Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Blue Hydrangea Beach Cottage

Yes — our rental comes with two Belmar beach tags, which are required for everyone age 14 and older. In addition to beach tags, we provide all the outdoor equipment that you need for a day at the beach. Our beach amenities include backpack beach chairs, umbrellas, a beach cart, boogie boards, and a wagon.

The house is centrally located within easy walking distance of both Belmar beach and downtown Belmar. We're four blocks from the beach and two blocks from Main Street in a quiet neighborhood.

Yes — we have central air conditioning and ceiling fans in every room. Free high-speed wireless Internet (Verizon FiOS) is also included.

Yes — there is a driveway parking spot for one car. For additional vehicles, free street parking is available on a space-available basis. As with other towns along the Jersey Shore, parking in Belmar is at a premium in the summer, especially on the weekends. We advise that you try to plan your travel to minimize the number of extra cars.

Our home has two bedrooms. The primary bedroom has a queen sleigh bed. The second bedroom has two twin beds. The sofa in the living room does not pull out, so it is not suitable for use as a bed. Four persons is the maximum occupancy (two people per bedroom).

The kitchen is well-equipped with everything you need to fix snacks and meals — good knives and cookware, dishes, utensils, 12-cup drip coffee maker, K-cup coffee machine (Ninja brand), electric tea kettle, toaster, blender, slow cooker, Pyrex, and more. We also provide basic pantry supplies, such as dishwasher detergent, dish soap, sponges, wraps and foil, trash bags, S&P, cleaning supplies, and a starter supply of paper products. Propane and cooking tools are provided for the grill, along with a cleaning brush.

You will find thoughtful touches in every room to provide a comfortable homelike getaway. The beds are made with designer sheets and bedding, and bath towels are included. There's a 55-inch Sony Smart TV in the living room with Verizon FiOS service, plus a Sony Blu-Ray DVD player with wi-fi streaming capabilities. You'll also find a selection of books, DVDs, and games. The master bedroom has a 43-inch flat-screen TV with Verizon FiOS. Free high-speed wireless Internet is included (wi-fi) — plus all the gear you need for a day at the beach, a gas grill, and so much more. Amenities List > A note about laundry facilities: The rental is not equipped with a washer and dryer. Our guests who need laundry done use one of the two laundromats in town. They both offer convenient wash-and-fold service if you prefer not to do it yourself. Give them your laundry, and they will wash, dry, and fold it for you. One of the laundromats, Wash-A-Shore, is conveniently located right up the street from our rental. If you prefer pick-up and drop-off service, check out Surf Suds laundromat in Belmar. What a nice treat to have someone else do your laundry for you while you're on vacation!

The coastal community of Belmar, New Jersey, offers everything you could want to during your vacation at the Jersey Shore. In addition to relaxing on the beach, if you're looking for more adventure, you can enjoy miniature golf, parasailing, fishing party boats, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), sunset cruises, walking on the boardwalk, watching the sunrise or sunset, and so much more. Downtown Belmar has plenty of restaurant choices to suit all tastes and budgets, as well as clothing boutiques, spas and salons, and specialty retail shops. Learn more on our Visit Belmar page. For local Belmar NJ tourism information, check out our award-winning Belmar Beachcomber Blog.

You will be renting the entire second floor of our two-family home, which includes two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, and a private deck with garden views. The first floor is occupied by the owner, who will be onsite during your stay. Please note, access to the rental requires climbing 16 stairs.

Yes — you must be at least 30 years old to rent our home. Parents may not rent or sign for their adult children under age 30. We are required by local ordinance to request a copy of driver's licenses for verification purposes and will not accept rentals initiated under false pretenses.

During peak summer season, our home is rented by the week, from Saturday to Saturday. Check-in is at 3:00 p.m. and check-out is at 10:00 a.m. Consecutive weekly rentals are available if dates permit. We do not offer full summer rentals or stays of only one or two nights.

The Belmar Department of Code Enforcement is the local authority that determines occupancy limits at summer rentals in the borough. Occupancy is defined as the total number of people on the property at any given time. Our Certificate of Occupancy (CO) allows a maximum of four people on the premises at all times. The four-person limit includes adults and children together, with a maximum of two children. All persons who will be coming onto our property must be registered on the Rental Agreement and approved by the owner prior to the start of your stay. Unregistered guests are not permitted on the premises at any time. If you are a family of four, you have reached the maximum occupancy of the property. You may not use the property to host, accommodate, or rotate additional persons beyond those listed on the Rental Agreement. Code Enforcement fines for exceeding the four-person limit start at $265 per person. Please contact us with any questions before booking if you are not clear on this policy.

Our home is best suited for couples, adults traveling solo, and small families up to four people. We do not rent to non-family groups or to individuals under age 30. If you are part of a non-family group of adults age 30+, we will require the names and ages of all people who will be renting (four people max) and a general idea of how you plan to use the property. These details will help us make sure that our home is a suitable fit for you, and that you are a suitable fit for our home.

Our Certificate of Occupancy allows up to four people on the property at any time, with a maximum of two children. Occasional visitors are allowed if you are under the four-person limit, but they must be registered and approved in advance. Unregistered guests are not permitted on the premises at any time. In addition, the property cannot be used to host, accommodate, or cycle additional persons, including but not limited to: daytime beach visitors, unanticipated overnight guests, or "rotating" family members from another property nearby. Code Enforcement fines for exceeding the limit start at $265 per person. Please contact us with any questions before booking if you are not clear on this policy.

We do not allow dogs of any breed or size, crated or not, in our rental. Nor do we allow any other types of animals in or on the property. If you would like your dog nearby during your vacation, we can recommend a local pet resort that offers boarding.

Your beach house rental will cost hundreds of dollars more when you rent through booking sites such as Airbnb, VRBO, and TripAdvisor. In addition to charging you extra platform "service fees," the big booking sites are required to collect New Jersey sales and accommodation taxes of 11.625%. This is known as the "shore rental tax." These added fees and taxes increase the cost of renting our home by upwards of $500.00 for a one-week stay and $1,000.00 on two weeks! Rentals by owner like ours are exempt from collecting the shore rental tax, and we never charge hidden "service fees" when you rent directly from us. Although Jersey Shore realtors are also exempt from collecting rental taxes, realtors may add non-refundable "reservation fees" or "tenant processing fees" onto your total cost — in addition to charging a commission to the homeowner. Cut out the middleman and save when you #BookDirect with us!

We accept a variety of payment methods for your convenience: Venmo Personal checks* Zelle Credit card or debit card via Square Invoice — Add 4% to the total due if you choose to pay by Square Invoice *We do not accept personal checks if there are fewer than 45 days until your arrival date. In these instances, we only accept Venmo, Zelle, certified check, or credit/debit card via Square Invoice (subject to the 4% transaction fee noted above).

Rentals with arrival dates less than 60 days away must be paid in full at the time of booking (rent, security deposit, and cleaning fee). Rentals with arrival dates 60+ days away require a first payment of 50% of the total rental cost and a signed Rental Agreement to hold your dates. The 50% balance is due 30 days after the first payment is made. Access to the property will not be granted if the full rental fee is unpaid (rent, cleaning, damage deposit).

Privately owned vacation rentals offer a better value, more space, and more convenience if you are looking to stay in Belmar for a week or more. You'll have the entire house with a full kitchen to yourself in a homelike setting that allows for social distancing. Guest rooms in a hotel or bed-and-breakfast (B&B) are more suitable for shorter stays of one or two nights, or for a long weekend, when you are planning to be out and about most of the time. One of the big differences when you book a hotel or B&B room is that you won't have access to a kitchen to cook your own meals. The cost of dining out can add up quickly. Vacation rentals do not have a 24-hour front desk, a conceirge, or daily maid service. At our rental, you'll be dealing directly with the owner. Amenities at vacation rentals can vary, but our rental includes sheets and bath towels (beds are made upon your arrival). We do not provide toiletries or personal care products, but these items can be purchased locally if you need something. You are not expected to clean the house before you leave (the cleaning fee covers basic household cleaning and change of linens). We do, however, provide cleaning supplies to help you keep the home in good order during your stay. In comparing the costs, you will likely find that the cost per bedroom to rent a vacation home in Belmar is significantly less than the same number of guest rooms in a hotel or B&B.

To start the rental process, please complete our secure online booking form via the "Rent Now" link below. Once we receive your completed form, we will prepare a customized Rental Agreement. The Agreement will be emailed to you for signature, along with further instructions to finalize your request. Our home is rented on a first-come, first-served basis. All rental requests are considered tentative until confirmed in writing by the owner. Due to the high demand for prime summer weeks, dates will not be held without a signed Rental Agreement and payment on file. Rent Now >

We do rent after Labor Day with a minimum three-night stay. Please contact us with your dates of interest for pricing. We are currently offering our home as a Belmar winter rental for the term of October 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. More information is available on this page.