Having spent my entire life living here in New Jersey, it sometimes shocks me just how many cities in this state I haven’t been to yet. Well, I did visit Long Branch one other time many, many years ago and it was a quick visit. Actually, we were just driving through. Last week we headed down to Long Branch as a family for a little rest and relaxation and it was just what we needed. Things have been a little hectic with my husband’s work schedule and my work and finishing up the kids’ school year so we were all ready for a little break. We got that and so much more in just a short little getaway and sometimes that’s all you need. We stayed at Bungalow Hotel and it’s prime location combined with plenty of family friendly fun and amazing accommodations makes it a must-do when visiting the Jersey Shore.
We checked in with the hotel manager, Julian, for a quick tour of the lobby and overview of the hotel before we headed upstairs to drop off our bags and get ready for the evening. We headed down early, way before check in time, since we wanted to drive over to nearby Sandy Hook to visit the lighthouse and check out the fishing beach for the boys. By this time we were ready to relax a bit before our dinner later that night.
According to the website, Bungalow Hotel is the New Jersey Shore’s only authentic boutique, luxury, lifestyle hotel. It’s listed as one of the top 10 chic hotels on Elle.com and one quick walk around the lobby you’ll see why. The artwork was carefully chosen by the design team for a beach-mod look. It’s quite unlike any other hotel I’ve stayed in at the Jersey Shore. It has a comfortable, laid-back feel all while maintaining the elegance you’d expect from a luxury hotel.
I loved how family friendly the hotel was. For rainy days, the lobby has a game closet where kids can come and grab a board game, a full-size pool table, foosball table and table top games at the bar. The outside deck has plenty of comfy chairs to sit and relax by the fire while the kids play. There are even bikes you can take out for a ride down to Pier Village.
Now let’s talk about our room – the Kahuna. This room was simply stunning. From the amount of space we had to the decor, everything was out of this world. I felt like a California beach girl in this room.
This room has everything you’ll need for the ultimate beach vacation.
There was two bedrooms, both with king-size beds, a master bath with full soaking tub kitchenette with a dining room table and living room with fireplace.
We could have totally spent the entire time in our room and had a great time but there was so much to do and see, we quickly put our bags away and got changed for dinner.
We had reservations at Avenue which was just a short walk down to the beach. The restaurant is located in Pier Village, right on the Atlantic Ocean, which gave us some stunning views over dinner. The weather was beautiful that day but it did get a little chilly at night, otherwise, we would have eaten on the deck overlooking the ocean. The view alone made the dinner worth it.
With a Parisian brasserie feel, the restaurant is a great spot for a romantic dinner with your significant other or a nice night out with the family. The food was simply divine.
My husband went with the Lobster Spaghetti and I think the picture speaks volumes. He enjoyed every bite.
I had the salmon and it was one of the best dishes I’ve had in my entire life. It was simply that good!
I was worried looking at the menu what I would get the kids since they’re not into fancy dinners like some of these but my oldest went with a burger and I ordered Evie the grilled chicken which was delicious by itself.
After dinner, we enjoyed the beautiful views as the sun set on a relaxing day. The Pier Village has plenty of shops if you want to do a little shopping and it’s located right on the boardwalk, directly behind the hotel.
Since we planned another day at the beach, after the sun set, we headed back to the hotel for a little rest and relaxation before an early morning. The guys wanted to try their hand at fishing so it was going to be an early morning.
Even though it was a short trip, we spent some relaxing time together as a family and created some beautiful family memories. We already cannot wait to start planning our next trip!
If you’re looking for a great place to stay less than a block away from the beach, Bungalow Hotel in beautiful Long Branch is a great choice.
Le Club Avenue (Long Branch, NJ is now accepting membership for the summer 2017 season (Friday May 26th, 2017 – Monday September 4th) at this private Atlantic Ocean beach club in the historic coastal resort town of Long Branch. Amenities include beach chair and towel service, oversized day beds, food and beverage service right on the beach by Avenue restaurant, lockers, furnished cabanas available for daily rental and the outdoor roof deck pool. Individual membership rates start at $1,950; family membership for parents and children up to age 25 starts at $3,473. Images are available. Call Avenue at 732.759.2900 for more information and to book.
Dawn
Hotel accommodations and dinner were provided by Bungalow Hotel and Avenue Restaurant. All opinions are my own.
Denise Wei-Vital
Thursday 13th of July 2017
Looks amazing! Wish they had availability for this weekend! Planning a last minute getaway
Kristin
Thursday 25th of May 2017
Ok that is a seriously cool property! So fresh and modern. I'm having vacay envy over here!
Ashley S
Thursday 25th of May 2017
Wow! That is stunning. Looks like an absolutely wonderful place to stay.
JenellBStewart
Thursday 25th of May 2017
This hotel is sick! So modern and trendy. I would live in that soaker tub. The food looks really good too.
Louise
Thursday 25th of May 2017
This looks like a hotel I would most definitely love to stay in! Everything in absolutely beautiful - the rooms, the food, the surrounding area. Dreaming of a trip away now :)
Louise x