We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View all
Fox11354
Flushing, New York

Back again.

Review of Shawmont Hotel
4.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 27 Jun 2024
I returned for 5 nights. At first, I was given the key to a large room with a sofa bed and queen bed, a medium refrigerator, a microwave, and a kitchen counter. This was quite grand to what I had in previous years. Alas, my delight lasted barely over an hour. A very apologetic desk clerk knocked on the door and informed me I had been assigned to the wrong room and offered to move my things across the hall. The new room was the one I have had on previous visits. This was properly the "premium queen" room instead of the grand "efficiency apartment." This was a bit of a disappointment, but mistakes do happen.

My room #2 was small with a dresser and night table of white wicker. I had no complaints except that the TV was mounted in an awkward place that was hard to view from the bed. The usual space at the foot of the bed was taken by the AC wall unit.

The hotel does not serve breakfast every day until July 1st.

The place remains very clean and nice enough. As it was built in 1871 and enlarged several times, the rooms tend to be small. A major renovation some years ago resulted in new tiled bathrooms and various upgrades. An improvement I noted in my room this year was a small refrigerator. I stored some breakfast items there purchased in a local market.
Date of stay: June 2024
Room Tip: There is an ice machine near rooms 1 and 2 on the ground floor that makes crashing sounds.
Trip type: Travelled solo
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
3.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
4.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Problem with this review?
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.
Nearby Hotels
RM 618
Fully refundable
  • Expedia.com
    RM 618
  • Hotels.com
    RM 618
  • StayForLong
0.2 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Beachfront
RM 667
  • Expedia.com
    RM 667
  • Agoda.com
    RM 534
  • Skyscanner.com
    RM 667
0.0 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
RM 600
No prepayment needed
  • Vio.com
    RM 600
  • Hotels.com
    RM 600
  • StayForLong
0.2 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Other Hotel Services/Amenities
RM 708
  • Expedia.com
    RM 707
  • Skyscanner.com
    RM 708
  • StayForLong
0.1 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Free parking
RM 578
Fully refundable
No prepayment needed
  • Hotels.com
    RM 578
  • Vio.com
    RM 578
0.2 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Free parking
The Melrose
RM 258
  • Skyscanner.com
    RM 258
  • Agoda.com
    RM 258
  • Vio.com
0.5 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
RM 1,107
  • Priceline
    RM 1,107
  • Agoda.com
    RM 1,106
  • eDreams
    RM 1,107
0.3 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Beachfront
  • Booking.com
  • Expedia.com
  • Hotels.com
0.3 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Free parking
  • Algotels
  • Expedia.com
  • Hotels.com
0.3 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
RM 519
Fully refundable
No prepayment needed
  • Hotels.com
    RM 519
  • Skyscanner.com
    RM 519
  • Vio.com
    RM 519
0.8 km from Shawmont Hotel
Free Wifi
Pool
View more hotels in Ocean Grove
Reviews (127)
Filter reviews
127 results
Traveller rating
62
44
10
6
5
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageAll languages
Traveller rating
62
44
10
6
5
Show reviews that mention
All reviews ocean view cream cheese ground floor steep stairs ice machine town beach
Selected filters
Filter
Updating list...
2 - 7 of 127 reviews
Reviewed 17 June 2024

We’ve had previous trips here that were nice, but this one did not rise to our previous experience. While it’s a nice hotel, it does leave some things to be desired. We booked an ocean view room, which has a great view. The furniture on the patio was what I would imagine prison furniture to be like. Ok…. my girlfriend said it was tired and worn and mismatching not quite as bad as prison furniture (she would know). The furniture in the bedroom was barely enough to store one person’s clothes in, thanks IKEA. The headboard which was bolted to the wall, was pretty much falling off because it was not hung correctly. On our first night, the air condition began to leak and drip all over the floor and wall. we were told it froze, but no one came to check it or see if it was working. Luckily, it was cool enough that we could open the windows and get a breeze in though only one of the three windows has a screen. The icing on the cake was the front door below us. every time someone came or left the door slams shut because the hinge was not fixed correctly. The door is so heavy that it shook the entire room, including the balcony. If it’s left that way much longer, the paint will start falling off the walls from the vibration. it was nice to see the owner on our way out having breakfast on the patio with her friends. it would’ve been nice if she acknowledged us as guests and thanked us for coming, maybe that’s a little much to expect.

Date of stay: June 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Navigator15460522269
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.
Manager and Owner, Owner at Shawmont Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 7 September 2024

Thank you for taking the time to review our property and give us feed back. We are so sorry to hear that after having such great stays with us, this return stay left a lot to be desired.

The moment you brought the air conditioner to our attention we sent staff up to asses the unit. We did a thorough check of the unit. Our staff confirmed it was working perfectly and cooling the room very well. It was set very low which is why it started dripping. Once we set it to the correct setting the air unit stopped dripping. We did have our tech come out within the next few days to check the unit in that room to confirm it was what our staff discovered. Our Air conditioner technician came to the same conclusion of our staff. That it over froze and that is why it dripped during your stay.

The front door was immediately fixed the moment you brought the noise to our attention. Downstairs it did not sound loud but we understand upstairs in your room, you were hearing the door shut. Our lock smith came within 24 hours of hearing this and fixed it. Now the front door does not make any nose when closing. Our door was never broke or had any issues before this. We do greatly apologize for this inconvenience. It was unforeseen, but we understand it affected the quality of relaxation during your stay. And for this we greatly apologize for the inconvenience.

As far as the furniture. We are constantly updating and can confirm all furniture is sourced from high quality furniture companies that specialize in hotel furniture. We do not buy from IKEA as we are not sure that would hold up over time with such high traffic. All our furniture was properly installed.

As far as your concern about our owner. Our owner lives out of the area and is not normally onsite. Our front porch is for guests only. We do encourage our staff to chat to guests. If a staff member is off of their shift. Guest’s will occasionally invite our staff to sit with them on the front porch while the guest’s eat breakfast or dinner. We the Shawmont welcome that friendly interaction and conversation. As long as staff are socializing with staying guests outside of their front desk shift.

We are a small boutique hotel and want our guest’s to feel at home. Most of our guests come year after year and feel like family.

We are so sorry your stay was disrupted by the broken front door and you did not feel this welcoming experience from our hotel. If you ever visit again, please mention your last stay. We will do everything to improve your experience.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
Reviewed 21 September 2023

Pros: walkable to Asbury Park, on the beach, young lady that checked us in was very friendly & helpful, clean, good AC/fan, great pillows,
Cons: VERY tiny room (apparently “queen standard” doesn’t mean a queen bed either), bathroom had no shelves or storage for getting ready (had to use the tiny wall ledge and the back of the toilet and toilet seat), rusty shower hooks that didn’t stay secure (I had to keep rehanging parts of the curtain each time), only one command hook in the entire place to hang wet towels, the tiniest closet I’ve seen- I couldn’t even move my carry-on suitcase around in it), inconvenient wall outlets (main one on the floor behind the middle of the bed), the only kind of flat shelf space in the room was the chest of drawers that held the TV and a tiny nightstand,wall mount hair dryer burned and started smoking as soon as I turned it on (not a vanity issue as I didn’t NEED to dry my hair- more a fire hazard concern, when I told the manager at check-out she didn’t seem concerned that it was a hazard!). I know we stayed during a high demand festival weekend and expected higher rates but for $1700 ($500/day plus tax) it was straight up highway robbery for what we got!! I’ve stayed in NYC rooms in Times Square that were bigger and cheaper. This place needs major renovations and I will never stay here again or recommend it.

Date of stay: September 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
Thank rachaelcG2866IF
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.
Reviewed 28 July 2023

I returned again to the Shawmont and found things pretty much the same as in 2022. I even had the same room #2. The place remains extremely clean. The lobby has completed its transformation to mid-century modern with a tropical corner with potted palms and Tiki furnishings.

The ice machine can still be heard, but did not bother me when sleeping. The evening of my arrival, I noticed a bulb out over the sink and reported it in the morning. It was replaced within minutes.

The 8 am breakfast offerings now include a selection of bagels and butter and cream cheese. An electric toaster is provided. There are also croissants and several flavors of yogurt. Coffee and tea are provided.

The central AC worked well on the extremely hot days of my visit.

Date of stay: July 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled solo
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
1  Thank Fox11354
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.
Reviewed 28 September 2022

Honestly I would give this place zero stars if I could, my husband is a recent double amputee that still has a dime size scab on his leg which had rubbed off onto the sheets and because of this they felt it was in their right to charge an additional $80 a night to change their sheets because their cleaning staff is not capable or equipped to handle “dirty sheets”. If you cannot handle a tiny spot of blood then do not own a hotel business. Was also told that because of this tiny spot that they had to call a hazmat team to come and clean. Again if you need to call an entire hazmat team because your cleaning staff cannot handle a littLe blood maybe you’re not equipped to run a hotel. So if you are a disabled person a woman on her period or you have a child you will not be welcomed here or you will be told that you need to leave. My husband and I have been coming to this place for over 10 years and have never had a problem before. They discriminate against the disabled. The owner as well as staff are rude and disrespectful “human beings”. We will never be coming back to this hotel or even this town. They have no business running a hotel let alone charging what they do. I have left a picture of the sheets with this so called mess of blood for reference.

Date of stay: September 2022
Trip type: Travelled with family
3  Thank markoE8313AH
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.
Manager and Owner, Owner at Shawmont Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 11 June 2023


We would like to start off by saying that we are a handicap accessible property. We have not, nor will ever discriminate against any individual. The above allegations are false. The below is from our Manager that was on property that day. With an explanation as to what really happened.

The photo being shared on review sites is not accurate. That is a photo taken after the sheets were removed and disposed of. Not a picture of the damaged sheets. We have photos on file of the damage. We want to protect the privacy of the above guests and are only sharing important information necessary to show no discrimination occurred.

We can assure you that there was no discrimination of any kind. We do not keep record of descriptions of who is in each room as that is against our privacy policy as a business. We treat every guest with the same accommodating hospitality. When housekeeping makes up a room it is when guests are away so they are not inconvenienced or bothered.

Housekeeping came to management three days after the above guest checked in concerned for the guests and the state of the room. Our management went to assess the issue. At this time the guest's were not in the room therefore our manager was not aware of any disabilities or challenges. Our property manager found the room to be an unsafe environment for anyone to be in the surrounding area including the guests. We do not wish to go into detail to protect guest privacy. However our staff is not trained to handle human blood and fesses to that magnitude or extent.

The above comment stating it was one small spot is not accurate. The bathroom was also found unsafe. Many areas of the room had matter that our staff is not trained to touch.

Our manager called the guest's as they would for any guest staying in the hotel. Our management kindly explained that they are more than welcome to continue to stay with us. We did not want the guests to feel they had to leave. However, due to the damage and severity circumstances of the room extensive cleaning measures needed to be taken.

The damage was well over $80 a day close to $3,000 dollars but in order to accommodate only a small extra cleaning fee would have been charged to the guests at checkout.

We offered a full refund for the guests if they chose to shorten their stay.

The Bio One team was necessary in order to make the room habitable for future guests. The guests chose to leave early. A full refund was issued immediately. The only charge was the $150 that was a charge of $50 a day for the extra cleaning service.

Theses are the measures and precautions the hotel had to take to ensure the property remains clean and immaculate for all guests who visit.

In an effort to accommodate we took on close to $3,000 in damages and understood the difficult circumstances and chose to take on the damage fees.

It is always our mission to accommodate every guest that stays with us. We host families with small children and have a wide range of guests that love visiting our family friendly business. Our manager handled the following situation with compassion. Management and the Owners tried everything in their power to accommodate while keeping everyone safe.

The safety of our staff and patrons is very important to us. This was an extreme case and the safety of guests and staff were at risk. We were also concerned for the safety of the guest in the room.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
Reviewed 9 September 2022

We tried to make this place our go-to for late year beach enjoyment. The prices went crazy and the rooms are just not worth it. The person that schedules the rooms is a bit wired. She talks circles around herself and they have reservation rules that really beat you up. I guess they can do that in an area that is as tight with hotel availability. There are basically 2 good ocean view rooms there. I wouldn't stay in any other rooms since they are too cramped.

Room tip: If you are from NJ, check the rooms out before agreeing. Couch stains and beds are old/springy loud.
Date of stay: October 2021
    • Location
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank notu585
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.
Manager and Owner, Owner at Shawmont Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 10 June 2023

Hello and thank you for your 4 star review! We appreciate your understanding that being a seasonal bussines and the growing popularity of the area we are in high demand.

For an Ocean Front Property with an expansive communal front porch over looking the ocean we are appropriately priced for the accommodation.

We have 8 rooms with private balconies overlooking the Beach Front. If you visit us in April, May, Late September to January you can find some incredible low rates!

We have several front desk associates that schedule the rooms. We are all enthusiastic and upbeat, excited to share our sweet 30 room boutique hotel with our patrons! When you are on the ocean how can you not we all say!

Ocean Grove is known for its old achirteture. We recently updated rooms with hardwood flooring which helped open up the room and it feels much larger now!

We hope you visit us now that we have updated and renovated!

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
View more reviews