Beautiful to See, Horrible to Stay At…read more
We stayed at Kent Island Resort for a family wedding, along with many other family members and friends who stayed on the property for multiple nights.
The property itself is beautiful, and the ceremony and reception spaces were very nice. Unfortunately, that's where the positives ended for us.
At nearly $400 per night, I expected accommodations that felt far more luxurious than a typical hotel. Instead, we found paper-thin walls, large gaps around room doors, and constant hallway noise. In some rooms, the gaps were large enough to see through when the doors were closed. Every conversation, door closing, or bump against a wall sounded like it was happening inside the room. The bathrooms had been updated and looked nice, but even the shower door would not stay closed while in use.
The biggest issue, however, was the fire alarm system.
The first alarm went off while many wedding guests were getting ready. One staff member told a family member that a hot shower had triggered the alarm. Shortly afterward, someone identifying himself as the property manager said that was incorrect and claimed someone had pulled the alarm instead. After about 15 minutes, everyone was allowed back inside because there was no actual fire. While false alarms can happen, the explanations we received were inconsistent and changed depending on who we spoke with.
After a long wedding day, reception, and cleanup, most of us finally went to bed around 11:30 p.m. At approximately 1:20 a.m., the fire alarm went off again. Guests poured into the hallways and outside until a staff member informed everyone that evacuation was not necessary. The alarm was extremely loud and disrupted the entire hotel.
Unfortunately, the disruptions continued. Around 3:30 a.m., loud music began blasting from the lobby area. Family members went to investigate and found no one at the front desk. A group of teenagers or young adults was playing music loudly, and there appeared to be no staff present to address the situation.
The next morning, nearly everyone in our group--including the bride and groom--was discussing the terrible night's sleep and repeated disruptions. Once again, we received different explanations regarding the overnight alarm but no clear answer.
During checkout, we asked whether the resort could offer any compensation for the multiple alarms and disturbances. We were told that no refund or credit was available but that we could receive 50% off a future stay. Since none of us had any intention of returning, that offer felt meaningless.
After we left, my wife's aunt contacted the Kent Island Fire Department regarding the repeated false alarms. She was told that the department had received numerous complaints about the property and that the Fire Marshal had previously been involved regarding violations. Given our experience, that information was concerning.
The wedding venue itself was beautiful, but I cannot recommend staying overnight at this property. If you're looking for accommodations in the area, I would strongly recommend staying at the Hilton, the Hyatt, or the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club instead. At similar price points, I believe they offer a much better guest experience.
