This review is based on my expectation of a simple, safe, clean, pet friendly, affordable ocean front motel. It's exactly that. You can be out of your room and on the beach in about a minute even if your room isn't ocean front.

The atmosphere is laid back, and the staff and other guests were friendly. It's clean and very dog friendly.

The only downsides are things the owners can't control. It's an older motel and the rooms and bathrooms are really small. The parking lot was clearly designed when people had little sedans. When full of big trucks and SUVs, it's very crowded. It was hard to find a place to park when we arrived Friday night, but the rest of the weekend, there was no issue. If you want luxury, this is not your place. If you just want a clean affordable place to sleep where dogs are welcome, this fits the bill

It's been 10 years since I've had a real vacation, so I chose a spot that I went to as a child. Since the motel I used to stay in is no longer there, I chose the Dolphin Oceanfront Motel because it had a similar setup (beach access, pool, parking, etc.). It was conveniently located for many of the destination points I wanted to visit while there, and was very clean. My only complaint is that I'm a deep sleeper who needs blackout curtains, so having a curtain on the parking lot side instead of a slatted shutter would have helped me fall asleep faster.