Windrift Hotel

We own a place at the shore, so our main involvement with the Windrift is the restaurant and bar — excellent I must say! But we have stayed at the hotel during remodeling and have put up family and friends there and even rented several units at once for a big graduation party. We have always been very happy with our stay. We have always been well served — from the one on one interactions to the consistent quality of the rooms. The Windrift is where we put up all of our overflow guests! You can rent a room with a fantastic view and the same is true of their condos — ocean and park views which are just wonderful.

A fun evening if you head there for drinks and music. I didn’t stay at the hotel so I cannot rate the room experience, but for a night out they delivered. Reasonable drinks, fast service and a good crowd.

Expected more from this hotel. The beds were not comfortable at all and the amenities can leave much to be desired. There wasn’t even s closet! The management (Mike) could care less when we checked out early and commented on the Condition (he simply stated they are 3 years old, who cares how many people have slept on them?!) of the mattresses will not return nor recommend

Overall a good experience. Clean rooms, friendly staff, and nice pool. Close to the beach and a park, and mile from «downtown» Stone Harbor area. My two main issues are parking and checking out. For parking they issue a mirror tag for your car and signs indicate they will tow those without tags. This is not the case. From our room, of all the cars in view, we saw 4 with the tags. This forced us on more than one occasion to park BLOCKS away. The other issue was upon checking having the wrong card charged not once but TWICE. Two seemingly minor issues but very frustrating.

Never have I been this mistreated by a bouncer.
My mom, aunt, cousin and I (all women) were at dinner and were encouraged to go to the Windrift by people who gave us their $ 5 wristbands. We were excited because we heard there was a band playing and we were in the mood to dance as a family.
Unfortunately that is NOT what happened. We were asked to leave by some bouncers at around 10 o’clock and obliged because my cousin was only 20. On the way out of the building we were met by enormous rudeness. It was so inappropriate that we thought he was joking. He yelled at us telling us we are «banned for life» and to «get off the property », that we can «never come back». He was physically threatening and stood up in a menacing manner towards my 60 year old 5’3″ mother who was offering no resistance.
Was this for real? Sweetheart you won’t have to ban us, because we will never be back.
The food was bad enough, and then this incident was the nail in the coffin.
Sucks to suck.

not the best experience the first time, but i know the second will be much better. food was awesome, i was there for a wing night last monday. beach front view

The Windrift was nice and the room was comfortable but there were a few things that were disappointing– I expected a room that was Oceanside but was crappy building side. No point in sitting on the little porch or opening the windows as there was nothing to view and it was very noisy. Being there were three of us in the room I would’ve liked a separated bathroom so one person can shower while the other brushes their teeth, etc. We were only there for a weekend so it wasn’t a big problem but if I was staying there for a week it would’ve been very inconvenient.
The restaurant was very nice and large with many bars and a dance floor. With having such a facility I would’ve expected a room service option but there wasn’t.
There is a nice pool area and the beach access is very easy. The staff was very friendly.

Spent a week here with wife and infant. We had a great time. Its hard finding a place at the jersey shore that «isn’t» your typical flea ridden motel with «free HBO». Check-​in was smooth, parking was abundant, the rooms were nicely appointed. The location and access to the beach can’t be stressed enough. Lugging all of our beach stuff to the beach wasn’t as tough as I had anticipated. This place was top notch, would def stay again.
Minor issues:
The room door didnt have a peephole or security lock
There is only 1 elevator, and it was small
Make sure you ask for a room on the pool side, or else you’ll be staring at dumpsters from the kitchen.

One of our favorite places down in Stone Harbor/​Avalon. Great food & drinks. We love it here!!!

Worst Experience EVER!
Thirty years ago, my wife and I arrived in Atlantic City for our honeymoon only to find out that our Resorts hotel room reservation had fallen through and we found ourselves without a room at midnight. My new bride was so distraught and crying, I had to rectify the situation ASAP. We headed back up the parkway and ended up staying at the Windrift. Thirty years later, for our anniversary, we decided to revisit the Windrift for a long weekend. We booked our room in advance and I was a little shocked to find out that the cost for a bedroom for the night was $ 400. I checked out their website and quickly figured that the hotel had been recently renovated and now included not just one, but six individual restaurants. Very swanky indeed. A top notch job to say the least.
When we arrived, it was a bit overwhelming. No valet was around and we were faced with a completely overcrowded parking lot. We finally found a space parked next to the dumpsters on the north side of the building. The stench of raw garbage was overwhelming. If you still decide to stay here, make sure it is not a room over the dumpsters! This is also next to the back door to a kitchen and many of the staff/​help were outside smoking. I was informed by the manager that although the hotel stresses the fact that all of the hotel grounds are smoke free, it is perfectly acceptable for the staff to smoke. We had a room on the south side of the building overlooking the parking lot and the pool with very little view of the ocean if any… the smell of cigarettes was constantly in the air when we sat on the balcony.
A trip to the beach revealed that the hotel does NOT provide beach chairs, umbrellas, etc. Next door, at the less expensive Golden Inn, all such amenities were provided. In fact, they have employees on the beach to assist with setting up chairs and umbrellas. How nice? Windrift offers nothing.
After lunch, we retreated to our room for a break from the sun. My wife was taking a shower, when all of a sudden there was someone banging relentlessly on our hotel room door. I answered the door to find a young employee with a spray bottle spraying the perimeter of our door with some sort of disinfectant. He informed me that he believed we were smoking cigarettes in the room. I told him he was mistaken. Five minutes later, the manager on duty came to our door and started actually pounding making the same claim that someone was smoking cigarettes in our room. I told him through the door that I had already told the last staff member that no one was smoking in our room. With my wife still in the shower, I shouted back to come back in a ½ hour because we were indisposed at the moment. The manager then hollered back that if he had to return in a ½ hour, he wasn’t going to be so nice! A threat! I immediately opened the door and informed him that he was making a mistake and that no one was smoking in our room. I invited him into the room and asked him if he smelt smoke. He said that he could not smell anything. Mind you, staff members were constantly underneath out balcony smoking cigarettes. I told him that my wife and I were not smoking in the room and that he was making a huge mistake. He retorted that if he was making a mistake, it was not his FIRST! Indeed. He then, in a threatening manner, suggested that he was going to evict us from our room! He then retreated back to the hallway and I went to shut the door at which point, Pete shoved his foot in the path and told me not to slam the door on him. I had no intention of doing so and in unison, we both told him that it was apparent he had left the room and I was simply closing the door. I have worked in sales and marketing for many years handling customer service for a Berkshire Hathaway company. I have to say that this was beyond the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life. We called the hotel next door and booked a room for the rest of our stay at the Golden Inn. The difference was night and day in regards TO SERVICE. The room cost was half the price too. When we checked out of the Windrift, the management had the audacity to include a $ 100 surcharge for cleaning the room with the stipulation that the smell was not cigarettes but now the odor was marihuana or «weed smell» as was stated on the bill.
Issues with room: Smelled like purfume from last guest. Shower fixture was not properly attached to wall – set screws backed out 1″ plus. Scratched back of hand badly. TV remote barely funtioning and cable signal was fuzzy and static. A call to the front desk went unanswered. No ammenities in room such as pen and paper.
Please take my advice and avoid staying in this overpriced, family owned hotel that has lost sight of what is most important – good customer relations. The Golden Inn is in the process of completely revamping the entire hotel. I would avoid staying at the Windrift Resort Hotel in Avalon, NJ at all costs. You have been warn

«Swanky hotel not a typical jersey shore motel.»
We just came back from a vacation at the Windrift. We had an excellent time. Everything is clean. The pool was great. The staff should be commended on excellent service. There is always live entertainment every night. Great getaway for both my daughter and my husband and me. The one thing I wish they had was a small gift shop. We will be recommending this hotel and vacationing there again.

Just spent Labor Day weekend here with my family and we loved it. Location was perfect, surfing beach is just a block away. It has a very nice pool area, and we all enjoyed the lunch menu, so much so, we ate there both days. The sushi rolls were delicious. Despite having 7 bars, they do a good job of keeping the night-​time crowd/​noise away from the rooms, so as a family, we never had any issues. Rooms are nicely accommodated, comfortable beds, nice sized refrigerator, balcony and flat screen TV… and clean! The staff was friendly and service was quick. If you’re wondering where to stay in Avalon, or Stone Harbor for that matter, I recommend The Windrift.

The outside looks very nice, especially the bar and the pool, both of which we were unfortunately unable to take advantage despite staying two nights at the hotel. Perhaps this is because the hotel’s right on the beach. Why go to the pool when the ocean and the long beach is a few feet away?
The rooms are immaculate but probably 3.5-star. I miss closets, which seem to be disappearing from most hotel room. There’s a large screen TV with a fair number of channels, and the bathroom is well stocked and furnished.
I’m giving an extra star because the hotel is across the street from the recreational center. Although not a hotel property, it may as well be. Lots of tennis courts, a softball field, soccer field and goals, basketball court, skateboard… too many to name.
The Jitney, a van that costs $ 2 before 11 pm and $ 4 after, conveniently circles the property and takes you to the happening parts of Stone Harbor and Avalon (there aren’t many, but they are far, and you don’t want to drink and drive, do you?).

Stayed at the Windrift w/​my significant other for ½ a day and 1 night and overall we had a nice time staying there. We thought the room was nice, and the bed was so comfy– also enjoyed having a small balcony to sit out on.
We ate at at happy hour, dinner, and breakfast and we were really happy with our food each time. The lobster tail was fantastic and cooked perfectly! We had an awesome time eating dinner and drinking while watching the entertainer playing piano at the main bar by the lobby. That was the highlight of the trip– I would recommend coming for this.
However, the reason I’m giving 3 stars is the general feel I got from (almost) all the employees. After sitting in bumper to bumper traffic for 4 hours trying to get to the hotel it would have been really nice to arrive to a friendly, warm welcome by the front desk staff. They weren’t rude, just kind of cold towards me and rushed me through the check in process. Since I had never been there before, it would have been nice to get an overview of where to park, where to access the beach, where breakfast is served, etc. The interaction with the front desk employees is the first impression that the guest receives. This impression was not a good one.
The theme continued during happy hour, our waitress seemed just miserable although we were really nice to her. The bar tenders in the 2^nd floor bar and in the main piano bar seemed just annoyed to be there. I probably would have sat and enjoyed a few more drinks if I wasn’t getting such a bad feeling coming from the bartenders. I’m thinking this might have to do with the «locals» who work there being annoyed with the tourists… but I’m not really sure.
If this was a random cheap beach motel I would be giving 5 stars. However, since I paid $ 515 for one night (which took me a long time to save, and is A LOT for me) I just would expect to be treated a little nicer. It’s amazing how the attitude of employees can rub off onto the guests.

Before making up your mind about the Windrift, it’s important to note the dates of reviews.
It was recently completely remodeled and is absolutely a different hotel now. I think it’s one of the top three on the island.
My family stayed here in July 2013 and the newly remodeled rooms are very nice. The restaurants (3 of them) have good food, fast service, and you get everything from casual tavern food to fine dining.
The pool is clean and well kept. Towels are available, and there are a lot of lounge chairs and tables with umbrellas all around it. Food service is available poolside as well.
The rooms are very clean and have great amenities. Parking is on site and although it is sometimes tough to find a spot (you get one space per room) I always managed to find a decent spot.
The location is beachfront, with two beach access points.
We were completely thrilled with our stay and will come back, as well as recommend it to friends and family.
I would definitely return to stay at the Windrift.

Hub and I have stayed at the Windrift on three different occasions and we love it. Is it pricey? Yes, but Avalon wants to keep it that way. If tourists want a deal, then they should head to any of the Wildwood beaches in New Jersey.

Found myself here to meet up with some long-​lost friends. They suggested this place after much debate (none of us were familiar with the area, as they hadn’t been to Jersey in ages and I don’t typically venture so far south). I was a little wary, since I automatically thought of the annoyingly pretentious W in Hoboken, but I wanted to see my friends and didn’t know anywhere else to go.
For a place directly adjacent to the beach, parking was surprisingly easy for a Saturday night. There was a $ 5 cover, which sucked, and a strict ID policy: not only was my license scanned, but my picture was also taken to match. (There was also a sign stating that people with super out-​of-​state licenses would be asked for extra backup.)
There were several bars: one on the main level, the patio bar, a larger space upstairs. There was restaurant seating at all except the patio. All were busy but not disgustingly crowded. We sat at the main level bar, based on the tap selection and hockey on TV. Most of the beers were pretty standard, but there was a good variety: everything from useless Miller Lite to a nice 60 Minute Dogfish IPA. The bartenders were all friendly and service was quick.
As the cover band got louder, we ventured upstairs to the patio. Again, the bartenders were great, the hockey game was on, and it was busy but we all had room to move.
The crowd was very diverse. We saw a Sophia Petrillo-​aged lady (i.e., old) dancing to the bad music among a bunch of pale, preppy white people (the stereotype about white people dancing certainly held true); an old gray-​haired, ponytailed man do the tango to an Eagle-​Eye Cherry (think: 90’s one hit wonder) song; stereotypical Jersey Shore-​esque guys in muscle tees; and frou-​frou girly girls who took entirely too long discussing hair and such in the bathroom (why other women just can’t piss and leave is beyond me).
I don’t hang out much down the shore so I can’t really give a good comparison on price, but I don’t believe the prices were terribly different from any place I’ve been in the city.
Despite the bad music and the frou-​frou crew, though, the Windrift was a much better option than many of the crowded/​fist-​pumping/​even-​worse-​music places one can find in Wildwood, Point Pleasant, etc. I think being located in more low-​key Avalon played a factor in that.
If you like people watching and want to go out down the shore without all the excess nonsense, then this would be a solid spot for you. I would not go out of my way to come here, as nothing really stood out as overly spectacular, but I would also not complain if I had to come back.

Saying a place in Avalon is overpriced is cliché… mainly because the entire town is overpriced come summer time. Still, I have to say the drift is pricey. After all, someone has to pay for all those renovations.
The place looks a lot nicer on the outside, however, content contained within just doesn’t live up to the fancy new outside. Same food, higher prices. Same drinks, slower service (and higher prices). The same, just for more…