Wildwood Crest
Caribbean Motel
Lou Morey's 1957 Doo Wop motel, the first to use the plastic palm trees now common in the Wildwoods; saved from demolition in 2004.
- Built
- 1957Built and opened 1957 (NRHP nomination; the motel).
- Style
- Doo Wop / Moderne
- Architect
- Lou Morey (builder)
- Type
- Inn
- Credentials
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The story
Lou Morey, whose family built many of the Wildwoods’ Doo Wop motels, built the Caribbean in 1957 for Dominic and Julie Rossi, with a crescent-shaped pool, a levitating ramp and canted glass walls. It was the first motel to use the full-size plastic palm trees now common in the Wildwoods. George Miller and Caroline Emigh bought it in 2004, saving it from demolition, and restored it with Philadelphia architect Anthony Bracali. It was listed on the National Register in 2005.
Good to know
- No pets
- Address: 5600 Ocean Avenue, Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260
Sources (3)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.