Asbury Park gets a luxury shorefront hotel
The hip and formerly gritty beach town that helped launch the career of rugged rocker Bruce Springsteen just got a posh new makeover. Just in time for summer, a splashy new hotel has opened in Asbury Park, topping off the ongoing revitalization of the Jersey Shore hotspot.
Called Asbury Ocean Club Hotel, the 54-room seaside hotel is entirely set on the fourth floor of a luxury residential building. The raised resort was designed so that every room boasts a view of the water or dunes from terraces.
When guests grow tired of the beach, they can head to the 65by-30-foot pool overlooking the ocean. Deep sofas, sunken beds and floor pillows line the pool deck. And trees and other plant life add to the outdoor oasis. A bar and grill is there for hungry and thirsty swimmers and sunbathers, along with a granita cart serving up juice, smoothies and tiki cocktails.
Located at 1101 Ocean Ave., the chic new spot is surrounded by longstanding local draws. The Stone Pony, the legendary rock club where acts including Springsteen got his start, is about a block south. And The Wonder Bar, which serves up food and live music but is best known for its dog-friendly “Yappy Hour,” is two blocks north.
Catsbury Park, a cat cafe and tea house, and Mogo Korean Fusion Tacos are among the funky eateries along nearby Cookman Ave., which is also dotted with antique shops.
If you prefer kicking back at the hotel, the Ocean Club is proud of the Drawing Room, which it describes as a “glass house floating” on a reflection pool in the middle of the property. The space has multiple uses as a living room, open kitchen and bar, music room, or just a spot to unwind near the large fireplace. Here, you’ll find a Mediterraneaninspired all-day menu.
There’s a communal table in the Drawing Room, and in the afternoon and evenings, a champagne cocktail cart rolls through stocked with caviar and raw-bar items.
Among the 54 rooms, most are standard and executive rooms, but there are seven studio lofts that are larger and also hold sofa beds. There are also four one-bedroom suites that are equipped with kitchens, two full baths, a dining area, an open living room and larger terraces with top-notch views.
While special introductory rates for the off-season begin at $295, rates for the sizzling summer season start at $395. In addition to the other amenities, the prices also help cover a 24-hour concierge and a Beach Bellperson, who sets up guests’ towels, chairs, and umbrellas on the beach, and can bring lunch or cold water.
The property was brought to life by real estate developer iStar, which bought up 35 acres in Asbury Park to transform. The group is also responsible for the nearby Asbury Hotel, and Asbury Lanes, a former bowling alley that reopened as a music venue last year that Springsteen himself rocked out in last June.