The house was spotless. Furniture was clean, including the patio furniture; rooms were comfortable, deck is huge, including a covered section. Have you seen listings that say "steps to the beach," but really you should bring some hiking shoes? Not here. The waves came within 20 feet of the home's pillars. No dunes to walk over, no boardwalk - the house is almost in the water!
As for the area, despite this being Spring Break week, the beach was fairly empty. Granted, the weather was a bit nuts (68-73 degrees, a stiff wind, torrential rain, high surf & riptide warnings) and the roads flooded . . . but still. The empty beaches were nice. Speaking of flooded roads - if there's significant rain in the forecast, bring an SUV with some ground clearance.
As first-time visitors to Dauphin Island, we're not entirely sure we'd return. The water was brown during our stay - not like the Caribbean-blue waters we've seen on the panhandle, for example. We couldn't tell whether it was because of the torrential rains, or if that's the norm. The oil & natural gas rigs offshore took some getting used to, but weren't a dealbreaker. Dining & groceries were somewhat limited, we thought, as compared to the Florida panhandle or even Gulf Shores. As my wife put it: If we could transport this house . . .
When you go, be sure to take the car ferry to Gulf Shores. There's lots to do there, but the ferry ride is its own reward.