84 Saco Ave, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States | (618) 248-8274
Rustic but clean motel that's a good value
Located a five-minute drive from I-95
10-minute walk from the beach
In-room AC, microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and flat-screen TVs
Seasonal cottages with jetted tubs available
Seasonal outdoor pool, propane grills, and picnic tables
Free coffee at reception
Free on-site parking
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Guest rooms and cottages are ultra-basic and spartan
The property isn't located on the beach
Tiny bathrooms; some units have small TVs
Limited front desk hours
The two-pearl Marvin Gardens Motel is a decent budget option in Old Orchard Beach. It’s a bit farther than many other area properties from the beach at a two-minute drive or 10-minute walk, but it’s cheaper in the summer high season. A small seasonal outdoor pool is on-site, and the hotel also has picnic tables and propane grills for guest use. No breakfast or other food service is offered, but several restaurants are within a short walk. Amenities are a plus in the 11 simple, rustic motel rooms and cottages (closed in winter), as all come with flat-screen TVs, microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Cottages with jetted tubs are also available. For a step up, the Beachwood Hotel is located right on the beach and features a pool, two hot tubs, and units with kitchens, but rates are often more expensive, particularly in summer.
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Scene
Simple budget motel with small outdoor pool, busy in summer beach season
The Marvin Gardens is situated on grounds with lawns and trees, housed in a series of white cabins with blue doors. The hotel has a rustic, simple feel, and the only indoor public space is the lobby. Units are limited to two seasonal cottages and a small number of guest rooms. The property is at its busiest in the summer season, as guests swim in the outdoor pool and barbecue on the hotel’s grill. Guests tend to be budget-minded couples and families from Quebec and New England.
Location
A five-minute drive from I-95, a little less than a 10-minute walk from beach and bay
The Marvin Gardens is on Atlantic Avenue in the town of Old Orchard Beach, about a five-minute drive from the I-95/Maine Turnpike and a two-minute drive from the Grand Avenue/Highway 9 main drag running through town. Restaurants, shops, a pharmacy, and supermarket are a short walk from the hotel. Unlike many other properties in the area, the hotel is not on the beach and Saco Bay, but it’s only a two-minute drive or a little less than 10 minutes away on foot. The area with Old Orchard Beach Pier, Palace Playland (billed as New England’s only beachfront amusement park), and the Old Orchard Beach Station (for catching the Downeaster Amtrak) is a three-minute drive or a 10-minute walk. Old Orchard Beach Ballpark (home of the Old Orchard Beach Surge baseball team) is a three-minute drive. Funtown Splashtown USA amusement park features Maine’s only wooden roller coaster and is said to have New England’s tallest log flume -- it’s a little more than a five-minute drive. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is 20 minutes by car. Portland International Jetport is a little more than 15 minutes by car, or about an hour by Downeaster train and bus.
Rooms
Rustic but equipped with AC, microwaves, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi
The Marvin Gardens has two private one-room cottages (closed from late October through early spring), and two buildings of motel-style guest rooms. Units have a dated, spartan look, but they're generally clean and feature an excellent amenities package, including air-conditioning, microwaves, mini-fridges, Keurig coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Units also have flat-screen TVs with basic cable, but some of the sets are a bit small. Cottages with jetted tubs are also available. The en-suite bathrooms are small, with limited counter space around the sink, and all have only showers (with cramped stalls). Bath products are limited to cheap bars of soap and packets of shampoo, and hairdryers are available upon request.
Features
Seasonal outdoor pool, gas grill and picnic table, but no breakfast or restaurant
The Marvin Gardens offers a limited number of property amenities. A small (a little less than 10 meters long) outdoor pool is open in the summer. It’s unheated, but the water is shallow so the pool is nearly always warm enough to swim in. There are picnic tables and propane grills for guests to barbecue, and there's a small ice machine for use during the summer season. The hotel serves free coffee in the lobby, but has no breakfast or other food service; several restaurants are within a short walk or drive. Free parking is on-site, and there's free Wi-Fi throughout. The front desk is closed overnight, but staff is available 24 hours a day.
