Project location: Asbury Park, NJ · Prepared by POPUP from the project archive in October 2026.
The Haunting recast the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel through a seasonal story. Familiar event and guest spaces became part of a theatrical experience that gave Asbury Park visitors a new reason to return after summer.
How can a hotel develop an experience beyond its peak season?
A recurring event can give a familiar property a new identity at a different time of year.
Recast the hotel as a seasonal haunting, then develop the second edition into a stronger reason to visit beyond summer.
Change how guests experience the hotel
A haunted environment recast familiar spaces as part of a seasonal story.
Build on the first edition
The second year grew from the first edition’s foundation, developing the concept into a stronger seasonal property.
The planning lesson
Look at how the property's existing rooms can support the narrative. Guest programming, live entertainment and environment design need to connect across the visit. A recurring concept also needs a clear plan for how it can develop in later editions.
Who delivered the experience
POPUP developed and produced the haunted experience across the hotel’s event and guest spaces. The second edition expanded the concept, building on the first year’s audience response and the property’s theatrical potential.
What the experience made possible
The Haunting connected theatrical storytelling and hospitality, giving the property a distinctive experience beyond its summer setting.
Project questions
Where did the experience take place?
The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel: Asbury Park, NJ.
What was the delivery scope?
Experience concept; Environment design; Production; Live entertainment; Guest programming.
Explore related work
Further reading
For the wider event and campaign context:
