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14 reviews for Crowne Plaza
Negotiated on Priceline for 4 nights & got a great deal: $400 INCLUDING taxes.
Again, a happy clam I was a major CHEAP-O, b/c they always getcha w/the parking, $18/day or $22/day for valet. Can't complain too heavily, the location was perfect, tennis court, outdoor pool/spa and all access to Gold's Gym.
Rooms are presentable, bed induced sleep and HBO. For the light sleepers- AC rattles loudly.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
Sweet:
- room was very spacious
- bed was big & comfy ( a little firm, but that's not a bad thing, just an adjective)
- bathroom was impressive (lots of light, pretty double doors)
- views of the marina & pretty boats from my balcony
- staff was very friendly
- business center where you can use the internet & print airline boarding passes for free
- able to use Gold's Gym next door for free (which I did not get a chance to use)
- lots of soaps, shampoos, mouth wash, q-tips, eye mask, etc & other extras that make your stay that much more comfortable
- location, location, location- pretty close to LAX, restaurants, water sports, the marina & strip malls.
Sour:
- air conditioner was a little loud
- parking was two doors down & was $18 a night (ouch, my wallet hurts)
- room decor is VERY understated (wall colors are pale yellow & white-it doesn't get anymore understated that that.) Upholstery looks a little outdated, like they were put in in the early 90's & never changed (small detail, but still...)
- i know they technically don't *have* to, but it would have been nice if they allowed us a late checkout in the morning. I've never been turned down for an extra hour of sleep glorious sleep.
I slept like a baby for the one night I was in town, which means I would not mind laying my head in this quiet, beautiful hotel next time we decide to come out to Redondo Beach on a whim.
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I attended an absolutely beautiful wedding here on Saturday. The rooftop ceremony was amazing, with clear blue skies, the ocean, and the harbor sparkling in the background. The hotel did a great job keeping guests off of the rooftop deck (and pool area) during the ceremony, which I thought was great.
The reception was in one of the ballrooms off of the lobby. This is where things got kind of dicey. We sat down to the table terribly thirsty (after a half hour in direct sunlight), only to find our water glasses frozen solid. It was like looking at a newly frozen lake from the side or something -- I could see the liquid water at the bottom of the glass, but I couldn't get to it past the ice at the top. I could even rotate the ice float around, but no water could sneak past! The staff were great and obviously working pretty hard to help everyone, but it definitely took a long time to get one of them to fill our wine glasses with water.
Everyone raved about the food: salad with candied walnuts and blue cheese followed by a fillet, chicken or pasta main course. Wedding cake for desert, obviously. Maybe it was because we were sitting at a table at the back, but it seemed like we were the last to get our food.
Like I said, it was a gorgeous wedding, so you'll hear no complaints from me. Well, except for the water thing =) .
After staying at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in LA last night, this was a completely new hotel personality to adjust to. To use a metaphor, the Hyatt was like Charlotte York from "Sex and the City". Classy, sophisticated, well-schooled, a bit restrained but fun. She'd be the massage client.
The Crowne Plaza is more like Phoebe Buffet from "Friends": Laid back, slightly scruffy yet presentable, more down-to-earth, leaning toward wacky. Definitely the masseuse.
Scored this place for 3 nights on Priceline at $58/night. A much fairer price for a property rated 3.5 stars by them since they suffer grade inflation. Other reviewers paid $179, 115, and 79 but I think anything over $79 is way too much for the value. Here's why:
Cons:
- The lobby carpets are faded and showing heavy wear.
- The parking garage is depressing, ghastly, and difficult to access from the hotel ; it reminds me of some East German communist housing project. Cost is $18/day with in and out privileges.
- The drawers are no longer flush with years of use while the TV armoire has a number of scratches.
Pros:
- Gretchen at the front desk was a spirited ray of sunshine. Warm, solicitious, and ready to answer questions. She asked for my Priority Club number so she could issue a coupon good for a complimentary amenity.
- Choice of amenity: up to $15 in telephone calls, one day's free internet, or 4-hour free bike rental.
- Large room. Definitely bigger than the one at the Hyatt.
- King bed had great soft sheets and firm newish mattress.
- In room refrigerator. No less than 4 working lamps. Room carpets are in nice shape.
- Designated quiet floors - no groups or teens booked on these floors.
- Free use of the Gold's Gym next door. Nice eye candy for sure.
- The beach is across the street and the pier with boardwalk is a 1 minute walk away.
With the right mindset, this 'Phoebe' makes for a good and fun stay in the upscale Redondo Beach area that have a lot of 'Charlottes' running around in.
People thought this was:
- Useful (9)
- Funny (10)
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The Crowne Plaza on Redondo Beach was disappointing, which made bunneh cry!
Pros: The location was top notch and we even had a partial ocean view with a balcony. The room itself was quite spacious, and the armchair was comfy. The king sized bed was vast and provided ample space for me to get rolled up in the sheets like a burrito (literally!). A BUNNEH BURRITO if you will! ;) The bathroom was a good size with plenty of counter space.
Cons: We got stuck with a smoking room and it reeked of cigarettes the moment we stepped in. And there were cigarette burn marks on the desk and the carpet. The hotel was sold out that weekend, so they had no more non-smoking rooms left. Also, the shower made a horrible whining sound and it drained poorly, leaving a huge puddle of water in the tub after I had finished my shower. The bedside lamp on my side of the bed didn't work either.
Boo!
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- Useful (2)
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Spent my weekend chauffeuring my parents around Cali.
Decided on the Crowne @ Redondo because this time I wanted to keep away from Downtown LA where I usually stay. At first, I was hesitant because the reviews I found online were inconsistent and went all over the board, but it turned out to be a great experience for me & my parents. Crowne is considered to be a 3.5 star hotel and I thought it was almost comparable to a 4 star. My overall experience was actually better here than some of the 4 star hotels I've stayed at i.e. Hilton @ LAX. I guess it depends on the person & their needs. Some of the reviews I've read online were really nitpicking the details, but I don't care too much about the carpet or that the walls may need a little touch up on paint cuz I don't spend too much time in the hotel/room anyway when I'm on vacation.
Good/Great!
- Service : everyone was so nice and accommodating! Thank you
- Heated Pool & tennis court on the roof - open 24 hours. You can swim while staring at the stars. The max depth is 5 ft~ fine cuz I'm short, but my dad is super tall and he was saying how he wished it were deeper. Pool was clean!
- Rooms & Lobby: It was better than I expected. I had nothing to complain about and thought it was comfortable. Bed was nice, too. It looked better than the pics.
-Gold's Gym: This is right next to the hotel and members get to use it for free. It's 24 hours and I thought it was just alright, but my gym junkie friend told me it's good for LA. Alright. Check out their group-x class schedules. Good variety to choose from.
- Lobby: I liked it. And it's nicely lit.
OK:
-- Bathrooms. Needs some minor renovations, but otherwise, it's fine.
BAD:
- Parking. Yes, $22 is cheap compared to other hotels I've stayed at that have charged me $42. But why pay $22 dollars when you can park across the street at the parking garage of the pier for $3/day on weekdays and $5/day on weekend?! I didn't understand why crowne lot was full... was it b/c people don't know about the other option? Or are they seriously that lazy to walk down the street? Hmm... well, whatever it is... pier parking was empty, it looks safe, and there are security cameras around.
NOTES:
- Ask for the free crowne membership because they give you a ticket for one of the 3 options: free internet, free 4 hr bike rental, or up to $15 dollars for in-room phone calls.
I wanted to rent bikes, but didn't even have time for this!
So, my trip was better than I expected.. minus missing my departing flight. Do not stay out late the night before your early flight! Oh well, gives me more time to yelp, I guess. I love Redondo! It was really cute and calm. Anyway, it was a vacation for my parents, not me and that's the mindset I had when I bought my ticket. Met up with only a few people & couldn't do much due to time~ but 'twas fun.
And the best thing about my trip??? ... Seeing my parents happy to meet with old friends, have fun, and relax. :)
We booked a room online and prepaid for $60 a night for two nights on http://hotwire.com - We traveled by car from Northern California to Redondo Beach. After driving for 8 hours we arrived at the Hotel at midnight. We go to the front desk (with our sleepy kids in tow) only to find out they had overbooked the hotel. They told us they would comp us a room at the local Holiday Inn Express. "Comp Us"? We already prepaid for the room. Because we had no other choice we drove to the Holiday Inn Express they sent us too! We passed the local Holiday Inn Express only to find the one they had Comped us was in Torrence, quite a ways away and not Redondo Beach Caliber. At this point it's almost 1:00am, we go to the front desk only to find the only available non-smoking room has 1 bed (our reservation was for 2 beds) . Luckily the front desk at the Holiday Inn Express found a roll-away bed we could use. The Holiday Inn Express was clean and they did have a nice continental breakfast that saved us a little money.
The next day we went to Universal Studios so again we didn't get back to the Crowne Plaza until about 11:00pm. We go to the front desk and were welcomed (yes they actually had a room this time). The manager apologized for the problem we had the first night. He gave us a 1/2 price voucher for breakfast (although we didn't use it). We were all literally exhuasted by the time we reached our room. Our 18 month old toddler was crying and we all just wanted to go to bed. We arrive at our fourth floor hotel room and slide the credit card key through the lock only to find it didn't work. Trust me we tried everything, even the bellhop tried everything. I think I was about to have a nervous breakdown. After waiting about 20 minutes of calming the baby while the bellhop returned with the key, we decided this Hotel is definitely not for us.
Also be aware that you will get dinged for valet parking.
I got a good deal off Hotwire for $79 a night. I seriously thought I was going to end up getting a room at the Best Western, with the free parking, but no, we ended up here and paying the $16 a day for covered parking. Overall I don't really have any complaints with the hospitality, all the employees we encountered were very pleasant.
My only gripe is the claustrophobic feeling of their bathrooms, no fans, and I felt like it was only 1 step up from being like a motel 6, however the nice view of the pier and the larger sized room made up for it. I also thought the ear plugs were a nice touch since I had to put up with my cousin's bearlike snoring!
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
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I have stayed there at least four times in the past year and every time is a pleasant experience. You just can't get a better price near the ocean with great amenities nearby. Rent bikes, walk the pier, great local food (the fish market below the pier is not to be missed).
Take sometime to relax in the spa attached to the hotel. Kim gave the best pedicure (and cutest, she's creative) ever. I recommend the Stress Reducer (upper back massage and pedicure), well worth the $55! Yes it's that cheap!
The hotel staff was very generous upgrading our room, even though we booked on-line at a reduced rate and on Mother's Day weekend!
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We were able to get a room here for $115 per night on priceline. We didn't have a problem with our room, since it was facing the marina. The garage parking is $16 per night. I was a little annoyed pulling into the parking garage and the parking attendant was asleep in the booth. Not that we needed her to be awake when entering the garage. We encountered the parking attendant being asleep the 2nd night we pulled into the garage. Sleep on your own time!
I thought the location of the hotel was great, right next to the pier, where you can go jogging or cycling and you can use the hotel's gold gym located on top of the hotel. I was disappointed that we didn't have time to use the pool, so I can't comment on that.
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It is a good thing my company is reimbursing me for the room. At $179 a night plus $9.95 a day for Internet service, I am not impressed. Don't get me wrong, the hotel lobby is nice and the staff is friendly...but the hall way on my floor wreaked of cigarette smoke. The beds are above average, but for that price I felt entitled to at least a "reach around". The only good thing is they let you use the Golds gym next door.
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well-kept hotel along redono beach, south bay....convenient location by sports fishing docks...brisk walk to variety of restaurant to fit all budgets 'n' famous redondo beach pier....averaging $two hundred a night 'n' mostly paying for the convenience factor..
finding front desk service prompt 'n' courteous...yet discovering the opposite for room 'n' bellhop service....sluggish service 'n' "rude" call handlers...
maze of roooms...some far and a trek from elevator doors....from entrance, a dizzying pungent odor of lavender to greet...disliking any artificial aroma 'n' perfume....rooms fairly tidy....overall acceptable, but mediocre in comparison....
People thought this was:
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Hotel Week Part IV
Pros:
- Swimming pool, sauna and Jacuzzi.
I enjoyed the sauna and it was even more enjoyable that I was alone in it, it felt very private.
- Location: right by the beach with restaurants (Try Samba for their great Brazilian buffet) and a shopping center close by with a Whole Foods, Rite Aid, Panda Express, La Salsa, etc.
- Housekeeping staff is great.
Cons:
- I slept in two different rooms and they were both showing wear and tear, especially the second one. The first one had a broken closet door (I didn't expect that from the Crowne Plaza, a Motel 6 maybe). The second one's carpet was filthy and the bath tub needed a complete lifting. I wanted to take a bath but after I saw the condition of the tub I decided against it.
- Internet service is $9.95 a day. Ridiculous and slow. It should be included in the price of the room and thus free. The good thing is that in my first room (5th floor but no balcony and only a view of the street) I could use several unsecure connections from neighboring houses and condos. Thank you guys! You saved me 10 bucks! I changed rooms because I wanted one with a balcony and a view of the ocean. I got just that but the staff here, not all of them, but some kinda make you feel like you're bothering them when asking completely normal questions(Benjamin is the worst, a real jerk I feel sorry for). Normal questions like "How does the wireless work?", "Would it be possible to have a room with a balcony tomorrow? It doesn't need to be today. Thank you." I'm always very polite, courteous and respectful so if asking this is too much to ask sorry but you should not be at the front desk of a so-called luxury hotel (or at any front desk for that matter). I was almost scared of asking for anything after that. Weird. I don't think I want to stay at a Crowne Plaza hotel again. No, thanks. Because of the rudeness and obvious lack of respect of some of the staff I would not recommend this hotel. You can find better for the same price.
Conversation:
Benjamin: "Should I put the charges on your card?"
Me: "Yes, please."
Benjamin: "Are you a yes please person?", looking at me like I'm crazy and stupid.
Me: "Excuse me?" I said incredulous. I paused for a second and then "English is not my first language" and I stopped but thought "Where I am from and the way I was raised 'yes, please' and 'no, thank you' are very normal". I was just so shocked that anyone would speak to a client of a 3 1/2 star hotel that you work for that way. It wasn't the first time I noticed his attitude with me but I just let it fly. I shouldn't have. I guess he just didn't like me. Why, I don't know and it's ok. All he said was "I know, I shouldn't mess with you like that." No apologies. Nothing. Dude, I am not your friend, we don't know each other, I might be younger than you but that does not give you the right to talk to me that way, especially when I am spending money to stay at your workplace.
PS: Please train your front desk staff and teach them courtesy and a smile every now and then would not hurt either.
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location is great. lots of restaurants and not too far from either hermosa or redondo beach.
we pricelined the room... were given a room they give to handicapped people. there's nothing wrong with that, but when the bathroom door doesn't lock (it was a sliding door that you just pull closed), the closet rail is 3 ft off the ground (hard to hang dresses or suits on it without crinkling it), and there was no fan in the bathroom (the only way to de-fog post-shower was to open the door!).
that's what we get for being cheapos... trying to priceline a 4 star hotel hahaha...
service was great, they let you use the gold's gym right next door which is nice (better than your typical hotel/motel fitness centers), they comp'd our parking b/c they were booked and couldn't get us out of the handicapped room.
really quiet, i would've thought they were lying when they said they were booked had i not seen people walking on our floor, i didn't hear anything.
would i come back? i would... ONLY if we're not put in that room.
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