Mariner's Point Resort

We stayed just one night in a larger suite. It's right by the ocean, and I'd probably come back with a big group. The suite was fine, nothing fancy, and could use some updating. We had to search around for blankets for the extra bed in the living area, so it'd be nice if those were left out. I also wish the pool stayed open later.

The location is fabulous, but it felt like the owners figured that was enough and didn't pay attention to the rest. I'd tell anyone planning a well-earned Cape vacation to stay somewhere else. I rarely leave bad reviews, but I won't return here. Check-in started badly. We were in a cattle line, and the person at the desk was unfriendly. Maybe she was having a bad day or needed a cigarette, but hospitality didn't seem to be her thing. In my "suite," the first dresser drawer I pulled out had clothes and a prescription for lorazepam in it. I wondered if we had the wrong room or the previous guests hadn't checked out. Luckily, I found it before my kids did. I went downstairs, and she apologized, came up to remove everything, and fixed a broken drawer when I asked. Credit where it's due. The room sleeps six, but there was just one set of towels. After six hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic, I didn't want to chase down more. They should anticipate how many towels each room needs. The towels we got were so thin you could see through them, and rough as sandpaper. They belong in the trash, not on guests. The bathroom had a urine-like smell. I found a dingy Renuzit air freshener on the sink, which may have been the cause, and we kept the window open the whole stay. We were given old-fashioned keys, not card locks. When I asked for more, the desk clerk snapped, "This is NOT a hotel." The push-button phone seemed to have a message, but nobody knew how to retrieve it. The kitchen clock was stuck at 8:10 the whole time. The TV wouldn't work because it was unplugged, something my husband only discovered after checking the remote batteries. They should check that everything works before each guest arrives. The Murphy bed came with a pacifier from the previous sleeper, another sign that housekeeping missed things. We were required to strip the beds and take out the trash before checkout or risk a charge. That was fine, and reassuring in a way because it meant the sheets might have been changed. There was also an envelope for housekeeping tips, though tipping felt like a struggle after this stay.

I've been coming back at least once a year for the last 20 years, and very little seems to have changed. The rooms are quite dated, and it would be time to replace the furniture and swap the old noisy air conditioners for quiet split units. The pool used to be heated. The beach steps are rotten and look like they could break at any moment, and the beach no longer seems as well cared for. Yet the price keeps going up every year.

We spent a week here and had a great stay. The view across the huge kite park to the ocean is lovely. It's a simple place without many extras, but it was clean and nice. They also let us know there'd be extra time after the previous guests checked out for additional COVID cleaning and airing out.