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Doubletree Suites by Hilton Doheny Beach
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels American (New), Hotels [Edit]
34402 Pacific Coast HwyDana Point, CA 92629
(949) 661-1100
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Private Lot, Valet
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
39 reviews for Doubletree Suites by Hilton Doheny Beach
Review Highlights
"super, super friendly staff -- and those cookies."
(in 10 reviews)
"...got upgraded to a great ocean view room -- it was awesome."
(in 5 reviews)
"Unlike the folks at the front desk, the valet guys are..."
(in 9 reviews)
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39 reviews in English
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Review from Jessica A.
Crosby, MN
11/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
As a HiltonHonors member... I was impressed!
I've seen this property for years and driven by many times, as I used to live in OC. But I got a chance to experience it this past week, as I hosted some family members with a stay there with extra HHonors pts of mine.
As a Gold we got upgraded to a great ocean view room -- it was awesome! Parking was safe and secure in their ground-level parking area. Super convenient to take the elevator right up to the floor that you're on.
Lounge up top....super, super friendly staff -- and those cookies!
Hilton isn't my first choice of hotel chains, but I had a great experience with the staff here -- that maybe we'd look at staying here.
Bathrooms were on the small side.
Quick access to PCH & the 5 in South Orange County. -
Review from Alejandro J.
San Ramon, CA
9/19/2011
In a triangle formed between the freeway and the beach right across a campground that touches the ocean. Beautiful hotel, nice room
Parking, underground for US$20. They offer bike rental at the hotel and surf rental not far from here. Nice outside pool. And exercise room with barbells.
Flat TV w HD. Refrigerator &, Microwave in the room. Some small stores within walking distance. Suite. Perfect for family.
Since there is as camping ground in front of the hotel you can go to the beach - see how the other half live and get back to your suite. -
Review from Mr K.
West Hills, CA
I've got to give this place 4 stars for what it is. It is a nicer, clean hotel within walking distance of the beach and all the rooms are suites. Granted it's not the St. Regis, the Montage or the Ritz, but it's also less than half the price. It's also not the Marriot, but that hotel is almost double the price, and you cannot walk to the beach.
The pool is small, but it is heated and it is hardly crowded. I can't tell you much about the restaurant because we never eat in the hotel. However, you can order drinks poolside.
The rooms are not freshly remodeled, but they are far from dingy. It is also nice to have a separate seating area with a fridge, sink, pull out couch and a door that can be closed, especially if you have kids. There are also 2 TV's to satisfy different tastes.
I also want to add that the parking cost is typical for that area unless you are staying at a Courtyard type place. FWIW, the Marriot chargesd$29 the last time I stayed. -
Review from Sarah W.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 8/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I upped it to 2 stars because the Hilton staff was SO quick to solve all of our problems.
Our 5 year anniversary was still ruined and our stay was still terrible but at least the corporation cares enough to make things better. I am grateful for that.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/26/2011
My husband clearly didn't look at Yelp before booking this hotel. While driving up I Yelped it and… Read more »
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Review from Nicole S.
Pomona, CA
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for 4th of July weekend with my family and had no expectations. This hotel is great all around- and right across the street from the beach!
There is a cute rooftop lounge that serves delicious and inexpensive drinks and appetizers. The pizza and chicken tenders were yummy, definitely their own unique recipe.
The servers at the lounge and at the breakfast nook are very helpful and genuine.
They also have really good cookies they provide at check-in and when there is a maintenance issue with your room... Mmmmm!
I also went for a run in the mornings and the hotel is about half a mile from a great running park with a looooooong flight of stairs. At the top you can see a beautiful view of the Marina!
Doubletree FTW! :) -
Review from Debbie M.
Irvine, CA
7/10/2011
I am a very loyal Hilton Honors member and always try to choose Hilton properties wherever I go, but this hotel is a HUGE disappointment. The location is not ideal, and most rooms do not have a great view. Specifically, my room looked across to...another room's patio!! So, if I kept my curtains open, others guests could look directly into my room.
The room itself, although spacious, was not updated and didn't meet the Hilton standards I would expect -- and since I couldn't really keep my drapes all the way open, it was not very light or bright. Honestly, I've stayed at Hampton Inn properties with much nicer rooms. I just tried to stay out of the room as much as possible...I was thankful for the rooftop bar with its friendly bartender, decent food, good drinks and cozy firepit.
Positives: The rooftop bar, staff professionalism, cookies
Negatives: Lack of good ocean views, expensive parking, rooms not updated -
Review from Nancy T.
2/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty nice hotel, located right next to the beautiful ocean. You can totally feel the breeze as you're hanging out down in the area! Parking is ridiculously expensive, but we were lucky because I came as part of a school project, so we didn't have to pay. The staff is really friendly here. They give you a complimentary warm chocolate chip and walnut cookie - they're suuuuuper yummy!! :) You can even buy the mix to make those cookies with if you want! Seems kind of strange for a hotel to be known for cookies, but hey...I'm not mad at warm, gooey, chocolatey cookies!
I enjoyed all of the catered food they provided us with. They were always great about stocking our fridges with plenty of drinks, bringing us extra goodies, and providing us with snacks. But again, I came with a private school, so they catered to our every whim because we give them a lot of money. I would potentially come back here just for a hangout though! Each hotel room comes with a separate office area with an extra flat screen tv. Be sure to avoid getting a room on the fourth floor, as that is where the bar is, so you might be kept up all night, unless you like that kinda thing. -
Review from pauline c.
Los Angeles, CA
7/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Didn't have that great of an experience with the front desk upon arrival. Didn't even get my cookie. Had to come down later and ask for it.
Otherwise, the rooms were clean, this location is not super new. It's hard to come here after visiting the Ritz down the way but... you get what you pay for. And this one is a great location. Parking is expensive $22 per night. Geez. -
Review from Loleeta P.
Montrose, CO
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Across the road from the ocean. Lovely view, clean, very friendly staff. Rooms (we have a double bed suite) are very tiny!! Breakfast was yummy, lunch (grilled chicken sandwich) was fabulous but way overpriced. kids hamburgers were burnt. $22 a day parking. Ouch!! 10 miles to Laguna Beach and yummy food.
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Review from Nicole S.
Huntington Beach, CA
7/19/2010
My husband and I chose this hotel to have our guests stay at for our wedding very recently. We booked a block of rooms which we have not yet been able to get credited for on our rewards account. This was a huge factor in booking 14 rooms for one night, and a very expensive mistake we found.
We brought a very large group to the rooftop bar after our wedding reception, which we checked out earlier and were pleased with the view and seating. When we arrived on our wedding night, there was only 1 bartender working. He had a horrible attitude and the service was terrible. Some of our guests got sick of waiting and simply chose to leave.
2 of our guests that flew in from out of town discovered HUGE mistakes on their bar tab. When they called the bartender out about the additional charges, he was very rude and informed us there was no manager on duty.
I was embarrassed that we suggested our guests stay at this hotel. Our wedding went amazing, and everyone was excited about the after party- Which was ruined by deciding to bring them to this facility.
The service at the front desk was a nightmare. Customer service skills would be a great thing to have or maybe learn if you're in the hospitality business.
This hotel has no class and a very unprofessional staff. I would never stay here again and would strongly recommend others to stay away from this second rate, hole in the wall, hotel. -
Review from wendy s.
5/24/2011
Stayed here this past weekend for the Doheny Blues Festival. A wonderful place. reasonably priced and a view of the beach from the room. The staff was very cordial. Note - parking is pricey! Other than that everyone was wonderful. The rooms were clean. The accommodations welcoming. And let's not forget the cookies! I'd definitely stay here again.
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Review from Rachel S.
San Diego, CA
7/13/2011
Stayed here for three days for a family reunion and the only reason they get two stars is for the delicious welcome cookie we got when we checked in. Let's see the room smelled like mold, bathrooms were tiny, our coffee maker and mini fridge didn't work and a few of us had to change rooms because the a/c didn't work. There were a few patios on the 4th floor and so our family and I would order pizza, drink beer, and hang out. We were all age groups so going to the bar wasn't appropriate and this was the next best thing. We got noise complaints at 8pm both nights. Like, really. Sorry, but the overall experience sucked.
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Review from Peter C.
3/9/2011
Alright, they get credit for trying. The hotel is old, the parking fees outrageous, and with a pool closed for maintenance and my room overlooking the freeway/railroad, it's amazing the Doubletree put their logo on this one. However, the bed was comfortable, pillow plush, and when I called in a noise complaint (the next room was having a full-blown spring break party), within 10 minutes I was moved to a new room and the neighbors reprimanded. Did I hate it? No. Would I stay here again? Probably not.
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Review from A H.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2011
Nice enough hotel but it's a bit outdated. Our room backed right up to the highway so there was no view and we were awakened by the garbage trucks (or delivery trucks?) early in the morning. The staff was very nice and helpful though. The furniture was old, though the bathroom was new but very tight! Easy and accessible parking garage. When I return to the area, I would choose to stay in a hotel in Laguna Beach (right up the road) because there seems to be more restaurants and shopping there. No free wi-fi which is a bummer because so many other hotels offer it.
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Review from Miriam W.
10/24/2006
This is an all-suite hotel and every room has a coffeemaker, refrigerator, and wet bar. If you're like me and want to go to sleep early, you'll be glad that there's a TV and couch in a room separate from the bed. That way, you can snooze in the bed while your night-owl pals stay up and watch the telly.
Front desk attendants are friendly but fairly incompetent. Upon checking in we asked for directions to the venue where the wedding we were attending was being held. Pressed for time, we went up to change and said we'd be down to retrieve the directions on our way out. They indicated that this would be no problem.
When we came down, they looked at us as though they'd never heard of the venue much less our request for directions to it and ultimately weren't able to help us before we ended up hopping in the car and winging it.
Valet your car - it's the same price ($17) as self-parking and saves you the hassle. Unlike the folks at the front desk, the valet guys are super competent. -
Review from Michelle C.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2009
For the price, the Doubletree is a good choice. We paid around $160 a night for it. I wouldn't pay much more than that. It's a little confusing to get to from the road, but we got there eventually.
The room: average amenities. I stayed in one of the single king suites. Alas, my room did not have an ocean view. The bed is decently comfortable with plenty of fluffy pillows. The Neutrogena and Crabtree & Evelyn products in the bathroom were nice. But, there is no hair dryer in the room! I didn't pack one because most hotels have them now, so I was forced to let my hair air dry. :( Wi-fi was around $13 a night or $33 for a three night package. I must have coffee the minute I wake up, so I brewed a cup of the complimentary stuff. I can't believe Wolfgang Puck put his name on it. It doesn't taste very good, but at least it is caffeinated.
Service: Love the cookie. There is a tiny gift shop that has some additional toiletries in case you had forgotten something. Some of the employees are really nice and are willing to help you out, while others have an attitude. We were also dismayed to find the patio on the 4th floor closed when we wanted to head up there and enjoy the weather. When we asked why, the man replied that it was because there were only 13 people staying there. What? -
Review from Kimberly A.
Fontana, CA
7/17/2011
I visited in July and there were TONS of Mosquitos in our room and they gave us the run around when we asked for a new room. The floor had obviously not been vacuumed. My husband and I are diamond Hilton honors members, even got married in a Hilton!
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Review from Hai Hai H.
5/10/2008
I stayed at the 1 KING 2 ROOM SUITE-WHIRLPOOL-FIREPLACE-NONSMOKING room for a day.. I arrived 3 hours before but, they let me check-in immediately. The room was little bit small but it was big enough to stay by myself.
And there was a bar right next to my room and there were several several older women who invited me to join them so I gave 4 stars =$
I don't really remember much about the room but I sure had a GRRRRRRREAT sleep.. -
Review from crystal b.
Long Beach, CA
10/15/2011
Stayed here with my friend while she attended a conference there. The location was good and the facility has great potential to be a good hotel but there were a few things that prevent me from staying at the hotel again. First, as many have mentioned the rooms have a funk smell - I finally figured out our room (238) smelled of animal urine. When I discovered it is a pet friendly facility, I recognized the odor. The smell was so bad, I had trouble sleeping. Furthermore, I got a flee bite on my anckle. Yuck. As others have also mentioned, the carpets are dirty and the bathroom is tiny, tiny, tiny. And in general the rooms are very dated with worn out furniture. I hope they are reading these reviews....
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Review from Janis F.
Westchester, CA
8/24/2009
My husband and I stayed at the Doubletree Suites last Saturday night. Here is the good, the bad & the ugly.
The good...
Nice sized room, sliding doors that separate the sleeping and living areas. A BIG plus for us since my hubby always likes to take and afternoon nap. Since we are Hilton diamond members we were upgraded to an ocean view room. BUT we were only on the 2nd (of 4) floors we couldn't see to much of the ocean. The room was well appointed and had sliding glass doors that led to a small balcony. The public areas were a little dated and tired but not awful.The staff was very nice.
The bad
The complementary continental breakfast that we received was pretty lame. We opted for the $5 upgrade which included the hot buffet. The hot buffet was as basic as basic can be. Sausage, bacon, eggs & pancakes. I will say that the salsa was AWESOME! Also the floorplan was kind of a maze. We had to take 4 different halls from the elevator to our room.
The ugly
While beautifully decorated the bathroom was TINY! Thank goodness there was a sink in the living area 'cause there is NO way 2 people could brush their teeth at the same time. The bath/shower had a really strange glass door 1/2 opened and 1/2 fixed. The fixed side was by the faucet so to start the water you had to step into the bathtub. So there was no way to get the shower warm and flowing before you showered. Kind of weird.
All in all this was an ok experience. The location is terrific and if I ever need to be in Dana Point overnight again I'd probably stay at the DT Suites. -
Review from Matthew L.
Placentia, CA
5/31/2011
The staff here is the true highlight. They are extra-friendly, incredibly helpful and always welcoming. The hotel is what it is I suppose, it's older, they tried to shine it up some and turn it into suites. It's not the Ritz Carlton, but it is right on the beach so bonus there. If you can afford to get the room overlooking the ocean I'd recommend it. Then make sure you have gotten your weight lifting in as you'll need the extra muscle to open the frickin' sliding doors and shower door. Man, anyone ever hear of WD-40 there? Aside from that the room was nice, the fireplace very inviting and I had a huge deck overlooking the ocean. The tv's were very large, the couch and furnishings comfortable.
The thing I find a little confusing and annoying about Dana Point is trying to get around. The streets are laid out in an odd manner in my opinion and so it makes it difficult to run out for dinner. We had to eat in the hotel the first night, not bad for hotel food. I'd say in a pinch you could do worse than eat there. The Vivo bar is very nice, up on the roof top and relaxing to just sit and drink.
Overall though, go for the staff since. Hilton/Doubletree has done an excellent job training them on the finer points of customer service. -
Review from Roach D.
Duarte, CA
6/10/2007
Yes, I know I am an all-American dog.
I guess that's why these all-American type boys who valet the car, dressed in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, always give me a how'r ya doin' and a pat on the head when I arrive here.
The hotel is serviceable. The beds were comfy, nothing fancy.
The rooms were smallish, but had a separate area with a refrigerator for my grub and a medium sized, clean bathroom to store my water bowl.
We even had a small balcony to take in the ocean breeze.
It was clean but a bit corporatey. Nothing bad, nothing special.
Outside near the entrance there is a pool that taunted me every time I entered the building (I am not allowed in), and a nice side greenbelt where I can do my business in private.
The parking entrance was weird, you could only get to it one way on kind of a confusing, oddly laid out street. Once you cross that street, you are essentially on PCH, and the beach is pretty much right there... so tempting.
I am not allowed on the beaches here in Dana Point, so I didn't see much of a point to staying here. It's not too far away from Laguna,
though. And I had a great time in Laguna.
This place is nothing fancy, but it was sure nice to be greeted by warm smiles at least from the valet guys.
Sometimes I felt out of place here. It was as if the out of town guests were surprised, if not horrified to see me in the elevator with them and their frightened children all decked out in beach attire with blow-up beach toys my vicious teeth wanted to pop out of jealousy...
all this water and no dogs allowed. what a shame. -
Review from Lynn T.
San Jose, CA
1/24/2008
Location - 2.5
Service - 3.5
Value - 3
Amenities - 3
Decor - 3
When my MOH and I checked into the Doubletree the night before my wedding, I requested a late check out but was told that the latest check out time was 1:00 p.m. I casually let it slip out that I was getting married the next day and my girls and I were getting ready at the hotel. They agreed to extend the late check out by another hour; and they even sent up a bottle of champagne the next morning for us.
The service was great and very accommodating. They went out of their way to try to find us chair options because I was worried that the swiveling chair was going to be an issue for the make-up artist.
The hotel is a little difficult to get to, depending on which direction you're coming from. And the valet disappeared for 10 minutes when we were trying to leave the hotel for the church, so that caused some panic as it made us run late for the wedding. These two items keeps this review from being a 4-star. -
Review from Kelly M.
Vista, CA
4/5/2011
I am sorry to say but this Hotel is in DIRE NEED of some Major repairs !!
It has a water leaking problem and the hotel smells like sewer and MOLD ! (which is very harmful for your lungs) We checked in March 25th for a two night stay. They actually had fans in the hallway trying to dry the carpets. Early that eve I went to the bar and asked for some wine glasses to take back to my room. The bartender was really RUDE !! I then caught his attitude and told him I would be back with several friends to have drinks. We came back about an hour later and he was still RUDE ????? Not sure why he would want to work with the public with that kind of attitude ?? The next morning we went down to the restaurant to have some breakfast. We waited about 25 min till someone even noticed us and we were at the bar. We ended up getting our own coffee. When the waiter finally noticed us he told us it would be at lease a 45 min wait and that we probably did not want to wait ?????? Well we ended up leaving, but had to pay $2.00 each for the coffee (NOT COMPLIMENTARY!!) That night March 26th we have a few people in our room having drinks and all of a sudden the lights went out. The lights did not come back on for over two hours. NO flashlights, no candles not even a staff member came around to tell any of us what was going on ?
We were in complete darkness. The hallways were super Dark and all the doors were automatically closed. I called the front desk several times till someone would answer, and was told to stay in our room ???
We were all getting ready to go out and a couple of the girls were in the shower. Well there went our Saturday night !! I can not imagine if there was a Major Disaster I would not want to be in this hotel !!!!! Long story sorry, but when I got home I wrote a letter to Management and as of today April 5th still NOTHING. I feel I should have had an apology from management and a free weekend stay !!! Location is Great but as far as I am concerned the hotel needs to be torn down and rebuilt. MAJOR WATER LEAKS and Smelly !!!!!!! -
Review from L B.
San Diego, CA
4/28/2011
The good: Nice location near the beach and park. The suite was clean and offered two TVs. The lobby, upstairs bar, and dining area was classy.
The bad: As everyone points out, the hotel really overchanges for parking (although the valets are nice guys). While I was there the hotel put me in a room that had maintenance problems. They moved me to another room but the problem really cost me time and was a real inconvience. Unlike most other Hilton-brands I've stayed in, this hotel would not make any accomodation for their mistake. After talking with the front desk, I felt like they were telling me "tough break, now go away and don't bother me". The desk at this hotel really doesn't know true customer service--so unlike other Hiltons. In the end, after paying their high rate for the room and parking, I felt I was cheated. Don't stay here. Really. -
Review from Dionne N.
Pinal County, AZ
11/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
Kody at the front desk initially forgot to give us our cookies when we checked in, but made up for us by giving us four and every other time he saw us! The cookies were AWESOME (and I'm not a real cookie person).
Everyone Else's review is pretty accurate. I felt claustophobic in the bathroom, no cuddle time in there with the hubby because there is no way 2 adults can fit in there at one time, unless one of you is in the shower...even then, you have strategically plan your way out through the shower door opening outward and the bathroom door opening inward.
The bed(s) are in the front room when you walk in and the sitting area is on the back side by the window. We didn't get a balcony but it overlooked the peanut size pool and entrance way. I liked the two TV's in the room, my hubby was able to watch football in the sitting room while I watch my show of choice in the bedroom
The pool tiny and in the front of the hotel, so everyone can see you as they arrive.
Breakfast buffet in the morning is typical breakfast stuff, -
Review from Scott A.
Santa Monica, CA
7/7/2007
This place really gets a 3.5. It has its ups and downs...
+ the cookie they give you at check-in might be the best cookie of all time, the fact that all the rooms are suites, the neutrogena toiletries, terry cloth bathrobes, the fact they allow pets
- right near the train, location isn't that convenient, $10 a day internet fee -
Review from katy m.
Studio City, CA
2/15/2010
We really had a great weekend here over Valentine's Day. The hotel itself is very pretty, lots of glass giving an open appearance. They have a fabulous open air bar on the roof. My girlfriend and I were extremely lucky with the weather, too.
Yes, awesome cookies, but the best part were the staff..especially Ingrid from Guest Services and Cynthia, from the restaurant/bar. They have a killer cheeseburger and good nachos that go well poolside.
The only down side was a slightly noisy air conditioner that cycled on and off a little too much - really didn't affect us that much, tho. -
Review from Robin N.
Sierra Madre, CA
9/9/2011
I've stayed here twice. The first time was after our wedding, the second was for our wedding anniversary. The first stay was not great. The front desk didn't accommodate us in any way and wouldn't let me check in early on my wedding day. They also didn't really do anything extra for us, didn't even give us the cookies when we did check in.
We decided to give it another try for our anniversary, and reserved the king suite. When making the reservation I noted that it was our anniversary. The front desk staff asked which night was the actual date and then made a note on her computer. I guess this raised our expectations that maybe we would get a complimentary bottle of wine or even some sort of discount at the restaurant. Nope, nothing extra. I know it isn't required, but having stayed at similarly priced hotels and other doubletrees for birthdays and other special occasions, it is fairly typical for the hotel to do something. On top of the lack of hospitality, the hotel itself is pretty dirty, the carpets are dark and ratty and empty cocktail glasses and dishes line the hallways. The parking garage had large pools of fetid water from some sort of leak. The rooms are nice enough, but the hospitality here is just not what I expect from a DoubleTree. I would stay here again, but really the only thing we expect at this point is a clean room near the beach. -
Review from Kris H.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/16/2011
Sadly, the best customer service at this hotel is the Valet. When I went to check in for my wedding suite, I was greeted by a bad attitude. Our party booked several rooms for the weekend. Rooms had broken glass on the floor, weren't cleaned prior to check in, and claimed to be ocean view but were blocked by trees. Then 3 of the guests cars were hit in the parking garage! After the wedding we continued the celebration at the rooftop bar, where we were given the worst customer service! The server and bartender were extremely rude! It escalated to the point of getting the manager involved, and needless to say, he was no help at all!! I do not recommend this hotel to anyone! Stay clear!!!
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Review from Heberto s.
Pomona, CA
8/28/2011
I booked a nice birthday weekend get away for my wife and kids through Expedia but next time I'll Yelp first because Expedia showed this place with more stars than Yelp. The Yelp members gave it 2 1/2 stars but it was too late for us. This was a nice place but was giving a room on the 2nd floor with a view of a palm tree. When I asked for another room they claimed to be all booked. At least they offered to give me free parking which costs $22. For the price I paid for an ocean view room it is sure not worth the price. If you decide to stay here make sure you ask for a room above the 2nd floor. Plus the RV park across the street was not a pleasant view. Very disappointed! :-(
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Review from Ann V.
Los Angeles, CA
6/25/2010
I've stayed at several Doubletrees and this was not up to the usual standards. I stayed on rewards points for 1 night.
The bad:
-my room smelled vaguely like a sewer (like there was stagnant water in the pipes) which Housekeeping had clearly tried to overcome by dousing the bathroom with disinfectant. The result was both a sewer-like and strong antiseptic smell.
-This was the worst!--I received a 6am wake-up call that I most definetly did not ask for.
-parking charge of $22 on my invoice even though I said NO when was asked specifically at check-in if I had a car.
-no Manager on Duty to speak with when I left
-no cookie at check-in :(
The "good":
- when I contacted Doubletree Customer Service about all of the above, they offered (without my asking) to refund the Points I used to book the room and I also got a call from the manager of the hotel.
-the sliding doors to the balcony's actually open (but if you don't have an ocean side room they open to a view of what is basically a high-volume freeway off-ramp). -
Review from Gee J.
Austin, TX
6/30/2010
Well, their internet site looked good but this is an old hotel they attempted to remodel... let me emphasize "attempted". Its all in the initial appearance but the rooms themselves are small, cramped and not too impressive. The night we stayed the AC did not work, but it was Calif so we opened the slider and keep the fan on and we managed to keep our room temp reasonably comfortable. Watch out for the up charges. They hammered us with a $22 parking charge and the internet is NOT FREE. They charge $12.95 for 24 hours or a ridiculous hourly rate. Staff was nice and helpful. They did offer us a warm cookie at check in.
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Review from Jerry S.
Encinitas, CA
6/20/2010
We booked through Priceline. When my wife and I arrived, we were assigned a room and it was like going though a maze to find it. It was about 150 yards from the elevator, through hallways with strange angles. On our way to our room we noticed other people coming back from dead ends in the crazy maze, trying to find the elevator to the lobby.
We got to our room, 301, and found it was right next to the freeway in the far, far reaches of the hotel. We immediately called the front desk to see if we could change rooms. The guy didn't seem believable when he haltingly said, "er...sorry, we are sold out."
All in all, the floor plan of the hotel is crazy, like it was some young architect's first big job, and he blew it. To top it off, the color is a pukey yellow.
The employees were pleasant, except for the fellow who wouldn't let us change rooms.
We wanted to go for a walk in the morning, and we found pedestrian access was not a priority around there. There is only one direction you can walk, and you have to cross a very busy street.
Our stay was not pleasant. In fact, my wife and I jokingly have a new term for when something is bogus. It is 301, the number of our room.
The next day with went to the Marriott in Manhattan Beach. We payed the same price for our room, and it was so much nicer. -
Review from Anna L.
3/19/2009
This hotel wasn't so bad... yes, the hotel was a bit tough to get to (I missed the fork in the road my first attempt) and a pain to get back on the PCH north ("left, left, right") but I had pretty low expectations for this hotel anyways so I wasn't disappointed. Was conveniently just a few miles from where I needed to be during the day... and likely 50% of the cost so I guess I can't complain.. though doubt I'd stay here again... am sure there are better recession-friendly options.
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Review from Janinius B.
San Diego, CA
4/24/2009
I've stayed here twice. Both times the cookies were rock hard. This time I just said thanks, thats okay and gave them back. Both times I did not sleep comfortably. This last time our room had this horrible consistant motor sound, like we were over the chiller or something. Whe I called to see what could be done, if we could move, they instructed me that it was the a/c for the restaurant and would shut off by 11:30 at the latest. Mmm...okay. I figured I'd be up till then... I guess I should have asked when it would come back on? It stopped at around 12:20 AM (and by this time who has the energy to move rooms?) and kicked back in at 5:00 AM or so (and now with an added tapping that sounded like rats scratching and biting at a wall). Even though it is across from the beach, it is right off the freeway, so there is that added noise as well. Not relaxing, at all.
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Review from judy s.
Oceanside, CA
3/24/2009
I planned a long weekend to get away with my husband upon his return from his deployment to the middle east. I even upgraded our room to a ocean view room considering my husband's been in the sand pit for months, I thought it would be nice. Upon check in, we were told that below our room the next night was going to have a party. Ok, no big deal, not the quiet weekend we were looking forward to but it wasn't going to kill us. We get to our room, which is beautiful until we opened the curtains to see what we paid an upgrade for; imagine the disappointment when we see the parking lot where the valet was checking cars and a giant tree blocking the ocean... great. Ok, whatever, wasn't going to kill us. 1st night was pretty uneventful but we noticed a lot of the party prep and party goers checking in. By midnight we were quite used to the booming music but was getting a bit annoyed with our neighbors to the right and above us. In and out the doors were open and shut (spring loaded so it was slamming shut), pretty hard to ignore. Upstairs were click clacking all over the room with their heels and moving furniture, what seemed like all night. We called the front desk finally and was told they'd send security up. No one came up and the noise and inconsideration continued till we finally got up, packed our things and checked out. There were no apologies or anything, just here's your bill. I called the next day and was greeted coldly by the manager Matt with, "well, I told you there was a party". I explained it wasn't the music but the inconsiderate guests they had and staff that had no concerns that there were unhappy guests!! He also told me there was nothing he could do so I asked for his supervisor who was conveniently on vacation but would have a message to call me today. It is now 1PM and still no calls. I know my husband is just happy to be home but I planned this for months and wanted it to be awesome for him. Well I have to say, the staff at Double Tree Doheny Beach is not so awesome! Also, since we left at 3AM, I unfortunately left my cellphone in the room, imagine my surprise when the hotel staff told me they hadn't found it! Yeah, I'm sure.
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Review from lilac y.
Mountain View, CA
1/4/2010
I had quite a different experience than some of the other reviewers. In December 2009, we stayed for 3 nights in a 2-room suite with 2 queen beds and 1 sofa bed. I paid about $130/night using http://Orbitz.com. The room was great for 4 people. The hotel is beautiful with a lovely (albeit small) pool and a cozy gym with up-to-date equipment. We found the staff to be helpful and courteous, and the warm cookies were delicious. To give some examples, I asked for utensils to use for our cereal one morning and got them right away. We asked if we could have extra cookies the second and third days we were there and each time the staff cheerfully gave us 2I (they automatically give you warm cookies when you check in). The hotel is also located across the street from the beach. The only downside is that parking costs $22/day, which is a fee I feel the hotel should eliminate or reduce.
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Review from Jake V.
Newport, RI
10/31/2008
The rooms are small and poorly designed. Hampton Inn blows both their rooms and service out of the water. During my weeklong stay, I found the Doubletree to be short staffed because their employees were flustered and rushed both on the phone and in person. Recently, I I left a message with a billing question, but never got a call back. Only after two more phone calls and being placed on hold for 15 mins did I get an answer. The restaurant is good, though a little overpriced, and the gym is excellent.
