Add a new boutique hotel to Asbury Park’s growing lineup of uber-cool destinations. Located two blocks from the beach at the Convention Hall end of the boardwalk, the Asbury is the Shore town’s first new hotel in more than 50 years.
The Asbury—which will greet guests starting Memorial Day weekend and officially kick-off in July—is the brainchild of Anda Andrei, the former design director for New York hotel developer Ian Schrager, and David Bowd, cofounder of the innovative Salt Hotels brand. The pair are working in collaboration with iStar, the real estate developer whose other Asbury Park creations include Vive, a 28-unit townhome project. Coming soon from iStar: the long-delayed development of a 16-story, mixed-use tower at the Esperanza site, currently an unfinished eyesore of concrete and steel across the street from the beach.
The hotel project involved the transformation of the long-vacant Salvation Army building. “This historic building,” says Andrei, “is a beautiful blank canvas for us to create a special place that adds to the unique spirit of Asbury Park.”
On that canvas they’ve drawn a sunny, comfortable seaside retreat, with prices starting at $125 per night. The 110 guest rooms range from eight-person bunkrooms to private king and queen suites. Decor is simple; classic music posters evoke the town’s rock ’n’ roll heritage. Amenities include a grab-and-go counter in the lobby offering coffee and light fare; a ground-floor recreation center, with ping-pong, pinball and board games; and an outdoor pool bordered with greenery.
Public spaces designed to draw crowds to the Asbury include two outdoor rooftop lounges; a beer garden featuring local craft beer and a hot-dog truck; and a 4,800-square-foot indoor-outdoor event space. Festive pool parties with DJs and specialty cocktails is among the possible attractions.
Opening a boutique hotel is just the latest step in Asbury Park’s decade-long rejuvenation.
“Asbury Park has a unique energy that pulls you in,” says Rob Feinstein, a longtime resident whose product-design company, Soapbox, is based in the town. “Slowly this culture of coolness emerges, one coffee shop, one bar, one restaurant, one gallery at a time.”