The Rockaway Hotel

The Rockaway Hotel forces you into a two-night minimum but kicks you out of the pool at NOON on checkout day. So if you arrive Friday night like most people, you get one real day to enjoy the thing you came for. At these prices? That’s ridiculous. I’ve stayed at tons of four and five star hotels and have never been told I couldn’t use the pool after checkout. Limiting the main amenity for overnight guests — who are paying hundreds per night — is unheard of. Add to that a strict 7-day cancellation policy, unpredictable weather, and the fact that everything is overly policed — you have to check in at the pool, get assigned a seat, and are basically babysat while you “relax.” It’s not a vibe. They’re clearly more focused on cramming in day-pass people than taking care of actual hotel guests. The rooms are fine — thin walls, boring views — but we used to let that slide because the pool made up for it. Not anymore. Lastly, don’t be fooled by their social media — the pool may look like a chic, relaxing hangout for 20- and 30-somethings, but the reality is chaos. Both days, it was overrun with screaming kids. At one point, two parents even let their young children into the outdoor sauna and propped the door open to “cool it down,” ignoring other guests who actually wanted to use it. We won’t be back. You shouldn’t bother either.

We recently stayed for two nights at this hotel spa looking for a relaxing weekend, and unfortunately, our experience fell far short of expectations—especially given the steep price tag of over $650 per night. We had hoped for a relaxing and rejuvenating getaway, but what we encountered instead was a lackluster stay with very few redeeming qualities. It rained all weekend, and while the pool and beach are beautiful, there was nothing else to do. Other than the restaurants, no indoor spa-like atmosphere or relaxing communal spaces to helped us make the most of the rainy weather. It didn’t feel serene or luxurious—just dull. We found ourselves having to leave the property just to find somewhere to pass the time since the rooms are small and basically you only have the bed to stay in. The balcony is not useful while there is pouring rain or you have really bad weather. Additionally, the service was far from what we expected at this price point. While staff weren’t rude, they were clearly undertrained and lacked the polish and attentiveness you’d anticipate from a hotel in this price range. It often felt like they were new to the job or part of a more budget chain, which only added to the feeling that this property does not deliver on its promises. We were unable to call the front desk and room service is not an option, we tried to use the app several times but there are no phones and the app had no menu or options to order, and any messages we sent were acknowledged over 1 or 2 hours later and we just found ourselves having to get dressed to go to the front desk or get food. The overall atmosphere was also surprisingly underwhelming. It felt more like a party destination suited for a sunny weekend crowd rather than a tranquil or high-end spa escape. If that’s the kind of getaway you’re looking for, perhaps it works—but if you’re hoping to unwind and enjoy a more peaceful experience, especially during inclement weather, this is not the place. Overall, we left disappointed and frustrated that we had chosen this hotel for what was meant to be a special weekend. For the rate we paid, we expected thoughtful amenities, higher service standards, and an environment that could still offer comfort and enjoyment—rain or shine. Unfortunately, this stay missed the mark on nearly every front.

The room had pubic hairs in the bathroom floor, other hairs in the shower, and the bathroom area smelled very strongly of throw up. This leads me to believe there wasn't vacuuming, mopping, or cleaning of the shower or adequate cleaning of the rooms between guests. Also, there is no in room phone to call the front desk. The hotel is not on the beach. There are many rows of houses between the hotel and the beach and the area seems pretty dangerous. We were too afraid to walk past the houses to go to visit the beach due to the seemingly dangerous area. It was very scary. I would not feel safe walking in this area. This did NOT seem like a 4 star hotel. I stay in lots of hotels. This was a bad experience, and rarely leave a review, but think others should know this before selecting this hotel. It's the right thing to let others know. Also, it took multiple asks to be served at the onsite restaurant. Their rooftop restaurant was closed during my visit. I wish we had not visited this hotel or area during our stay. This does NOT seem like a safe area. We were too afraid to leave the hotel to walk to the beach. There are many rows of scary looking houses between you and the beach. And people that seemed scary walking around outside. I wish we had not gone to this hotel or area.

This place is very clean and very well decorated. The hotel definitely has a spa feel from the time you step into the lobby. I stayed here for 3 nights with my sisters (we all have pretty high standards when it comes to hotels) and we all loved it. Rockaway Hotel staff went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. All of the staff we encountered were helpful and welcoming. Emily was especially wonderful, she deserves a shout out! We ate at Margie's twice and enjoyed the food and drinks both times. I would highly recommend anyone stay here, you will not be disappointed.

Came here for a couples night - stayed March 30th in room 417. Overall we had a really nice time. Room: Our room was indeed quite small, but at the end of the hallway and quiet with a nice view of the bay. No fridge or coffee maker but enough room for two people to move around as needed. Smart TV was easy to log into and bed was comfortable. Pool / Saunas: We had a really great time here - the pool was warm and the sauna's even warmer. The room that is right next to the pool (and indoors) had plent of comfortable seats, towels, robes etc. - we had a few drinks and the cheese/meat platter and were able to relax for most of the afternoon. I believe you have access to this starting at noon the day of your stay through noon the day you leave. Food/Drinks - we ate at Margie's for both brunch and dinner - brunch was very good and reasonable. The dinner menu was ok, but really needed a decent fish option on there - considering how close it is to the water! Extra bread was an upcharge. The burger was VERY good - my wife had butternut squash ravioli which were a bit oily. Drinks overall at the hotel are quite good and reasonbly priced for NY. Coffee is free in the attached coffee bar from 7-11AM. Hotel / Location - the hotel itself is beautiful - cozy lobby with fireplace - plenty of seating and chairs - elevators work great - staff is super friendly and hospitable. As for the location - 2 minute walk to the boardwalk - bagel place and bar across the street as well - you can venture down to 116th street or 129th street as well which are the main streets in this area with local restaurants and such. We prepaid for parking which was $10 but the lot itself is several blocks away - you really dont need this during offseason and we parked on the street and were able to get the parking refunded. During peak season you would likely need this.