Beach and Boardwalk view - Will pay extra for "clean" (Ocean City: appointed, 2014)

[CovePA]

Looking for a "CLEAN" hotel/motel for my elderly parents in September 2014. Balcony with good view of boardwalk and beach. Help?

[North Beach Person]

Where are they going? If Ocean City the Holiday Inn at 17th Street is a good choice.

[CovePA]

I guess I forgot the obvious... Yes Ocean City!

[CovePA]

Oh my: “This hotel is ok.”
3 of 5 starsReviewed 2 days ago
This hotel is ok at best. Our room was ok. Some areas of the room were run down and in need of cleaning. The carpet felt damped. I think that the hotel is overpriced. Basically, it was a place to sleep, there was nothing really extraordinary about the place. Not sure if I would go back again.

Stayed July 2014

[CovePA]

Not feeling too good about the quality of the rooms...

“Great location/Just OK rooms!”
3 of 5 starsReviewed 4 days ago NEW
Loved the location of the hotel! Right on the beach, was great with kids.

The rooms were ok. There were cigarette butts on the balcony. The tile in the tub needs the grout cleaned! The rooms definitely need remodeling! Halls were always hot and the higher you go in floors the hotter it gets! I realize that it is peek season and that determines the price, however, I was disappointed in the quality of the rooms.

Stayed July 2014, traveled with family

[bande1102]

I go to Ocean City quite frequently and, based on what you've written, I'd suggest the Dunes.

There is a Dunes Hotel. There is also a Dunes Motel (two completely separate buildings next to each other); but for your parents; I'd go with the hotel. I've stayed there for years and it's very clean. Also, it is at the end of the boardwalk, on 27th street, I think? Anyway, they can sit on their balcony and look out over the ocean and still see the boardwalk to the right, but it's at the quieter end so it's still relaxing.

It's also located next to the tram/trolley thing so they can get on that and ride up and down the boardwalk. That tram is unpredictable, though.

They also do a free tea time every afternoon and they also used to have big bands play in the lobby every afternoon. I'm not sure if they still do the band thing, but they still do the tea thing. I've always had great service there.

There are a few things that I don't like about the Dunes. 1) they raised their prices astronomically this year. Last year I was paying about $100/night and this year that same room is advertised for over $300(!) It looks like the prices come down in September, though. 2) they advertise private balconies, but I don't think they are. The balconies have a partition between them so you can see the balcony next to yours in between the partition and the building. You can also hear the people on the next balcony and they can hear you. I am extremely private so this really bothered me. 3) The rooms are small, although they have been recently updated. 4) the rooms I've stayed in have an adjoining door. I really, really don't like adjoining doors unless it's family/friends in the adjoining room. But that could just be me.

[DaveinMtAiry]

You could get a room on the boardwalk last year for $100 a night?

[pcity]

Originally Posted by CovePA

Not feeling too good about the quality of the rooms...

“Great location/Just OK rooms!”
3 of 5 starsReviewed 4 days ago NEW
Loved the location of the hotel! Right on the beach, was great with kids.

The rooms were ok. There were cigarette butts on the balcony. The tile in the tub needs the grout cleaned! The rooms definitely need remodeling! Halls were always hot and the higher you go in floors the hotter it gets! I realize that it is peek season and that determines the price, however, I was disappointed in the quality of the rooms.

Stayed July 2014, traveled with family

You can't get too caught up in individual reviews. Best to look at the average. If the hotel is rated 4 out of 5 or higher on TripAdvisor, it's going to be a pretty good place.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by pcity

You can't get too caught up in individual reviews. Best to look at the average. If the hotel is rated 4 out of 5 or higher on TripAdvisor, it's going to be a pretty good place.

Yeah, we stay at the Holiday Inn a couple times a year, most recently this past June, and the only thing I saw accurate, in my experiences, in the negatives was the heat in the corridors.

The rooms we've stayed in have been clean, the kitchenette is stocked with the usual coffee service and the staff has never been rude to me.

The décor is "hotel standard".

Having said that, an awful lot of people expect to have their asses kissed when they go anywhere. You see it at hotels, restaurants, almost any place you go.

[DaveinMtAiry]

I agree that reviews can't be trusted. It is frustrating for sure, the same room will get 2 completely different reviews. But that happens with goods on Amazon so I guess it's understandable. I also understand that not all reviews are on the up and up. Competitors post stuff about other motels, managers post about their own etc.