My aunt (now 76) has been staying at this motel for 20 years. Last year was the first year for me. I stayed there on three separate occasions. One of those stays included my aunt and my three oldest grandsons (7,5,3). Here's my take on the Oceanana. It AIN't fancy and I don't consider this a resort but it does have all the basic necessities for a pleasureable time. The atmosphere is laid-back, wholesome, quiet and friendly. A little something for almost everyone. Yes, the motel is old and the walls are concrete. It has withstood years of winter storms and summer hurricanes but is still structurally sound and well maintained. This includes all the purchased and home-made playground equipment. Not once did I hesitate to let "my boys" play on any apparatus. They absolutely loved it. There were ropes to climb, slides, games to play (i.e. shuffleboard), bikes for all ages to ride, swings, plastic ride toys, etc. all in excellant condition. The pool was immaculate and larger than most pools at other motels in the area. The beach area is huge with chairs and umbrellas which, if all are taken, just notify the staff and they will set up your chairs and umbrella for you. The watermelon party was great fun. Guests gather around to eat watermelon and get to know one another. There was plenty for everyone. There is a large sheltered area where the tropical breakfast is served with rocking chairs for us "old folks" to enjoy. Restrooms are available here which came in handy for the kids without having to go all the way back to our room. Our room was ok. Again, nothing fancy - a basic room. The biggest drawbacks for me were that the air conditioning is controlled from the office ( I had the foresight to carry a portable fan to use just in case -Luckily the weather was very warm, not over bearingly hot.) and parking can become an issue when the motel is full. The carpet also needed cleaning but the linens were very clean. The outside lighting was appropriate.

The Oceanana should be ashamed that it calls itself a "resort". There's nothing here that would appeal to anyone born after the second world war. The playground area is a joke, with homemade contraptions that would be better served as medieval torture devices. The refrigerators in the rooms will barely keep a drink cool on high and the air conditioning does about the same thing on a larger scale. Air conditioning unit is old, dusty, and mildewy and I felt dirtier after I got out of the shower than before. The Pier House food was decent, but the pier itself was filthy and smelled strongly of urine. Doors on the hotel rooms are turn of the century (last century) sliding glass doors, and the decor would feel more at home in 1967. It is nice to see that the Oceanana supports the local Goodwill and Salvation Army, because this has to be where the furniture, linens, and curtains came from.

Never again

I can't believe this is advertised as anything resembling a "resort." Having decided on a last minute weekend at the beach we booked a room at the Oceana. Upon arrival we were shocked. Do families really stay here? Our room (as all of the rooms are) was entered directly , I mean directly (3 1/2 ft) from the parking area! Our view was of the front bumpers of the cars at the "resort." The entrance was a sliding glass door with one side boarded up. No windows just a 4x7 ft. sliding door, no daylight unless we wanted all passerbys on the "porch" (walkway) to look in. And they did, but were friendly enough to greet me through the glass. There were some plastic stackable outdoor chairs, unfortunately (ha) none for our unit! Too bad 'cause that cheap charcoal grill located between the parked cars WAS tempting! The "double bed" was a 3/4 and since the sheets were double, when laid on they popped off and rolled with us towards the center. Our feet hung off the bottom. One extra pillow, flatter than the stringy threadbare blanket. The T.V. was 14 inch; the "couch" taken off the back of a bus, I swear! Vinyl, stained, and bolted to the cinderblock wall. The dressor was neat-2 ft wide- and the mirror sure made us look thin. Not only was the ocean not seen, it wasn't heard, or smelled, but the neighbors sure were! 'Course the view of the parking lot ( the spaces are very, very, narrow, but the trick mirror mentioned above gave us hope of getting in and out of our car) was partially blocked by everyone else's towels, swimsuits, and sundries, strung from sagging ropes outside the doors. The bathroom was small, when one sat on the toilet one's nose almost touched the opposite wall, no kidding. I know you get what you pay for but at 110.00 a night I feel we paid for a little bit more. It was very clean though. Didn't stick around to try the complimentary breakfast, shock takes away one's appetite. Refusing to stay in a dark cell, I called 8 motels and finally found one to salvage our trip. The staff was very courteous though.

This was my first trip to the Atlantic Ocean, we had drove 7 hours, it was worth the trip. I loved the hotel being so close to the ocean. I got up early to watch the sun come up from the peir and was greeted with such friendliness by the staff. The beach is beautiful and I would not trade my experience with anyone. We will be back this summer. I hope to see you there!!!