew up in, the experience was priceless. He got to take his guitars and play and sing in the house.
I think the property will improve as they continue renovations, but it is lacking in some areas at this time. As of now, there is paneling peeling off the wall in the bathroom, there are several places where the floor is unfinished concrete, and the central a/c doesn't work. The house is not "retro 70s", it is real 70s. I didn't realize that there were apartments attached to the house, so there are neighbors that share the fenced yard and some interior walls. The house has a musty smell, which is somewhat normal for a house that is shut-up for periods of time in Florida heat. The pool table was nice, but there was only one cue with a tip. The televisions are old and only had a few channels. We had three adults in our group, so we were provided three towels. There were no extra towels for the second day of our stay and no washcloths. The trash can didn't have a trashbag. These are all small things, but they detracted from our ability to relax. We had to make a trip to the store to get air freshener and other supplies.
All in all, the house was lacking in some of the things I expect when I pay this much for a stay. However, I want to be very clear that the house was VERY CLEAN. It did show signs of its age, but it is not dirty. The central a/c doesn't work, but the house has plenty of box fans.
The house is what it is. If you don't want to stay in a property that feels like it is from the 70s and is in the middle of refurbishment, then you won't be happy here. If the owner removed every trace of the original structure and moved it to a better neighborhood, then the experience of staying in the Van Zant childhood home would be lost.
Without reservation, I recommend this house to a fan of the Van Zants. I do not recommend this house if you are looking for fancy accommodations.
