Chateau Beachfront Hotel, A By The Sea Resort

The kids enjoyed the space, and the prices were great for what you get. The pool area had plenty of room and nice lounge chairs, the rooms were clean, and when we called about the toilet not flushing, someone came right away to fix it. We'd stay again, even with the steep stairs and the ground level being two flights down. There were some hassles with the bathrooms: the outside showers by room 106 didn't work, and you can't take a bath because the tub water only comes from the shower head. There's a working shower at the pool, but the bathroom there says “out of order,” probably because people pee in the pool. The biggest downside was the strong smell of weed coming from all directions. I can't say it came from our hotel, but it had to be close, maybe a nearby balcony. We had two kids with us, so be prepared for that smell if you bring children and don't like it.

I've been coming here for 25 years, and the renovations have brought some good changes. The location is perfect, and everything else was great. My main complaint is housekeeping: during my three-day stay, nobody took our dirty towels or trash away, and I had to go to the desk for towels. The cleaning staff should bring them. They should also give guests a hotel sign for the car. There was a lot of confusion about where to park when the lot was full. Small fixes like those would make things smoother.

I checked in on 05/25/26 and found sand in the bed before we'd even been to the beach. The bathroom had no shower door, and its light didn't work. The blonde woman at the front desk was rude. We'd been told rooms should be ready around 12-1, but were also told check-in was 4 p.m. sharp. We were stranded in FL, so we arrived early as suggested and sat in the breezeway from 10 a.m. until 2:34 p.m. My four-year-old and 13-year-old had to wait outside. When I asked about a refund at 2:15, she laughed at me. The rooms were ready at 12, but nothing was offered until I asked to cancel. She told the guy in front of us he could get a refund if things didn't work out. There was no elevator. Ice cost $4, and there was nowhere to keep it except a mini fridge that tips over whenever you open it.

I got the nostalgic trip I wanted, like being 21 again on spring break, even though it was a long weekend in January and I'm 50. I'd love to come back to those childhood memories, maybe when Florida is a little warmer. My first-floor walkout room had a mini kitchen, and for someone who couldn't afford that as a college kid, it was everything. The view was killer, 10 out of 10. The room looked recently renovated, the bed was comfy, each bed had four pillows, and there was a nice flat-screen TV, fridge, stove, sink, microwave, and lots of towels. It was only three stairs and five steps to the sand. The heated pool upstairs felt amazing every night, even with temperatures in the 40s outside. Floating under the stars was 10 out of 10. The front desk staff were awesome and the general manager was friendly. One surprise: the first floor is actually two flights down. I either didn't know or had forgotten, probably because I'd never stayed that low. Housekeeping could use a refresher course. That's all.