Sandcastles on the Beach
1368 Port Austin Rd, Port Austin, MI 48467-9687
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About
#1 of 2 small hotels in Port Austin
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Sandcastles on the Beach offers our guests the time, place and atmosphere to enjoy what you want and what Huron County has to offer. Our six condominium units are bright and cozy. The units are located directly on our 200 feet of private beach. Our eight motel rooms are stylish and very close to the beach. The two bedroom cottage is great for couples or families at an economical savings.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Beach
Room features
Air conditioning
Kitchenette
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HOTEL STYLE
Family
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Location
1368 Port Austin Rd, Port Austin, MI 48467-9687
Getting there
Bishop Airport
130.4 km•
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15 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
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Detailed Reviews
This is the best place to stay in Port Austin! After reading reviews I'm so glad we decided to stay here. It's a mom and pop motel but very clean for its age. The location is fantastic if you want a mini beach getaway. Right on the beach with fire pits and wood provided. Nice to be 2 miles from the city to still have that cabin like feel! The manager is super nice. Will be back for sure!!
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Ask for a room with a view of the lake or if staying a few nights rent a condo directly on the water
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandcastles on the Beach is amazing! As a woman traveling alone, I felt very safe. I stayed in an upper level motel room, on the end, with a lake view. The rooms were spotless. Paul was a wonderful host and always willing to help and answer questions. The private beach is only steps away, and the sunsets were spectacular! The entire resort is well kept, clean, quiet, and so relaxing. I've gone to Port Austin many times over the last 25 years, and now I'm wondering how I never knew about this gem. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a place to stay in Port Austin. The only drawback for me was that there is no Wi-Fi, and being a Sprint customer, there is no cell service. I was unable to make or receive cell calls and there are no phones in the rooms. That was a little unnerving. If there was Wi-Fi, the place would be perfect. I will be making this place a tradition for many summers to come.
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Travelled solo
Rooms
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed this past weekend in the hotel section of the resort. The room was very clean and had plenty of space inside. It was great to be able to walk right to the beach without leaving the property. It's a nice sandy beach too!
There are fire pits on the beach for your use. Also, there is a "park" section in front (where we spent a lot of time). It has picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, basketball hoop, charcoal grills... all for guests' use.
The resort is very clean and kept up. It is close to downtown Port Austin.
Paul the property manager is fantastic! Thank you Paul for a wonderful stay. We enjoyed chatting with you and can tell you really care about the appearance of the property.
Will definitely return again!
There are fire pits on the beach for your use. Also, there is a "park" section in front (where we spent a lot of time). It has picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, basketball hoop, charcoal grills... all for guests' use.
The resort is very clean and kept up. It is close to downtown Port Austin.
Paul the property manager is fantastic! Thank you Paul for a wonderful stay. We enjoyed chatting with you and can tell you really care about the appearance of the property.
Will definitely return again!
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Date of stay: July 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'll start with the good: location is excellent & easy to find, Paul the owner/manager is super helpful & accommodating, price was fair, grounds were clean and offered tables, chairs, bbq and some out door games. Equally important, a weekend spent in Port Austin and the surrounding areas, exploring the thumb and Lake Huron is fantastic!
Now for the less good: we stayed in the hotel and it is old! Beds were so soft and squeaky that it was almost impossible to sleep. Bathroom was super tiny and dated, but clean.
All we did was sleep there after long days spent outside. Glad that I didn't have to be there any more than necessary. When we made the reservation I knew that this would be a "simple" place to stay and didn't have much expectation. However, it is time for new beds & frames.
Now for the less good: we stayed in the hotel and it is old! Beds were so soft and squeaky that it was almost impossible to sleep. Bathroom was super tiny and dated, but clean.
All we did was sleep there after long days spent outside. Glad that I didn't have to be there any more than necessary. When we made the reservation I knew that this would be a "simple" place to stay and didn't have much expectation. However, it is time for new beds & frames.
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Date of stay: July 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Driving around the tip of the thumb and needed a place to stay the night saw a vacancy sign and pulled in. the manager Paul was super friendly and showed us a room, the price was right and it had beach access. Location has motel style rooms and a few multi bedroom condo's beach access to watch the sunset is awesome( for Michigan) Paul had a bonfire on the beach for guests, so that was a really nice touch! check it out if you are driving the thumb!!!!
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Date of stay: May 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This would be a 5 rating if we had stayed in the Condos. They were great and looked out over the beautiful lake. We stayed in the hotel which is old, small and needs updating. The location is great, right on the lake. Stay in Condos and you will rate it a 5.
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Date of stay: June 2015Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Stay in Condos on the Lake. GREAT views and beautiful accommodations.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed in the motel style room for two days with three children. The best part of this room was how comfy the beds were. Also, the air conditioning unit on the wall produced great air for our family. On the critical side, the room was small, no housekeeping, and the bathroom toilet had to be fixed almost after every use. We would stay there again if we had to but I would like to look for another location if we stayed up that way again. Make sure to take the small path to the beach and put your feet in Lake Huron.
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We invited our group here for a bicycling and kayaking outing and everyone really enjoyed their stay. We rented one of the waterfront condos to have a common meeting area for dinner, cards and drinks. Other guests grabbed the cottage and motel rooms. The condo decor is nicely updated and it has a beautiful view of Lake Huron from the balcony! Our guests loved the small beach, basketball, corn hole game and the campfire area. The owner, Paul, was very friendly and enjoyed talking to his guests and ensuring they are enjoying their stay.
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Date of stay: September 2017Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are motel rooms, "cottage" and condos. The condos look fabulous and all face Lake Huron. We stayed in a motel room that also had a view. The motel room was great for the price! We had air, cable, chairs on the porch outside. Paul was absolutely wonderful! We asked if we could make a fire (there are 3 separate pits on the beach) and he said we could even use his wood, wheel barrow and lighter fluid so we didn't have to go buy any! He's very helpful, can always be found and is very accommodating. This will be our go to place for Port Austin for years to come.
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Date of stay: August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandcastles has been in Port Austin as long as I can remember, so expect the motel to have the look of an older, somewhat rustic locale and you will be happy. The location is right on the beach, and the condos have all of the view, but everyone has complete access to the Beach. Paul, the manager is just great, totally laid-back, and friendly.
One thing you should know is that he never answers the phone, and there is no online booking. Email is the most expedient form of communication. We booked our room with only our word, and got in after midnight. No problem!
One thing you should know is that he never answers the phone, and there is no online booking. Email is the most expedient form of communication. We booked our room with only our word, and got in after midnight. No problem!
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Date of stay: August 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â If you want to be on the water rent a condo, the motel rooms have no view, but can be rented...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
no too far but family short drive into town
"IF you have issues climbing stairs, ask for a main floor room! All the rooms are beautiful and they each have a view."Read full review
"If you want to be on the water rent a condo, the motel rooms have no view, but can be rented nightly."Read full review
"Ask for a room with a view of the lake or if staying a few nights rent a condo directly on the water"Read full review
LOCATION
United StatesMichiganPort Austin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
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Claim Your ListingSANDCASTLES ON THE BEACH: See 20 Reviews and 26 Photos (Port Austin, MI)
Frequently Asked Questions about Sandcastles on the Beach
Which popular attractions are close to Sandcastles on the Beach?
Nearby attractions include Port Crescent State Park (3.2 km), Port Austin Marina (4.9 km), and Port Austin Farmers Market (4.7 km).
Is parking available at Sandcastles on the Beach?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Sandcastles on the Beach?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Farm Restaurant, The Bank 1884 Food & Spirits, and Paks Backyard.
Are there any historical sites close to Sandcastles on the Beach?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Port Austin History Center (6.2 km).