Beachside Inn

Just plain delightful. This hotel (not B&B, but how else to distinguish it from the towering behemoths everywhere around?) was such a pleasant surprise that we booked a 2nd night after arriving. We love parking right outside our room door--it makes unloading so much easier. Lights and tv were on and waiting for us; room clean, bright, updated; pots of flowers outside. Location is fabulous: easy to find and pull into, food options on site, beach across the street via a public access point. The famous sweet bread loaf was on the counter. Large bright front window, modern A/C mounted high on wall and not blowing up the curtain at the window like so many. Modern plank-style ceramic floor. In some ways it is no big frills, but it is a clean and happy kind of no frills. No resort fee, no crowding into elevators. Ice and soda machines are out in the open on the ground floor. We did not visit the pool areas. Fido was happy and comfortable, and the pet fee was in line. Plenty of space in the room to store our two bikes and still move around comfortably. Our Ford truck with bicycle rack on back fit handily in the parking space, backed in. The first night (after 10 hrs of driving), we gratefully climbed the flight of stairs from the parking lot up to the on-site cozy restaurant. January meant we had a table and good service right away. Hubby ordered a simple margarita pizza, and I ordered two sides which, combined, made an exquisite meal: coconut risotto with perfectly-done grilled asparagus. Just being able to get this variety of food made me happy (so much vacation fare is heavy). Coffee in the room is standard sputtering-one-cup preparation, but you could get something better across the little parking lot beginning at 7 a.m. (or travel with your own full coffee service like I do). There's a decent mini fridge, small microwave, ice bucket, roll of paper towels, lots of hooks, ceiling fan, and ubiquitous bible. I noticed a clothes steamer and hair blow-dryer. Also two beach towels. First full morning, we took a long beach walk of about 4 miles without moving our car, sat in front of the room on the little table with two chairs and visited with friendly hotel staff, then rode (our own) bikes about 5 miles down the road in the opposite direction to have a beer and BBQ shrimp bowl (to die for) at the scruffy tucked-away waterfront Boat House Oyster Bar, with its live music on a Saturday afternoon. Hubby saw a few dolphins running the waves early in the morning. I can't imagine how crazy this destination must be in the hot summer months with its garish entertainment parks, chain restaurants that you can find in every other corner of America, and evident attempts to control crowds. Parking along the streets seems to be $20 for 4 hours (but free in the hotel lot). January is the perfect time to come: the beaches are quiet, allowing you to be reflective; you can enjoy the mom-and-pop restaurants and bars in comfort; and find a parking spot pretty much everywhere you go. I'd come back to this particular hotel in a heartbeat. It was the only one of its kind I saw anywhere in the area, and so I feel doubly lucky to have stumbled upon it.

Beautiful property and very comfortable!

Adorable room but walls paper thin and noisy. We had to drag our luggage upstairs, which was hard. Would go back and stay on first floor!

Our family had a fantastic time at this property. The location was superb, just steps from the beach. The facilities were top-notch, especially the amenities which made our stay comfortable. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and the cleanliness of the property was impressive. We had a great night's sleep, and the parking and transport options were convenient. Overall, it was a wonderful stay for families with young children.