Empress Motel

For a budget beach motel, it turned out better than I expected, and we’ll be back next year. It’s about a minute from the beach and boardwalk, and worked well as a place to leave our stuff, shower, change, and sleep. It’s dated and run down, though, so don’t expect luxury or plan on spending your vacation in the room. Our room was fairly spacious, the fridge kept drinks cold, the AC was wonderfully cold after a hot beach day, and the pool was clean and easy to get to. The room could use a deep clean, and mold was growing on the bathroom ceiling because there’s no ventilation for the condensation. I checked the beds before bringing in our things, since I’d heard about bed bugs, but didn’t see any signs. Some neighbors smoked weed, but it didn’t bother us much, and people were friendly, saying hello or good morning as we passed. You have to cross the parking lot to the Sahara motel to check in and out and get ice, since the Empress machine was broken. Ice costs $0.25 a bucket. There’s also the Sahara cafe directly across the street. Breakfast was delicious, though a bit pricey. Parking out front looks limited, but there’s more behind the building, and we were told we could park at the Sahara too if needed because it’s the sister motel.

There were several problems during our stay. The pool area was dirty, with trash and a used condom, and our comforter had blood on it, so we had to ask for another. We also weren’t given enough towels or wash rags. A friend’s bathroom ceiling leaked, soaking the rug. We were told to wait for the Manager, and went to the office three times. He was in the back the last time and didn’t come out until we demanded to see him. Our friend was moved to another room and reimbursed for part of the cost. The corporation that bought the place isn’t maintaining the units or hiring people to take proper care of them. My friends have been coming here for 20 years, but this is their last year. They won’t return, and we plan to let others know.

We stayed at the Empress from 8/2/2025 to 8/5/2025. The easy, stress-free check-in, great location, clean pool, and no bed bugs were all positives. The pool deck was narrow because of the chairs, but that wasn’t a big deal. The room was on the third floor, and the musty smell hit as soon as we walked in, like grandma’s basement. It wasn’t clean. The previous guests had left condoms behind, the carpet hadn’t been vacuumed, and the sheets didn’t look changed. The refrigerator was disgusting inside. We tried the 1970s microwave, but it didn’t heat a single roll and smelled like its wiring was getting hot, so we unplugged it. There was a screen outside the door that belonged to the bathroom window. The window wouldn’t lock and stayed open at the top. The ice machine was broken, so we had to use the building next door. Parking was awful, with tight spaces that would be tough for a big SUV or truck. The inside of the door looked like someone had tried to break out. The AC was very loud at night. Two bars stuck out past the mattress frame, and I hit my ankle on them twice. The blankets were old, and the pillows were flatter than pancakes. I wish I’d brought my own. There were only three outlets, so we had to unplug lights to charge our phones and iPads. The tub drained so slowly that after a five-minute shower, the water was ankle deep. They should pull up the carpet, replace the mattresses, bedding, and pillows, check the microwaves, and make sure rooms are actually clean.

We booked rooms 262 and 263, both with full double beds, and checked in on Friday for a Sunday checkout. We were directed to the Sahara to check in for the Empress. Both rooms smelled, and by Sunday my sinuses were badly affected. My son was in 262, and his room was disgusting. I felt awful for him, especially since he used to supervise housekeeping at a very nice hotel. The curtains had what looked like blood stains, and there was something all over the entry area that you had to walk under to get inside. My daughter complained to the staff. Don’t believe the free WiFi claim: it didn’t work in any of our rooms, and neither did the TV. That was the whole stay.