ASBURY PARK—A lawn with a white picket fence isn’t standard at hotels, especially on a roof overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. But The Asbury, which opened Memorial Day weekend, is the opposite of standard. A reimagining of the classic beach hotel, The Asbury reflects Asbury Park itself.
The Asbury’s opening marks the next chapter in Asbury Park’s rebirth. The first new hotel in Asbury Park in more than 50 years, the 110-room property is part of the multi-billion-dollar redevelopment plan by iStar.
To transform a long-vacant Salvation Army building into The Asbury, iStar tapped two hotel-industry titans. Anda Andrei, iStar’s creative director and design lead for the entire Asbury Park redevelopment project, is former design director for the Ian Schrager Company. Hotel innovator David Bowd, partner in and operator of the hotel, is known for creating the boutique Salt Hotels brand. The Asbury will become the fourth hotel in the Salt Hotels portfolio.
The Asbury brings a Jersey-Shore postcard fantasy to life, part Tim Burton and part Springsteen. The lobby, which doubles as a tomato-growing greenhouse, is a public space that encourages guests to hang out; with a sunken seating pit upholstered in velvet silk on one side and bright blue bleachers on the other. A welcome desk doubles as a grab-and-go counter where guests can check in, order donuts baked-fresh locally, or score an Asbury beach towel.
“Hotels are usually structured and planned. With the Asbury, we created a place that sparks joy and spontaneity,” said Andrei, who hand-picked the architects and designers involved to realize her vision. “You can’t have a boring moment here. It’s the same spirit of fun that makes Asbury Park such a treasure.”
Bowd agreed,“The Asbury’s about everything that makes Asbury Park special, from the incredible mix of people to its to its great music, art, and food scene,” Bowd said. “We want everyone to have as much fun at the Asbury as we did creating it.”
Collaborating with Andrei on the interior design was New York City-based firm Bonetti Kozerski Studio, whose aesthetic of understated luxury has won clients like Donna Karan and André Balazs. Tapped to transform the derelict Salvation Army building into The Asbury was Stonehill & Taylor, known for adaptive reuse work on hotels such as Manhattan’s Ace and NoMad.
With eight completely original public spaces, the hotel is designed for action. The ground floor hangout, The Pit, is a giant, sunlit living room with huge sofas, board games, and well-stocked bookshelves. If guests want to sit together, or dance, or play Scrabble, they can move the furniture; there are no rules.
Just opposite the Pit, the Asbury’s Soundbooth serves signature cocktails from a platform made of stacked bathroom tiles. Vinyl LPs, cassette tapes, and CDs will fill a massive feature wall next to the bar; it’s a shrine to the history of music, and a tip of the hat to Asbury Park’s rocker DNA. A passage nearby leads to the outdoor Beer Garden, where a specially outfitted 1960s truck will dispense five kinds of ale from outside taps—and a hot-dog truck will offer different varieties of the ultimate summer food.
The Baronet, outdoors on the fifth floor, is 4,300 square feet of green space, with wraparound views beyond a white picket fence. An enormous lighted sign from Asbury Park’s late, great Baronet Theater hangs on a 20-foot film-projection wall. No chairs here; The Baronet can host yoga in the morning, an afternoon reading, and later, movie screenings under the stars. A dance party kicks off every weekend.
Two floors up, color turns to black and white. Salvation is the hotel’s 4,000-square-foot monochromatic cocktail lounge on the seventh floor; designed with landscaping, lit by night with hundreds of lanterns and candles, Salvation features tunes from skybox DJs and provides sunset views.
Event rooms are designed to feel like a giant stage, with exposed theatrical lighting and triple-height ceilings. Asbury Hall & Lawn is a 5,500-square-foot, flexible indoor/outdoor event space unlike any other on the Jersey Shore. It will serve social and corporate gatherings of all sizes. The separate, pre-function area is also a greenhouse space, with billowing drapes lit from below.
With huge variety among its beach-bungalow-inspired rooms as well, The Asbury’s got space for everyone. Groups can check into bunk rooms that accommodate up to eight people—perfect for a grownup slumber party, bachelor bash, or getaway. Nearly every room boasts water or city views, from standard, superior, and deluxe Queens and Kings to Family Kings with convertible sofa and ocean-facing suites.
Every piece of furniture has been custom-made for the Asbury, with Andrei and Bonetti Kozerski Studio creating pieces they’d live with themselves. Whitewashed walls, pale-wood furniture, cool checkerboard floors contrast with pale blue sofas, navy macramé-backed chairs, and custom molded green seats.
The hotel has done away with conventions like check-in times; whenever a guest decides to arrive, the Asbury’s team goes into action to get them a room. Also with the millennial traveler in mind, the hotel provides the option to text-communicate with The Counter for any items from the grab-and-go. This will be the Asbury’s only food and beverage option as there is no dedicated restaurant or room service—the hotel will encourage guests to patronize great local restaurants and bars.
