What are some hotel recommendations for hotel for Long Beach CA departure on Carnival

Can anyone give me recommendations for a hotel for two night pre-cruise stay in Long Beach? We will be flying into LAX the Thursday afternoon, sailing Saturday. Will not be renting a vehicle. Looking for nice, clean reasonably priced hotel for our two nights. I was told that Long Beach is only about 1/2 from LA and the port isn't far away. Any info would be great, thanks!!

Kathy

Search "Long Beach" and many threads come up. Here's one to get you started http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2206712&highlight=long+beach

Long Beach is about 45 to 60 minutes from the airport LAX.

Are you sailing from Long Beach or San Pedro ? Also which cruise line are you cruising with ?

You might be better to sign up for the meet & greet for your specific cruise . They usually can answer the question better and a general forum

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport last month. The renovated rooms are nice and it has a nice rooftop bar/restaurant.

It would help to know what price point you consider "reasonable".

You can zoom this map in.

https://goo.gl/maps/hCXnnGeRxa72

The Hyatt Centric is a great place and meets my definition of "reasonable", but it might not yours.

I would not go lower in the ratings than the Best Western Plus and Varden Hotel.

Thank you SadieN, that thread had lots of great info!!:)

Ok, great!! Thanks everyone!! Yes, we are on the Carnival Miracle out of Long Beach. I did sign up for the roll call for that sailing so I have posted my inquiry there as well.

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer:

There is a very limited area of Long Beach in which you want to stay...and, therefore, a limited number of hotels.

"A" List: The BEST places to stay are the Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance and Hyatt Centric (also known as Hyatt at the Pike) …These put you right in the heart of the tourist area with very convenient walks to restaurants, shops and attractions and easy access to the free "Passport" shuttle...and those ARE the nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

http://www.longbeach.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

http:// http://www.westinlongbeachhotel.com/

http://thepikelongbeach.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbrn-renaissance-long-beach-hotel/

"B" List: Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, is the Hilton. Just across the bridge (on the same side of the channel as the Carnival Pier) are the Marriott Residence Inn Downtown and the Maya Doubletree...

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hilton-long-beach-LGBLHHF/index.html

http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hotel-maya-a-doubletree-by-hilton-LGBMYDT/index.html

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbri-residence-inn-long-beach-downtown/

"C" List: Slightly outside the prime area and/or not necessarily the nicest hotels for one reason or another, but options if all else fails are the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...The Queen Mary is across the bridge ...and right next to the Carnival Terminal...however, I am not a big fan of the Queen Mary--unless you are on there for nostalgia's sake...It's not exactly a first class hotel by today's standards--the rooms are small, condition questionable, etc.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbcy-courtyard-long-beach-downtown/

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/stay-aboard/

Getting to ANY of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi, car service or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle or Super Shuttle's Execucar...From hotel to pier, some of these hotels may have free shuttles, but policies change time to time, so I would check individually with the hotel...All would be a very short taxi ride from the Carnival Pier...From the Maya Doubletree, Residence Inn Downtown or Queen Mary, one could even walk...LAX is 20 miles from the San Pedro cruise port, 23 miles from the Long Beach Carnival terminal...Depending on traffic, say and time of day, it could take anywhere from 1 half an hour to an hour...

One word of warning: Do NOT go looking for bargains outside of this short list of hotels...Long Beach is a BIG city...there are lots of different areas, some better, some worse...some not so close to the port or the tourist areas...That bargain hotel MAY tell you it's near the Convention Center or near the port...but it may not be...it may be in an undesirable area or location. You want to have a pleasant stay--stick to this list.

This area of Long Beach means you will have a large choice of restaurants nearby, you will have nice shops and picturesque scenery and places to walk and enjoy...You will be close to sites like the Aquarium and the Queen Mary if you want to have a little sightseeing... One word of warning: Do NOT go looking for bargains outside of this short list of hotels...Long Beach is a BIG city...there are lots of different areas, some better, some worse...some not so close to the port or the tourist areas...That bargain hotel MAY tell you it's near the Convention Center or near the port...but it may not be...it may be in an undesirable area or location. You want to have a pleasant stay--stick to this list.

This area of Long Beach means you will have a large choice of restaurants nearby, you will have nice shops and picturesque scenery and places to walk and enjoy...You will be close to sites like the Aquarium and the Queen Mary if you want to have a little sightseeing...Long Beach runs a free shuttle service called the "Passport" which will take you all over the Downtown area:

http://www.lbtransit.com/services/passport.aspx

Spent time at the Long Beach pier last week on a back to back day. The restaurants and aquarium seemed to be wanting to take the tourists money.

I would recommend Hotel Maya. They have a special discount for Carnival Cruisers ( use code P41) The rooms are normally around $235.00 but with this code they are around $159.00. They also have a free shuttle that will take you right to the cruise terminal. I see you will be flying in but for those who drive they also offer free parking for up to 7 day. I think the parking at the Long Beach terminal is $17.00 per night. Hope this helps!! :)

The OP (kelseybren) added more details in the Roll Call for their trip, namely that they have two teens with them (boy 15, girl 17) and they had looked at the Courtyard Marriott.

Still don't know the budget, but given a choice between the Hotel Maya and Courtyard, I'd take the Hotel Maya, especially if the code (P41) works.

I would recommend Hotel Maya. They have a special discount for Carnival Cruisers ( use code P41) The rooms are normally around $235.00 but with this code they are around $159.00. They also have a free shuttle that will take you right to the cruise terminal. I see you will be flying in but for those who drive they also offer free parking for up to 7 day. I think the parking at the Long Beach terminal is $17.00 per night. Hope this helps!! :)

Parking lot is now $19/day.

Spent time at the Long Beach pier last week on a back to back day. The restaurants and aquarium seemed to be wanting to take the tourists money.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is excellent and well worth any "tourists money" it takes to buy a ticket. If someone belongs to the auto club, they can check to see if there's still a "show and save" discount.

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer:

 

There is a very limited area of Long Beach in which you want to stay...and, therefore, a limited number of hotels.

 

"A" List: The BEST places to stay are the Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance and Hyatt Centric (also known as Hyatt at the Pike) …These put you right in the heart of the tourist area with very convenient walks to restaurants, shops and attractions and easy access to the free "Passport" shuttle...and those ARE the nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

 

http://www.longbeach.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

 

http:// http://www.westinlongbeachhotel.com/

 

http://thepikelongbeach.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbrn-renaissance-long-beach-hotel/

 

"B" List: Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, is the Hilton. Just across the bridge (on the same side of the channel as the Carnival Pier) are the Marriott Residence Inn Downtown and the Maya Doubletree...

 

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hilton-long-beach-LGBLHHF/index.html

 

http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hotel-maya-a-doubletree-by-hilton-LGBMYDT/index.html

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbri-residence-inn-long-beach-downtown/

 

"C" List: Slightly outside the prime area and/or not necessarily the nicest hotels for one reason or another, but options if all else fails are the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...The Queen Mary is across the bridge ...and right next to the Carnival Terminal...however, I am not a big fan of the Queen Mary--unless you are on there for nostalgia's sake...It's not exactly a first class hotel by today's standards--the rooms are small, condition questionable, etc.

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgbcy-courtyard-long-beach-downtown/

 

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

 

http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/stay-aboard/

 

Getting to ANY of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi, car service or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle or Super Shuttle's Execucar...From hotel to pier, some of these hotels may have free shuttles, but policies change time to time, so I would check individually with the hotel...All would be a very short taxi ride from the Carnival Pier...From the Maya Doubletree, Residence Inn Downtown or Queen Mary, one could even walk...LAX is 20 miles from the San Pedro cruise port, 23 miles from the Long Beach Carnival terminal...Depending on traffic, say and time of day, it could take anywhere from 1 half an hour to an hour...

 

One word of warning: Do NOT go looking for bargains outside of this short list of hotels...Long Beach is a BIG city...there are lots of different areas, some better, some worse...some not so close to the port or the tourist areas...That bargain hotel MAY tell you it's near the Convention Center or near the port...but it may not be...it may be in an undesirable area or location. You want to have a pleasant stay--stick to this list.

 

This area of Long Beach means you will have a large choice of restaurants nearby, you will have nice shops and picturesque scenery and places to walk and enjoy...You will be close to sites like the Aquarium and the Queen Mary if you want to have a little sightseeing... One word of warning: Do NOT go looking for bargains outside of this short list of hotels...Long Beach is a BIG city...there are lots of different areas, some better, some worse...some not so close to the port or the tourist areas...That bargain hotel MAY tell you it's near the Convention Center or near the port...but it may not be...it may be in an undesirable area or location. You want to have a pleasant stay--stick to this list.

 

This area of Long Beach means you will have a large choice of restaurants nearby, you will have nice shops and picturesque scenery and places to walk and enjoy...You will be close to sites like the Aquarium and the Queen Mary if you want to have a little sightseeing...Long Beach runs a free shuttle service called the "Passport" which will take you all over the Downtown area:

 

http://www.lbtransit.com/services/passport.aspx

Thanks for this very informative post Steve!

I have stayed at the Golden Sails Best Western. They have a great cruise and park package. It's $150 per night and include the breakfast buffet and up to seven days cruise parking. It is clean, a little dated, safe and it includes shuttle/pre paid taxi to and from the cruise terminal. Is it in a tourist area? No, but my sister and I felt safe and comfortable. They also offer a shuttle service/cruise and transfer package from LAX. You have to call the hotel directly to book for their package. I am sailing on the Miracle in September and have already book my package. I prefer to spend my money on the cruise.

The P41 code at the Maya, worked for our cruise leaving on Mar. 26. It may not work for all dates. For us it was $159 which will include parking for the entire cruise and shuttle to and from the ship. It is close enough to walk if you have only a little luggage and are "walkers".