The Sand Box Motel

Though it’s not as close to the beach as other Wildwood motels, The Sand Box sees its fair share of summer crowds. The majority of guests here are families, including those traveling with pets. The small heated pool is often crowded during the day as kids romp around in the toy-filled sand box and endlessly slide down the pool slide.  The front office is a simple, sunny room, packed with local brochures, menus, and advertisements. Check-in is usually hassle free, as long as you arrive within the motel’s designated check-in times. 

Located on Park Boulevard, The Sand Box Motel isn’t as close to the beach or the boardwalk as many of its competitors. The nearest beach and boardwalk entrance is five blocks away, or about a 10-minute walk. Attractions like Morey’s Pier or Ranging Waters Water Park aren’t really within walking distance, but are within a 10-minute drive. The Sand Box is conveniently located next to Acme, CVS, Walgreens, and a liquor store. 

Completely renovated in the summer of 2015, rooms at The Sand Box feel refreshed thanks to new carpeting, fresh coats of paint on the walls, updated furniture, and new, simple bedding. They're still not modern (this is a motel), but they're a step up from those at area competitors (no tacky, thin patterned comforters here.) There are a variety of room options at The Sand Box, including standard motel rooms with one bed, efficiencies with kitchenettes, and multi-bedroom apartments with separate living spaces. Room decor is casual and beachy. Walls are painted in sand-and-sea tones, beds are dressed in simple white cotton, and most rooms come equipped with desks and ergonomic desk chairs. However, most rooms are pretty tiny, and feel cramped with furniture. Walls are also paper thin, which means even if you weren’t planning on watching ESPN at midnight, you are now thanks to your neighbor’s late-night TV habits. Bathrooms weren’t updated in the renovation process, and all still have their original 1950s tile work. Some guests may find the vintage look to be charming, others will think it simply outdated. No matter their decor, bathrooms are minuscule, and most barely have enough room to fit a shower stall, toilet, and single sink. During our visit we noticed that some bathrooms smell pretty musty.    

The pool area at The Sand Box is particularly kid-friendly, which attracts a lot of families with young children. The heated pool is somewhat small, but there’s a tiny waterslide to keep kids entertained. Next to the pool is a large sand box filled with toys, so families who’d rather not trek to the beach can still be close to the sand. The pool area is filled with plastic lounge chairs, and several fake palm trees give the pool deck a tropical flair. Next to the pool is a small, round hot tub for the adults. The motel has four gas grills in two separate barbecue areas, one adjacent to the pool, and one on the second floor sundeck. Both barbecue areas have several umbrella-covered tables and chairs. The Sand Box’s pet policy is pretty straightforward -- up to two pets are allowed in each room as long as they weigh less than a combined 75 pounds, pets incur an extra nightly fee, and owners are responsible for their pets and any damage they may cause to the property. The motel offers free parking and Wi-Fi to all guests.