Double Tree San Pedro

We stayed here 11 Feb 07, never again what a dump! Room overlooked the Hotel Garbage area. Looked down on dumpsters and a great view of the parking lot.

it was all right for us...the lobby provides free internet..free shuttle to ship and area restaurants...rooms were adequate....if you got this through priceline for 90 dollars...you got a deal..i have stayed at double tree and crowne plaza and they both are adequate for pre cruise stay...

This is the first negative review I've read about the Doubletree. We LOVED that hotel when we stayed there two days before the OP. We have stayed twice at the Crowne Plaza, and the Doubletree is a thousand times better. I didn't even see any dumpsters. We booked a marina view room, and it couldn't have been more beautiful. The restaurant is great, good menu, fairly inexpensive, and the hotel is immaculate. Here are some photos. The second one is what we saw out of our window.

tmcca - We stayed at the Doubletree in December and were very pleased with the convenience and the room. We never move into a hotel room without asking where it is located and what the view will be. Often if you just ask for a specific type of room at check-in, you will be rewarded. We left our car for 15 days while we cruised on IP to Hawaii. It was in their open parking lot, but we had no problems, and shuttle service to the ship and back was excellent. And the beds were very comfortable. Sorry it didn't work for you.

This is the first negative review I've read about the Doubletree. We LOVED that hotel when we stayed there two days before the OP. We have stayed twice at the Crowne Plaza, and the Doubletree is a thousand times better. I didn't even see any dumpsters. We booked a marina view room, and it couldn't have been more beautiful. The restaurant is great, good menu, fairly inexpensive, and the hotel is immaculate. Here are some photos. The second one is what we saw out of our window.

I agree 100%. I just loved the hotel, not to mention the delicious, warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies they give you at check-in. I also had a marina view room at no extra charge. I just asked for it and they gave it to me. They also have free hot and cold appetizers that they serve from about 4-7 PM. Didn't even require any drink purchase.

Stayed at the hotel last week and it was great. Room was clear and the bed was great. Left our car in their lot and the shuttle took us to the ship and picked us up upon our return. I'll definately stay there again.

I posted above about our positive stay at the Doubletree, but you may be interested in what prompted us to stay there in the first place.

We drove to San Pedro. We had made reservations at the Crowne Plaza for their park/cruise package. We arrived for check-in at the CP about 1 PM. Even though there were rooms available at that time, the front desk told us there would be a $45 charge if we checked in before 3 PM!! And they wouldn't waiver!

We have traveled extensively, particularly my husband for business, and NEVER have we been refused or paid extra for checking in early provided there were rooms available. Needless to say DH was furious. We drove down to the Doubletree, checked in to our lovely Marina view room, and canceled the CP before their specified 4PM time.

We would never stay at the Crowne Plaza because of this experience. And, besides, we liked the Doubletree on the marina much better anyway.

WE GOT CROWNE PLAZA ON PRICELINE FOR 90 DOLLARS...AND CHECKED IN AT 11 AM...I WOULD WRITE MANAGER ABOUT THE EXTRA CHARGE...NEVER HEARD THAT ONE BEFORE :>((

ANYWAY, WE HAD VIEW OF OUR SHIP COMING IN...SEE HERE

Diamond Princess Arrives In San Pedro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXK37DF1-CQ

I posted above about our positive stay at the Doubletree, but you may be interested in what prompted us to stay there in the first place.

 

We drove to San Pedro. We had made reservations at the Crowne Plaza for their park/cruise package. We arrived for check-in at the CP about 1 PM. Even though there were rooms available at that time, the front desk told us there would be a $45 charge if we checked in before 3 PM!! And they wouldn't waiver!

 

We have traveled extensively, particularly my husband for business, and NEVER have we been refused or paid extra for checking in early provided there were rooms available. Needless to say DH was furious. We drove down to the Doubletree, checked in to our lovely Marina view room, and canceled the CP before their specified 4PM time.

 

We would never stay at the Crowne Plaza because of this experience. And, besides, we liked the Doubletree on the marina much better anyway.

hommebronze - We had never heard of that before either. DH was so furious we just went on to the Doubletree and had a nice evening! I guess we should have written the manager, but we never plan to stay there again so I guess it wouldn't do much good - in less, of course, they offered us a free room for our trouble!! Then we might consider

Hmm, we are getting the Double Tree free for Hilton points. Maybe we will have to look at the dumpsters. If you are unhappy after you take a look at the room location you can ask for a change?? I hate getting a smoking room and have asked for a change and not gotten it in the past.

Hmm, we are getting the Double Tree free for Hilton points. Maybe we will have to look at the dumpsters. If you are unhappy after you take a look at the room location you can ask for a change?? I hate getting a smoking room and have asked for a change and not gotten it in the past.

Lucy, I also used hhonors points for this. At check-in just ask them if you might have a non-smoking room with a marina view. You probably already will have a non-smoking room if you filled out your profile on the Hilton Hhonors website. Look at your confirmation. It probably says that on it.

Lucy - Using your points, will you also be leaving your car parked for free while you cruise?

Hommebronze's post about watching the ships sail in reminded me that anyone staying in a marina view room at the Doubletree can watch the ships sail in or out. The view out our window, just beyond the marina, is of the channel where all the ships enter or leave. It is an unobstructed view. I just wish I could have been awake when mine sailed in.

The first photo is the view from the room looking toward the channel and open ocean, and the second one is a view of the hotel taken from the Star as we left the channel.

As a note, we stayed at the Crown Plaza twice and didn't get channel-view rooms, because at that time all the channel-view rooms were designated as smoking rooms.

Great Pictures. That's the view we had too. It was very nice.

Hi I have a few questions for you guys... We are sailing on the Diamond Princess next March 17th 2008. I have never been to Californina before. I had heard about the Double tree... If I am flying in what airport would you recommend that I use. Long Beach or LAX ??? We are planning on coming a few days early to get of the cold Northeast weather to make sure we make it there in time. Is there anything within walking distance to the double tree???? I could get a room at the Marriott Airport by LAX for $148.00 and it includes the transfer to the ship... I am not sure if I would like to stay there or be closer to the port...

Thanks for your help...

Hi I have a few questions for you guys... We are sailing on the Diamond Princess next March 17th 2008. I have never been to Californina before. I had heard about the Double tree... If I am flying in what airport would you recommend that I use. Long Beach or LAX ??? We are planning on coming a few days early to get of the cold Northeast weather to make sure we make it there in time. Is there anything within walking distance to the double tree???? I could get a room at the Marriott Airport by LAX for $148.00 and it includes the transfer to the ship... I am not sure if I would like to stay there or be closer to the port...

 

Thanks for your help...

Hey Daniel1313!

First of all to all of the people posting positive reviews about this hotel...

I completely agree...

I live in LA, and only stay in a hotel if I want someplace to stay the night before, and has a "look after my car" cruise package...

Of all of the hotels in San Pedro that do this...

Doubletree is unquestionably hands down my personal favorite (and I've always had a marina view!?!?):confused:

Anyone who wants a great fantastic San Pedro hotel, for the night before a cruise, or with a "sail and park" package, then for me personally this is the best...

Now...

If I'm getting into LA for a day or more BEFORE the cruise, I would then definitely stay in Marina Del Ray, Santa Monica, or Hollywood - depending on what I want to do and what I'm looking for...

In this case scenario I would absolutely not stay in the San Pedro or LAX area...

A day or two before, check out my posts, or BruinSteves and see the way better areas to stay for a few days, that are all still within a close taxi or shuttle to the piers...

CJW

PS Even Redondo Beach or Manhattan Beach could be better, depending on what you are looking for and what you want to do...

Thanks CJW for your help. It's tough to find a good place to stay when you have never been to the area... I hate to rent a car if I don't have too.... My daughter lives in the Washing D.C. area and the traffic is unbelievable. I hate driving there. I can only imagine how much worse the traffic is in LA.... Which airport woud you recommend flying into... LAX or Long beach???

Thanks

Long Beach airport is the closest airport. And though I haven't been there yet, it is much smaller and quieter than LAX. JetBlue now has direct flights from Chicago's O'Hare (& great fares) and is the reason our family is heading out west this springbreak instead of a Florida cruise.

Long Beach is a fabulous little airport - I just flew in & out on Jet Blue this weekend. I arrived for my 8:55 flight at 8:00 and was through security in 15 minutes - it took 5 minutes longer than usual, LOL. And Jet Blue has better coach service (unless you're stuck on the snowy runway for 11) hours than any other passenger airline I've flown on lately. What other airline lets you watch 5 straight hours of What Not to Wear?:rolleyes:

A taxi to the San Pedro port is a flat $36, BTW. I noticed that on my way to my car. I didn't catch the other fares.

Traffic is waaaaay worse in DC than it is in LA. We have a lot heavy traffic, but (absent an accident) not the snarled wreckage you find in our nation's capitol. And our crazies aren't nearly as loony as the DC crazies are either, IMHO. In spite of what it does to the ozone layer, renting a car really is the most efficient way to see a lot of stuff in a limited amount of time.

Thanks for the info. I assume you saw a sign that said it was a fixed fare for $36.