Atlantic Sands Hotel & Conference Center

Expect to see this casual beachfront hotel packed with tourists in summer. The seasonal pool and outdoor bar stays crowded, and their location abutting the boardwalk makes them great spots for people-watching. The hotel’s conference center generates traffic year-round for weddings and business events, and families attending sports tournaments and activities stay here as well. The registration area in the modest lobby has a cluster of furniture, but it isn't a very inviting place to sit and relax. There's more comfortable seating in the Club Lounge, with gently worn furniture set in front of a TV, but food and drinks aren’t allowed in the space. Most guests prefer to be outside at the beach, or sitting on their patios taking in the views. 

Location is a big plus for this hotel, situated across from the bustling Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk and the ocean. Numerous restaurants and shops are within a short walk, as the hotel is on the northern edge of downtown. The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, which hosts concerts and other entertainment in summer, is a two-minute walk. For business travelers, the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center is a nine-minute walk from the hotel. Shoppers can reach Tanger Outlet Rehoboth Beach in just nine minutes by car. The hotel is roughly a 40-minute drive to Delaware Coastal Airport.

There are several types of Rooms and Suites in this four-story hotel and decor differs, but all are generally dated and could use a refresh. Matching wood furniture has a light finish, there's blue-and-beige patterned carpet, and upholstered furniture is usually aqua-blue or light-brown. Units are spacious and Suites can be quite large, with separate living rooms with sleeper sofas, and some have oversize whirlpools tubs outside the bathrooms. Standard amenities are a plus, with mini-fridges, microwaves, safes, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi, but while many units have flat-screen TVs, some still have old tube TVs.

Units with ocean views have small balconies with chairs, but most others facing away from the beach do not. Bathrooms are dreary and on the small side but they're tidy, with tan granite or white ceramic vanities and budget-quality, white acrylic shower/tub inserts. All have wall-mounted hairdryers and toiletries. The rooms are generally clean, but some past guests have reported spotty housekeeping and minor maintenance issues. Walls are rather thin in this older hotel, so expect to hear some room-to-room ambient noise.

This beachfront hotel offers expanded amenities during the summer season, including its outdoor Sandcrab Restaurant, which offers food and bar service to the outdoor pool next to the boardwalk. The Atlantic Boardwalk Grille also is open seasonally, serving a breakfast buffet with an omelet station for an extra charge. Menus at both casual restaurants have fresh seafood, salads, and sandwiches. Mojo’s Cafe is open year-round and sells coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches, simple lunches, and to-go snacks and drinks. The hotel also provides guests with free beach chairs and umbrellas on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

On-site parking and Wi-Fi throughout are free, and the business center has a computer and printer for guests to use. Among the hotel’s 10,000 square feet of event space is a ballroom that can host groups of up to 500 people. No on-site fitness center is a drawback, and the hotel doesn't have laundry facilities. The lobby has an ATM, and vending machines are located on certain floors.