Anchorage Motor Inn Motel - Page 1

Coastal Maine can get incredibly busy in the summer months (end of May to beginning of September.) During peak season, hotels fill quickly and service, I've found can quickly go down hill. Anchorage is one of those establishments that seems to suffer from a lack of experienced staff in the beginning of peak season.

I have been to the Anchorage a number of times. When my husband and I brought our children to York Beach in late April, the staff at the Anchorage were super. They met our needs promptly, prices were amazing, and both our hotel room and public rooms were clean and attractive.

We prefer to book the less expensive family room that has a queen sized bed for my husband and myself and then a separate area with a set of bunk beds that are perfect for our children. The family room affords us some privacy while saving our money for the area attractions and restaurants.

In the off season, a family of four will comfortably fit in the family room for as little as $110 per night. In peak season, visitors should expect to spend $150 to $180 per night. That is why I definitely prefer booking our stay before peak season begins.

The Anchorage has other rooms. The jacuzzi suites are perfect for romantic couples. Standard rooms containing two full beds do not offer the views of the family room or the suites, but they are just as comfortable. I still prefer the family room, however.

Guests are welcome to use the weight room, hot tub, and indoor pool. In the off-season, there is no lifeguard, something I wish there had been. A group of unsupervised children ranging in age from eight to fourteen were causing plenty of problems. The only staff member around was the bartender (there is a small sports bar adjacent to the pool area) who couldn't leave her post for long. The bar is adequate with drafts of beer in 16 ounce cups (Budweiser products mostly) costing under $4. The bar area also serves snacks (potato chips, hotdogs, etc.)

The Anchorage Motor Inn Motel sits directly across the street from the long, sandy York Beach. York Beach is separated by a cluster of rocks where tidal pools are popular with adults and children seeking critters washed up by the tide. This stretch of beach is generally very safe as it is very apparent when the tide comes in and getting to higher ground is easy.

Down the street from the Anchorage, there are a variety of stores, including a decent general store selling sodas, beer, and light snacks. The Sun 'N Surf Restaurant is part of the Anchorage but sits across the street above the rocky outcrop that divides the beach into two. Breakfasts at the Sun 'N Surf are quite hearty and reasonably priced. If they have Crab Eggs Benedict for a daily special, definitely order it! Dinners at the Sun 'N Surf are more expensive, but the quality and portions were excellent. Diners who opt to sit on the patio or take their food down to the beach should be careful because the seagulls can be quite annoying.

Visits in the peak season have been less enjoyable. We lost hot water one day and it took close to a day for the workers to fix the water heater. Granted, this was a fluke, but it was annoying to paying guests nonetheless and staff didn't seem overly concerned with the problem. We also found that check-in took much longer, the staff seemed hurried, and the grounds were not kept quite as clean.

All in all, the Anchorage is an excellent place for those looking for quick beach access that is within walking distance of some restaurants and stores. I'll definitely be back!

The hotel is pretty well-kept. Rooms are spartan, but clean. The best feature is the pools, but swimming is not allowed before 9 AM, which is not good if your kids wake up early. The hotel is across the street from the beach, as are most hotels in the area. Beach is Long Sands, which is not withing walking distance from town (Short Sands is the beach near the shopping and boardwalk area). The staff is decidedly unhelpful and can border on rude. We had reserved adjoining rooms, but were not given them. The staff, including the general manager, claimed there was a mixup and flatly refused to make any accomodation for us. The clientele is mainly families, however a high percentage of the adults are smokers, and smoking is permitted at the pools and in the common areas. Overall a decent value for the money if you plan to spend your time at the beach, but beware of the poor service and smoking.

We stayed here 2 nights and enjoyed our stay very much. There are 2 indoor pools and one outdoor pool, all were well kept and clean. Hotel is right across the road from a nice beach with a view of a nice lighthouse from hotel. VERY NICE!!