John's Pass Hotel

The rooms were clean, but this was a weird experience overall. It was noisy in the morning, and well past midnight there were loud cars racing. The TV only streams, so you have to log into your own account. The lighting never let the room get dark. Also, parking isn’t free, so keep that in mind. If you want peace and quiet, this place isn’t for you.

The location is hard to beat for the price, with the beach less than a three-minute walk away. There are waterfront restaurants all around, a coffee shop in the same building, and plenty of stores to browse. I’ll absolutely stay here again, especially if I’m on a tight budget. My room was clean, as were the sheets, and the bed, linens, and pillows were all comfortable. The updated bathroom was spotless, with fantastic water pressure. The towels were rough and small, but they absorbed water well. I walked into a cool room with the air conditioning already on, which I appreciated since it was over 90 degrees outside. The newer smart TV was easy to sign into, and the fridge and microwave both worked well. The main issue was the light coming in through the windows and glass door. The blackout shades left a clear two- or three-inch gap around the windows, and the privacy film on the door barely blocked any light. Bright lights stayed on outside the door all night. This seems like an easy fix the hotel should make after all the negative comments about it. The walls were thin enough that I could hear my neighbor snoring. Other reviews are right about the dumpsters being emptied at 7am, but I’m an early riser, so it didn’t disturb my sleep.

The rooms were generally clean, and I appreciated the high ceilings, cold fridge, comfortable beds, and desk, which I need when traveling. The air conditioners worked well, though the toilets kept running. Housekeeping were friendly and hardworking despite working out of a small, hot shed. They deserve better than this “hotel.” The boardwalk is easy to reach from this well-located property, but my stay was deeply disappointing. It operates more like an Airbnb than a traditional hotel, with no on-site office and electronic check-in. I had to call to get my parking information after booking. Parking is on the third floor of the ramp, in designated spaces close to the rooms. The large windows and frosted doors have thin shades that let in a lot of light and noise. In more than 25 years of travel, I’ve never stayed somewhere so noisy. Starting at 6:00 a.m., garbage trucks and semi-trailers with backup alarms made restful sleep impossible. In the middle of the night, a fire alarm abruptly woke me while I was sleeping with my service dog. I thought there was a real emergency and nearly called 911. The help desk said it was a false alarm from a faulty system. They had no maintenance staff on site, but offered to move me for the night and said it would be fixed “in the morning.” I moved rooms expecting it to be resolved, but morning meant 10:30 a.m., well into my workday. The alarm was unbearable, so I had to move again. Packing and moving my personal and business belongings took 45 minutes and disrupted my work schedule. With all the noise, safety concerns, and poor communication, I left exhausted. I wouldn’t book an extended stay here. This is for short stays.

The room was nothing fancy, and I wondered if it used to be office space, but that part didn’t bother me. The noise was on another level. Hearing garbage trucks right outside at 6:30am was the last thing I wanted on vacation. I get that they’re part of running the business, but guests should know about it so they can decide whether the reservation price is worth it. I would have gone elsewhere. Then we lost power around 7:45 last night, and the room got uncomfortably hot very quickly. Other businesses attached to the building and a couple of other rooms still had power. I called management to ask what they planned to do, and all I got was, “we cannot help an act of God.” I’m no expert, but if a tree limb had hit the lines, wouldn’t everyone on the same transformer lose power, rather than just a few rooms? The response felt rehearsed, like management gave the virtual desk staff a script to avoid refunds. Either way, it was unacceptable. 10 out of 10 would NOT recommend.