Which hotel in Long Beach?

We'll be taking a Carnival Miracle cruise to Mexico Dec. 1, followed by a voyage to Hawaii and back. We invite recommendations for a suitable hotel near the pier.

Also, does Carnival sell shuttles to LAX airport at the conclusion of the cruise? Thank you.

Hotel Maya, Rennassaince (SP) and the Queen Mary are very close to port. Queen Mary is a 1 minute walk. Many do not like the old-ness of the QM but we like her.

The free Passport bus connects these to the tourist areas of Long Beach.

Carnival will sell transfers to LAX. For comparison a taxi is approx $60. It is a flat rate. Find out before you leave Long Beach. Carnival transfers can be purchased onboard.

Long Beach Yellow Cab Co-op 562.435.6111

The West Coast Departure board has lots of info.

I would avoid the Queen Mary. Stayed there in April for our 15 night Hawaii cruise. Our friends had to move twice due to ants in the room and bed. And I do not mean several ants. Ants all over the place.

We stayed on the QM twice pre-cruise and did ot have a problem. Loved the old charm.

Anyone stayed there? The price is good. As to QM, I'm not big on old ships, unless they give us a suite and a butler. Ain't gonna happen because we are cheap charliez (plural).

We stayed at the Hotel Maya in Jan. For our Hawaii cruise. Book as early as possible for the best rate. Loved it. Would saty there again.

Yup...Courtyard is nice love the free breakfast also very close to the pier.

Also, does Carnival sell shuttles to LAX airport at the conclusion of the cruise? Thank you.

You can grab a Prime Shuttle to LAX for about $15 pp. Go to their website and prebook, they often have special internet rates.

I vote for the Hotel Maya. We booked several rooms there the night before my daughter's wedding on the ship. They have a great Carnival rate and offer free parking while you are on the cruise and a shuttle to the ship. It is close enough to walk over to the pier, which I did the morning we departed, just to get my bearings. The service was great and the rooms were very nice. We paid $5 extra for water view rooms and loved it.

We stayed at the Queen Mary. If you are cruise enthusiasts then you should stay here at least once. I know there are things about it that are old and not up to some hotel standards, but it is so charming and the little touches are great. I can't believe the hallways and how wide they are compared to today, and the museum is so worth touring. I am so glad we stayed here, but we would probably go somewhere else next time. Give it a try!

Thanks for the tips...this will be helpful info when I book a hotel for next spring

Here is my standard advice:

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

The BEST places to stay are the Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance and 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 th nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, are the Hilton, the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...

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...The Queen Mary is across the bridge as well...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.

Getting to any of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle...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...

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

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1003

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

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

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

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

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

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

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

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

I would never stay at the Queen Mary. We toured her but would not sleep there. Just... no.

As per Steve's excellent advice, we have stayed at both the Hyatt and the Renaissance - fabulous! Right in the DT core, near restaurants, and on the Passport bus loop if you need to go to WalMart or a grocery store.

We stayed at the Hotel Maya in Jan. For our Hawaii cruise. Book as early as possible for the best rate. Loved it. Would saty there again.

We want to stay at the Hotel Maya for our cruise to Hawaii in April 2014. How early did you book for your January cruise. I just found out the other day that the Toyota Gran Prix is April 11 to 13th 2014 and we will be staying in Long Beach April 10 to 12th and when I try to book Hotel Maya and the Hyatt and the Hilton it says that the rooms are not available and it can be because they are completely booked or it is too early to book. Any info will be helpful, may just have to call the hotel directly to book instead of online. Thanks, Cindy

Here is my standard advice:

 

 

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

 

The BEST places to stay are the Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance and 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 th nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

 

Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, are the Hilton, the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...

 

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...The Queen Mary is across the bridge as well...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.

 

Getting to any of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle...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...

 

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

 

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1003

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

 

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

 

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

 

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

Steve, thanks for all the info and especially the websites for all the hotels that you recommend in Long Beach. I tried all of them for April 10 th and the 11th 2014 and the only hotel showing availability is the Hyatt at the Pike and it is just way too much for us at $389.00 plus tax a night. I would rather spend all that extra money on the cruise. I guess I will just hope that when I try calling the hotels tomorrow that we can book one that way instead of online otherwise I guess we will have to stay somewhere else close by as the Toyota Gran Prix is that weekend in Long Beach. Just rotten luck. Thanks for all the info. Cindy

Steve, thanks for all the info and especially the websites for all the hotels that you recommend in Long Beach. I tried all of them for April 10 th and the 11th 2014 and the only hotel showing availability is the Hyatt at the Pike and it is just way too much for us at $389.00 plus tax a night. I would rather spend all that extra money on the cruise. I guess I will just hope that when I try calling the hotels tomorrow that we can book one that way instead of online otherwise I guess we will have to stay somewhere else close by as the Toyota Gran Prix is that weekend in Long Beach. Just rotten luck. Thanks for all the info. Cindy

Yup...Bad timing!!

If I were you, I would consider staying somewhere completely different...and just heading into Long Beach the morning of the cruise...

Lots of other great areas to stay in...

You might want to relax in one of our beach towns...

Santa Monica is my favorite...but the prices at nicer hotels there may rival that room rate at the Hyatt...

Marina Del Rey is nice (be sure to pick the right hotel, though--NEAR Marina Del Rey might not be that nice...You'd want to be IN the Marina or along Venice Beach)...

Redondo Beach/Manhattan Beach has a couple of choices as well...

Both of those areas are NEAR LAX but not AT LAX (being AT LAX is not that desirable)...

Marina Del Rey/Venice Beach has a lot of good restaurant choices, nice weather, good areas to walk, some interesting sights, etc...and plenty to do for a day or two...

Manhattan Beach has restaurants, a nice beach, shopping...it's sort of a trendy little town just south of LAX along the coast...

A cab or shuttle to either area from LAX is not much...and you'll have about the same cost getting to the pier the next morning that you would have had getting from the airport to Long Beach...

If you do book the Hotel Maya, use the corporate code 0560018220 for the Carnival parking package/room.

Congratulations, Steve. Yours was a wonderfully informative post.

I made up my mind: It's Marriott Courtyard for us. Seems like a nice compromise. A terrific rate; in the center of things.

Hotel Maya is very convenient and there is plenty of parking. Shuttle to and from Carnival check-in/out pleasant enough...Look for special rates when booking.

Congratulations, Steve. Yours was a wonderfully informative post....

Indeed, and you received help from others here too. :)

Thanks for the info about the Grand Prix...I sped up my search and found Beachrunnersinn Inn...but might hv gotten last room for the April 11 arrival

Does the Hotel Maya have a shuttle to the San Pedro pier?

Thanks

Dave

Does the Hotel Maya have a shuttle to the San Pedro pier?

 

Thanks

Dave

No. You would need to take a taxi...

The Doubletree San Pedro does have a free shuttle to the San Pedro pier. As does the Crowne Plaza San Pedro.

The Doubletree Maya is in Long Beach, clear on the other side of the harbor--about 6-8 miles away--if they cross Terminal Island and the Vincent Thomas Bridge...far longer if they drive around the harbor. It's a very big harbor.

No. You would need to take a taxi...

The Doubletree San Pedro does have a free shuttle to the San Pedro pier. As does the Crowne Plaza San Pedro.

 

The Doubletree Maya is in Long Beach, clear on the other side of the harbor--about 6-8 miles away--if they cross Terminal Island and the Vincent Thomas Bridge...far longer if they drive around the harbor. It's a very big harbor.

Bruin Steve - We will be coming in a couple days early for our cruise, so would we be better off staying closer to San Pedro or would Long Beach still be better for things to do nearby and restaurants?

Bruin Steve - We will be coming in a couple days early for our cruise, so would we be better off staying closer to San Pedro or would Long Beach still be better for things to do nearby and restaurants?

It really depends on what you plan on doing for whatever free time you have...

It sounds as though you are staying "local" in the harbor area (as opposed to doing any touring in "LA proper"--ie Hollywood, the West Side, etc.)...

If it were just a quick overnight, I would definitely recommend staying in San Pedro for a cruise out of San Pedro--just for convenience sake...You don't really need any more than a couple of restaurants anyway...and both areas have enough of those.

Here are the big differences:

Long Beach definitely has a larger selection of nice hotels. San Pedro has, basically, just two...Long Beach has four that, IMHO, are nicer than either of the San Pedro choices--the Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance and Hyatt at the Pike--which are ALL in close walking proximity to a LARGE number of shops and restaurants perfectly situated for tourism as well as nice areas to walk around and spend some leisure time...PLUS the major attractions of the Aquarium and the Queen Mary. Long Beach's restaurants has a full array of major chain-type eateries--all very nice, comfortable and familiar...as well as some one-of-a-kind local places...The one drawback is that you WILL need a taxi to the San Pedro pier in the morning...

San Pedro has two hotels...and one of them, the Doubletree is not as immediately convenient to most of the local restaurants. Most of the eateries in San Pedro are of the local variety--not many big chain restaurants--but some fine, one-of-a-kind places...There are some attractions in San Pedro--like the USS Iowa and the Maritime Museum...But it doesn't have the big name commercial appeal of the Long Beach attractions...San Pedro can also be a little bit less physically attractive than the core area of Long Beach--though they are starting to spend a little money to spruce it up...Whereas the Pike and Shoreline Village commercial areas of Long Beach are nice and clean, a bit newer and attractive, San Pedro's "Ports o' Call Village" tends to appear a bit seedy...

If all things were equal, I'd probably think you might feel a bit more comfortable with Long Beach...but there is really nothing particularly wrong with San Pedro...it's just a bit more "real"...It's just not most people's first choice as a tourist destination, more of a jumping off point for boarding the cruise...

As to hotels in Long Beach, some folks love the Maya--but largely for its proximity to the Carnival Terminal...It is really just a bit out of the way for the touristy areas of Downtown Long Beach...A little more convenient by using the Passport Shuttle...BUT, were it me, I would definitely go with one of the hotels I mentioned above...Those four are the nicest hotels in the area...and they put you, quite literally, steps from a wide array of restaurant, shopping and tourist attraction choices...