The lobby of the Gateway Hotel Suites, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member still was quiet a little before 8 a.m., especially for summer. Manager Carol Weigner explained that people still sleep in weekdays. Some men had been down early to sit in the lobby and enjoy one another’s company over a coffee, she said. Eventually they retreated back to their rooms and would return with the troops shortly, wives and kids and traveling companions. The groups would enjoy one of the best included breakfast in Ocean City and then meander across the street to begin their day on the boardwalk.
Just a short walk to the beach
This is a Facebook Live video I took the morning of the Fourth of July. I walked from the front door of the hotel all the way into the water.
It won’t be this quiet for long. Happy 4th!
Posted by OceanCity.com on Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Upping their Ocean City game
When Choice Hotels, the company that licensed the Sleep Inn that used to occupy this space, offered an the opportunity for the hotel to upgrade, Carol said it wasn’t a difficult decision. Being selected to join the Ascend Hotel Collection and committing to the higher standards that come with it was right in the hotel’s wheelhouse.
A renovation already was in the planning, so it just made sense to take the extra steps to improve both the hotel’s look and its standards.
“We wanted a more upscale hotel,” Carol said, “and they only pick one in every city.”
So in addition to refreshing the rooms, they added appointments that include name brand soaps and shampoos, Starbucks Coffee in every room, superior towels and linens and a standard of service that is a step above. They’ve expanded their parking to better accommodate multi-car families. Many of their employees have returned year after year for their entire careers.
Front Row Center on the strip
When the cars and bikes roll into town, there’s no place like the Gateway Hotel & Suites to take in all of the action. Just five blocks from the ferris wheel and a block of the Boardwalk, it is a fantastic staging area for the perfect Ocean City vacation.
As a hotel designed to cater to families, the Gateway Hotel is just the right distance from the boards. After a day in the sun and surf and an evening on the boardwalk, you can step back from the excitement a bit and take it all in. The bayside balcony rooms overlooking the pool make for just enough shelter from the Boardwalk revelry if you want to have a quiet evening staying up late and then sleeping in.
The spacious lobby is a great place to spend the morning lounging
Beach Vacation Base Camp
Did we mention there’s breakfast until 10 a.m.?
Families can load up on a filling, healthy breakfast before setting out for the day. Carol said that part of what appealed to her about the upgrades was that they were able to expand their already impressive breakfast. From fresh fruits to two different kinds of sausage, they provide the good nights sleep and the fuel to get you through a fun-filled day at the beach.
Lounge by (or above) the pool
