Not to get all sentimental, but this vacation was special to us in more ways than one and I'm so happy I decided to book the Bay Resort Waterfront Hotel for our first vacation in three years since before the pandemic. We had a really nice relaxing vacation and our stay the Bay made it that much better.
Let me preface by saying this is not a hotel or a resort, but essentially a beachy motel with some amenities that elevate it past a Super 8, but not quite to the level of a Hampton Inn or the like. Regardless, it's charming, it's simple, it's rustic beach chic. You know what you're getting so don't go into this with high expectations and you'll be set. You need a place to lay your head after a too much wine at dinner, a shower after a day at the beach, and coffee in the morning to do it all over again. The Bay offers all of that, and more.
Let me get the cons out of the way: that bed is as hard as a rock. I couldn't wait to return home just to get back to my own mattress. The room is also pretty outdated in its finishings and kitchen appliances, which is evident by the coil burner electric stove, the rusted metal shelving in the mini fridge, the scratched up/worn pots, pans and tableware, the older microwave model, the sconce on the patio that didn't work for us during our stay. It's clean, but in a "I'm cognizant of the wadded up tissue shoved into a random drop ceiling tile in the bathroom and I just won't look at it" way. Plus, there were like 10 resident flies in our room the whole time, most likely cause the sliding door to the patio is not screened so those suckers zoom into the room from the bay real fast whenever you open it.
Additionally, we needed wheelchair access. Their website boasted an "ADA King" but didn't offer much detail or photos to help me gauge exactly what "ADA accessible" meant (I promise you, every establishment is loose with this definition). So after booking, I called thrice well in advance of our check-in date and spoke to 3 different staff members at the front desk to inquire about the shower/toilet situation and to ensure the room definitely had zero steps. None of them were able to answer my bathroom questions, except only to say "It is ADA complaint so it should be wheelchair accessible." I wasn't thrilled with that response but decided to risk it and check in a month later sight unseen. Thankfully, I see now they've updated their website to include some details about the shower (the accessible rooms either have a roll-in shower or grab bars in the tub. We had the latter). I included photos of the ADA Bayside King room for reference, as they would have been tremendously helpful to me.
All this is to say it didn't make or break the vacation, but it's worth noting, especially since it was close to $800 for a three-night stay during peak Fourth of July season (we checked in after the holiday on the 5th).
Regardless, we had zero setbacks with the wheelchair and it ended up being very comfortable and accessible-ish, as promised. We were on the first floor, there was plenty of space to navigate within the room, the bathroom had a roll-under sink, and the bathtub, towel racks, and mirrors were also lower. The grab bars behind the toilet (as opposed to on the sides) and the non roll-in shower came with some difficulty, but that's also on us for not wanting pack our commode/shower chairs. I am sure we could have asked to see if they had any of this, so that's on us. Just an FYI if you're considering what to pack. (Also, a lot of the kitchen equipment and cutlery was in the higher cabinets, so not super accessible either, and the threshold from the room to the patio was definitely a huge bump, so not a great transition in a chair.)
Now onto the good stuff. The check-in process was smooth and I was even able to check in an hour and half earlier. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful. The coffee in the main reception area was a nice touch. The resort is central to anything and everything Dewey, with a liquor store and plenty of restaurants within walking distance. The view is unbeatable, we were right in the beautiful bay with a well-kept dock and grounds, plenty of adirondack and lounge chairs in a nice turquoise/orange color scheme. We spent so much time on that patio soaking in the sunlight and moonlight, drinking our coffee or wine. There's a sandy beach area, a gazebo with swings, and the option of kayaking and paddle boarding with a third party company. Plus, the pool area was very well kept and a nice relief when I didn't want to be on the grass with the many children running around (only problem with the first floor: no privacy from the adjacent guests). Our last day there, a Friday, seemed to be when the staff does major cleaning and rearranging the furniture for the new week of guests to arrive. Up until then, it does get pretty littery (I spotted some cigarette butts, soda cans, and general trash in the sand area but that's more of a problem guest issue than the hotel's).
Overall, the sunsets and sea breeze and gentle waves of the bay made our stay worthwhile and its central location is unbeatable.
