Ocean City, Maryland
 

Hi fodorites! Help please! Spending a long weekend (four nights) in ocean city, maryland. We don't need a hilton (don't wanna feel like i'm at a corporate conference when on vaca) and prefer holiday inns but all three in OC are booked for the weekends we can go. I don't have a problem with mom and pops, but for 200+ a night, don't wanna breathe musty air!

So what do you think of:

- Best Western Flagship Inn (oceanfront)
- Ramada Inn Oceanfront

Or can you recommend another place?

We'd prefer oceanfront and close proximity to the boardwalk.

Also did a restaurant search -- any new reccos for must have seafood / crab?

Thanks all!

topping - anyone, please??

I have enjoyed the Dunes Manor (independent, pricey, but all rooms are oceanfront--none face the street.)

Also, next door, less expensive, and with oceanfront rooms (and indoor/outdoor pools) which are surprisingly good for the money, I liked the Rodeway Inn Oceanfront (just be sure to get an oceanfront room--be warned they have an older second buiding between the oceanfront one and the street.)

Both of these are just beyond, but within easy walking distance of, the north end of the Boardwalk.

Check out the extensive user reviews of these and many other choices at Tripadvisor.com.

Hey johncharles, thank you! I did check the dunes and they're also totally full for the weekends we're available. Rodeway only has availability in the older section, so i'm hesitating about that. "Castle in the Sand" sounded fairly good too, but is also totally booked.

Did an extensive search on tripadvisor and MOST of them got bad reviews, in terms of smelling musty etc! Or is tripadvisor more a matter of 'no news is good news', in that most satisfied travelers don't bother to post, just those with issues?

Any other ideas? Anyone? Help, please! Thx!

ellen - may I ask when you're going? Certain weekends in June can be a nightmare, especially "senior week" when all the high school grads go to OC and get completely trashed. If you're there during Sr. week I'd suggest looking for a bayside waterview hotel within boardwalk vicinity - it's not that far to walk to the beach, and it will be a LOT quieter. If you can sit tight until next Monday, I can get more scoop from family that live there (they're on a trip), but I've walked by both of your choices and they appear to be OK. Can't tell you about musty, though.

AHaugeto - thx for the reply! We're actually looking at three different weekends in july (altho i've heard about the OC college capers!) and most of the nicer places are booked solid. We looked into a condos too but most won't rent just 4 nights.

Yes, i would love to hear your family's comments when they return, thank you soo much! We like the idea of being close to the boardwalk for evening strolls, and we definitly want to be oceanfront. We're willing to pay the 200+ they're asking but would like it to be worth it (somewhat ;))

And if anyone else has any thoughts also, i'd be grateful!

topping....esp. for AHaugeto...any additional feedback? Thx so much!

I haven't forgotten ellen - I've got a phone call in and will check again after my 1:00 meeting...promise!

Hi Ellen - Try "The Grand" or the Holiday Inn Express (apparently not as corporate-looking as you would think)- both are less than two years old and apparently nice. The Grand is not entirely on the Boardwalk, I don't think, but they do have a website www.grandhoteloceancity.com, so you can check it out. Another possibility is the Princess Royale www.princessroyale.com, which they say is very nice, but you have to ask for an oceanfront room because they have two separate sections/hotels. A key thing to ask if you do go with the BW or the Ramada is the age of the facility, and I would just take my chances with the younger of the two - don't have anything about those, unfortunately!! Good luck,a nd remember there's always bus service that runs up and down the main drag in case you're a little north of the Boardwalk!!

Ellen, we scouted out the boardwalk hotels a week ago and the one we were most impressed with was the Tidelands Caribbean. My other choice would be Paradise Plaze Inn. We plan on booking at one of these at the end of summer, so if anyone has any negative reviews, please post.

Hi AHaugeto, thx for getting back to me. I checked The Grand (looks great!)but it is also full - we've decided on july 4 weekend to give us a little more time. I would love to stay at a new holiday inn express but this one isn't oceanfront, and is actually across the 4 lane ocean blvd. Seems like that could be not only inconvenient but possibly dangerous? Thoughts?

actntime - thanks for your suggestions, also. Checked both and again, they are full for july 4 weekend.
Did you happen to notice the best western flagship or ramada at all?

I realize this is late planning, esp for july 4, but until DS got his internship we'd hoped to be taking a long road trip to new england.

Thx for any additional feedback or comments!

Ellen- sorry you're having such a tough time! My last rec's are two B&B's - and I know they're both beautiful: An Inn on the Ocean B&B, right on the Boardwalk, and the Atlantic House B&B - on Coastal Highway but very close. As far as crossing the Highway, every intersection has a light and a crosswalk, but if there's a member of your party that's disabled then I can see why you'd be concerned. If you are all able-bodied, I don't think it's all that big of a deal - the only inconvenience is waiting for traffic - the peninsula just isn't all that wide to begin with. Just be careful at night. Given that this is one of the most popular weekends to go to OC, you may be grateful for the quiet that a bayside room can afford, and you'd still be looking out over water. If you must have oceanfront, then I'd go with whichever hotel is newer and book it ASAP (check the tripadvisor site for reviews - the Ramada might be your better bet), and while you're there I would recommend heading over to Assateague beach, but be careful about your food - I've watched the ponies open latched Coleman coolers - no joke!! Good luck, have a great trip, and have some Fisher's popcorn for me.

Hi AHaugeto, thx again for the ideas. Yes, we're all able bodied (all runners, too) but i'm spoiled; i want to wake up on the ocean and have as few steps as possible till i dig my toes in the sand. I don't want to leave the beach or oceanfront balcony until we go out for dinner and the evening. So as much as i would love a new holiday inn express (i truly LOVE that chain and points) i guess i'll go with one of the others, while continuing to look.

In the meantime, if you (or anyone else!) think of something else, please let me know. Thanks again!

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It's a nice place. It's got both an outdoor and an indoor pool. The walk to the beach isn't so bad, but you will have to wait a couple of minutes for the cross walk light.

Thanks jnn1964, i now have a place at the holiday inn express on hold. How long did it take to drive to the boardwalk, and how tough was parking?

Also, does anyone know EXACTLY where the amusement park attractions start on the boardwalk? I know the boardwalk technically starts at 26th, but where do the shoppes, rides and restaurants actually start? Thanks all!

Hi Ellen,

We love OC and have been going there for years. It's good I think that you keep in mind that most places are a little on the "musty air" side, just because they are basically shut up all winter. Also, you will always pay too much but to be there is always worth it to us anyway!

The amusements are around 3rd I think. The boardwalk does go all the way to 27th but after about 12th or 14th there really aren't alot of concessions.

Have fun!

Oh, almost forgot- if you are into good old-fashioned Maryland Shore cooking try one of the little places on the way out to Assategue Island! Great crab, BBQ and fried chicken.

Ellen
You don't want to drive to the boardwalk - there's a lot of traffic in Ocean City during the summer - walk over to the beach and hop the bus down to the boardwalk as the buses run constantly and most people try to use that as transportation.

I'm not certain where the Holiday Inn Express is but I can tell you there's another nice amusement park around 30th Street - called the Jolly Roger. And then a smaller park with all the concessions down at the beginning of the boardwalk.

A good breakfast can be had at Bayside Skillet - food is always excellent and it's located up near 80th.

Hotels try Quality Inn, Comfort, or Hampton Inns for the oceanfront.

Oh - you might also try Castles in the Sand

Ellen

If I remember correctly, the Holiday Inn Express is pretty far up the beach from the boardwalk (126th St?). We drove down and parked (I vaguely remember pouring quarters into the meter). There are several pay lots that you can use also.