The Berkeley Oceanfront is located across from the Asbury Park boardwalk and beach. We are located a short drive from Route 18 and the Garden State Parkway. We have an outdoor pool with cabanas. The hotel offers a complimentary Jersey Shore breakfast. All of our rooms have been completely remodeled and the majority of our rooms have an ocean view. Parking in Asbury Park is metered from May until November. The Berkeley Oceanfront has 50 free spots for parking for our guests. Please contact sales for further information.
Star Rating:
Local Attractions:
Oceanfront Hotel
Six Flags
Belmar
Monmouth Park
Pier Village
Sandy Hook
Red Bank
Convention Hall/Paramount Theatre
May 9, 2013
krashtest d, Utrecht, The Netherlands | Trip type: Family
Correcting my review, and apologies to the Empress hotel. I should have said The Berkeley!!!
My family and I went to Asbury Park to take in a show at McLoone's....
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Correcting my review, and apologies to the Empress hotel. I should have said The Berkeley!!!
My family and I went to Asbury Park to take in a show at McLoone's. This hotel was recommended by friends who live there; they said it had been completely renovated. First error. It's undergoing renovations. That's a HUGE difference. the prices they charge are absolutely scandalous in view of what you get. Here's the short list - - Check in was easy, at least, but no one mentioned that what we thought was free Internet was actually $10 per day, or that it could only be charged to a credit card, not to the room. - There is no restaurant. Read that again. NO restaurant. On the weekend. There is a dismal coffee service at one end of the lobby, coffee only. Not even a doughnut. Or a bun. On a weekend morning. And they do advertise that there's a restaurant. - The windows open, which is great. They have no handles. Not so great. To open them, you have to climb on a chair (and I'm tall), shove them open, and then hope they don't slam closed on your hands before you get something in there to prop them open. One was screened, one was not. One was clean, one was so filthy I couldn't see through it. I'll try to post a photo of that. - The dresser drawers open. In fact, they stay open, there's no way to close them completely. One of them also has no handle. - Whoever re-designed the bathroom forgot that it's nice to check the water temperature BEFORE you get under the shower. There's a half-glass closure, which means if you're not careful the shower water goes all over the bathroom floor. The walls and floor are fake wood, made to look like linoleum - and peeling like linoleum as well. -- The bathroom itself is so small that in order to use the sink, you have to completely close the door. You also have to completely close the door to get to the toilet paper. And there's no vent. -- There's a desk, of sorts, more of a highboy. With no available electrical outlet. In fact, the outlet problem holds true throughout the room. I'm sitting on the couch typing this, having unplugged one of the lamps to do so. There's an outlet across the room, by the TV, and one set by the bed, but you have to unplug the clock or the reading lamp to use it. In other words, don't come here and expect to plug in your iPad, mobile phone, and computer all at once, unless you bring your own extension cord. And even then. - The light bulbs are the new energy saving kind. I know I've complained about this before, but these are the cheapest, lowest wattage available. Awful. - Someone tried to make the rooms look expensive by putting up fancy headboards that wrap around the top of the beds. Unfortunately, this means you can't really read in bed without dismantling the lamp and taking the cover off, since otherwise the sides of the headboard block all the light. - Everything in the hotel looks cheap and old, and poorly maintained. From the elevator floors (wood showing through, only one of the three working) to the beds (scuffed, bases actually peeling) to the chair and dresser (looked like they were purchased at a used furniture store) to the attempt at papering the walls - already peeling off the windows. -- One window had a drape that did a good job of keeping out the early morning sun; the other had a window blind, slatted, that was relatively clean. -- The bedding was fresh and clean, though the bottom sheet didn't fit all the way to the bottom. We discovered this when we got cold and tried to double the blanket over, and the entire sheet set came up around our knees instead of staying tucked in. -- -- On the plus side, it was a nice television, though the screen was very small for what we paid. -- The ice machine wasn't working on our floor, by the way. As we paid the bill, I told the woman at the desk that my windows hadn't had any handles. She said she didn't think they were supposed to have them; we were supposed to push them up from the top. I said it was a good thing you needed to stand on a chair to reach them, because if one of my kids had tried and had their hand in the wrong place, with the window sashes completely broken, the child could have lost a finger or broken a hand. Besides, if they weren't supposed to have handles, why were there two large holes where the handles went? She shrugged and offered to call maintenance. Really, you'd do better staying at a Holiday Inn Express, if there was one to be found. The only thing this place has going for it is its prior reputation, and that it's right near the beach. Saying it's "One of the better hotels in Asbury Park" really doesn't say muc « less
“Stay Away!”
May 7, 2013
Jim D, Boston | Trip type: Family
Let me cut to the chase. I have been more satisfied when I stayed in the last available room that had no heat, was over the street on the second...
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Let me cut to the chase. I have been more satisfied when I stayed in the last available room that had no heat, was over the street on the second floor in Times Square, New York and paid $350. That was many years ago but has always been my "low standard" of hotel experiences.
Unfortunately, I now have experienced lower. The Berkeley Oceanfront provided dirty sheets, foul odors, worn furniture, a flooded bathroom floor, $20 charge for parking but had none available, windows that would not open but were suppose to ( I was trying to rid the room of the odor) and most troubling, an apathetic staff. We considered leaving as soon as we checked in but there was a marathon in the area and all of the hotels were booked.
There were some positives. The free coffee in the morning was good and I am always happy when I can see the ocean. I had to walk outside the hotel to see it, though. I just wish I could have seen it from my room. Instead I got to watch and listen to construction on a building at the back of the hotel. « less
“Incredibly disappointing.”
May 5, 2013
ThaGreenMonstah, Falmouth | Trip type: Family
Working in the service industry, it was a big deal to get off a Saturday night to join my family at a wedding held nearby. I booked two rooms, one...
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Working in the service industry, it was a big deal to get off a Saturday night to join my family at a wedding held nearby. I booked two rooms, one for my parents and one for myself, at the wedding block rate or $175. They managed to get us on the same floor (at first), but that is the end of the positive comments.
We'll start with parking. When you charge $20 for an amenity on top of a $175 rate, you validate it by maintaining that amenity. The parking lot was littered with potholes, didn't have lines painted, and was unattended. I don't know who checked the tags, but at least half the vehicles there did not have the parking permit. After paying for parking and circling the lot twice, I resigned to street parking. When I got the $20 charge reversed at the front desk, I was met with a shrug.
Now, we check in. We were given literal keys. Hotels moved to a plastic key card system how many years ago? They had issues with theirs, as certain rooms required hard keys. A clear security issue if a key was lost or misplaced. The industry has moved on to key cards because they are extremely easy to disable and replace when lost, negating someone else having access to your room. This was the first sign of maintenance issues that only compounded.
When we walked into our room, I was smacked in the face by the overwhelming smell of mold. I'm an asthmatic, and I immediately felt my throat starting to close. We opened the windows and I had some relief, but where was this smell coming from? It wasn't coming from the sagging, tired furniture. It wasn't coming from the stained drapes or the carpet that fell about an inch short from the wall. It was coming from the AC vents, which looked like they hadn't been cleaned since the hotel opened. The bathroom vent looked like a war between the dust and the mold was in its final throws, but you couldn't tell who was winning. I walked down the hall to the other room to see if they had the same issue, to already find out that my father had gone to the front desk to switch rooms. Again, he was met with a shrug and new keys.
I looked through his room and found the same issues as with ours: poor maintenance and cleanliness standards. The iron was so broken, when you poured water in the top it just came right out the bottom. The furniture was clearly worn. I could go on, but you get the picture.
Back in my room, I started getting ready for the wedding. Another reviewer called it "quirky but fabulous". I'm completely fine with doing something different, and the decor was nice. Unfortunately, it had lost all functionality. A solid glass pane covered half the shower, leaving water free to pour out of the other half. Being 6'3", I have to pretty much tilt the shower head all the way up in any shower to wash my hair. This one was no exception, but the slip hazard it caused on the floor was unacceptable, Maybe this is where their mold problem started? Also, the trendy flat square sink had a faucet that was maybe 4" from the bottom. You could barely wash your hands! It looks great, but you cannot completely sacrifice function for form.
Both rooms had a brown stain on the duvet cover. In my room it resembled fecal matter, in my parent's it resembled blood. While mine was in plain sight, on the top of the sheets, his was in his bed. How can a room be inspected with obvious stains on the sheets? It was disgusting, and unacceptable.
After speaking with the front desk manager in the morning, we were offered a 10% discount. At first she fought us, saying "Because we didn't see the issues in the room, we can't offer a discount." As a front office manager, I found this peculiar. Your housekeeping manager didn't notice the fecal/blood stains, the awful smell, the mold infested vents, the stained furniture/carpet/drapes, yet it is our fault? She asked if we wanted to speak with the housekeeping manager. As a manager, this is YOUR JOB, not the guests. Terrible communication, and a weak attempt at passing the buck.
Avoid this place. I don't know what other options you have in the area, but I know what is happening here. A management company made a huge investment 5 years ago, and have been paying it off since. Until they break even, they aren't putting a penny back into it. This means underpaid staff, worn dirty rooms, and management who won't budge when you ask them if the room was really worth $175.
For my family, the answer was a clear and resounding "NO!". « less
“Bit of a disappointment.”
Apr 28, 2013
Jerry R, Bayonne, New Jersey | Trip type: Couples
My wife and I stayed at the Berkeley last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We decided on the Berkeley after her Aunt told her how beautiful it was. Well,...
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My wife and I stayed at the Berkeley last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We decided on the Berkeley after her Aunt told her how beautiful it was. Well, for the most part it was beautiful. That's about the only positive thing about our stay besides the attentiveness of the night clerk, who after I called to tell them that our a/c was blowing hot air and the temperature in the room was 88 degrees, she offered us a selection of rooms and got us a new room within 5 minutes.
Upon arrival, we were told that the hotel parking lot was full and we would have to pay for metered parking until midnight and start paying again at 9am. Now, thinking back, if we were able to have a choice of rooms to switch to when our a/c wasn't working, who took all the parking?
Our room was clean, but the bathroom was very dated so while it was clean, it didn't have the appearance of it. No refrigerator, no coffee pot.
When we booked, we did not know there was apparently a "pub crawl" or some other event this weekend and the hotel was inundated with a younger crowd. (early 20s). We don't have a problem with this except that there were quite a few from this crowd going through the halls drinking and yelling. There was beer bottles and spilled beer in the elevators. The yelling in the halls continued until past midnight.
The next morning after running out to the car at 8:55 am to pay for metered parking, we took a walk on the beach. Coming back, we walked next to the Dauphin (the hotel's restaurant) restaurant's outdoor dining area. The sidewalk and lawn was littered with cigarettes, broken dishes and assorted other trash. This was a 10 am. It was disgusting.
To add insult to injury, when checking out, the girl at the front desk did not say "good morning" or ask how my stay was, or ask me if everything was ok, or say " we hope to see you again". All she said was, "there you go". So I went. « less
The hotel itself was very well situated for our needs, right across the street from the Convention Center. The room was nice, and we were afforded a complimentary upgrade.
We...
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The hotel itself was very well situated for our needs, right across the street from the Convention Center. The room was nice, and we were afforded a complimentary upgrade.
We had difficulty finding the hotel, especially at night, as the entrance is not on Ocean Avenue itself and there are no signs at all indicating that we were at the right place. Only by calling the front desk were we able to determine that we were at the right place, and then only because the restaurant had an outside sign.
The room was decent, a nice TV, a small bathroom, and too hard mattresses for our taste, but large enough to relax in. $20.00 per night for parking was extreme, and $10.00 per day for WiFi led me to setup my own hotspot.
The biggest issue for us was the lack of breakfast availability at all. We were not looking for a free breakfast, as most of the chains offer now, but at least provide the option. There is, after all, a restaurant on premises. We had opted to spend the night in Asbury Park instead of driving in for our morning event so that we would not be rushed. I then had to run out to a local deli (about 7 blocks, not even within walking distance) to get us something to eat.
As a frequent traveller, I also found the entrance confusing, it was not clear as to where the Front Desk is, so we ended up walking around a bit at 10:00 at night to find it. The personnel, however, were very friendly and quite helpful. « less
These reviews are the subjective opinions of individual travelers and not of TripAdvisor LLC nor of its partners.
Cancellation: 24 hours prior to arrival before 3:00pm
Nightly Parking:
0
Typical Group Deposit:
50%
Total Taxes:
12.00%
Total Misc Fees:
$0.00 USD (mandatory resort fees/taxes)
Room Types - The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel
Ocean View One King Standard
One King Bed
This room overlooks the ocean. Get a good night's sleep with premium bedding, a down duvet, and blackout drapes/curtains. You will have a shower/tub combination with rainfall showerhead, as well as designer toiletries, a hair dryer, and a makeup/shaving mirror. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and premium TV channels with ESPN are offered for your entertainment. A desk, a wake-up call service, and daily housekeeping are among the conveniences offered.
Standard One King
One King Bed
This room overlooks the city. Get a good night's sleep with premium bedding, a down duvet, and blackout drapes/curtains. You will have a shower/tub combination with rainfall showerhead, as well as designer toiletries, a hair dryer, and a makeup/shaving mirror. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and premium TV channels with ESPN are offered for your entertainment. A desk, a wake-up call service, and daily housekeeping are among the conveniences offered.
Standard Two Queens
Two Queen Beds
This room overlooks the city. Get a good night's sleep with premium bedding, a down duvet, and blackout drapes/curtains. You will have a shower/tub combination with rainfall showerhead, as well as designer toiletries, a hair dryer, and a makeup/shaving mirror. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and premium TV channels with ESPN are offered for your entertainment. A desk, a wake-up call service, and daily housekeeping are among the conveniences offered.
Ocean View Two Queen Standard
Two Queen Beds
This room overlooks the ocean. Get a good night's sleep with premium bedding, a down duvet, and blackout drapes/curtains. You will have a shower/tub combination with rainfall showerhead, as well as designer toiletries, a hair dryer, and a makeup/shaving mirror. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and premium TV channels with ESPN are offered for your entertainment. A desk, a wake-up call service, and daily housekeeping are among the conveniences offered.
Amenities - The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel
Air conditioning
Alarm clock
Baggage storage facilities
Central location
Complimentary breakfast
Concierge service
Conference facilities
Credit card accepted: Mastercard/Visa
Credit card accepted: American Express
Electronic key card
Elevator
Fax available
Fitness and health centre
Free local calls
Hairdryer available
Central heating
Ice Maker
Internet - wireless
Non-smoking rooms
24 hours opened
Office or business center
Office in room available
Pets allowed
Private bathroom in room
Private car parking
Private garden grounds
Quiet location
Radio in room
Self controlled heating/cooling system
Shower
Swimming pool - outdoor
Tea and coffee making facilities
Telephone in all rooms
Television
Terrace
TV room
Pet Friendly?
Yes! Pets are allowed.
Airport & Shuttle Information - The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel
Newark 1 hour
Philadelphia 1.5 hours
Atlantic City 1 hour
Airport Shuttle? Sorry, no airport shuttle available.
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Based on 375 traveler reviews 
Value
Cleanliness
“Stay away”
Ocean View One King Standard
Standard Two Queens