Renovated Dewey Beach hotel to open as Beach House Dewey May 17

Under new ownership, Dewey Beach’s Sand Palace hotel has been reinvented and has undergone a massive renovation to produce the Beach House Dewey, set to open Friday, May 17.

The 47-room property was acquired in 2012 by The Bernstein Companies, one of Washington, D.C.'s oldest real estate development, investment and hotel management organizations. One of the company owners takes special interest in the Delaware coast, as he and his family have owned a home in downtown Rehoboth Beach for 13 years. The Bernstein Companies portfolio of hotels includes Marriott properties in D.C. and Maryland, as well as several new developments including a new Westin hotel in downtown Bethesda, Md..

“We’re excited to reinvent what affordable accommodations on the beach can look and feel like,” said Davin Driskill, vice president of the Bernstein Hotel Division. “We’ve tried to pick a smart, clean, modern design that still fits the Dewey feel and lifestyle. We think that we’ve created something pretty unique; It’s unlike any other property in Dewey.”

Located on Route 1 across from the Bottle and Cork, Beach House Dewey features brand-new accommodations steps from the beach, including plush bedding, in-room refrigerators, microwaves, flat-screen HD televisions and wireless internet. The property will also have an expansive suite, touting specialty furnishings and a detached, spacious sitting room with views of both the bay and the ocean. The Beach House Dewey management team has plans to use the property’s revamped pool and patio area to feature a variety of beach games and popular activities.

Mike Fitzmaurice, general manager for the Beach House Dewey hotel, has been in the Dewey hospitality industry for 23 years. “I love Dewey Beach,” he said. “The pace is a lot slower, and the people are very pleasant and content - it’s the best of both worlds.” Fitzmaurice describes the hotel’s transformation as “Baby-smacking new. Everything has been stripped down to the concrete of the building. It’s been set up to be more efficient, allowing us to keep it extremely clean - we’ll be the premier location for Dewey Beach with the most top-notch rooms, no contest.”

The Beach House Dewey is now accepting reservations for the 2013 season, beginning the night of Thursday, May 23. For more information, go to www.beachhousedewey.com.