Overall we had a very good stay at the Empress. It is very clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, the location is great. The room was comfortable if rather dated, especially the bathroom, which clearly hadn't been touched (other than cleaning) since the 1970's. The caps on the faucets (indicating hot and cold) kept falling off. But to be fair, everything was functional. The pool was very nice, perfect water temperature and a cute Tiki bar (Which I didn't try). We were able to access free parking since we were there during the week, apparently on weekends, guests may often have to park elsewhere. The lot also has a lot of potholes and one should navigate with care. The hotel is very close to all the action in Asbury Park, just steps to the beach and boardwalk and a 15ish minute walk to downtown and all the restaurants and other action there. I would definitely stay here again.
