Sunburst Inn- Indian Shores Beach in Clearwater Beach

After watching HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home, we were excited to see that Mika and Brian renovated a motel on the beach near where we live so we made a reservation for a short, restful stay. Unfortunately, our room, Beachfront, Number 10, did not live up to the hype from the television show and we were disappointed. But first, what did we love about the Sunburst Inn? The Gulf is just steps away from the property and the view of the Gulf is extraordinary! The weather did not cooperate but the one sunset we saw was magnificent! The deck outside our room gave a wonderful view of the Gulf and, had weather allowed, would have provided a wonderful place to have dinner or coffee in the morning. The surrounding area is quiet and, with the beach almost empty, it was like having our own private beach. The staff were extremely courteous and accommodating. The area is within walking distance of one of the best restaurants in the area, with others close by. There are other wonderful shops and fun things to do. The almost full-size fridge was great and fit all our cold and frozen items. The kitchen is fully stocked with cups, dishes, pots and pans, everything you would need to cook meals if you decided to eat in. There are plenty of beach towels, chairs, umbrellas, bicycles, and games on the premises to keep you as occupied as you wanted. There are also quiet spots around the property to just relax and rest. Some of the things that disappointed us: The room is smaller than it appeared on HGTV. When we walked into our room, the bed blocked the entrance. The two rugs on the floor were visibly filthy and should have been cleaned between guests, or at least more often than they are. For a unit that was renovated less than two years ago, the furniture was in poor condition and uncomfortable. Lack of storage. There was one small, open rack on which to hang our clothing with maybe five hangers, and it was full of extra blankets and beach towels which left little room to hang our things. Also, there was one small, flimsy dresser for our other clothing. It sufficed, but just barely. In the kitchen, counter space was limited. There were no empty cabinets to store personal items like tea, vitamins, phone chargers, etc., so everything had to stay on the counter with the motel’s provided glasses, cups, toaster oven and coffee maker. That made the counter space cluttered, with little room to eat a meal. The air conditioner in the unit was not working when we got there, and as we found out later, neither was the one in the guest room next door. The motel did accommodate us by putting a portable floor unit in the bedroom area, but that unit did nothing for the living room area which faced the Gulf and got extremely hot in the afternoon. We got the impression that air conditioning units breaking down is not a rare occurrence here. The exhaust vent in the bathroom did not work, making it hot and humid after showering and leaving no place but the living room to get ready