Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel - Ship Bottom, New Jersey

Kathy F.

We stayed at Drifting Sands for the first time and we had a great time. The room was clean and comfy; we enjoyed the microwave and fridge. We had an oceanfront room but on the first floor you can’t really see the ocean so I was disappointed in that. We had fools above us clomping around all night like they were rearranging furniture so that wasn’t fun but not the hotel’s fault. Paul at the desk let us check in early and also stay a few minutes past check out. He was personable and helpful; just the nicest person. The location is right near a place to eat, and a WaWa and the main road to get to everything. It’s right on the beach which is great. We will definitely be back. It was a bit pricey so we can’t come often but once in a while we will. Thank you for a nice stay.

F.Marc V.

This place is in dire need of renovation. The bathroom was disgusting. Mold, broken tiles and caulk, ripped shower curtain and not close to clean. No maid service at all. If you want fresh towels you need to bring your old ones down and request fresh ones. And for this we paid over $400 a night off season ! The single redeeming feature is its beachfront location, other than that it’s not even worth half that price. Never again.

Joseph D.

One of the worst places I have ever stayed at. Room was disgusting. Nothing was cleaned before arrival. Large what appeared to be coffee/soda ring stain on the counter. Freezer portion of fridge had a pool of water just sitting in there. The shower looked like it has not been thoroughly cleaned all year. Worst of all, not realized until I was leaving, there were animal paw prints on the bed sheet!! Unfortunately did not realize until last moment in the room as they were towards the foot of the bed. Absolute rip off at $500 a night. I wouldn’t pay $50 a night to stay here. The only thing the room had going for it was the great view of the ocean and being located a couples steps away from the beach. Do not be deceived by the nice looking pictures on their website. The place is an absolute rip off and everyone is better off staying elsewhere for the amount of money they are charging.

Heidi L.

My best friend and I have stayed here every year for at least the last ten years. We could tell, as the years went by, there were no renovations being made and prices were increasing, but we kept staying due to the convenient location. However; after this year’s stay, we have decided not to return.

First of all, the set up of the very outdated room was horrible. There was no outlet near the mirror, so one of us couldn’t even blow dry our hair or get ready for a night out (to save time), unless it was in the bathroom. We asked the front desk for an extension cord, but they didn’t have one. Also, there was no full length mirror.

After a full day on the beach, coming back to the room and ready for a shower (which had two spiders in it and made a loud noise when it was running), we realized we had no clean towels or washcloths and the sheets had not been changed (the beds were still unmade, just as we left them in the morning before heading to the beach). The only thing that we noticed was the garbage can had been emptied.

There is also no sound barriers. When trying to go to sleep, even over the loudness of the air conditioner, there were dogs barking, people talking and furniture being moved.

Now some of this may have been somewhat acceptable if we were staying at a dive motel for $100/night, but we paid $417 per night, almost $1,000 for the two nights we stayed, and deserved MUCH more than what we got. This is shameful to charge these kinds of rates (I’ve paid less at The Marriott in Times Square, and the room and service were exquisite).

On a positive note, the staff at the front desk was very friendly and they accommodated us with an early check-in.

If you want to get your money’s worth, I do not recommend Drifting Sands. Years ago, maybe, but currently, they really need to make a lot of changes.

Chelsea R.

The location was perfect! Right on the beach and within walking distance to restaurants and food. Staff was friendly and assisted with all our questions. Two reasons I took off a star 1. The air conditioner was SOO loud, it was unreal. 2.) they do not provide housekeeping and there is nowhere to rinse off after the beach so there was sand everywhere in our room (we have two kids). We requested a broom and was told no, we can't have it but can request someone come sweep, so we did and no one came to sweep (advice; bring a broom). Overall it was a nice quiet, family friendly place to stay. We will return for our annual vacation. The rooms were clean up on arrival and again it was just a wonderful location. I would recommend!

Beth D.

We noticed the reviews were mixed when we booked our trip in early May but decided to give it a try anyway. As we got closer to the trip we read the more recent reviews and were concerned with the nature of them. We still decided to give them a try. Boy were we ever pleasantly surprised! The facilities and room were very clean. The view was amazing! The proximity to the beach was unparalleled And most importantly the staff were VERY accommodating. Every person that we came in contact with was friendly, helpful, timely, and informative. We would strongly recommend this place to anyone!!!

christina W.

Let’s just get right to it. As they were changing over the rooms, the sheets, blankets, and pillows are thrown on the concrete outside in the parking lot on the side of the building. The dumpsters that they use for laundry were completely overfilled and you can see, the dirty laundry just laying there for hours. When we entered our room, it smelt like pure mold, even like a dirty old dead person we had to go to CVS and buy a candle and room spray. When we looked into the air conditioner in the wall, there was all black mold in the air conditioner, and I can literally just feel , the mold spores in the air. The shower curtain was all ripped didn’t even go down to the floor. Puddles of water would be outside the shower. We were on the first floor, and the person above us was literally running around with their dog until 3 AM in the morning and banging. I didn’t sleep for two solid days. DO NOT STAY HERE! It’s gross. We brought our own pillows, and I even washed the pillows when I got home and hot water. Needless to say, I will never be staying here again. They need NEW management! N not mention the lady at the front desk had no teeth in her mouth. So gross with long nasty nails. This is LBI not Seaside Heights. Accommodate the kind of people that go LBI with classy workers. Not trash.

Marsha P.

We had a great time. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We had 3 rooms and 1 bathroom was not thoroughly cleaned. But it was right on the beach and were able to get chairs and towels if needed. I would recommend this hotel. Also this location had a no refund cancellation policy so just make sure you’re definitely able to go before booking.