Normandie Oceanfront Motor Inn

We stayed at the Abellona for 5 nights. The hotel was clean and well kept up, the staff were always out and about keeping the grounds tidy and trying to keep the sand at bay, they were all pleasant and friendly. We stayed in an oceanfront room with a kitchenette, which was helpful in saving a bit of money rather than eating out every meal. There is a nice grocery store just a short drive away, Landry's. The room had enough basics to get by, pots and pans, dishes, cups and cutlery, a wine opener, one cup coffee maker, soap and sponge to take care of your dishes. They also have grills, which we used once to cook steaks. The pool was very nice, warm, clean, and has an actual deep end. It wasn't crowded, we were the only ones swimming moat of the time. The location is convenient, you can walk to the pier and the shops, or you can pay to park closer, but it's only like a half mile, so doable as long as you don't have very small kids that don't like walking far. The beach was literally steps away from our door, and it was nice and clean as well, they take the beachcomber out and pick up the seaweed from high tide in the morning. They have a broom for keeping the sand at bay in the room, which is helpful. Housekeeping will come in and do a quick tidy and leave fresh towels daily if you don't have your do not disturb sign up. You are responsible for your own dishes, which is something to keep in mind when using them for the first time. All the appliances worked fine and got the job done. The only thing that would have made it a perfect room, would be a small heater for the bathroom, just because my kiddo likes to be warm when he gets done bathing, but that's probably not an issue during the peak of summer... also a small portable clothes rack would be a nice touch for wet bathing suits and such. Maybe an interior door mat as well to keep the sand contained. None of those things are necessities, and the room was still great overall. I would recommend the hotel to friends, and I would stay there again if I were to return to Old Orchard. I would generally ignore all the bad reviews on here and just assume it was people who got called out for acting foolish or not following the rules. I personally appreciated the quiet, smoke-free environment, and I can't think of one negative thing to say about the Abellona or their staff.