Fenwick Inn

The pool and splash pad looked great online, and my kids were excited, but using them turned into a nightmare. More than 50 children were running through the halls and pool area during a birthday party. There was no adult supervision, and toys, floats, and trash were in the pool. Kids jumped over me, splashed and kicked me when I tried the hot tub. Staff said the hotel rents the breakfast nook for parties from noon to 4 pm, and suggested we come back afterward. We did, but children were still running around unsupervised, so we gave up. The breakfast was awful too: frozen sandwiches that needed microwaving, stale wrapped bagels and muffins, brown bananas, and a broken pancake machine. My children thought the sandwich was nasty, and even the dog wouldn’t eat it. We booked the Fenwick Inn for a winter weekend getaway, expecting a nice hotel with a pool and splash pad. The room was filthy, with dog hair everywhere, a urine smell, a goldfish shoved in the AC/heating unit, an old coffee cup under the couch, water stains on the walls, and hair in the shower. I had called in advance about my mobility service dog and asked which room to book, since I know some hotels place service dogs in pet-friendly rooms because of allergies. I was told one of those rooms would probably be best. At check-in, the desk clerk rudely said I had to pay the pet deposit because I booked one. When I explained that my service dog exempted me from the fee, she seemed annoyed and said that was wrong. I asked for a manager, and she changed her tune, saying no manager was on duty but she could waive the charge this time. Overall, I was very disappointed and wouldn’t recommend staying here.

On my recommendation, an 86-year-old local made a three-night reservation after the blizzard knocked out his power. Once his power came back, the hotel still wouldn’t refund his money. I’m disappointed by that kind of corporate greed in a small office-season local community. I naively thought we’d take care of our own. I should have sent him to the resident inn, which I heard was taking in people without power.

I stay in hotels often and have never had this happen before. Just before I was due to arrive, I got a call about a medical emergency. The older man at the counter, wearing shorts, was very rude after a few minutes and showed no sympathy. Sometimes things come up. Good customer service would have meant canceling the booking and standing out from the nearby hotels, instead of keeping the $139 for my two nights. My summer home is close by and is currently closed, and because it’s small, our guests usually stay here. There’s also a rooftop restaurant here that’s absolutely amazing. But after this, I won’t recommend the hotel to my guests, who account for about 30 nights of stays, or come to the restaurant. I miss the old Fenwick. They were much nicer before the remodel.

The beach is close, and the shuttle, beach chairs, and splash pad were handy perks for our two-night September stay with our young child and dog. We chose this place for a quiet weekend away from the busy boardwalk, but the first night was anything but restful. A large group spent nearly four hours making noise during quiet hours, with screaming, honking horns, and revving motorcycles. We called the front desk three times, and nothing changed until we threatened to call the police. Getting fresh towels was also a struggle. We understood housekeeping couldn’t enter because of our dog, but after calls at about 7 pm Saturday, 7:30 Sunday morning, and again at 9:45, we finally got towels. The location and amenities were great, but the noise and slow service really affected our stay.