We gathered at Jeff's house for a three-generation family week at the beach during the times of social distancing. He was a terrific host. The place was perfect. (The pictures do not do it justice.) The house has plenty of room both inside and out. We had adults on the second floor, each of the 4 kids had their *own* room on the third floor (with one full living room to spare up there).
The renovation of this 1880s house is done lovingly to preserve the bones and to bring in the conveniences (air conditioning, bathrooms, plumbing, closets, etc.) You can feel the history of the place, and get to enjoy the modern comforts too (including everyone showering after the beach and the water not freaking out).
Given that we visited in the summer of 2020, outdoor space was very important to us and the place delivered. The wraparound porch was perfect for breakfasts and coffees, the picnic table under an umbrella was the ideal spot for lunches and dinners, and the upper deck of the porch was a hideaway (or the perfect perch to see the NJ Transit trains zip by.)
We had a train enthusiast in our party and his glee at hearing an approaching locomotive was contagious. The NJ transit tracks are right across the street. When you are in the house or in the yard, you can’t see the train because the hedges are thick, but you can hear it. After a few passes, we all got used to it. It added a certain charm to the whole experience.
We rented bikes from Jeff that shortened our walk to the beach and made it easy to explore the quaint town of Spring Lake. It was easy to drive to beach in the morning and park very close to the entrance. We sent one car over each day to bring beach chairs, umbrellas, and towels (and to make it easier for the octogenarian in our party to have energy to do laps in the stunning salt-water pool at the beach club.)
Jeff is an extremely responsive host. (I say this as someone who has traveled for decades all around the world and stayed in all sorts of places.) He stayed in a cottage on the property for part of our week there, and he was elsewhere for another part. Regardless of where he was, Jeff was very responsive to questions I had (while not being intrusive). He stocked the house with all the beach gear you’d need.
If you are looking for a comfortable getaway at the beach that is not a cookie-cutter experience, I highly recommend Jeff’s place. Book it.