The Shores Resort & Spa — Hotel in Daytona Beach Shores

We have stayed here many times for work and short weekend vacations from our home in St. Pete/Tampa area. We came down this time because of Hurricane Helene. We wanted no stress of the storm with having two kids and our dog. Our overall experience here is always pleasant and welcoming our dog especially he’s slightly over the weight but well trained. Thank you :) We live near the beach so we naturally don’t really expect much, things are expensive and you’re paying for the atmosphere, relaxation and experience. The service was overall good, you may have to ask for things twice but it’s not St Pete beach where you need to be constantly on your P & Q’s 24/7 for guests. This environment is laid back. Which that’s ok, like I said we were happy to just get away from the storm. There were a few things this time that caught my attention. First, while walking our dog there were so many ant piles in the grass… my husband doesn’t notice these things and he was walking our dog and got bite by fire ants on both feet! Luckily, I packed hydrocortisone because we have kids lol. There was none in the store they have not even Benadryl. So I took it as ..it is what it is, we can always drive to the drug store. Also, we went to have lunch on the patio and there was a spider we had to kill on the table which was a jumping spider! That seem to have been living there for awhile.. still didn’t complain. We killed it and keep living our lives lol. THEN! While we are eating we were swarm by ants! And couldn’t continue eating there because they were obviously too many! Now I’m paying for a peaceful outside patio experience and I understand bugs are going to be bugs but this was a bit much! Also, we eat on St Pete beach/ Clearwater/ outside Tampa bars/ restaurants ALL THE TIME and I’ve never seen this many bugs. Then we proceeded to hang out at the jacuzzi and I couldn’t sit near it without ants attacking me. So I decided to get up and sit on the beach chair facing the water to relax. As I proceeded to sit I was stung by a really aggressive BEE!!! I’ve never in my 38 years of my life have been stung by just trying sit on a chair. So that tells me many things…. This place needs pest control and to pressure wash the patio ASAP/ two/ three times a week especially with guest drinking and eating outside around the clock! I am so sorry but to my husband 30 bites on his foot by fire ants, to killing spiders and to flies coming in our room, My God, you will have to bring bug Repellent and drink covers here and to my now swollen leg like you’re camping outside in the woods!!! which I have no idea what kind of bee stung me… whose home was probably under the beach chair for a year …to debating to go to ER! Now I’ll probably have a ER bill debating how this goes. Obviously, I understand you can’t control everything but I recommend calling pest control with the amount of money you guys are making. Keep it sprayed and keep that patio pressured wash consistently. There are ants, bees, jumping spiders and God knows what else! As far as our room, we always stay ocean view, so I overlook the small things but I will say. Get new toilet paper Jesus Christ! It’s the worst kind and you guys can afford it! I also would look into replacing the sink water gets everywhere! And patio furniture at some point and lamps. Starting to look old and maybe spray the outside balcony during cleanings, flies come in and it’s disappointing to want to close the door with the beautiful ocean view. Try peppermint oil or something. Overall, I ranted but we love this place. I would just look at the small things and this place can really be...

Guest Services Manager The Shores Resort & Spa 2637 South Atlantic Avenue Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

Dear Guest Services Manager,

I am writing to express my profound disappointment following a distressing experience my wife and I had during our recent visit to The Shores Resort and Spa on May 10, 2025. As loyal guests who have cherished this property for over 12 years, I never anticipated having to share such disheartening feedback—especially during what was meant to be a joyful Mother’s Day weekend.

Upon our arrival, the check-in process became unexpectedly and unnecessarily humiliating. Between my wife and I, five separate and valid payment methods were declined by your system. Rather than making any meaningful attempt to understand or resolve the issue, the front desk staff appeared disengaged and ill-equipped to assist. Neither their tone nor their actions conveyed concern, professionalism, or empathy.

Despite our repeated assurances that all cards were in good standing—including my visit to the gift shop to validate the cards and my wife’s confirmation call with our bank—staff continued to handle the situation in a dismissive and insensitive manner. To add insult to injury, we were told that they could reduce the deposit amount so our cards would “clear.” The implication that we were unable to afford the standard deposit was not only inaccurate but offensive.

After nearly 30 minutes of embarrassment and degradation in the lobby, a manager finally reviewed our reservation and discovered that the issue stemmed from an error between the third-party vendor and The Shores’ own system. Once this was identified, our payment was processed without any further issue. This simple resolution, if explored earlier, could have spared us a great deal of distress.

What hurt the most was the emotional toll this experience took on my wife. She left the front desk feeling not only embarrassed but also degraded and unheard, particularly as an African American woman. The lack of care shown by your team was starkly out of alignment with the values we once believed this resort upheld.

As a form of recovery, we were offered a complimentary plastic cup of champagne—an offer that felt more like an afterthought than a genuine gesture of goodwill. After more than a decade of patronage, I expected far better treatment, especially on such a meaningful weekend.

It is deeply unfortunate that this experience has changed how we view a place that once brought us joy and comfort. I am writing not simply to express dissatisfaction, but to urge a serious review of your staff training, especially in areas of customer care, issue resolution, and cultural sensitivity.

Regrettably, we are now former guests of The Shores Resort and...

I am giving this a review 4 out of 5 based on this

The room 4/5: We booked a king oceanfront room it was clean and spacious a little dated but it was comfortable. The balcony is small so the chairs kept getting in the way of the door. The doors in the bathroom was a little difficult to shut, the water in the sink was powerful so made a mess, the smell in the hall and room honestly smelt like a Hollister store we couldn't figure it out. I am not sure if we got a comforter it was thin. But overall can't complain about the room.

The service 4/5: The service was friendly we had the same server for both breakfast and dinner I believe her name was Mckayla she was really nice and kind to us. A couple of other servers I did not catch their names but just briefly speaking with them seemed rude like "popular girl" type attitudes. The valet department, the guys there were very polite tipped them twice. Front desk was very nice, at check in I was worried we weren't going to be able to stay I was not informed of any extra fees I was told the base price and that was it. Overall professional staff just depends on who you encounter.

Location 4/5: We always love spending time in Daytona usually we stay at a different hotel but decided to venture a little further south and the location of this hotel is in a very peaceful area, laid back quiet area perfect for kiddos if you don't want the hustle and bustle a few miles north.

extra: the amenities such as the gym was nice for my husband and I to get a few minutes of exercise the TV's on the equipment didn't make any sound, very few channels to choose from (minor inconvenience) the equipment was very clean, the pool area was fun we enjoyed playing corn-hole, sitting by the fire, being able to walk along the beach at night, the pool felt nice. Prices for the hotel restaurant were outrageous and little to choose from especially the dinner menu so we opted to go somewhere else to eat. The Starbucks in the marketplace isn't really a Starbucks your just getting the same regular coffee, they don't have all the Starbucks flavors and options I asked two days in a row for a French vanilla iced coffee and just got regular coffee and creamer plus when I looked at my transaction on my phone it didn't say Starbucks it said the hotel.

Overall: it was a great experience except for a few things, I would probably stay here again since its a little more laid back for my kids to be able to go and I would go with a different plan for food due to high prices at the...