My biggest concern when staying in a hotel is cleanliness. I can deal with fixtures and decor not being updated, but our room at Sandcastle was not very clean. Specifically the bathroom floor was filthy. There was dirt, and hair all over floor. When I mentioned it to the front desk staff, they said "we'll let the housekeeping supervisor know". I cleaned it myself. While it is not a high end resort, it also was not cheap either. I expected more, (at least cleaner). Only positive was the early entry to the park.

Having read other reviews, we chose to stay here despite some of the negative comments. While our stay was good, great weather, fun time at the amusement park etc. we couldn't help but feel that this hotel is way overpriced. Compared to many other resorts we have stayed at, the feel of this property is that of a budget motel just off an interstate. Thread bare, small towels and a budget brand coffee packet helped give the impression of a budget motel, not a $300 per night location. Maybe its insect repellent, but the hallways will gag you with a chemical smell. The pool area was well stocked with more thin towels, and the pool was not in good repair, chipped and cracked concrete etc. No luggage carts in sight on check-in. Unload and carry your bags from the parking lot. Staff were pleasant and helpful with info. Stay for the location but know that you are paying a high price for convenience.

I understand that staying at a hotel near Cedar Point isn't about the hotel, but this was extremely expensive for such an average hotel. Let's start with the good. The hotel sits in a very good location; near enough to the park to walk, but far enough away that you don't have non guests regularly walking though. The parking was cheap and the resort offers discounted tickets with early admission for Cedar Point only (the water park and adventure park both cost extra). The views from the sides of the hotel overlooking the lake are amazing. The rooms were tidy (I won't say clean) and the pull out sofa was probably the best I've ever slept on. The hotel also offers a free shuttle service to any of the park gates.
Now for the bad. Though the majority of the staff was friendly, nearly every one of them spoke English as a second language (I understand that they are college students working towards degrees and I can't blame them). This made for some difficultly when trying to get extra toiletries and towels. There is a "bar" in the pool area that is understocked and overly priced. The hotel sits upon a beach that used to be amazing for swimming but is no longer maintained (the sand is strewn with rocks and driftwood), infested with seagulls, and is no longer swim-able.
The rooms are small. There is no other way to describe them. To call them suites is a insult to the word. I've stayed in economy hotels with bigger rooms. The balconies are barely big enough for 2 people to sit on. The arrangement of the rooms is awkward, especially in regards to the bathroom. It was uncomfortable to sleep 6 in the "suite".
The Sand Castle is most definately set up for volume of business and not creature comforts. If it's parent company invested some money into the hotel, they could definately make a facility worthy of a 4 star rating.

My family has been vacationing at Cedar Point every year for 20 plus years. We started out at the camp ground when the kids were little. But now that we are older and there are grandkids along too, the camper is getting too small. Last year we decided to try the Sancastle Suites and loved it so much we returned to them again this year. We get 4 rooms so each of our kids can have their own room with their kids. The rooms are plenty big enough for 4 people but get rather crowded with more than that. The rooms are clean and the staff is pleasant. The only thing we did not like is that there is no breakfast, but we bring our own and use the refrigerator and microwave in the room. We also used the complimentary shuttle service to and from the park. It was really nice. I like that the hotel is close to the park, but not so close that you get all the roller coaster screaming noise like you do in the closer hotel and the camp ground. We will be back next year!