CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. – Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort is celebrating a milestone this month. It’s the hotel’s 20th anniversary!
The Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant and Marina were opened along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in 1946. 58 years later, Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa was born, giving vacationers a bayside resort, close to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Annapolis and beyond.
It was one of several projects happening on the property, including an expansion of Smokey Joe’s restaurant and building a new tackle shop.
The hotel’s grand opening was March 26th, 2004 – which is also the birthday of Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort’s owner Mary Donovan. She and her late husband Gerald Donovan, decided on that date so they would always remember it!
A few days before the official opening, they did a trial run, letting several employees stay at the hotel to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Mary admitted she didn’t see her husband’s vision for the hotel at first.
“I am not a visionary, but Gerald was. When he told me he wanted to build a hotel, I said ‘Really? How is a hotel going to fit there?’ I’m more of a ‘see it to believe it person’, so it was wonderful to accomplish.”
The luxury hotel and spa was a key part of the revitalization of Chesapeake Beach’s tourism business. A mural remains in the lobby today that depicts the old roller coaster that once thrilled vacationers. The current hotel manager, Glenn Spanier has been there for three years and says their motto is still the same.
“Whether it’s 2004 or 2024 ‘Where Hospitality Meets The Bay’ continues to be the driving force behind the Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort, your home away from home,” says Spanier.
Since 2004, Rod ‘N’ Reel has made a lot of changes to the hotel and other areas of the property. Construction continues today on their Phase III building which will include more hotel rooms, a rooftop deck overlooking the Bay, banquet space, and more.
To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort is offering $20 off your stay, per night. If you book by March 31st, you have until April 30th to redeem the discount, offered Sunday-Thursday only. Just click here and use code 20YRS.
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