The 10 best hotels in New Jersey

The Asbury has earned world’s best cred. Here’s why: beyond the mod fixtures, it narrates the city. Retro photos over dreamy pillow-tops and bunks evoke history. But the heyday it illuminates is now. Hit the Soundbooth lobby bar, where locals queue for cocktails like the Manhattan Transfer. (Brooklynites flock here, too.) Then wander. From drag karaoke and DJ sets to films at the rooftop cinema draped in AstroTurf, The Asbury has the city’s pulse. Case in point: its 2018 reopening of the city’s beloved bowling alley-slash-concert hall, Asbury Lanes.

Looking for skyline views? They don’t get better. The W is as sexy as its prime vantage point over Manhattan—and that’s not the only reason to stay. Gaze up from a leather club chair at lamps that evoke illuminated skyscrapers in the Living Room lounge. Tuck into coastal cuisine at Halifax, where Chef Seadon Shouse harvests his own sea salt. Then bed down in a grown-up room where you can lather with Bliss bath products and order 24-hour room-service. Ahh.

Crave vintage Americana and creature comforts? Peering over the boomerang pool and hot tub, flanked by (fake) palms, it’s easy to think you’ve time-traveled back to Wildwood circa 1950. Yet this remix of the 1950s Wingate Motel adds modern touches: free wi-fi and beach cruisers, soft beds that lure sweet dreams by lava-lamp light. In a city packed with mid-century stays, the Starluxe refreshes the genre yet maintains the spirit of the great American road trip era. True connoisseurs should book one of the Airstream trailers.

Located a mere 400 meters from the NY Waterway Ferry, this Jersey City Hotel is perfect for those looking for an easy commute in and out of Manhattan. But it’s also more than a hotel of convenience. Specializing in home-from-home suites, Hyatt House is a destination in its own right. Or rather, its rooftop lounge is. Watching the sunset with a cocktail in hand and stunning city skyline views before appreciating the unfussy but carefully curated bachelor pad-like suites.

Atlantic City is in transition, but with casino openings like the Hard Rock slated for 2018, there’s buzz. For a hotel to get lost in, head to the Water Club by Borgata. The heated pool complex feels like a sanctuary, loungers draped in aqua towels. Same goes for the Immersion Spa. Perched 32 floors up, a floor-to-ceiling ocean vista amps the relaxation factor. Rooms are five-star luxe, with rain dome showers and Lather toiletries. At the main hotel, find eats from celebrity chefs including Michael Symon and Bobby Flay.

On the boutique bucket list for New Jersey are these stylish digs in shouting distance of the beach at Long Branch. Cool white interiors juxtapose bold details and driftwood details fall well short of twee. Designed by Robert and Cortney Novogratz, it feels expensive here, but in a surf-chic way. Foosball and cocktails in the lobby bar keeps the energy airy. Perks include electric fireplaces, Bluetooth sound systems and discounted entry to the Le Club Avenue beach club nearby.

A stay in NJ doesn’t have to be all about access to NYC. For a Jersey Shore vacay, consider Ocean Place Resort & Spa, a relaxed-vibe wellness destination in Long Branch. You’ll have access to 530ft of sandy heaven courtesy of the resort’s exclusive beach access, plus lovely Atlantic Ocean views from almost every room you could stay in. Soak your troubles away in the spa, then get pretty with a manipedi in The Salon.

If you meant to go to Windsor but ended up in Jersey, this century-old hotel in Ringwood may serve as consolation. Anachronistic though it may be, it evokes Gothic-tinged fantasies, timbered exteriors and all. Bonus: It’s situated within a 100-acre botanical garden, set off by stone verandas and walking trails. While the experience is not luxe, it’s certainly unique, and the castle is yours to explore. Book an east-facing room to watch sunrise through the leaded windows. Unsurprisingly, this is a popular wedding venue.

Squint your eyes and you may think you’re in a Florentine villa, not South Jersey’s Harbor City. The old-world theme makes sense, however: the hotel is sister to one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in the United States. Despite the Tuscan theme, its roots are French. The original vines were planted by a vintner from Rheims in 1864. Overnight packages allow you to sip and sample, and there’s a golf course on site. While the rooms can be heavy on damask and the fixtures are…antique…it’s part of the charm.

Bijou cuteness just got… even more cute and even more bijou. This sweet-as-cherry-pie inn is located in Lambertville and offers precisely the kind of old fashioned homely comforts you just don’t find in most hotels nowadays. Chintz, gingham, polished wood, roaring fireplaces… OK, you’re either going to fall head over heels in love with this place or decide immediately, it’s not for you. But either way, we think it’s pretty adorable.