San Pedro CA Hotels

[cruiselover10]

We will be going on the Crown Princess 4/5/14 - 4/12/14. We are planniing on staying a couple of days after the cruise. Due to the Toyota Grand Prix we cannot get a 3-4* hotel in Long Beach. We are considering San Pedro. I have read a lot of Bruin Steve's post and very thankful for all of his information. Steve what do you think of the Crowne Plaze in San Pedro? The CP site states is is 5+ miles to LOng Beach. We will be traveling with another couple and the guys would like to go to the Grand Prix and will take a cab to get there. Is the hotel nice?:)

[Bruin Steve]

We will be going on the Crown Princess 4/5/14 - 4/12/14. We are planniing on staying a couple of days after the cruise. Due to the Toyota Grand Prix we cannot get a 3-4* hotel in Long Beach. We are considering San Pedro. I have read a lot of Bruin Steve's post and very thankful for all of his information. Steve what do you think of the Crowne Plaze in San Pedro? The CP site states is is 5+ miles to LOng Beach. We will be traveling with another couple and the guys would like to go to the Grand Prix and will take a cab to get there. Is the hotel nice?:)

 

Yes. It's actually about 6-8 miles to Downtown Long Beach over the Vincent Thomas Bridge and across Terminal Island...

[cruiselover10]

Steve would you recommend the crowne plaza? is there anything in the area that we can walk to? do you know what a cab would cost from the crowne plaza to the Long Beach convention center?

[Wineaux]

Steve would you recommend the crowne plaza? is there anything in the area that we can walk to? do you know what a cab would cost from the crowne plaza to the Long Beach convention center?

 

The Crowne Plaza is a very nice hotel and you will be happy. If you stay at the Crowne you are in the Downtown San Pedro area with restraunts and small mom and pop shops. You could also stay at the Doubletree in the marina but it is more secluded and within walking distance of Ports O Call and Crafted.

[kenish]

One comment on the Toyota Grand Prix is it fills hotel rooms in the general "South Bay" area of LA. It's not just Long Beach. The US headquarters for Toyota and Honda are in nearby Torrance and both companies bring in a lot of people for the GP. Additionally, every race team has about 50-150 support staff and there's the media too. So book early if you're cruising on LBGP weekend, expect traffic problems and detours around downtown LB, and don't expect to find big discounts on rooms.

 

It might even be the one exception where a hotel at LAX or in nearby Santa Monica or Redondo Beach may be preferable to staying in LB or San Pedro.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Another option for those coming in at least a couple of days early and aren't interested in checking out the Grand Prix is to stay elsewhere such as Studio City (the Sportsman Lodge) and tour Hollywood (over the Cahuenga Pass if you get a rental car) or Universal City and the studios there (you'll be pretty close). You can go to Burbank (again, a rental car would be easier), which will also be close and go on the Warner Brothers tour or head up to the big mall in northern Burbank if you want to do some shopping. There are also a couple of nice hotels in Hollywood, but you'll need to do a search on this board and look for BruinSteve's recommendations.

[Lois R]

I am going to be sailing from San Pedro next year as well. I was

reading some of the reviews on Trip Advisor about the Doubletree:eek:

OMG...normally Doubletree's are quite nice (in my experience) but

this one? Is this a VERY old hotel? MANY reviews that are not good....

dirty rooms, rude staff......

 

I will keep looking:)

[PLW0520]

I am going to be sailing from San Pedro next year as well. I was

reading some of the reviews on Trip Advisor about the Doubletree:eek:

OMG...normally Doubletree's are quite nice (in my experience) but

this one? Is this a VERY old hotel? MANY reviews that are not good....

dirty rooms, rude staff......

 

I will keep looking:)

 

I read the reviews as well and can't believe that they won't be doing something about cleaning it up soon. Want to try priceline and know that this might be the hotel we get. Anyone here stayed there lately?

[Piepkorn]

If you go on Priceline, you will probably end up with Crowne Plaza. I have not stayed at either hotel, but been into both. Our friends from Arizona always stay at the Doubletree and like it. Not much near Doubletree - so you would need a car. I personally would stay in Long Beach.

[PLW0520]

If you go on Priceline, you will probably end up with Crowne Plaza. I have not stayed at either hotel, but been into both. Our friends from Arizona always stay at the Doubletree and like it. Not much near Doubletree - so you would need a car. I personally would stay in Long Beach.

 

We are only there for one night before our cruise. Will be flying into LAX so really don't want to rent a car. How far is Long Beach from San Pedro? Would like a hotel that supplies transportation to the ship.

[Piepkorn]

We are only there for one night before our cruise. Will be flying into LAX so really don't want to rent a car. How far is Long Beach from San Pedro? Would like a hotel that supplies transportation to the ship.

 

Long Beach (downtown) is 10 minutes away from the cruise terminal, but the hotels there don't provide free transportation to the cruise terminal. Only the two San Pedro hotels provide free transportation. There are a number of places to eat within easy walking distance of Crowne Plaza.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We stayed one night pre-cruise at the Crown Plaza in February. It was fine. There are restaurants in easy walking distance as well as small shops. We also took a nice long walk along the marina area in the morning.

 

We got the hotel for $69 +taxes and fees on Hotwire--pretty much knew we'd get either it or the Doubletree. They did have a free shuttle to the pier. I'd stay there again for just a night or two.

[SadieN]

Steve would you recommend the crowne plaza? is there anything in the area that we can walk to? do you know what a cab would cost from the crowne plaza to the Long Beach convention center?

 

For an idea of the taxi fare we use taxifarefinder.com

[24fan]

Does anyone have any current information on the San Pedro Inn and Suites? It's rated a lot higher than the Doubletree Inn and its comments on tripadvisor are really good. I am NOT familiar at all with this area--and am cruising out of San Pedro in October. We are arriving the night before our cruise (landing @ LAX at 10:30 p.m.). Any information would be appreciated.

[KCcruisin07]

We stayed at the Doubletree before our cruise based on a friend's recommendation. It was very nice and included parking for around 10 days. Rooms had been updated, and staff were friendly and professional. There are computers at the side of the lobby if you need them. The Doubletree overlooks the marina.

After we flew back from our cruise we stayed an additional night on Priceline. We were upgraded to a beautiful room on the first floor with a view of the marina.

They do offer shuttle service to the ship.

[yenta]

We are also staying there. It is supposed to be nice, but the area around there is not. We figure we will only be sleeping there, so no big deal.

[Piepkorn]

Does anyone have any current information on the San Pedro Inn and Suites? It's rated a lot higher than the Doubletree Inn and its comments on tripadvisor are really good. I am NOT familiar at all with this area--and am cruising out of San Pedro in October. We are arriving the night before our cruise (landing @ LAX at 10:30 p.m.). Any information would be appreciated.

 

1st and Gaffey is an area that I would consider to be 'pretty rough', but you will only be using the hotel for sleeping - so it will be adequate. Gaffey is the busiest street (traffic wise) in San Pedro. That hotel used to be part of the Best Western system, looks to be independent now. Site says 'shuttle to cruise terminal' :)

[WINEMANVISALIA]

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g32655-d81765-Reviews-Crowne_Plaza_Los_Angeles_Harbor_Hotel-Los_Angeles_California.html

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g32655-d81761-Reviews-DoubleTree_by_Hilton_Hotel_San_Pedro-Los_Angeles_California.html

[KCcruisin07]

We are also staying there. It is supposed to be nice, but the area around there is not. We figure we will only be sleeping there, so no big deal.

It is at the marina. You need a car to get to the downtown area from there. I read somewhere that their shuttle will take you to a restaurant, but you may have to wait to be picked up if they are out for something else. (Not good if you are tired and want to get back)

They offer free parking, so this is probably best for the Park and Fly group.

I really liked it. The room was huge, bed comfortable, the bath was upgraded, staff friendly and helpful, no stained furniture. The chair looked relatively new.

I'm sure Crowne Plaza is nice as well. It is right on 6th Street, so it would be easy to walk to a few local restaurants if you don't have a car. If you go too far, the area seems a little dicey.

[calisilent]

We are booked on the Golden Princess October 7th. I booked 2 nights pre-cruise in Long Beach at the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel. It looks nice on the web. they have water views, free full sit-down breakfast, and offer a package to park there the duration of your cruise and get shuttled to the ship.

[Bruin Steve]

We are booked on the Golden Princess October 7th. I booked 2 nights pre-cruise in Long Beach at the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel. It looks nice on the web. they have water views, free full sit-down breakfast, and offer a package to park there the duration of your cruise and get shuttled to the ship.

 

I'd recommend making sure this hotel knows which ship you are on...

 

Here's why:

 

This hotel is nowhere near the pier the Golden Princess sails from. In fact, it is nowhere near the Long Beach (Carnival) pier either...it is clear on the other side of Long Beach...and Long Beach is a big city of half a million population.

 

The Golden Princess sails out of the World Cruise Center in San Pedro...across the harbor from Long Beach...it is about 12-15 miles from this hotel to the World Cruise Center...across city streets, a very industrial port area and a large suspension bridge...longer if by freeway around the port...

 

I've heard of them shuttling people from here to the Carnival pier...but San Pedro?

 

As to the "water views", the only water the hotel actually fronts is the Cerritos Channel, a drainage ditch that empties into Alamitos Bay a few blocks away across Pacific Coast Highway...the actual beach is several blocks away...

 

It is actually a very nice part of Long Beach...but it is NOT the part I'd tell most people to stay at when visiting for a Carnival cruise, let alone for a cruise out of San Pedro...

 

I guess if you have a car and need free parking...and don't really care how far from the port you are...it's fine...but it's not really in the tourist part of Long Beach...not near the Aquarium or Queen Mary and so on...and it's certainly not anywhere near San Pedro...

 

Postscript: I just checked the Golden Sails website to be sure...and found the page regarding the "Cruise Parking Package"...

It says: "Free shuttle to and from the Long Beach cruise terminals"...

 

This is NOT WHERE YOU PICK UP THE GOLDEN PRINCESS!

 

You will need alternate transportation...which could be costly...

[Cruisin' Chick]

We are booked on the Golden Princess October 7th. I booked 2 nights pre-cruise in Long Beach at the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel. It looks nice on the web. they have water views, free full sit-down breakfast, and offer a package to park there the duration of your cruise and get shuttled to the ship.

 

As Steve said above, you need to make sure however you're getting to the ship to emphasize it's the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro as that's different from the Port of Long Beach.

[Husky61]

You should also be aware that the photos on their web site are somewhat misleading. The one Marina view is the Bahia Marina, and the golf scours views are of Bixby Knolls 9 hole course. You are however with in walking distance of the Marina Pacific a where there are restaurants and movie theaters.

 

The closes beach would actually be Seal Beach rather than Belmont Shore.:)

[etsdas]

We are booked on the Golden Princess October 7th. I booked 2 nights pre-cruise in Long Beach at the Best Western Golden Sails Hotel. It looks nice on the web. they have water views, free full sit-down breakfast, and offer a package to park there the duration of your cruise and get shuttled to the ship.

 

Does any one know this hotel? We are familiar with the Crowne Plaza.

 

Can we get the parking package with a discount booking such as Priceline? Or do we need to book directly with the hotel?

[Bruin Steve]

Does any one know this hotel? We are familiar with the Crowne Plaza.

 

Can we get the parking package with a discount booking such as Priceline? Or do we need to book directly with the hotel?

 

READ MY POST ABOVE.

 

This hotel is 12 to 15 miles from San Pedro. Even with their "Cruise Package", they will NOT shuttle you to the port in San Pedro. If you are cruising on Carnival out of Long Beach or if you don't mind paying for a taxi to the pier and back--which may cost as much as just parking at the pier--AND you don't mind staying that far from the pier, THEN the hotel is fine--in a nice area of Long Beach, but not really on the water. There is some shopping and restaurants nearby.

 

Priceline will sell you only a room, not a park/stay package...HOWEVER, I do not believe this hotel is used at all by Priceline. They have only Long Beach Downtown and Long Beach Airport regions (and San Pedro)...This hotel is in none of the above and does not show up on the lists at the bidding sites.