Bungalow Hotel

Go ahead and hold on to your anti–New Jersey prejudices if you like. It just means more space for those of us who have learned to embrace the Jersey Shore. Though it’s technically located on that big land mass to the west of the Hudson River, we think even the most blinkered Manhattanite would consider making an exception for a stylish little boutique like the Bungalow, in the Pier Village complex by the Long Branch seaside.

The New York–based partnership Sixx Design is responsible for the urbane look. Rooms are stylish, sunny and bright, decorated mostly in white with whimsical splashes of color, with king beds, plush linens, and well-designed modern bathrooms. There’s wireless internet everywhere, and plenty of low-tech diversions, from billiards to backgammon. And the Bungalow is a hotel that’s equally suited to families or to romantic weekenders, with a grown-up vibe that contrasts with the spring-break atmosphere of certain other Jersey Shore destinations.

Close by are the Avenue restaurant and the Avenue Nuit nightclub. The location, in the mixed-use Pier Village development, sacrifices ocean frontage — it’s actually a minute’s walk from the members-only beach club — for a wealth of nearby shops and restaurants. It’s not quite South Beach, to be perfectly fair, but it is a whole lot closer.



How to get there:
Bungalow Hotel is approximately a one-hour drive from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).