We decided on a last minute trip to Cedar Point before the school year and this was about the only motel we could find that wasn't priced at over $200 a night. (*First red flag) So, despite my intuition, we booked two nights in a double room.
First off, it took a little while to check in because the people in front of us were told they did not have a room because the motel was "overbooked." According to the front desk, it happens frequently, especially people booking from third-party sites, like hotels.com, expedia, etc. I had called the motel directly which guaranteed our room so therefore we had a standing reservation. So if you book off a travel site, better go ahead and call them to reserve or confirm before you travel.
The lobby was nice, newly redecorated so I thought well maybe it is a nice place, a hidden gem! So after checking in, we went to our room and lost all hope. First off, the smell was awful. It smelled like it had been closed up for months, with a little bit of dirty socks, and animals. We left the door open for two hours with the noisy air running trying to air it out. The bathroom was really really small with the vanity on the outside of the bathroom (I hate that). One of the first things I did was usher my husband and children out to the pool area so I could wipe everything down with my Lysol wipes and spray some Febreeze. The room didn't look dirty, but I felt better knowing I had cleaned it. Next, I peeled off the 1970s comforters, threw them in the corner (where they would remain for our stay) and checked out the beds and linens. Fortunately, the linens looked and smelled fresh and I saw no evidence of critters in the bed, relief! However, the carpet was really old, picture your grandma's forest green shag carpet about twenty years ago). Therefore, we wore shoes AT ALL TIMES in the room. I didn't even want to sit my bags on the floor. Again, it didn't look dirty but you never know.
I think the smell turned me against the whole expereience, something that smells yucky probably is yucky. Mind you, I am not one of those OCD people where everything must be hospital sterile, I just like fresh, clean and spacious. I just did not get that from this motel.
PROS: Location to Cedar Point
CONS: Too many to list, but definitely the smelly room upon arrival, and severly outdated carpet and furnishings, no fridge or microwave, there is no "game room," but it was advertised on travel web sites, they have ONE ice machine for the entire place that never had ice. I had to carry my cooler into the lobby and the desk clerk took it into the restaurant and filled it up with ice.
- South Shore Hotel
- South Shore Sandusky
