Hotel LBI

The shower was our only issue. With one glass panel fixed and the other moving, you have to reach around the fixed panel to turn on the water, and cold water hits you in the face. The pressure itself was excellent. Otherwise we enjoyed our night at Hotel LBI. Our room, 231, was roomy, with a well-equipped kitchen area, comfortable beds, and generously sized towels. Check-in was easy and the hotel is beautiful. My husband grew up on LBI and I grew up in Manahawkin, so we were visiting family nearby. We’d recommend it if it fits your budget.

The wedding was beautiful and the food there was great. The Living Room was pleasant too, with good bar food and excellent bar staff. Everyone we encountered, from the front desk to housekeeping, was friendly and accommodating. The location sits between the causeway and the beach, which you can reach on foot. Salt Kitchen was a letdown, though. We expected a nice meal, but the food was terrible despite the staff trying to help. The tuna tartare came on the same frozen hash browns we’d had for breakfast at the Living Room. The shrimp and scallop pasta was too salty to eat and had only three pieces of chopped seafood, with no whole shrimp or scallops. For Salt’s prices, there are much better places to eat on the island. Its menu is the same as the Living Room’s.

The room we got was nothing like the photos online, which felt like false advertising. We booked a queen queen with an ADA tub because we have small children, but the room was extremely small, had no kitchen, and barely had space for our snacks or everyone’s things. The hotel was fully booked and said they couldn’t move us. Staff asked if we wanted to check out and didn’t seem to care. I was extremely disappointed. They need to update the online photos. The pictures of the room we booked and the actual room were totally different.

My company held its Christmas party at Hotel LBI, and since it was my first time there, I was impressed. The place had a luxurious feel and a nice, upbeat atmosphere, and the staff were super friendly. I’ll definitely consider booking a weekend room in the summer.