Block Party Hotels cater to families, younger crowd

A new look is set to launch May 1 for two long-standing hotels in Dewey Beach that are being remodeled and modernized to cater to both families and the nightlife generation. 

Atlantic Oceanside Dewey Beach Resort and Beach House Dewey, owned by partnering firms District Lodging Capital and The Bernstein Companies, are being rebranded under the parent company Block Party Hotels.

David Duber, District Lodging Capital co-founder and managing director, said about $1 million has been spent to modernize, elevate and physically adjoin the adjacent properties into one big resort.

“We’re taking what we love about both properties and combining them under one umbrella,” Duber said.

Beach House Dewey will cater to the younger generation interested in Dewey’s nightlife, he said, while Atlantic Oceanside is targeted toward families.

The properties will share a lobby, and guests will have access to a sundry shop and outdoor gym, he said, while The Coffee Mill is set to offer breakfast and grab-and-go items. Manual keys will be a thing of the past, he said, noting guests will be able to check in on their phones.

Both The Bernstein Companies and District Lodging Capital are Washington, D.C. firms with close ties to the area, Duber said. His family members are principals in The Bernstein Companies, Duber said, and he spent summers working at Beach House Dewey, which The Bernstein Companies has owned for some time.

In February 2020, Duber launched District Lodging Capital in partnership with The Bernstein Companies with the initial strategy of purchasing select hotels in college towns.

During the pandemic, Duber said he realized the drive-to-leisure trend is here to stay; the partnered companies purchased Atlantic Oceanside in January 2022 for $7 million. Later, the business entities chose to operate the two properties as distinct, separate hotels under the Block Party Hotels umbrella. 

Beach House Dewey and Atlantic Oceanside front Coastal Highway and occupy the ocean block from Dagsworthy Avenue to McKinley Avenue. For more information or to book a room, call 302-227-4000 or go to blockpartyhotels.com/experiences.