Mayfair Hotel

I needed to get a hotel near the job I was working on for a night and thought the Mayfair Hotel would be a good idea (less than a mile from the job).
The pictures on the web site seemed 'ok' considering the known age of the building (built 1920) and I figured that it would have 'personality'.
The hotel clearly has a history, but most of it was covered in layers of (fairly new) paint and must have been a destination in the early part of the 1900's, complete with what looks like a dining room facing the ocean. Note that the wi-fi coverage and signal in this area (the only real area that you can use a table for a laptop) is quite poor, in fact, the wi-fi coverage and signal was also marginal in my room (108, a corner room).
The room I booked was, 'interesting'.... (definitely worth checking the video - lol)....
It was relatively clean, but well used and initially pretty cold (estimated around 65 degrees with no way to adjust without going to the front lobby and asking them to turn the heat up).
The layout of the room (a corner room facing both 10th St and Ocean Blvd) was initially (and subsequently) a bit odd. The two full-sized (not Queen) beds were laid out perpendicularly with a ceiling fan partially obscuring the TV which was mounted to the wall near the ceiling. The TV was on an arm that would allow it to be viewed in different areas of the room, but the power and cables were attached to the wall, preventing it from being capable of swining more than about 5-6 inches.
The bathroom was extremely small. At least one shoulder touched the wall when sitting, and one could almost brush their teeth at the same time. The bathroom was clean and well stocked for at least two people.
Oddest was the shower/tub, which as elevated on a platform about 5 inches from the main floor, with a step about 7-8 inches wide, which one would need to be used before stepping over the rim of the tub. The tub had a glass door, but even odder was the fact that all of this was separated from the rest of the room by a fabric curtain, which initially confused me when I wondered out loud 'where is the shower?'...
I apparently chose the wrong bed to sleep on as the one closet to the door was not set up properly: The legs were set too far to the center of the mattress, which meant that if you sleep or sit on the side of the bed, the whole thing tilts, dumping you on the floor. Not to worry too much about that, since there really wasn't far for you to go before coming to a wall.

Bottom line: 'would I bring my wife here? - absolutely not, and as I told her, 'I need the room to have a bed, toilet, shower and wifi'. The hotel has potential and it is clear that the current owner has spent a bit of time and money to rennovate, but there is so much more that would need to be done to make it a destination hotel, even in this area. I got the feeling that it might have been a place that estranged husbands ended up.

Note: I was unable to upload the video I shot of the room :(

The Mayfair Hotel is one of those rare finds that instantly makes you feel like you’ve stepped back into a simpler, cozier time. It’s quaint, nostalgic, and full of character — the kind of place that reminds you of childhood summers and ocean breezes. The location truly couldn’t be better, sitting right across from the beach with sweeping views of the Atlantic and the soothing sound of waves as your backdrop.

Inside, it’s warm and inviting, with that old-fashioned charm that’s hard to come by these days. Everything feels cared for and thoughtfully maintained — from the vintage touches in the rooms to the friendly, welcoming staff who genuinely make you feel at home.

We'd been hoping for the best when Hurricane Erin tracked up the East Coast, and waited as long as possible to cancel our reservation, hoping it wouldn't come to that. Unfortunately for us, Belmar closed all the beaches due to coastal flooding and riptide warnings at the very last minute—of course, right after our Free Cancellation period had ended. To cancel at that point meant, according to Booking.com, we were on the hook to pay Mayfair Hotel a cancellation fee equaling one night. However, Ken, the General Manager, called me directly and after talking things over, agreed to waive our fee as a one-time courtesy. Ken did not need to do that—not just based on Booking.com policies which protected his hotel, but also based on the fact that I even offered to let him keep the fee if I could apply it to a future stay. Ken's kindness was well-noted and very much appreciated. I've dealt with a lot of local hotels, some of whom don't even have the courtesy to get back to you in these sorts of situations. What a refreshing exception. Based on Ken's professionalism alone, we plan to definitely book a future stay (as soon as the weather permits). In the meantime, we gladly recommend the Mayfair Hotel to family and friends.

Very clean & comfortable. Great location & good value. I've stayed here quite a few times. Only drawback is there's no elevator, cause my husband walks with a cane, but we always get a 2nd floor room. So it's not too bad.
Highly recommended! 👍