Lotus Boutique Inn & Suites

We drove 16 hours from Illinois for the Supercross race on 2/28 after booking a Double Queen Oceanside View room for four girls. The photos gave us a very different impression, and when we arrived they said they were sold out and couldn't give us the room we'd booked. The woman at the front desk was very nice and accommodating, but we were left to make do. We wanted to freshen up before the SX race and found that none of the bathroom outlets worked. The door looked tampered with, and there was no room phone to call the front desk. As someone in my early 30s who travels across the US to raise awareness about sex trafficking and has helped victims, I found that alarming. There was no way to call for help from the room in an emergency, which matters because victims may not have a cell phone. A bathroom outlet that worked could also matter to someone needing to charge a phone. I think the hotel needs better security measures. I called about the outlets and asked if maintenance could come look, but was told no one was on shift. During bike week, maintenance should be on call. I asked to move because there were four of us and we'd planned on the room we booked. They first said the hotel was sold out, but when I asked whether booking online would also show no rooms, the front desk woman said they had a king. We dealt with what we had for the night, then asked to be moved the next morning since we'd booked an Oceanside Queen, not two full beds. The next day I was moved to an additional room, but it had neither an ocean view nor queen beds. Friends of ours stayed at the Holiday Inn on Atlantic for the same price and had much better rooms and security. You couldn't enter their lobby without checking with valet security or using a key card. I'd suggest them over the Lotus boutique in, which is on the same side of the beach and has better amenities. I won't book here again. No one apologized or offered a room discount.

The oceanfront location is fantastic: step outside and you're on the beach. That view and easy access are the only reasons this gets three stars. Without them, I'd have given it one. The room was dirty, with marks on the walls and door, chipped and cracked spots, and a badly worn, corroded lock. It also had a strong smell that stayed even after we aired it out. Rust and peeling paint were all over the common areas and exterior doors. The wall facing the ocean was crumbling and patched, and the building felt neglected for a long time. After we left, I read other reviews and saw many people describing the same issues, so this doesn't seem like a one-off. I'd hoped this place might become a cozy boutique hotel people return to each year. The owners have a beautiful piece of oceanfront property, but it needs proper renovation and maintenance, even if that means charging more. Or perhaps someone else should take it over. It's a shame, because the view and potential are both wonderful, but I can't honestly recommend staying here right now.

The staff were polite, helpful, and accommodating. The room was another story. Doors and walls were smudged, bugs were dead on the windowsill, the outside door was peeling and rusty, and the breaker panel inside was visibly rusted too. The decor was broken and poorly maintained. A good wipe-down could have fixed some of the grime, but there was more than that. I booked a balcony room based on the site's misleading pictures, which made it look private. It wasn't. Later, strangers sat outside my door talking loudly enough for me to hear them inside, and I felt very uncomfortable. The outdoor tile stayed damp, and I fell on it. The place had the feel of a cheap motel, and the beachfront view didn't make the $131 a night worthwhile. I wouldn't stay again or recommend it.

We drove two days to Florida and ended up without a usable hotel room. Check-in took more than 45 minutes in a hotel that looked mostly empty. Our first room key didn't work, and there was no qualified staff member available to fix it, so we had to carry all our luggage to another room on a lower floor. That room smelled strongly of chemicals and bleach, was dark, and looked onto a vending machine. The mattress was so worn you had to lie right in the middle to avoid sinking into holes on either side. The bedding was dirty, with hair on the pillows and covers, and there were insects in the bathroom. The hotel didn't provide what its website promised, including a “pillowtop bed with premium bedding,” “LCD TVs with satellite programming,” a 24-hour front desk, an elevator, and free self-parking. When I tried to complain, it took ages to find anyone. Staff told me to take it up with the third-party booking service instead of addressing it there. No manager was available to discuss it, and a manager still isn't responding to the third party's refund inquiries. Guests should be able to expect safe, clean accommodations that match what's advertised. This place failed on cleanliness, comfort, and management. Don't waste your time or money.