Surf n' Sand — Hotel in Clearwater

Will I book again? No. I love supporting local businesses, especially businesses similar to these. It is a 2 star hotel, for sure but we've stayed in places like this in other beach towns for less money and have had a better experience. We booked a 1 bedroom king suite but ended up with a 1 bedroom king bed apartment...cute. Below is our story:

What we loved: cute beach decor old, but charming great view of bay close walking distance to beach/shopping bed was pretty comfy...but really soft mattress if you have back issues full kitchen

What we didn't like: Office hours are listed incorrect. We arrived a little before 8pm....no one what at office which was listed at 11pm. Lighting was dark and hard to find. Once arriving, the office was closed and there was a note on the door about our arrival and information that our room door was unlocked. (THIS IS HORRIFYING TO ME, especially for others to see!?!) AND... (I was told previously on the phone that we would receive a phone call with info...we did not) Once calling, Nicolette, guided us over the phone on where to find our room and that the door was unlocked and there would be a room key inside. Once we got in, the room key was not in there. Called back and Nicolette said someone must have forgotten to leave the key and she would bring it to us but she lived an hour away. Once she arrived, we voiced our concern about the room being unlocked and someone maybe taking the key but she assured us that the area was really safe and that the key was left in the locked office. (I felt really bad for her driving out an hour away and she was really sweet) I told her we would chat later in the morning once we officially checked in.

The next morning we went to the office, it was unlocked, no one was inside. We called the number (I'm assuming the phone is forwarded to their cell phones) and no one answered and the mail box was full. We came back an hour later and Nicolette was there. We were charged and signed paper work. I was slightly annoyed that there was no apology for our check in experience from the night prior. I guess I'm not laid back enough to not see that this is an issue.

I did read reviews prior and there were a lot of good and a lot of bad. If you really want to check out this place, make sure you have a plan b. A lot of places were booked out or we would have stayed at the Marriott right beside the location.

Helpful tips I received from reviews were to make sure you have the following:

Bring a top sheet-they don't have them on the beds Bring lots of pillows-they have two You may want to bring extra pillows because the couch was REALLY stiff and uncomfortable for the nights that we wanted to relax and watch tv. Bring extra towels and hand towels (they only give you select few) Also bring toilet paper, the maid service is only requested (with it being so hard to get a hold of the office staff, I recommend bringing your own.) We bought some the night we arrived. There was no hand soap. So we also had to purchase that as well.

The building is old, which makes it charming but there were definitely some repairs needed in the shower. The drain was clogged and sand was coming up. The water also smelt of sulfur, hardly any water pressure, and didn't get very warm. The towel rack was also torn off.

The biggest deal for us, was just the communication and disorganization of the office staff. We won't be staying here again and I'll be mindful in the...

We stayed here in early April 2024 - 5 adults and 2 kids.

Location: Walk to beach is very short (two blocks, maybe 3 min). Motel is off beaten path of Clearwater Beach downtown area of restaurants and bars, but it is just a 10-minute walk. Private parking lot is convenient.

Motel/Unit: I stayed in unit 20, a two-story townhome, which is nicely situated at the end of one of the buildings, separated just off the pool area and not sharing walls with another unit, only the motel's laundry room. The unit provides a semi-private waterfront area with dock and several tables and chairs. The unit has a porch with four chairs in addition to the deck. Beds were pretty comfy, but bunk bed is a little squeaky and best for kids. Door code is convenient. Downstairs is well-appointed, upstairs carpet is outdated but clean. Kitchen is stocked well enough, though we did have to buy paper towels. The place was clean although the floor was likely to moped, leaving to dirty feet if walking barefoot.

Few other things: -Pool is not heated and we were there in early April, so we didn't utilize it as much as hoped. Still it is clean and has plenty of chairs. It faces east so you'll get afternoon shade. -No washer/dryer, at least in unit 20, and I don't believe the laundry room is accessible to guests - so make sure you pack enough clothes -The bunk bed room in unit 20 is very small with no closet. Deck only accessible through king bedroom -The motel booking is run entirely through AirBNB. There is no lobby or anything, so you just communicate via AirBNB messages with the motel host.

Overall: Great value, nice accommodations, and great communication with the hosts! We would stay at this motel again if we came back to...

We spent our family vacations here in the 60s and 70s. So many great memories! There was an elderly couple who ran the place back then, for years. The exterior looks exactly like it did in my earliest memory, 1963. It was just as neat and clean looking as it looks in the pictures today. The pool is identical. I remember sitting on the rounded pool steps when we weren't floating around on the old fashioned floats with cartoon heads on them. Mine was Mickey Mouse. I remember my grandfather and uncle scaling the fish they caught right there on the deck behind the building.

We walked to the beach ever morning, stayed for a few hours, then came back to eat lunch and play in the pool the rest of the afternoon. I remember the interiors of the rooms, as they are today, although there were two double beds and a convertible couch. The kitchenettes had the old appliances, but no dishwasher or garbage disposal. They weren't around yet. I recall a portable TV, but we didn't watch it. Vacations were for vacationing.

There was a window A/C unit in one of the windows on either side of the door. I don't remember which. It kept the entire place cool. My grandparents always had the room on the second floor, facing the bay. We and our cousins' rooms were usually next door.

I'm sorry to ramble. I'm re-living my childhood when I look at the pictures. I'm happy to see the comments are overwhelmingly positive. These people are feeling...