The Chalfonte Hotel

We stayed off season in the Southern Quarters. Room had everything we needed for a long weekend but would have needed a little more space for a whole week stay. Very nice bathroom. Walking distance from restaurants and bars or a shorter drive if weather isn't great.

I stay at the Chalfonte Hotel every year for the Firemen’s Convention and always enjoy my stay. This was my third time staying I room 13 in the back of the restaurant and I really enjoy the room. It can be noisy the night of the Ramble, the musical performance on the porch, but that ends around 9:00pm.||The room has two beds so it has plenty of room for two people but you will have to share the bathroom as it is European style. I never mind because there are only two rooms on this side of the hotel and you rarely see the people in the other room.||The beds are so comfortable that you will dose off immediately. I was so well rested after my trip there. ||Both days I ate at the Magnolia Room, the hotel’s signature restaurant. I had the Fried Chicken dinner in the Dining Room for dinner and a delicious Sausage Egg and Cheese sandwich for breakfast on the porch in the morning both of which I highly recommend doing.||It was a rushed stay as I had meetings in Wildwood but I was able to put my feet in the Ocean in the afternoon (rough surf) and walk downtown a few blocks away and still have a relaxing time. ||It was another great visit with wonderful service from a staff I recognize each year.

My wife and I spent a long weekend at the Chalfonte for the Cape May brewery Bikes & Beer event in late September 24. This was our first stay at this establishment. Some things to consider: The hotel has no parking lot. You must find parking on the street. This was fine off-season but may be problematic during the summer. Our room was a "standard" queen room with a "European" bathroom where the sink was in the bedroom. It was tiny, had no TV, no coffee maker, and no mini fridge. The shower was moldy and missing tile, the toilet barely flushed, and the sink dripped. The best thing about this hotel is its ambiance, its aura, its soul. It's the dive bar of hotels. It's got music, and the King Edward bar and lounge is really nice. The porches are the best too. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon, and Thursdays are not to be missed! An eight piece band on the porch, chairs on the lawn, and a bar B Q with great food! We will likely return, but secure a better room and bring a cooler and coffee maker. This is not a hotel for early risers as coffee isn't on until 7 and breakfast at 8.

The Chalfonte is an old rickety hotel that's very flawed but beautiful. Great vibe. Like staying in a museum. I honestly can be ok with dusty old furniture and cobwebs. The issues that arise come from a lack in modern conveniences. The AC barely works. There's no drinking water. No ice. No TV (except for tea room). No mini fridge (except for an old little fridge in the Presidential suite.) No parking lot (gotta find a free spot in the neighborhood.) And simply dropping off your luggage out front in an illegal spot could result in a parking ticket. The majority of rooms have no bathroom. No shower. No hairdryer. No ironing boards. Shared bathrooms are available side by side in the middle of each long hallway. It's a lot to give up, when you consider similar priced rooms at other hotels closer to the beach that provide all of the above as they should. Recommend coming for the bar, the porch, the music, but not the stay.

Kind staff, the room was relatively clean and we loved the proximity to the beach! The free beach chairs and umbrella was a nice plus also! I did not know there was live music on Thursdays, which would be fine if it stopped on time (9pm). The live music went on til midnight and was highly disruptive, as our room was above the bar and live music area. We could also clearly hear the guests talking in the room next to us. Overall, I don’t think we would return given the value for the price.

Such a fun and unique place! Rooms are quaint and clean. Entertainment is amazing with the live bands and it is walking distance to the beach. Staff is friendly and helpful. It was a charming historical place and we really enjoyed our stay. Thanks!

The National Historical Landmark Committee should spend a few nights here. Reception Desk experience was a bad first impression - unfriendly and uncommunicative. Rooms are what’s expected in an old hotel and they were clean. Included am coffee was late each day and no communication as to why. “Didn’t you read the note placed on the reception desk?” was the response after many guests were vocally unhappy. The icing on the cake was the staff’s holiday @ 4pm yesterday. Of course they deserve time off to have fun. But, leaving a hotel fully of guests unattended with no amenities for hours is unacceptable. Fortunately there were no incidents since there was no way to contact anyone. |Been coming to the Chalfonte for years and sadly this will be the last. Very sad to see a beautiful grand dame slip past her prime.

I’ve been coming to this hotel since I was a kid— it is truly magical, like stepping back in time. It’s definitely a little rustic (the rooms are bare bones and don’t have fancy amenities), which I guess isn’t for everyone— but it is consistently clean and well kept, suiting all of our needs. We got a room with a shared bathroom and never once had to wait to use the bathroom. I can’t imagine coming to Cape May and not staying at this hotel. Its old Victorian charm and close proximity to the beach make us come back year after year. I really hope a few bad reviews don’t make people miss out on this gem of a hotel— the Chalfonte holds a very special place in our hearts!