Shawmont Hotel - Hotel in Ocean Grove - 17 Ocean Ave N, USA

Lovely older (said fondly) hotel in Ocean Grove, right across the street from the beach. Room was on the small side, but had a great terrace. The front porch and interior common areas were both terrific, as was the staff. Only thing I would suggest is that breakfast, which was croissants, bagels and yogurt, also include some jam for the croissants (adding the provided butter and cream cheese doesn't quite work) and some fresh fruit. Even some orange slices. Thanks.

We loved our stay at the Shawmont and hope to be back soon! They were incredibly kind and accommodating and nothing really beats their incredible location. The perfect pairing of traditional and modern decorating too. The only thing I found myself missing was a hair dryer, which they do not have (nor was it truly very necessary) but with most hotels and Airbnb’s offering this amenity I found it worth noting so guests can plan ahead.

Pros: walkable to Asbury Park, on the beach, young lady that checked us in was very friendly & helpful, clean, good AC/fan, great pillows, |Cons: VERY tiny room (apparently “queen standard” doesn’t mean a queen bed either), bathroom had no shelves or storage for getting ready (had to use the tiny wall ledge and the back of the toilet and toilet seat), rusty shower hooks that didn’t stay secure (I had to keep rehanging parts of the curtain each time), only one command hook in the entire place to hang wet towels, the tiniest closet I’ve seen- I couldn’t even move my carry-on suitcase around in it), inconvenient wall outlets (main one on the floor behind the middle of the bed), the only kind of flat shelf space in the room was the chest of drawers that held the TV and a tiny nightstand,wall mount hair dryer burned and started smoking as soon as I turned it on (not a vanity issue as I didn’t NEED to dry my hair- more a fire hazard concern, when I told the manager at check-out she didn’t seem concerned that it was a hazard!). I know we stayed during a high demand festival weekend and expected higher rates but for $1700 ($500/day plus tax) it was straight up highway robbery for what we got!! I’ve stayed in NYC rooms in Times Square that were bigger and cheaper. This place needs major renovations and I will never stay here again or recommend it.

I returned again to the Shawmont and found things pretty much the same as in 2022. I even had the same room #2. The place remains extremely clean. The lobby has completed its transformation to mid-century modern with a tropical corner with potted palms and Tiki furnishings.||The ice machine can still be heard, but did not bother me when sleeping. The evening of my arrival, I noticed a bulb out over the sink and reported it in the morning. It was replaced within minutes.||The 8 am breakfast offerings now include a selection of bagels and butter and cream cheese. An electric toaster is provided. There are also croissants and several flavors of yogurt. Coffee and tea are provided.||The central AC worked well on the extremely hot days of my visit.

I didn’t even stay here and now I have a reason why I would never give them my money. I was on the beach and the beaches bathrooms are closed because of the off season. I went to this local hotel, and asked extremely politely if there was any way that could use the bathroom because I had a cut on my hand that was bleeding. The woman was NOT polite, turned me away and said no to go somewhere else on Main Street and use their bathroom. I don’t understand what benefits a business by not letting someone use their bathroom? I understand maybe it’s just for paying customers but I didn’t even have the opportunity to purchase an item or anything because I wasn’t allowed inside. Overall I just don’t understand how a business would even benefit from denying someone to use their restroom. Would never support an owner like that.

We have been coming to the Shawmont for many years. Last week, I stayed there on a solo trip. I still love the hotel but the rooms are really showing their age. My room had frosted saran wrap taped to the windows - instead of window treatments - which allowed some privacy and light, but completely prevented me from seeing the sky or assessing the weather outside. The room had one single overhead light, worn carpeting, and a bleak looking bathroom. The bed was fine, as were the linens. I don't really understand what the "breakfast included" policy is - sometimes they have breakfast, at other times they don't, but it is advertised on the website. My favorite part of the hotel is the front porch.

We have been staying at the Shawmont for about a decade and have had many fantastic family vacations. While we understand that this is an older building and accept that it's going to have some creaky floors etc, our recent trip had its own surprises. For the first 2 days we saw small bugs in the shower and couldn't quite tell what they were, then on the 3rd and last night a full size cockroach scurried across the bathroom floor. As we were looking around we found a few traps were around the room. When we brought it to the staff''s attention the only response they gave was that the exterminator had sprayed outside the building recently. They said a manager would call us, and they did, however they kept saying that the exterminator was there recently and seemed surprised (although there are cockroach traps in the room). I hate writing negative reviews, but the dismissiveness of this was very disheartening as the prices keep going up (as they do everywhere) and all we really need is a clean place to sleep and now we'll likely have to start looking elsewhere to find it.

The Shawmont has EVERYTHING you need for a great weekend! it has peaceful ocean views and the incomparable across the street convenience of the beach. You can walk to everything you need! The hospitality is #1. Thank you for making sure we were comfortable and fully cared for during our stay! It was so memorable! Our favorite place in ocean grove! Thank you!