Overall, this isn't a bad place to stay. There are some highlights, but there are some leering concerns as well. When I had settled on where I would be going I had hurried to book a hotel I was familiar with. However, that hotel was not available. Wanting to be in the same area, I decided a nearby hotel would be good enough.
Gold Leaf Hotel was the first place I thought of after my initial hotel was not available. Booking was fairly simple. Showing up was a breeze. Checking in was a bit of a hassle. But let's get into it. Will mix the good with the bad, a true look at this establishment.
When I came to check in I was not sure where to park, so I just took a chance and parked near the lobby to run in and check in. There was a little bit of a slow down here. Trying to find my reservation, going through the rules on the hotel, WiFi, yadda yadda yadda.
A highlight here is that the parking is integrated into the building. Seeing how this was going to be my first question after check in they were ready for it. Each floor of the hotel has a dedicated floor of parking. Some spots can be tight, but there are ample spots. You must know your license plate upon check in and hang a tag in your vehicle for the duration of your stay. But being able to drive up to the floor where your room is was a nice touch. Depending on where your room is may dictate where you will park.
Finally out of my vehicle I took the few steps to the door and made my way to the room. Once there, my keys would not work. All I did was put them in my pocket with my wallet and make my way to the room. I had to make my way downstairs to get new keys and was made to feel like I deactivated them myself. I had them nowhere near my phone or have a magnet on me. A little bit of a hassle without the need for it.
Finally in my room I was pleasantly surprised to see I had a corner room. The room felt like a wide open space, a nice touch. I chose a single which was more than enough for me. I have seen that others were a bit irked by the fact that they chose a room with two or three beds and then complain about the absence of space in the room.
Along with the bed I had a table with two chairs, futon, dresser, armoire, fridge, microwave, and AC unit. All great amenities for any hotel. Some I didn't use at all, but others were definitely needed. I had a bit of a tiff with the fridge as no matter what I did, whatever I put in there came out frozen. Thankful for the microwave with that one. The AC unit is controlled by a remote, so be sure to grab that upon entry into the room.
But the best thing in this room were the French doors. Technically you do not have a balcony, but having these as part of the room is amazing. I was able to have them open to let in the air. However, they don't always stay open I had to use my bags to prop them. It also allowed you to eavesdrop on the live music that might be coming up the street from one of the bars.
The shower, that was a big downfall to me. They are spacious, but the shower just did not work for me. The shower was a walk in one, but the water never stayed in that direct area. The shower curtain wasn't weighted and it felt like a fight each time I used it. I threw hands at that curtain a few times as it was annoying to have the curtain stick to you as you are trying to clean yourself.
The overall room was good, but there are signs of wear and tear. Being near the beach and bay you will see rust from the salt water. The carpeting was questionable, never walked around barefoot in here. Then there was the other things in this hotel.
The coffee machine was out of order (I don't drink coffee but I took notice). The vending machines were very overpriced. There is laundry available, but I wouldn't take that chance. Then the elevator, yikes. When I first got here they must have just done some work on the tiling in the elevator. It made it hard to maneuver your suitcase in it. That was corrected by the next day. But that thing kind of scared me. It jolted when it would move.
Staff, best way to describe them, dry. I felt like I was bothering them whenever I needed to ask for something. It was a simple ask and I did not feel welcome.
It's a decent place to stay. But when I come to this part of the Delaware beaches, it is not my first choice. read more