Island Hotel of the Space Coast

We stayed one night before a cruise, and the room was clean and comfortable, with free WiFi and continental breakfast. The beds were especially comfortable for the price. Shops and restaurants are within walking distance. We didn't use the pool, but it looked clean and inviting, with several kinds of seating around it.

We were heading down for a cruise and needed a last-minute room, but it was Daytona 500 weekend and hotels all over Florida were booked. When Island Hotel of Space Coast said they had plenty of rooms, I should've listened to my instincts. The run-down parking lot looked like the start of a story you wouldn't want to be in, but we were stuck without other options. The staff were friendly, almost too enthusiastic about the ice cream shop across the street. While we unloaded, a woman in the lot asked if I knew Jesse, then said she'd thought we lived there when she saw our luggage. We went for dinner, had the excellent ice cream, and came back. My wife checked the sheets and found stains that looked like vomit, sweat, and maybe blood. We went to the lobby and got another room. It had no mystery stains, but what looked like bed bug droppings. The clerk seemed to recognize our concern a little too quickly. We left. With every hotel within driving distance sold out, we slept in the car after a long day of travel. Honestly, the car felt cleaner. If everywhere else is unavailable, bring wipes and low expectations. Otherwise, plan ahead. The ice cream across the street, though, gets five stars.

For $90 a night, this worked well after our 15-hour drive before a cruise. Parking was free while we were away, and the $20-per-person shuttle to the terminal was the best part for me. Parking for my four-day cruise would've cost over $80, so the shuttle almost paid for itself. I found my budget cruise hotel for future trips. The room was clean and spacious, though outdated, and the bathroom definitely needs renovating. My TV didn't work, but I never asked anyone to help fix it. The front looked a bit sketchy, the breakfast was minimal, and there's a $100 deposit returned at checkout. Still, the front desk lady was super nice, the patio was cute, and the pool was a decent size. You get what you pay for.

The people at the front desk were very nice, but I still rated the service poorly because the rooms clearly aren't being cleaned or maintained properly. Our room was filthy: the shower was grimy, the amenities were dirty, trash and beer caps were on the floor, and the towels were stiff and worn. The toilet seat was broken, and a German cockroach crawled across the floor. The room next door had bullet holes in its window, and the outside of the property looked just as run-down. Spend a little more and stay somewhere else.