Name: Sandcastle Inn & Motel
Address: 105 Atlantic Ave, Old Orchard Beach, Old Orchard Beach, Old Orchard Beach, 04064, United States of America
Rating: 5

Air conditioning

Smoke-free property

Heating

Express check-in/check-out

Private check-in/check-out

General

Non-smoking rooms

Fridge

Flat-screen TV

Shower/Bathtub

Shower

Wardrobe/Closet

Linens

Rooms

Coffee/tea for guests

Snack bar

Vending machine

Microwave oven

Kettle

Meals

Internet access

Internet

Free parking

Parking

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the mini-hotel

Room amenities

Pirate's Cove

Harmon Historical Museum

Palace Playland

Old Orchard Beach Pier

Dunegrass Golf Club

Portland International Jetport

Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport

Pease Air Force Base

Sandcastle Inn & Motel

Old Orchard Beach

I booked through Expedia and then the owner did not honor the price I booked at. He then told me I could cancel but wouldn't refund all of my money.  He threatened me..."do not contact me again or you won't get your money....I promise". I still didn't get my money. 

The decor is quite nice if you can look past the filth and rudeness of owner 

The only thing going for it is the location 

if I could give this place 0 stars I will. didn’t even make it into the hotel without the owner being incredibly rude and obnoxious! there are so many other places for you to stay at..wouldn’t recommend this to my worse enemy

TAKE YOUR STAY ELSEWEAR

The Sandcastle Inn & Motel

We booked our stay at the Sandcastle Inn & Motel in October and paid for 2 nights, checking in on 10/1 and checking out on 10/3.

The afternoon on which we arrived we parked in the only available spot in the parking lot.

Attached to a chain link fence was a sign directing us to the office. I opened the gate and followed the path to a door that I thought was the office. I cautiously opened the door and entered a room that reeked of stale cigarettes and an ashtray filled to overflowing with cigarette butts.

On a cluttered desk were what appeared to be reservations. I called out a greeting and soon Randy emerged from another room.

After checking in Randy moved his car, opening a parking place in front of our room.

As we settled in, we couldn’t help but notice that the room was filthy. Some of the furniture was wicker and we noticed human hair protruding from the wicker. We spent the night, but first thing in the morning on 10/2, well before checkout time, we packed and left.

We left the key on the counter because there was no one in the office. On our way to another hotel, we called twice and left messages, alerting Randy to the fact that we left because of the condition of the room and had requested a refund for one night.

Returning home from our trip we called Randy to again ask for a refund.

He maintained that he did not have time to prepare the room for other guests, but that he would ask his wife for advice and return the call. He never did.

We’re giving it one star because the room was filthy.



The room was filthy.

This is a charming, comfortable little motel/inn in a sweet little seaside town.  Located very conveniently to Portland, the caretaker was very friendly and accommodating.  I wish I could have stayed longer to enjoy the room, but I found it a perfect place to rest after a long day of flying, then driving.

What a great little find!

On July 23 I reserved and paid for a room, arriving Sept 20 and staying for one night.  At 3:50 pm I arrived on a bicycle after having ridden from Brunswick, ME, and found the office to be locked.  A sign on the counter, visible through the sliding-glass door of the office, said "Be right back" and gave a phone number.  I called the number and it went to voice mail, and I left a message that said (in essence), "I'm here, please let me in."  I waited for 20-25 minutes and then figured I'd better start looking for another motel in town.  I found one, booked it online, and then left Sandcastle 30 minutes after I'd arrived.  I saw no sign of life during my 30-minute stay outside the office.  

I left several messages for Randy to call me to discuss this, and he finally returned my call at about 11:00 am on Sept 24, after I'd returned to Boston.  He asked what I wanted, I said "Well, I'd like a refund," and he said "Well, that's not gonna happen."  We talked for about 15 minutes, by which I mean that I talked for 1 minute and Randy talked for 14 minutes.  He did this without knowing any of the facts about my particular case because he kept interrupting me when I began to tell them to him.  

Here's what I learned from Randy:  1) He doesn't believe I was there;  2) He's used this check-in procedure (whatever "this" means, he didn't say) for 5 years and it's "infallible," they've never had even one complaint;  3) He was there in the office when I arrived (which he told me quite matter-of-factly before asking me what day I'd arrived);  4) If he wasn't there, all I had to do was pick up the phone and call the number on the motel sign, and he'd have been there "in a second and a half" to let me in;  5) Check-in procedures for "late arrivals" are described in the motel information they send, so if I get there late and can't get in then it's my own fault (I asked him to define "late" and he faltered and said "it depends" before quickly starting to filibuster about some other aspect of my incompetence as a customer;  6) I shouldn't be quibbling so much about $77.50; and 7) I was starting to piss him off and he didn't have time to continue this, so he ended the conversation (although to his credit he didn't end it rudely by hanging up on me, he did it pretty diplomatically).  There's more, but you get the gist.  

It appears from other reviews that some people love Randy and think the Sandcastle is a charming place.  Others, not so much.  You'll have to judge for yourself the odds of you landing in the former camp.  I've stayed at a lot of hotels and motels and I've never seen anything even remotely like this---the whole experience has been bizarre.

It was bizarre, and that's being kind.

A very quaint motel - old-fashioned hospitality and cute decor.  Very clean and comfortable - Randy the care-taker was friendly and helpful.  Need hair-dryers in the room (LOL).  The walk to the beach was a straight shot about 10 minutes.  We will be back!!

Cozy & Quaint - - a nice walk to the beach!

207-756-9026 randy. Rents apartments also. Said everything good and would mail deposit . This has not happened! Will not even return phone calls! Since November! Paid maid to make sure exceptionally clean! Don’t give him money! Should have known was shady. Wants money orders!

Bad business!

Loved the seashore theme of the room and the bright colorful quilt on the bed. Basic room was clean and set up in a way as to maximize space and promote relaxation. Location provided convenient access to main travel routes through town and was located within moderate walking distance to the waterfront - all of which worked well for us. Room had a mild smoking odor and needs a ceiling repair in the bathroom. Some traffic noise was also discernible. Our host was congenial, helpful and responsive. Overall, the room met our need for a basic, convenient, and clean place to stay, and was relatively affordable for the locale and time of year.

Convenient Location with Attractive Interior Design

The owner is from Southern Florida.  Nothing is drab here: bright sea green and Coral greet you coming in. Lovely decorations give it a Seaside Home look. Even the broom and dust pan are color coordinated! The mattress good quality. No expense was missed on the granite like counter top. I've not seen one so nice in fine hotels. Also it is located in a quiet area of town so we had a good nights sleep

The only thing I would bring next time is a crock pot.  The cupboards have room for food. But when I'm in OOB there is no time to cook and so many good restaurants to meet with friends. 

The shower is tight, but in the area I've not found any as good. No rust nor chipped paint in this newly renovated room. 

Sand Castle is all about location! It is walking distance from Sea Coast Pavilion, The Pier, and the Beach!  

I don't recommend leaving your door unlocked, but we did while we went out for Breakfast. When we returned everything was in tact. 

We'll be back Sand Castle Inn & Motel!

The picture is a reality

We arrived earlier than expected however to our surprise they let us check in once the room was cleaned and it was spotless when we entered the room. The rooms have a cool beach theme to them and put us in the mood for the ocean. The walk to the beach is a few blocks but nothing too bad and there is a corner store on the way if you need to pick up last minute things on your way down to the beach. We had a great trip and the Sandcastle was perfect for what we needed. I have to also say Randy the owner was nice and helpful not to mention his son Brian who was always available if we had questions about where to get groceries or places to eat. We hope to come back next year and if we do we will be staying back at the Sandcastle.

Sandcastle Inn & Motel

Main amenities of the mini-hotel

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Description of the mini-hotel

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