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Drifting Sands boasts LBI's most convenient location in Ship Bottom, NJ. Our array of accommodations offers everything you need for a romantic weekend getaway or a family, fun-filled vacation. Comfort, friendly service, beach access, and stunning ocean views. make Drifting Sands the best value on Long Beach Island, NJ.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Ocean View
Location
119 E 9th St, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Island, NJ 08008-4600
Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
3.5 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
The hotel was nice and of a typical Beachside Resort. Location to the Beach was awesome. But.......... When we arrived I was told that the room that I had booked and paid for was not available. There was no options given, basically a take it or leave it. Additionally on the day of checkout we returned the room keys and beach passes prior to the 11am check out time and was told "you are all set" and a receipt would be emailed. A receipt was never emailed and at 6pm the day of checkout an additional $40 charge was made to my credit card. The charge was rectified after I called and asked for an accounting of said charge.......
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I’ve been coming to LBI nearly every summer for 33 years, so I know what to expect. This was our first stay at drifting sands after booking last minute. Our stay was great! Didn’t expect too much and had a lovely vacation. Beds were comfortable, room clean, front desk staff helpful. Be sure to read their website before determining what building to book in. I did my research and got what I expected and wanted. I also stayed in two rooms because we decided last minute to go down early. Both rooms were perfectly fine. The second room with a balcony was a lot nicer but the first would’ve been ok if we were not with a toddler.
More about the second room/traveling here with a toddler: a small cove near the bathroom was perfect for setting up pack n play with some separation from the main area/light.
Balcony awesome and yes you can see the ocean.
TV channels included some cartoons for the little one.
Room has a small kitchenette which I wasn’t expecting but it was a must!
Only comments were: no table outside, just chairs on the balcony, and would have loved true blackout curtains in the room, especially for nap time.
Location is really great. Beach is right there and there is also a bay beach nearby which is wonderful for kids. The beach passes from the hotel work for both spots. The LBI Table and Maristellas are walking distance for coffee/breakfast/lunch.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from David Hupke, General Manager at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 6 Aug 2023
So very grateful for your feedback and glad you enjoyed your stay with us. We are looking forward to your next visit with us on the beach! As always... Safe Travels
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I felt like a drive and booked an ocean view room for one night a few days ago. Rachel at the front desk was charming and I felt welcomed by the team of friendly black labradors lounging in the office. It’s a 22 step walk up to the second floor rooms that boast an unobstructed ocean view, those on the first floor can only see the inland side of a sand dune. The room was clean but sparse, - no phone, no clock, no ice even available, but a lovely view of the waves breaking on the shore. The hotel offers no food. They do accept pets for an extra $40 something dollars a night.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Husta, Guest Services / Front Office at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 17 Mar 2022
Hello William, Thank you for your kind words and for staying with us. Rachel
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DO NOT STAY HERE!. We booked multiple nights at this hotel, on the second day the manager barged into our room twice with a woman alone in there, was extremely rude and told us we missed check out. They charged us multiple times not realizing that we had the room for another day, when confronted about it the managerial staff was incredibly rude and tried to act like we were in the wrong. On top of this, the room was covered in pubic hair especially the bathroom. We called to have the room cleaned and it took 10 hours for them to come and it was still covered in pubic hair after. They claimed they charged the people before us a cleaning fee, for what? They didn’t clean! After barging in the room twice in the middle of our stay, the dirty room, and charging us multiple extra charges the managerial staff still wanted to argue and be rude about the situation. If you are looking for a place to stay on the beach you are better off buying a tent than staying here. I wish I could give 0 stars. Incredibly rude disrespectful cheap dirty and much more.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Book somewhere else
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terrible experience. The place is run down and dirty. Filthy, bad smelling elevator, sand in the sheets, everything had a grimy feel (had to wash the remote with soap and water). I got a headache from all the bad smells. Including the puddles of water with chemicals in the corridor I had to slosh through. They'd power washed that day - said 'don't worry, it's not bleach, just safe chemicals'. I didn't pay almost $250/night (off season) for a place by the beach, to smell chemicals and dirtiness. My intention had been to take in the ocean breeze. Also, no amenities, the screen door fell off, heater smelled like something burning. jets in bathtub moldy or dirty (couldn't tell what was what anymore). But no way they were giving me a refund. I asked for a partial one because after one hour in the first room, I just wanted to go back home. Clerk said, yes, I should definitely leave because health is important - but no refund. The whole lousy experience really turned me off of LBI. I guess the island is so popular now that old hotels, no matter how shoddy, can charge high prices and need not worry at all about guest comfort, health or safety. Don't go here.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Go someplace else.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from David Hupke, General Manager at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 19 Oct 2023
Well as I have responded to your review in other venues I am sorry you did not enjoy your stay with us. We have been, since I took over the property this past spring, and will continue to upgrade and improve the property and rooms. As you already have my response from before I will just thank you for taking the time out of you busy schedule to let us know your opinion and yes I look forward to your stay in the future when you will be able to experience what we truly have to offer here at the shore.
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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.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do not book this hotel. My husband’s family has been going here for years. After this long year with no vacation, we were looking forward to our getaway for months. We were so disappointed. Our Oceanside room was not clean - stains on the walls, bathroom floors looked dirty, and the chairs next to the table were literally covered in grime. I wiped it all down and tried to relax on the balcony to read…until the neighbor started smoking pot next to me on the right and the two dogs arrived on the left. I went into my room, which reeked of marijuana now. My 8 year old son is asthmatic so I was naturally concerned but we were hungry so we headed out for dinner and mini golf and I hoped for the best. When we returned at 9:30 the dogs were barking because they were left in the room alone (this was an oceanside, $400 per night room, NOT the efficiency) and the smell was so bad we could not sleep in the room. The young man at the front desk on 8/20 was amazing and got us moved to another room, though all that was available now at 10pm was a king bed for 3 of us on e 1st floor. We barely slept on our first night of this much needed vacation. The next morning we moved our things back to our first room and went to the front desk. We were moved to an Oceanfront room, but all that was available for the remaining 2 nights was a King - again, for an 8 yr old boy and two adults. I had booked a double months prior. My child is not a quiet, calm sleeper. We had to wait for the oceanfront room to be cleaned and told it would be ready around 1pm but there was no rush to get our things out of our original room. I was told “don’t worry, you have that room all day nobody can get in until tomorrow when it gets cleaned”. We got into the car to get lunch and were gone less than an hour when the same woman called and said, housekeeping needs to get into your room can you be out in an hour! I told her no, that I had JUST asked her if we needed to be out and she said we did not! Rudely, she hung up on me. We were halfway up the island to try to enjoy our vacation, after a sleepless night mind you, by getting some lunch and enjoying some time out as a family. I worried all morning that our things were going to be moved on us! When we did get back and went to our room to move our things out, the woman next to us was out smoking on her balcony and the dogs were barking as they had been left there all day. The gentleman on the OTHER side of their room was at the door to his room telling a member of the staff that they had been barking all day. If you are going to be “pet friendly” designate rooms in a particular area like the efficiency, not the 3rd floor Oceanside rooms that people pay a premium for. I spent $200 to leave my dog at home with a pet sitter, only to be barked out of my $400 per night hotel room by someone else’s dogs. I ALWAYS used to recommend this hotel to friends but unfortunately I will not ever again, nor will we ever return. We lost so much precious vacation and relaxation time moving 3 times in less than 24 hrs and yet, the causes of the issues were not asked to leave. It was very sad and unfair.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bonnie Shearin, General Manager at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 26 Aug 2021
Thank you for your comments. Stay safe!
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I was a little leery when we drove up and saw a big sign that says HOTEL on what looks like a motel type building.
As I made my way to the front desk, I realized that contrary to everything on the website that states that this is a hotel, it is a glorified Motel.
Limited staff, one person to handle the whole “Hotel”.
We needed towels, called the front desk four times, no answer, finally somebody picked up and put us on hold for over 15 minutes. When she came back, we get an attitude with her stating, I’m sorry, but I’m the only one here dealing with everyone.
On top of that, when my wife went to take a shower, there was an old pubic hair in the bathtub,
Since we couldn’t get towels delivered to our room because they were understaffed, I went down to the front desk to request towels. I was greeted with a surprising question, the lady asked, why would you need extra towels you just checked in. I asked her do I really need a reason? She said yes. When I gave her my reason, she didn’t like it and said, sorry we don’t have the extra towels, you’ll have to wait till tomorrow.
Needless to say, we will not be returning to this “Hotel”.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from David Hupke, General Manager at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 25 Aug 2023
We are sorry to hear you were disappointed with your stay. Drifting Sands is set up very similarly to most of the accommodations on the island. Our convenient beachfront location, large welcome and reception area, and included amenities make it a sought-after hotel for vacations in LBI. We are happy that our team was able to accommodate you with the extra towels that were delivered to your room. Thank you for your feedback, it helps our team continue to improve. Safe Travels
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This place is insane, customer service is non-existent except for one poor lady who moved down from Metuchen, but she is not enough to rescue the place. I went to the front desk 3 times and there were always people complaining, about something: charges, cleaning, the rude gentleman supposed to give out beach chairs,the focus on customers from other hotels, It’s not a good impression when everyone around you has a complaint, and the people at the front desk can’t address the issues as you are trying to checkin for 30 minutes. Someone who can address customer issues or compensate them should be available during normal business hours.
When we were up, Checkin took forever because the kid at the front desk felt the need to explain to me why the procedures had changed from last week (why do I care what you did last week?) , with the people before me he couldn’t differentiate a credit from a debit (another long story), and he kept stressing that I needed to return the beach badges and get a receipt for returning them, otherwise we would get charged $50 per badge, except when checking out the lady at the front desk stated, oh I can’t give you a receipt, you booked online, but I’ve made a check mark on paper and he’s an idiot, so it will be fine.
The rooms are basic, marginally clean and it seemed like a heard of elephants was in the room above us, they finally calmed down about 1am. When checking out, it was difficult to even carry on a conversation at the front desk, because the one manger kept yelling into his walk-in talkie for people to come to the front desk about other problems and cleaning the rooms to turn them over. I was only there over night for a family event on the island and just needed a bed, if I had come for a beach vacation I would have been as frustrated as everyone else in the lobby. It’s a great location right on the beach and could be so much more.
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from David Hupke, General Manager at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 28 Jul 2023
Thank you for the feedback Sorry we did not meet your expectations. I am sharing this with my team as we are always working to make things better. Third party companies (Expedia, Booking etc) do not allow us to print receipts for their guests, this does go for all the hotels I have worked.
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I was looking for a hotel that was pet friendly, offered reasonable pet fees and was on the beach. I found the Drifting Sands on the internet in March and went down shortly after I found them with my two shelties, Ronan and Carlson. The entire staff was very professional and super friendly and accommodating. I just came back from a 2nd visit, and am going back again in 3 weeks. Both visits I had a beautiful ocean front room on the second floor and I can't praise the housekeeping staff enough as my room was meticulously clean both visits. My room had a large screen TV, hairdryer, balcony with beautiful ocean front view, and a mini kitchenette with a fridge, freezer, microwave, coffee maker and sink, all in working order. For those so inclined (not me!), the room also came with an iron and ironing board. The hotel offers free WIFI and ample onsite free parking with each registered guest having their own assigned parking space. There are no elevators in the oceanfront building but the hotel does provide handicap accessible rooms on the first floor so please ask if you decide to visit. My dogs loved laying on the balcony watching the activities on the beach or just taking a snooze to the sounds of the crashing waves and they enjoyed paying a visit to the office every time we were anywhere near the office door because they would get a biscuit when they went inside and had some play time with whatever dogs might have been around in the lobby when we were there. The staff is very dog friendly which is quite nice as more often than not, dogs are not welcome but that is not the case here. It's wonderful that not only am I made to feel welcome, but my two wonderful companions are as well. The Drifting Sands is central to anything you could want by way of restaurants, shops, entertainment and, of course, the beach which is right outside your door. It's a great place that would be appropriate for singles, couples or families. Now that I found them, I know I will be back there time and time again!
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Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ocean View Rooms on 2nd and 3rd Floors (but no elevator in this building)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Husta, Guest Services / Front Office at Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Responded 5 May 2022
Hello Marianne, Thank you so much for your kind words. We cant wait for you to visit again, I have biscuits ready for the puppies. :) Rachel
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Bayonne, New Jersey20 contributions5 helpful votes
Do know it is a Smoke-Free. Not too many Hotels/Motels in the LBI area are Pet-friendly but i have sent an inquiry to the front desk so i should have an answer shortly
There are more places to choose from in the Ship Bottom area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 773 - RM 1,947 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
drifting sands oceanfront hotel ship bottom, drifting sands hotel
LOCATION
United StatesNew JerseyJersey ShoreLong Beach IslandShip Bottom
NUMBER OF ROOMS
100
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Drifting Sands Oceanfront Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Ron Jon Surf Shop - Long Beach Nj (0.3 km), Flamingo Miniature Golf Course (0.3 km), and The Gateway Restaurant & Lounge (0.3 km).
