Quality Inn and Suites Oceanfront, Virginia Beach: A Review

Nearing the end of our recent off-season beach vacation, my family headed to the third hotel of our trip, an intentional downgrade chosen to save us $30 for our final night away from home. Our first impression of the Quality Inn and Suites Oceanfront at 705 Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach was colored by three nights in a slightly better hotel on the opposite end of the boardwalk followed by five hours of trying to entertain two overtired, cranky toddlers on a rainy day at the beach between check-out time at the old hotel and check-in time at the new one. Nothing would be quite right at that point, but the new hotel was not a total disappointment.

We arrived more than an hour before check-in time, hoping we could get in early, and we were happy to learn that the friendly staff did have our room ready. We could unload the car right there and then park in the garage across the street. (The garage was not as clean or well lit as I would hope; an overabundance of garbage, including a badly stained mattress, was piled just to the right of the entrance.)

The lobby was decorated with original paintings, not all beach-themed, but otherwise looked slightly dated. The only seating I noticed was a circular sofa close to the check-in desk, not much to keep waiting guests relaxed during the busy season. Just through the lobby, however, the outdoor pool had many lounge chairs - more than seemed necessary for the size of the pool. To our disappointment, we learned that the hotel's indoor pool was across the street in the Festival Center - not an appealing prospect on cold or rainy days that would require indoor, as opposed to outdoor, swimming.