Families spend their summer vacations at a Long Beach Island NJ hotel, year after year. LBI is a great, low-maintenance beach destination… but you don’t have to sacrifice luxury hotel features. Regardless of your budget, treat yourself to an accommodating hotel that will earn repeat business from YOUR family!

Insist on a clean pool with a lounge-worthy sun deck.

First on your checklist…does your hotel have a nice outdoor pool area?

LBI has a few really great oceanfront hotels with pools. Outdoor pools are not just a luxury; it’s something you should expect these days from a Long Beach Island NJ hotel.

Since you’ll be spending so much time at the beach, you may not realize the need for a pool at your hotel. Consider this: There will be plenty of in-between times when the beach is not an option, and you’ll be happy that your hotel has a nice outdoor pool.

Here are 5 examples where the pool beats the ocean:

1. Unpleasant Weather. If the weather is too finicky to bother with, you should opt for the pool so you will have shelter nearby if it starts to rain. Excessive wind is another reason to avoid the beach, because you will get blasted by stinging particles of sand.
2. Killing Some Time. Sometimes it’s just not worth heading to the beach- especially when time is short. You might be waiting for somebody to wake up, or waiting to take your turn in the shower and a dip in the pool is a great way to kill some time.
3. Beginner Swimmers. If your kids are new to swimming or unfamiliar with the ocean, a pool is the place to work on their skills. Helping build their confidence is much easier in calm, controlled water. If your child isn’t ready for the ocean, at least have the option of a pool back at your hotel.
4. Swimming at Night. Going into the ocean after hours is prohibited – and it’s very dangerous. Night swimming is a great thing to do after a long day, but the pool is a better choice than the ocean. Tides, currents and low visibility are nothing to mess with. Don’t go in the ocean at night.
5. Hazardous Water Conditions. Every once in awhile, the ocean will be considered unsafe for swimming. If the local Beach Patrol closes access to the water due to the presence of jellyfish or a shark sighting or something of the like, you can still go swimming at the pool. There is no better place to be on summer nights than sitting poolside with a frozen drink as the sun goes down… or relaxing in the water with your family. Hopefully your hotel pool area has a big hot tub, too!

Make sure your LBI hotel has an elevator- it’s not as common as you’d expect.

The next thing on your checklist should be… does your hotel have an elevator?

It might come as a surprise that most Long Beach Island NJ hotels DO NOT offer elevator service to patrons. We don’t understand why, but the annoying lack of an elevator will create unnecessary obstacles.

Packing and Unpacking is easier with an elevator

You will have a much easier time moving your things in and out of a hotel that has an elevator. Even a low-rise hotel should offer elevator service because it makes the packing and unpacking process so much easier.

Baby strollers and beach wagons will be a hassle without one

Travelling with kids gives you even more of a reason to book a Long Beach Island NJ hotel with an elevator. Nobody wants to drag a baby stroller up the stairs, or carry a heavy wagon down them. You will be doing lots of walking and strollers and wagons will be helpful…but without an elevator, they will just be a hassle.

Book a room with a door leading straight to the beach.

One last thing to add to your checklist is… How close are you to the beach?

Nobody travels to a beach town with the intention of staying inside or going out sightseeing. The primary purpose of staying at Long Beach Island NJ hotels is to enjoy a few days on the beautiful, sandy beaches. You don’t want to waste time fighting for a parking spot or sitting in traffic. A beachfront hotel room is worth every penny.

The most convenient type of hotel room has a door leading you directly to the beach. You can let your kids play right outside your door when they’re too antsy to wait inside. You can go back and forth to your hotel room whenever you’d like. Plus, for what it’s worth, you won’t have to walk through the hotel lobby in your bathing suits! A private entrance to the beach is one step away from having a luxury beach house.

Also, keep in mind that most of LBI’s beaches are now smoke-free zones, but some hotels in Long Beach Island NJ have designated smoking areas. You’ll have to leave the beach and move away from the entrance ramp before lighting up, according to the No Smoking ordinance that was just passed in Beach Haven. If you can find a room with a direct entrance to the beach, that will be your greatest option- hands-down! Just unlock your door and step out into paradise!

(Remember- your family will work up an appetite so make sure your hotel has a great onsite restaurant. Check out the Sand Dollar Restaurant at Spray Beach Hotel. They have a beachfront dining pavilion and there’s live music every night!)

Don’t settle for any lackluster Long Beach Island NJ Hotel. Treat yourself!

Once you find a hotel with a pool, an elevator, and easy access to the beach, hurry to reserve your room. Long Beach Island NJ hotels fill up quickly in June, July, and August, so choose one with the right features and book it! You and your family deserve a Long Beach Island NJ hotel that will make your stay convenient, relaxing and fun.