Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel

ated our reduction in guests due to Covid despite a contracted minimum. We thought it was all downhill after that. Shortly before the wedding, the hotel staff called the caterer and told them (not me) that they were no longer having cocktail hours on the roof. I had to assert my contractual rights, causing needless anxiety to get what we paid for. We paid for four bartenders because we explained that we do not like lines at bars. They assigned two bartenders and never discussed it with us. I had to send my husband to find out what happened to the other bartenders. The two that they had did not know how to make the couple’s signature drinks that were discussed in advance. Eventually they assigned a third bartender. We paid $2000 for valet parking for the guests not staying at the hotel. We needed 20 cars but had to pay for the full 50 car lot. The Berkeley staff told several of our guests that the lot was full and they had to park on the street. One of our guests in the room block was given an occupied room and walked in on people in the room. We had to work directly with event staff on every room block change because our guests had difficulty reaching reservations staff. At least we were happy that staff gave our guests their welcome bags. The father of the bride got stuck in an elevator and had to pull himself up 3 feet to get out of the elevator and he damaged his wedding tuxedo. We told the staff that we intended to have our after party at the Johnny and June bar. We discussed in detail how we would pay for the event. At the end of the wedding as we reminded the guests of the location that was put on their invitations, staff told us that they closed the bar. That was just a highlight reel.

us multiple dates that were open. Luckily we were able to keep the same date the following year. Up until the wedding once Cory was in charge of our wedding he stayed in touch with us and was able to help us with whatever we needed. He was able to coordinate a room block for my guest and able to fix anything that needed to change. On the day of Cory was available for anything myself or my husband needed. He was so attendtive and made our day stress free! If we wanted to have a specific picuture taken in the hotel he was able to make it happen. Cory was there until the end of the night for us and I couldn't thank him enough for everything he did to make our wedding amazing! I highly recommend the Berkeley and Cory for any occasion or event!

hing traditional which is what we were going for. Buona Sera was the caterer and the food was outstanding!!!! Everyone was raving about the food people said it was the best food they ever had at a wedding. Mike is the best he is an awesome guy and helped us with our choices. The staff at Berkeley were great they did our setup just as we wanted it and it was perfect. The only drawback to our perfect day was they do not have valet parking I found that out 2 weeks before the wedding and we had to scramble to get a valet and we couldn’t. Having people search and pay for parking was awe full many missed the ceremony. My advice to anyone having a wedding here would be secure a valet, guests should not have to pay or look for parking.

or their wedding coordinator. I toured the venue weeks after my initial inquiry and the senior sales manager was late. He was still polite and informative and we liked the look of the venue and heard great things about Buona Sera. I contacted him again asking to come in again as this is a top venue for us and are seriously considering booking. He has since left us hanging for two weeks by ignoring my emails. There was no update or even an auto reply email either. As a bride, you should not be putting in this much effort to book your venue. I’m beyond disappointed but, I know we’ll be better off with a venue who wants us to get married there!

ad to start our wedding planning over and I called The Berkeley on a whim. Albie answered the phone and within minutes gave me multiple options to have our ceremony and mini reception. My (now) husband and I had been through it with our previous venue and other vendors and were quite honestly just used to feeling like a dollar sign but Albie, Cory and Chef Frank actually genuinely seemed to want to make our day special for us. They met with us multiple times in those 3 short weeks and were available for phone calls and emails whenever we needed. We were able to have the ceremony on the roof but it rained that day so we had it in one of their gorgeous rooms overlooking the beach, we had a dinner reception on their 2nd floor terrace and local friends were able to meet up for the after party at their outside garden bar. They really went above and beyond for us and we really are overcome with gratitude that these guys have a passion for their work. Everyone at the Berkeley was so accommodating, our friends and family can't stop raving about how great everything was(Chef Frank's short rib was the biggest hit!) and how amazing the service was across the board. The facility is gorgeous and having our dinner reception on the terrace was awesome overlooking the Asbury boardwalk but what made our wedding so special was the care these guys put into it. They literally saved our wedding day and we are forever grateful. If this is what the guys are capable of with all the COVID restrictions and 3 weeks notice AND a tight budget, I can only imagine the type of events they'll put together in the future.

this is all the Berkeley has to offer. Our experience working with the Berkeley throughout our planning process and wedding weekend was awful. There were multiple issues with guests’ rooms (I won’t get into that here-reviews of the hotel on other sites speak to this). There was a lack of organization and care from the staff the entire time. We had multiple points of contact throughout the process which was frustrating because the new person never seemed to be properly briefed and it felt like we were constantly starting over. Our room block was not managed properly. We regularly followed up for updates and not once did they send over an accurate list–there were many errors we had to “catch.” Parking was a nightmare (even in October); you have to pay a large amount to reserve spots that the hotel can’t even accommodate and the staff were not helpful when guests had questions. This is particularly frustrating when the guests are elderly. The worst part of the wedding weekend was the man who worked at the front desk: he was extremely rude to us and our guests, he gave someone a key to my hotel room without my knowledge or consent, and he was overheard by multiple people badmouthing me in front of guests. At one point he was heard saying “I have bigger things to worry about than some woman’s wedding” on his cell phone behind the desk while our guests were in the lobby! He clearly had no interest in giving us a positive experience. After taking our pre-ceremony pictures, I was directed by the Berkeley staff to enter the hotel through the side door so our guests wouldn’t see me; when I walked in this door, our guests were right there. They ended up sticking us in what was basically a closet for the last moments before our ceremony. Part of our agreement included having the bridal suite cleaned after the groomsmen got ready there during the day. When we got back to our room after the wedding we found the room was never cleaned and we had to clean it ourselves, along with two Buona Sera staff (who were amazing!). We also got in writing that we would offer our guests breakfast at the hotel and they knew how many people were staying because of our room block. Despite this, they were understaffed and there wasn’t enough food for everyone and no one to clear the plates off tables. We read reviews prior to our wedding that were similar to this but thought there’s no way it could happen to us, but unfortunately it did. Thanks to these reviews we were sure to get everything in writing beforehand which, if you choose to get married here, we highly recommend you do the same. They are deceitful and you will need this written record to refer back to after your wedding is over. If it weren’t for Ric, Abby, Mike, all of the other Buona Sera staff I would give zero stars. Buona Sera was incredible and tried to help resolve our issues with the Berkeley. The Berkeley thinks they can get away with not treating people with the great customer service they deserve for the most important day of their lives because they have such a beautiful, iconic venue in Asbury Park. I highly recommend Buona Sera and all of our other vendors, but I would not recommend the Berkeley as a hotel or wedding venue.

s specific to the hotel and their staff. I have worked in event planning for 10 years and have never encountered as rude, unprofessional, and downright shady staff as exists at the Berkeley. Overall, every single charge is a moving target and their only goal is to maximize the amount of money they're making off of you. If you are booking with them, get EVERYTHING in writing and ask as many questions as you can before you sign any contract. Once your contract is signed, their answer to everything will be "tough, we're a seasonal high traffic business." Hotel Blocks: Their attrition rate is 100%. Meaning, if you don't book every room in your block, you as the couple are responsible for the cost for any rooms unbooked. They let you release 10% a month out, but if you have any cancellations then they'll charge you for that entire canceled stay. Along with taxes, they threw a "banquet fee" onto each room without any warning. Parking: Parking is a nightmare. They charge $35-$65 (which they seemingly decide at random) per day for hotel guests to park. We paid $1500 just for 25 cars max to be able to park during the wedding. Because of that, all of our hotel guests who were already paying $331 a night to stay were told there weren't enough spaces and "only VIP guests can park." Bar: As part of the premium open bar, they'll only give you two reds and two whites, which includes a sparkling. The champagne for the toast was undrinkable, so swap for Prosecco. The bartenders put out a tip cup. After spending tens of thousands to host a wedding there, my father was told he could not park. The day after the wedding, we went to the front desk to book a pool cabana after being told it was $100. A few days later, the hotel "realized it was a mistake" and added another $100 to the folio and produced a fraudulent pool waiver claiming the costs were agreed to. The hotel manager Robby (sp) was condescending and rude both in person and on the phone. When one of our handicapped guests was turned away from parking because he arrived before the Valet lot opened, he asked to speak to a manager and he hid in the back office and wouldn't come out.

is a five star experience. I planned the wedding from a different country and they didn't bat an eyelid at my mostly email communication and very specific times I could meet with them. We even switched wedding coordinators at one point throughout the planning process and the switch was seamless. In fact, our wedding coordinator Dominique spotted an error the previous one made with our pricing which allowed us to fit in a few extra food options within our contracted price. The hotel also went above and beyond to cater for my guests who stayed with them, especially the out-of-country ones! The catering that the Berkeley works with, Buona Sera, was unreal. Their food, staff, and demeanor were awesome. Between the venue and the caterers, there was no missteps. All of the guests we have spoken to since have complimented the wedding venue and food over and over again. I highly recommend booking here!

d the night to end. There are a few factors that contributed to that, none of them being The Berkeley. Buona Sera is the main reason why my wedding was so amazing. The food and organization with them was impeccable. The vendors I chose made this wedding what it was (special shout out to Marquis Florals, Reel Productions, Captured on Canvas, and SCE Events). If it wasn't for Buona Sera and these vendors, I would have regretted choosing The Berkeley Let me start by saying I went through 3 different contacts at The Berkeley in the year and a half I was planning. Very frustrating. If it wasn't for my organization and communication, everything would have been done last minute. Night before the wedding- Arrived from rehearsal dinner at 11 PM to check in. I was told we had to park our own cars across the street in the rain (keep in mind we had my wedding dress and about 10 different bags between my bridal party and I). No bell hop to help with luggage, nothing. Not to mention- the staff is unprofessional and completely unhelpful. The Berkeley knew (or 100% should have known) there was a wedding party checking in that night, why was no one there to help? Day of wedding- Woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready. No coffees, juices, pastries NOTHING. This hotel literally will not throw one extra in as a 'thank you' for dropping thousands of dollars at their venue. In fact- they thanked us with horrible service. We were short a chair while getting ready and it took them over an hour to deliver one. NO attendant to help with anything. Planters outside the lobby were empty- you would think the hotel would try to spruce up the place a bit before a wedding. My mom mentioned something to the front desk and instead of going to pick up planters to fix the issue, they did nothing... Post wedding- You thought the terrible service ended there? About 4 months after the wedding I received a room charge from The Berkeley. Turns out they forgot to charge us a night for our wedding suite and took it upon themselves (without notice) to charge my card. Bottom line- the hotel is a mess. They have no clue how to treat a bride, a groom, and their guests. They need to seriously take a look at their staff/what they can offer and see whether or not they should continue with weddings. If they decide to continue hosting weddings, things need to change. There are way too many venues in the Shore area to choose from where service is top of the line. Thank you Buona Sera for making this wedding spectacular! Our wedding will be talked about for years to come.

down— Rick and Mike are pros. You just have to be very detailed with everyone to make sure your vision is seen/heard. Molly was our bridal attendant and she AMAZING. Ask for Molly! The hotel staff does their best to accommodate you but you really need to be assertive for them to go out of their way. My husband and I love Asbury Park, couldn’t see ourselves getting married anywhere else, and the Berkeley has that old charm that no other venue in AP has.

space for guests. Our guests loved the outdoor patio space where they could mingle with a cocktail and enjoy our cigar bar at the end of the night or get some fresh air - what a nice touch! I am giving the hotel 4 stars for lack of communication in booking hotel rooms. The prices constantly changed from one year before our wedding and the month before our wedding. What we were told and what we signed in our contract differed as the date got closer. All I can say is get everything in writing and try to figure out as soon as possible how many rooms you will need. I was also not happy with the $35 parking fee that was added to guests check out fee for staying overnight. I think that should be included in your overall reception cost. Other than that, we loved who we worked with and had an amazing reception. I would book there again, it truly is an amazing and unique wedding space.

Megan , the caterers are absolutely fantastic As well. Our guests loved the food and also the hotel Rooms. The staff are so friendly and our whole weekend was beyond perfect!! too.

ife; guests loved the charm, history and cleanliness of the hotel. Our photographs are beautiful; simple and elegant with the backdrop of this hotel's charm.

g weekend. The views were amazing too! We got very lucky and worked with Berkely Neis! She helped us with everything and was very responsive to emails. She checked on me in the bridal ready room and wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. We had a little trouble booking a breakfast, but it all worked out because of Berkeleys commitment to us. The wedding itself was beautiful and magical. Each room is unique in its own way and the vendors we chose all knew each other and that made the day even smoother. My husband and I would recommend this venue to anyone! It was the best day that is unforgettable. Thank you to all of the staff and especially Berkeley Neis!!!!

what we wanted and the venders we used. Would absolutely recommend to future brides/grooms!

tting married at The Berkeley not realizing it would actually be the venue of our dreams. Venue: The location makes the reception like a mini vacation for all guests. With it being the in the beautiful and buzzing Asbury Park, there is plenty of places for guests to visit and explore on top of being right next to the beach. The Berkeley beautifully keeps their old charm with gorgeous touches like the chandeliers. By having three rooms for the event, we were able to comfortably fit 240 guests. The ceilings and windows in the ballroom are just spectacular and it was the perfect place for charm and character with elegance. Service: Top notch. The staff at The Berkeley truly are in their positions because of the love for hosting events and weddings, not just for a job. They put in the extra time, effort, and flexibility to make our event absolutely perfect. From Amy and Berkeley in management to Lisa as the maitre die, we were in the best hands from beginning to end. They were over accommodating, calm and always ahead of the situation. They allowed for me to come in with all my crazy ideas and made them reality. Both professional and friendly, it felt like we were working with family throughout and we couldn't be more thankful. Value: Amazing. Going in to planning our wedding, we really wanted to have stations for the event rather than sit down to keep the party going and allow people to eat the whole night, not at all, or on and off whenever they'd like and that was hard to find. Having the Berkeley venue semi-separate from the caterer allowed us the flexibility to keep to our budget with what we could have available. Over accommodating and affordable for the what we received and the location it was in. Recommend 100x!

the doors. Then we met with the team. Amy, Berkeley, and Sofia were AMAZING. They showed us the various rooms that could hold our event, they explained the catering options, and were able to suggest photographers. We left feeling certain this was the place for our big day! Fast forward a year later... The week leading up to our wedding, I had so many questions! The line of communication between myself, Amy and Sofia was so very clear.They were also able to assist my guests! Their response time was immediate and always positive. They were able to ease my worries. A day before the wedding I was able to drop ALL of my stuff off at the Berkeley and the girls along with Buona Sera Catering put it all together for us the day of the wedding! There are really are no words to describe how they were able to coordinate the day for us. The day of the wedding, Amy and Sofia were present. They weren't just there, they were genuinely there to help us in anyway we needed. The bridal ready room is to die for! It was spacious, with two bathrooms, a refrigerator, a Keurig, large mirrors, and natural sunlight. The day of, the girls from the Berkeley brought in fruit and champagne to make the day extra special. I cannot say enough good things about the venue and the sales staff there. If I had to do it all over again, I'd choose the Berkeley. They offer the whole package: a beautiful venue AND a staff that is experienced, passionate, and dedicated!

ge staircase to the mezzanine with checkered marble floors and huge windows. My photos here are incredible! You can have an rooftop ceremony, beach ceremony or indoor ceremony! The rooftop has an incredible view of the city of Asbury Park as well as the beach/ocean. This was my top pick but unfortunately it rained!! My Plan B room, the Oval room, was just as incredible! Huge doors that look out onto a balcony set the perfect backdrop for the ceremony! The reception rooms are equally as gorgeous with some of the most incredible chandeliers! Some are the originals! The bridal sweet has a large mirror with chairs and lighting that are perfect for getting hair/makeup done and look fabulous in pictures! The feel of this venue is elegant, classic and timeless! The service and staff at the Berkeley are equally as amazing! We worked with Berkeley who was so friendly and helpful from day one. She showed us around the Berkeley and was able to answer all of our questions. During the entire wedding planning process she quickly responded to my 8 million e-mails and always had a pleasant as well as professional attitude! I don't know what I would have done without her!! The days leading up to the wedding and the day of the wedding went so smoothly due to the service of the hotel staff, Berkeley of course and my go to bellman, Theo Brown! The wedding itself was beautiful and perfectly laid out. We had the premium liquor with two bars during the reception!! We had zero complaints!

rty, wedding party photos, and post-wedding brunch. My bridesmaids and I got ready in a large suite with a view of all of Asbury Park. Everything was beautiful! Everyone at the front desk was pleasant, professional, and eager to accommodate any of our requests throughout the weekend. This hotel housed one of our two guest room blocks, but in retrospect, we wished we'd arranged for the Berkeley to do it all. They were the best!

ends it to itself. All of our guests were in love with the hotel and ballrooms and were so impressed by everything! The venue is a GREAT place for some fun pictures. The new bar in the lobby was also the perfect after party place. We can't wait to come back to stay here for future anniversaries :).

o many compliments about the venue and it was so easy for our guests who were able to stay overnight. The hotel staff was so accommondating and made things less stressful. My dad keeps saying be would reccomend The Berkeley 100x over, and so would we!!

e knew it would be easy planning with them. Amy was absolutely amazing throughout the process. I feel as though she became part of our family while planning. The day of she went above and beyond for me and I am SO thankful for her- she did more than she needed for me and made me feel extremely comfortable and at ease the day of. If you are considering this venue BOOK IT! You can't go wrong. From Amy to Bueno Sera Catering they make for an awesome team and a SMOOOOOTH wedding day! You're in the best of hands here. Thank you to everyone at the Berkeley for making our wedding day so special !

n the area that can offer so much historic authenticity! Everyone was so taken back by the event space. Our overnight guests were very happy with their hotel stay as well. It was not only convenient for our guests to stay right at the reception location, but the rooms were spacious and clean and the beds were very comfortable. The Berkeley Wedding staff--- including Amy, Chris, & Francesca---were top-notch. They were friendly, easy-going, kind, enthusiastic, and very accommodating. Awesome hospitality! But putting all that aside, they were simply good-hearted people that wanted nothing but the best for us. They made the entire wedding planning process fun and memorable! Five Stars across the board :)

d after we signed our contract. Her replacement, Ryan, tried charging us $1,000.00 for something Jena said was included. Ryan said it was her manager’s decision and many couples were complaining. She finally agreed to waive the charge against her manager’s wishes. Then she resigned. Her replacement? Her manager, Stephanie. We were worried so many details still needed to be finalized and we were on our third catering manager. At our first (and last) meeting with Stephanie, she explained “how hotels make money”. Seriously. She also demanded written proof that Ryan had waived the fee, which we had. She begrudgingly gave us the room for free. She is extremely condescending, with an unfriendly face to boot. My wife and I are educated professionals and she spoke to us like we were idiots. My wife was so angry, she stopped talking about halfway through the appointment. The only time she contacted us after that was to ask for more money. Thankfully, Heather and Lisa of Falco’s are AMAZING! They picked up all of the slack left by Stephanie. They answered every single question we had in person, by phone and email. Lisa coordinated our ceremony and reception perfectly, even entertaining our rambunctious ring bearers. She truly went above and beyond. Falco’s has worked at The Berkeley through all of the management changes and they know how to host an event there. Stephanie didn’t even bother telling us this happened. Falco’s did, which tells you all you need to know.http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2015/12/landmark_jersey_shore_hotel_employee_stole_7k_from.html That all being said, The Berkeley is a beautiful, historic space. I wish they had different management, but if you use Falco’s, you can expect a day as perfect as ours.