Beach Colony Motel

Leslie at the front desk was really hospitable, and the service was good. The pool is nice and the rooms were clean, though they feel a little outdated. The location is decent. Parking could use numbered spaces, and the spots are small. The biggest problem for me was the uncomfortable, noisy mattresses.

I like Wildwood Crest because it’s quieter and away from the boardwalk bustle, and the Beach Colony is less than a block from the beach. Both the motel and the area around it were quiet. I needed an affordable, dog-friendly place at the last minute and was lucky they had a room for the nights I needed. I’m fond of classic motels, especially funky bedspreads and bathroom tile. The pool was lovely, and the staff were so friendly and helpful. I hope I can stay again.

What really ruined the stay was being threatened with being kicked out over our service dog. On the second day, in front of several guests, a staff member I think was named Leslie raised her voice at my mother about the dog not being beside her. We had walked about 20 feet toward the beach when we realized we’d forgotten wipes and bags for our two dogs, one a service animal and one an emotional support animal. I went back with my mother to get them. The staff member called me by name and said that under the ADA the dog had to be with my mother at all times. We explained that she was just down the road, visible with my father, and that we were walking back to her. My mother’s levels had already been taken that morning, and we only needed to grab an item. Leslie repeated the same thing, then shouted, “YOU’RE SERVICE DOG IS TO BE ATTACHED TO YOU AT ALL TIMES PER ADA GUIDELINES, YOU SIGNED THAT YOU HAVE A DISABILITY AND IF I SEE YOU WITHOUT YOUR SERVICE DOG I WILL ASK YOU TO LEAVE.” My mother was upset that she was being shouted at about her disability and tried to explain again that the dog was only about three cars away. The staff member yelled, “I WILL KICK YOU OFF THE PREMISES IF I SEE YOU WITHOUT THE DOG AGAIN.” We didn’t argue further. We’d driven eight hours the day before and had only one night left, but the interaction was completely rude and unnecessary. The staff member also had the ADA rule wrong. The government site says a handler doesn’t have to be with a service dog every moment. The dog must be under the handler’s control, which can be through a leash, voice, or hand signals. My mother had control of her service dog. Both dogs weigh under six pounds, barely make a sound, are crate trained and potty trained, and are service trained. We could see our service dog with my father just down the street. If they’re going to threaten guests with removal in front of others, they need to learn the proper ADA regulations first. Later that day, other guests asked us about what happened. We’d paid almost $2,000 for two outdated rooms with little warm water and an AC that took two hours to cool the back room. My sister and I were in a separate three-bed room with our four teenage girls. We arrived a bit late, but there were only four towels even though the reservation clearly listed six people. Thankfully, we’d brought our own. The stay wasn’t worth the price.

Our four kids had a blast in the pool and on the slide, and the whole place was very clean. We had a great time at Beach Colony. The room was spacious, and Leslie was helpful when I booked by phone and got us a better price than online. This was our first visit after many trips to Wildwood, and we’ll definitely come back.