Ala Kai Motel
8301 Atlantic Ave
Wildwood Crest, NJ
1963 Polynesian Doo-Wop on the Jersey Shore. One of the last of its kind.
About Ala Kai Motel
The Ala Kai Motel was built in 1963 by Kurt and Gertrude Burghold as one of the original Polynesian-themed Doo-Wop motels in Wildwood Crest, at the height of the era when the Wildwoods created a distinctly American resort architecture: boomerang rooflines, tropical plantings, and neon signage. The Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District, including the Ala Kai, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jay Maher has owned and cared for the Ala Kai for years, operating it with hands-on attentiveness that guests consistently describe. In 2023, he acquired the neighboring Blue Marlin Motel and rebranded it as Ala Kai North, giving guests access to two pools and two courtyards while keeping the original Polynesian character intact across both buildings.
What Ala Kai Motel Is Known For
The Ala Kai is one of the most faithfully preserved Doo-Wop motels still operating on the Jersey Shore. In a district that lost more than 50 original properties to demolition between 2003 and 2006, the Ala Kai not only survived but grew, absorbing the neighboring Blue Marlin and bringing it into the same tradition rather than modernizing it away. The towel sculpture tradition is small and specific and completely theirs. The staff warmth is documented across six decades of guests. This is the kind of place that exists because someone decided it was worth keeping exactly as it was.
Amenities
- WiFi
- Two outdoor pools
- BBQ grills
- Full kitchens in efficiency rooms
- Private balconies and patios
- Daily housekeeping with towel sculptures
- Microwave and refrigerator in all rooms
What Guests Love
- Jay, JoAnn, and Lucas are named by guests year after year as the reason they come back: service that reviewers describe as warmer and more attentive than properties costing three times as much.
- Daily housekeeping delivers a handmade towel sculpture to your room each morning, a small Ala Kai tradition that has become one of the things guests mention most.
- Two pools on two buildings means you can follow the sun: morning light on the original Ala Kai side, afternoon sun all day at Ala Kai North.
- Efficiency rooms with full kitchens make the Ala Kai a genuinely practical base for a week on the Jersey Shore, with grocery options nearby and no obligation to eat out for every meal.
- The 1963 Polynesian Doo-Wop design has been maintained with unusual fidelity across six decades, placing the Ala Kai among the most authentic surviving examples of its kind on the East Coast.
Worth Knowing
- The Jersey Shore summer season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, with the beach at peak use from late June through August. Mid-week stays are noticeably quieter than weekends.
- Check-in is self-guided; contact the property in advance if arriving late to confirm access instructions.
- Checkout follows standard motel timing; contact the property if you need a late departure.
- Wildwood Crest is the quieter, more residential end of the Wildwood barrier island. The amusement piers and boardwalk are about a mile north in Wildwood proper.
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Rooms come with two queen beds, microwave, refrigerator, and coffee pot, opening onto a private balcony or patio that faces the pool and courtyard rather than a hallway. Efficiency units step it up considerably: efficiencies include a full kitchen with two queen beds, while efficiencies add a separate living area with a sofa bed and private bedroom with a queen, making them a practical base for families spending a week rather than a night. Bathrooms have shower and tub combinations with complimentary toiletries. Every room gets daily housekeeping, and every day housekeeping leaves a towel sculpture on your bed. It has been an Ala Kai signature for years: swans, flowers, whatever the staff is feeling that morning.
The Grounds
Guests pull directly into free on-site parking and walk to their room from the lot, no lobby required. The original Ala Kai building's pool gets the morning sun; the Ala Kai North pool, on its southern exposure, stays in the sun all afternoon. Both pools are outdoor, and both buildings share access for all registered guests. BBQ grills are available for guest use throughout the season. The exterior retains its original Doo-Wop character: the tropical architectural details, the neon, the low-slung two-story layout that reads horizontal rather than vertical. Across Atlantic Avenue, the beach is less than five minutes on foot.
The Experience
A week at the Ala Kai has a rhythm that regular guests come back for every summer. You wake up, the beach is across the street. You come back to the pool. Someone from the staff checks in to make sure everything is right. You find a towel swan on your bed. The efficiency kitchen means you can pick up groceries and not eat out every meal if you don't want to. The Wildwood boardwalk is a short bike ride or drive up the island, Morey's Piers within easy reach for a day on the rides. Reviewers consistently describe the Ala Kai as the kind of place that makes the simple things feel right, run by people who actually care.
Details
Wildwood Crest, NJ 8260
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ala Kai Motel have EV charging?
No, Ala Kai Motel does not have EV charging.
Does Ala Kai Motel have WiFi?
Yes, Ala Kai Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near Ala Kai Motel?
Wildwood Crest Beach: 0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Morey's Piers and Boardwalk: 2.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Cape May: 6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
How far is Ala Kai Motel from Wildwood Crest Beach?
0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Ala Kai Motel from Morey's Piers and Boardwalk?
2.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Ala Kai Motel from Cape May?
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
Is the Ala Kai Motel pet friendly?
Pets are not permitted at the Ala Kai Motel.
Does the Ala Kai Motel have a pool?
The Ala Kai has two outdoor pools, one at each building. The original Ala Kai pool gets early morning sun, while the Ala Kai North pool stays in the sun all afternoon. Guests staying at either building have access to both.
How far is the Ala Kai Motel from the beach?
The beach is 0.1 miles from the motel, directly across Atlantic Avenue, about a 5-minute walk. Wildwood Crest's beaches are free and among the widest on the East Coast.
What is the Doo-Wop style and why does it matter at the Ala Kai?
The Ala Kai was built in 1963 in the Polynesian Doo-Wop style that Wildwood Crest made famous: tropical-themed architecture, boomerang rooflines, ocean-view verandas, and neon signage. The Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District, which includes the Ala Kai, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Trust for Historic Preservation once named the district one of the Eleven Most Endangered Historic Sites in America, and the Ala Kai is one of the survivors.
Does the Ala Kai Motel have kitchens in the rooms?
Yes. Efficiency units are available with full kitchens, ideal for families or longer stays. efficiencies include a full kitchen with two queen beds. efficiencies add a separate living area with a sofa bed and a private bedroom with a queen bed.
What is the check-in and check-out time at the Ala Kai?
Contact the property directly to confirm check-in and check-out times before your stay.
How far is Cape May from the Ala Kai Motel?
Cape May is 6 miles from the Ala Kai Motel, about a 15-minute drive. It is a National Historic Landmark city and one of the most beautifully preserved Victorian resort towns in the country.
Is the Ala Kai Motel family friendly?
Yes. The Ala Kai has been a family destination since 1963. Efficiency units with full kitchens are available for families who want to self-cater. The beach is across the street, the boardwalk is steps away, and the Wildwood Crest beach scene is built around families in a way that most Jersey Shore towns are not.
Is parking available at Ala Kai Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Ala Kai Motel.
Does Ala Kai Motel include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at Ala Kai Motel.
How can I give feedback on a property I stayed at?
If you are a guest that stayed at the property, we would love feedback about your experience. Boutels listed on this site do not pay to be included nor can they pay to be sponsored or promoted. Your feedback matters. Please .
I’m affiliated with this property and have feedback on this listing.
We’d love to learn more about your property. To provide images, simply log in as a member (it’s free), find your listing on the map, choose “Visited,” and you’ll be given the option to upload images and leave a note. You can also and we’ll be in touch, just be sure to provide us with contact information in that form. Thanks!
Things to Do Near the Wildwoods
Wildwood Crest Beach
0.1 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
0.1 miles, about a 5-minute drive, or you can walk. The Atlantic Ocean beach is directly across Atlantic Avenue from the motel, one of the widest and most consistently clean public beaches on the East Coast, free to access with no parking required from the Ala Kai.
Morey's Piers and Boardwalk
2.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
2.5 miles, about a 5-minute drive, or you can bike there. The Wildwood Boardwalk stretches 2.5 miles and Morey's Piers anchors it with more than 100 rides and attractions across three amusement piers and two beachfront water parks, the largest free-admission beachfront amusement complex in the country.
Cape May
6 miles, about a 10 minute drive.
6 miles, about a 15-minute drive. Cape May is a National Historic Landmark city and one of the best-preserved Victorian resort towns in America, with 600 acres of Victorian architecture, a thriving restaurant and wine scene, and the southernmost point in New Jersey. Worth an afternoon.