Houser's Hotel — Hotel in Town of Islip

I have stayed here 4 times now. I love this hotel, BUT it's not for everyone. Look, here's the deal: this is a budget hotel. It is literally the cheapest hotel on the island, and yes, I've checked. This is where you stay if you are 1) young and broke and here to party, or 2) you love this island so much that you are willing to sacrifice creature comforts so you can be here for as long as possible on a limited budget. YES, it's true that no one will ever, EVER answer the phone or call you back if you leave a message. Literally not ever. IDK if they even check the messages, so God help you if you need to change your reservation. And YES, the bar stays open late and the music is clearly audible from your room, especially if you have a room that "faces town." But the staff are really kind and friendly if you need something (again, you will have to physically find someone, because no one will ever, EVER answer the phone), the rooms are clean and air-conditioned, and the food is great. The lobster rolls especially are the best I've ever had in my life. OMG the food is so good. I bring silicone earplugs to sleep with, and flip-flops for the communal showers. If you want fresh towels, you will need to find a staff member and ask for them. This is a super-relaxed, super-casual place. If you just need a place to sleep and take a shower as you explore the magical paradise that is Fire Island, then this place is the best. If you want a real hotel experience with maids and room service and fresh towels every day, then look elsewhere. This is a casual place for casual people -- but IMO that's the spirit of Fire Island. People go barefoot here for a reason. I do wish they would answer the phone...

This place is all about location, lets be honest here, if you're going to go to Fire Island it won't be for the rest and relaxation. Fire Island is a happening place, great for singles and couples looking to have a fun adventure at the beach where driving doesn't exist and the only way to get in trouble is being as obnoxious as it can possibly get. If you're coming here for a family vacation, be advised: everybody else is drinking heavily. ||||Fire island has a very happening bar scene, I mean come on this is where some pretty famous drinks have been invented. Housers is right in the middle of all the action, below the famous Housers Bar thumps away and serves some pretty great food and adjacent the wonderful Hideaway restaurant serves some of the classier meals you'll find on Fire Island.||||The accommodations at Housers were perfect for what we needed, two beds, a great view of the Great South Bay, A/C, a bathroom and a shower(shared). The best part about our stay was having Lenny check us in and give us some of the best service around. ||||I would highly recommend checking out housers and both restaurants for a fun weekend at...

No directions to the hotel are ever provided - nothing on the website and nothing in the confirmation email. This is an issue because when you look up directions on Google Maps, it indicates that you can drive to the hotel, which is not the case. You either have to park on the west side of Fire Island and hike a couple hours, or you have to park at the Fire Island Ferries lot in Bay Shore and take the ferry, which stops running a little after 4pm (in October). This conflicts with a 5pm check-in because that is a really late check-in time, and one is led to believe that the hotel can be accessed later in the afternoon. However, with no ferries operating that late, the only other alternative is to maybe find parking at Robert Moses State Park and hike to 6.5 miles (2 hours). None of this information is provided by the hotel.

No one answers the phone. I called the day I booked the hotel online to confirm the reservation, again at 5pm the day of check-in and left a voicemail with my number, and about a dozen times after that, leaving another voicemail.

The result was I did not get refunded my money, and had to get...