OCEAN CITY –The Dunes Manor Hotel located on 28th Street was family-owned and operated until last year when they signed on with Real Hospitality Group and since then has been enjoying successful rebranding and renovations.
Milton and Thelma Connor were married in 1940. After working at the Hastings Hotel in the early days of Ocean City, they later opened Dunes Motel on 27th St. at the end of the Boardwalk. They then acquired the adjacent property on Baltimore Ave. and added the Dunes Motel poolside location.
“Their dream was to a build a wonderful, Victorian-style beach home that was very family-oriented, so they embarked on this adventure, bought the property but unfortunately Milton passed away,” Dunes Manor Hotel Director of Sales Marge Steele said. “She was a very strong willed woman and everyone told her she really needed to change your mind on this hotel but she said ‘absolutely not.’ At 75-years-old she opened Dunes Manor on April Fool’s Day because everybody called her a ‘fool’ for doing so.”
In 1999, Thelma Connor passed away and left the hotel to her nieces who operated the hotel until management was signed over to Real Hospitality in 2014. Real Hospitality’s headquarters are in West Ocean City, and since coming on board, Dunes Manor has become the management company’s flagship hotel.
“In a very short period of time after being taken over by Real Hospitality the hotel has enjoyed a lot of success,” Steele said. “It has been a fun ride.”
Since July 2014 the Dunes Manor Hotel has been rated Number One on tripadvisor.com. In 2014 Dunes Manor was voted Best Hotel in Ocean City by the Baltimore Sun readers, and even last Wednesday Dunes Manor was highlighted on the “Today Show” as Best Hotel in Ocean City along with Ocean City being rated as the top 25 beach in America also by tripadvisor.com.
“Now that Real Hospitality has been involved, we have started doing things that the hotel has never done before,” Steele furthered. “We have always been considered a silo here in Ocean City where the restaurant and lounge has been as amenities for guests who stayed here. We have 170 rooms, restaurant and lounge that all have a million dollar oceanfront view that many folks don’t know is here, so through a lot of rebranding, advertising and community involvement, we are really trying to invite the community in and expose this amazing gem that we have here.”
In doing so Dunes Manor is now presenting Dunes at Dark by partnering with Ovation Dinner Theatre and author of Haunted Ocean City and Berlin Mindie Burgoyne
The next audience interactive dinner theatre production, Mafia Murders, place on Saturday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday, April 11, at 6:30 p.m. Mindie Burgoyne will return presenting “Haunted Ocean City: a Ghostly Dinner.” This Ocean City ghost story and dinner event will let guests experience some of the more historic parts of the town and will reveal a haunted history like no other Eastern Shore destination.
According to Steele, a Dunes at Dark production will be held at least once a month during the offseason.
“Dunes Manor is the dinner theatre go-to place whether you’re looking for something to do in the offseason or something different to do in season. I think you will find our events here quite entertaining,” Steele said.
In addition, on Wednesday, April 1, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. the Dunes Manor Hotel will hold their 28th Anniversary Party where special anniversary tea and complimentary refreshments will be offered, as well as the launching of Zippy Lewis’ bar lounge newest additions, “Nauti-Teas.” Happy Hour prices will be available at Zippy Lewis, as well as an anniversary menu in the Victorian Room Restaurant. For those who would like to stay the night, throw back rates will be available to what the hotel first charged when it opened in 1987, which is $59. There will also be prizes and giveaways, plus a special edition of musical selection by Ms. Shirley on the piano.
“In Thelma-style we are going to have a party to celebrate,” Steele said. “Zippy Lewis will be our highlighted area in the hotel where we will be launching a line of “Nauti-Teas.” We will take it up a notch at Zippy Lewis lounge with our “Nauti-Teas” that have an extra kick if you know what I mean. It has been really well received.”
An example of a “Nauti-Tea” is a clover, cinnamon and orange blend that is served with the French orange liqueur Cointreau.
On top of the new happenings at Dunes Manor the Zippy Lewis bar lounge and Victorian Room Restaurant are receiving a makeover. Both spaces are being remodeled, including new flooring and furniture. Zippy Lewis will receive a whole new look with upholstered cocktail seating, while the restaurant will be rebranded into Milton’s Restaurant. The hotel’s new chef, Michael Smith, has put his own twist on new menus for both locations.
The hotel is not the only property being revamped as Steele announced following the upcoming summer season Dunes Motel will also receive a complete remodel and be rebranded as Dunes Inn.
For more information on upcoming events or to make reservations call 1-800-523-2888 or visit www.dunesmanor.com.