Summer Place Hotel

The rates suited what we got at Summer Place Hotel. It was handy for the beach and bars, and the place had a sociable, hostel-like, budget feel. We had a few cringe moments, but for the price, it's hard to go wrong, and we'd stay again. Ashley Biden hosted the Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party at Diego's in honor of Beau Biden and Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism.

Inexpensive and close to the beach and gay bars, it's a convenient place to sleep after a night of heavy drinking. I didn't see anyone when checking in or out. Aqua and Blue Moon are very close, and Ava's across the street had really good pizza.

For a cheap room, I wasn't expecting anything fancy, but I did expect it to be clean. The comforter looked stained and dirty, and after turning it down we found long hairs on the sheets. There were hairs in the shower too. The old mattress was noisy and I could feel the springs poking through. The hallway was cluttered and messy. The hotel is close to the beach, but it was the most disgusting place I've stayed. Our key was left at the front desk, so there was nobody to complain to. In the morning, a shirtless guy came out of the back and said we should have raised the problems the night before, but we couldn't find anyone. Then, after we left, the hotel tried to charge my husband's card a second time. A total nightmare.

I left before my stay was over because I couldn't risk my family's safety just to get a deal on a room. This felt more like a halfway house than a hotel. Expedia and hotels.com should be ashamed to list it as a hotel. At only 8 pm, I had to step over a passed-out woman who looked like a vagrant to reach the late check-in box and get my key. In our room, there was a dirty mop bucket and mop on the floor, and although the bed was made, the sheets were dirty and sandy. Tucking a dirty comforter over dirty sheets was disturbing. I'd stayed once before during the season, when it was mostly young couples or single people looking for a cheap room. Off season, it was drug users sharing rooms with three others and partying until around 6 am. The woman I stepped over later tried to break into other guests' rooms at all hours, very drunk. At 5 am I heard her falling in the hallway outside my door, and around 5:20 some men came to collect her. I had my toddler on the other side of the wall through all of this. It's all on the security camera directly above my door, but the owner hasn't addressed my safety concerns or refund request. There was none of the hospitality or service you'd expect at a hotel. It's a step up from a campsite or homeless shelter. My family's safety comes first, and I won't stay anywhere that puts it at risk. If you love your family, don't let them stay here. Spend $20 more a night and have a safer, more enjoyable stay in Dewey Beach down the road.