I never imagined I would be writing a review like this…read more
Our family has been vacationing at Indiana Beach since the 1970s, and for the past 10 years, we've stayed at Dockside Inn. We book our vacation nearly a year in advance because we know how quickly everything fills up. Until this year, we had always enjoyed staying here. Unfortunately, this experience ended a family tradition that has spanned generations.
When we arrived on Sunday, we unloaded all of our luggage, groceries, and belongings before discovering that our room had not been properly cleaned. The sheets had food residue, dirt, and hair on them. There was dirt and debris throughout the room, including under the beds and under the sink. The room did not feel clean or sanitary, and the blankets had a strong, unpleasant odor that made us uncomfortable using them.
We immediately contacted the owner, sent photos, and respectfully explained what we found. Around 11:00 p.m., we were told housekeeping could not come that night and would come the following morning. That meant we had no choice but to spend our first night sleeping on top of the bedding because we were not comfortable sleeping in it.
The next morning, housekeeping changed the sheets and brought new blankets. However, as we continued unpacking and using the room, we continued finding additional dirt and debris, including under the sink. I contacted the owner again to make it clear that I did not expect to be charged any cleaning or damage fees for a room that was already in that condition when we arrived.
Then, at 9:05 p.m., we received a message telling us we had to be out by 11:00 a.m. the following morning.
Less than 14 hours' notice.
During one of the busiest weeks of the summer.
After we had already unpacked everything, stocked the room with groceries, and tried to make the best of the situation.
The owner gave us numbers for local motels, but none could accommodate our entire family because they were all booked. We then reserved a VRBO, only to have that reservation fall through the next morning. After hours of searching, we finally found an Airbnb, but due to limited availability, our family vacation had to be cut short by an entire day.
Our group included an 80-year-old family member with significant mobility limitations, a family member with Type 1 diabetes, and a family member with epilepsy. Packing everything back up, moving all of our groceries, relocating everyone, and scrambling to find somewhere to stay created an unbelievable amount of unnecessary stress.
The issues extended beyond our room.
The community grills were in poor condition, with several appearing broken and not properly maintained. The pool water was cloudy, and there was a dead mouse caught in the pool filter with a very strong odor. We have included photos of these conditions so others can see exactly what we experienced.
The most heartbreaking part is that we never demanded anything unreasonable. We simply expected a clean room. We reported the problem immediately, provided photos, gave the owner the opportunity to correct it, and hoped to enjoy the week-long vacation we had planned nearly a year in advance.
Instead, we spent our vacation worrying about where we would sleep, packing everything back up, searching for another place to stay during one of the busiest weeks of the year, and losing valuable vacation time.
To make matters even worse, one of the Ryans told me, "I would suggest not coming back."
After years of staying here and supporting this property, those words were heartbreaking.
This isn't just about one dirty room. It's about how loyal returning guests were treated after reporting a legitimate concern. We weren't looking for special treatment; we were looking for basic cleanliness, professionalism, and respect.
We are posting the photos and screenshots of our conversations so people can see exactly what we experienced and make their own decision.
Our family's Indiana Beach tradition began in the 1970s. Dockside Inn had been part of that tradition for the past decade. Sadly, because of this experience, that tradition has come to an end.
We will not be returning.
