The Asbury Hotel

It’s been a long time since the storied seaside town of Asbury Park was as uncomplicatedly pleasant as it is today, and the Asbury Hotel, a block from the famous boardwalk, aims to weave together the Jersey Shore’s Victorian-era history, its more recent rock-and-roll reputation, and the straightforward beachy fun that any seaside town aspires to.

The building is a distinctive one, a red brick 1950s structure that once housed the Salvation Army. A mid-century modernist-inspired graphic sensibility marks its interiors, from the typical double rooms all the way up to its Quad and Octo floor plans, for families, rock bands, and/or entourages. The comforts are simple but modern and more than adequate, and the artwork throughout is an homage to the 20th-century heyday of the Jersey Shore.

Meanwhile the Asbury’s Soundbooth bar also operates as a café and a music venue, and one of its two rooftop lounges doubles as an open-air cinema — and, in the warmer months, look for a beer garden and food trucks. Next door, the Asbury Lanes bowling alley comes complete with its own classic diner, and it probably goes without saying that Asbury Park is home to no end of other dining and drinking options.