Marquis de Lafayette Hotel

I have stayed in Cape May many many times and have always imagined that the Marquis was a cut above the rest. Surprised my wife with an anniversary surprise weekend which included one night there. I was extremely disappointed how poorly appointed the standard king room was, how closet like the bathroom was and how many fruit flies there were in the room. The bathroom had everything that a bathroom should, but in a room which should be twice the size. I am 6’4” and the bathroom mirror was in the center of my chest. I can’t blame the hotel for this, but there were two wedding parties last night and the guests decided that 4am this morning was a good time to continue it on the balcony above our room.

I reviewed the Marquis many years ago and I took a year off, returning for a September late post season visit. The first thing I noticed was that most of the prior Victorian decor had been replaced by an updated and more modern style. I loved the old antiques, but things were getting worn and that style, while attractive, wasn't what the current generations want. It has been updated but still keeps elements of the style that it is known for. The rooms were basically the same and were clean and comfortable. I typically stay on the top floor which has a more private balcony as well as central heat and AC (instead of window units). The top floor rooms are slightly larger and have cathedral ceilings which is a nice change from a standard room. Being centrally heated, it is more like a home system and the one in my room kept breaking in the middle of the night. I would call the front desk and someone would typically arrive quickly. It was a minor problem and was fixed quickly, working until the following night. This happened 6 times and we were given a new room when one was available. We were given a night's accommodations for our troubles, which was fair. At this point, I wanted to mention Bob. Bob is in charge of the property, maintenance wise. Bob went the extra mile to get this fixed for us or to make sure that we were properly taken care of for the trouble we had. To me, this speaks volumes about the new "attitude" that seems to have moved into the Marquis. The other members of the maint staff were equally friendly and helpful. The pool area is well kept, the pool is heated (maybe too much!) and there is a very nice updated outdoor bar area adjacent to the pool, which usually has music. I am not one that usually likes too much change, but the property has been improved and the standards have been raised. The rooms were cleaned quickly and well. The one thing I did NOT like was the elimination of the breakfast buffet. I have enjoyed the included breakfast buffet for more than 30 years and was very disappointed when I learned that it had been stopped this year. The offered breakfast ala cart menu just didn't have the same feeling, which made us go to other nearby establishments for breakfast. The food service at the pool was delicious and wasn't the same type of menu that you would expect. The standard items were there, but items like bacon wrapped huge scallops were also available and were delicious. The hotel is great during the weekdays in September. There are very few visitors and there are no crowds or screaming children (although I always manage to attract a few!). Most of the shops are open, although most have shortened hours. By 9 PM, it's like a ghost town! I've been coming to the Marquis for nearly 60 years and have seen the good and bad times. While I am seeing signs that Cape May's boom town times might be slowing again, the Marquis seems to be at the top of it's game. The property seemed to be in good condition, clean, and everyone seemed to be upbeat. The rooms on the right side of the property are considerably smaller than the other side of the property, but I usually stay on the left side of the hotel as looking at it from the beach. The view can't be beaten and I will probably continue coming here until they cart me away. Cape May gets in your soul and doesn't let go. It changes, but stays the same. I'm a lifer.

The section of this hotel that is 3 stories has rooms that all face the ocean. Lovely view. However that whole wing is a bit beat up. Lots of dings to the metal surfaces need painting. Cement walkway needs repair. The through-the-wall AC unit in our room cycled on and off and was very noisy. It blew cold air right at the bed. There should be a diverter to direct the air up. We had to use the king pillows to divert this air...There is a street light that shines right into the rooms because there is no window blackout curtain on either the balcony door window or the room window. The plastic slat blinds do not do the job. Annoying but fixable. There is a small balcony with 2 chairs and a small table. Nice to sit out there and watch the beach and the water. Lovely. With windows closed and when the loud AC unit was cycled off, we could hear people talking as they walked along the street—we were on the 3rd floor. The room was spacious with a nice bathroom. The AC did not get into the bathroom...The hotel would benefit from paint, curtains. We ate at the pool bar. Very poor service from the bartender....Food was OK. So many other places to eat—skip the pool bar.

I visited here for three nights on weekdays right after Labor Day. The location was great. Right across the street from the beach with no buildings obstructing view in a walkable location near a lot of shops and restaurants and lovely old Victorian homes. I rarely had to get into my car once I arrived. The staff were super helpful even when the place was busy. The rooms, although small, were clean and appointed adequately for a beach side hotel. Best to get a room that is on second floor or higher to enjoy the beach view while sitting on your private porch in the comfy rocking chairs. I only ate in the restaurant once for breakfast and it was fine; nothing special but varied and ample w attentive staff even though buffet.

I always stay at this hotel. Quaint and across from the beach. The rooms are clean and the staff is friendly and helpful with suggestions on where to eat or places to go. You can walk pretty much everywhere to local shopping ect Highly recommend!!

This is our fourth stay at the Marquis. View from the sixth floor is amazing. Desk Staff was always helpful, including Bryan and Marlene. Manager Joe, as usual, was always available for any issues. The Barefoot Bar was a treat. Their happy hour had great drinks, food, and conversation. Kudos to friendly and hard-working bartenders Patrick and Noreen. Our room was spotless, due to cleaning by Marisel. As other say, you cannot beat the location. Many great restaurants to walk to. You can also walk to Acme, their local supermarket. A two-burner stove, refrigerator and microwave were included in our room. Can't wait to go back . One week is not enough.

I had seen some negative reviews but must say we enjoyed our stay and would return. We were up on 6th floor. The rooms were clean, everything well stocked, bed comfortable, housekeeping did a great job & pleasant. One day I left a few dishes in the sink planning to clean when we got back. Housekeeper did them when she came in. I certainly didn’t expect that to be her job. Our checkin went smoothly and we had no issues. Of course the view was great and wicker rocking chairs so comfortable. I did learn that some floors/rooms not up dated yet. Ours was updated with hardwood floors, which every hotel should have. Yes it is pricy but lot of the cost was taxes. And the location can’t be beat. Again we were totally happy. And wang to return to Cape May & staying here again.

You couldn't ask for a better location. All rooms have a great ocean view from their balcony (balconies are very small). Our suite was spacious, reasonably comfortable and clean. However, the entire hotel needs a serious remodel, not just another fresh coat of paint.

This hotel is a great location for families since it is right across the street from the beach and only two blocks from Washington street shops and restaurants. The arcade is also right across the street and mini golf a block away. My only annoyance was not knowing that I had to buy daily beach tags to use the beach. That is pretty tacky even for Jersey and probably should have been mentioned at check in. All in all it was a nice vacation and nice beach town.