User Reviews for Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach-At The Pier

Research User Reviews for Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach-At The Pier (1-20 of 179)

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Apr 19, 2009 by Todd from San Mateo,CA
Overall Rating: 2

• It was close to the pier.
• Felt like I was in the middle of a freeway/loud.

“The room was modern but the noise level overshadowed any comfort it has a cold feel to the hotel//old facilities.”

Mar 24, 2009 by Doug from West Des Moines,IA
Overall Rating: 9

• I enjoyed how the room was prepared.
• Parking was cramped.

“Very pleasant room. The staff was friendly. Great access to the Santa Monica Pier and beach.”

Mar 22, 2009 by Alison from New York,NY
Overall Rating: 10

• The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.
• I didn't like to leave it.

“Holiday Inn was a delight. I always thought of the chain as sort of humdrum, but this particular experience disproved that. The bedding was terrific, the room beautifully appointed, and the staff was top drawer. Lovely place to spend a few nights.”

Mar 11, 2009 by Marco from Santa Monica,CA
Overall Rating: 7

• Location.
• Need better sound prove from freeway noise.

“Not bad but can be better. Good secured building.”

Mar 3, 2009 by Amy from Show Low,AZ
Overall Rating: 9

• Very good location and clean.
• Didn't like paying for parking should be complementary.

“The rooms were very clean. Comfortable beds, with an ocean view.”

Feb 16, 2009 by Joe W. from Reno,NV
Overall Rating: 1

• Close to beach.
• Parking was $24.00 a night, not worth it

“The street side is very noisy 6am to 10PM. Horrible for conference calls. Also, had to pay $6.40 for 877 (free)long even thought I asked beforehand and was tole no charge Distance was more than 7 miles from hotel. Never heard of this before. Will not be going back.”

Jan 29, 2009 by Dianne from Newbury Park,CA
Overall Rating: 9

• The parking facilities were fine , but very expensive!!! $24 for overnight and there is not much of a choice.

“We had a lovely stay and the hotel staff was very accomodating. The room was very well appointed and attractively designed. Close to everything in Santa Monica.”

Jan 20, 2009 by Raymond from Berkleey,CA
Overall Rating: 8

• Great location, comfortable enough, friendly staff.
• Small sort of bathrooms.

“A great location within Santa Monica with clean and comfortable room but somewhat small and dowdy bathroom. Nice staff.”

Dec 15, 2008 by Robin from Santa Monica,CA
Overall Rating: 5

• The decor of the room was very warm and comforting.
• Front desk employees had bad attitudes and were not helpful.

“The rooms are small but the decor was trendy and comfortable. That is about the only good thing I have to say about this hotel. The front desk employees were rude and not helpful. They charge $5 for a bottle of H2O, the vending machine did not take cash + cost $2, you need to go down to let guests in after midnight, there was renovation going on and it began early in the morning waking me up.”

Dec 10, 2008 by Vic from Castaic,CA
Overall Rating: 8

• Great location.
• Construction on road next to hotel.

“Santa Monica has a great pier, wonderful restaurants and good shopping, even a nice beach. The Holiday Inn is small and old, but well taken care of. The public spaces were clean, but small. The room was clean, but old. It had a pillow menu, which is a nice touch. Everything was perfectly acceptable, the staff was helpful when calling us a taxi, as I expect in a hotel.”

Dec 9, 2008 by Rika from Irvine,CA
Overall Rating: 9

• The staff was extremely friendly! Everything was clean and tidy, parking was convenient and location is a block from the beach!
• The beds are very uncomfortable, decor needs to be updated. Room should include flat screen and cd player please, carpets are dirty need be cleaned.

“It was everything I expected. I knew from the outside and description that it would appear too look as if it needed a refurbishment, inside and out. But, everyone was efficient, friendly, accommodating! The hotel was very clean, location was convenient - I would stay there again!”

Sep 14, 2008 by Ralph from El Paso, TX
Overall Rating: 1
Cleanliness:[1] • Staff:[1] • Location:[3]

• Nothing.
• Most everything, especially the peoples attitudes.

“The air conditioning didn't work.”

Sep 12, 2008 by Warren from Salem, OR
Overall Rating: 6
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[9] • Location:[8]

• Not much. The coffee maker.
• The freeway next to window, the weak staff at the front desk.

“This hotel is an ideal spot for the foreign tourist that wants the LA experience. Cheap and close to some points of interest. Weak in many areas, but the primary motivation for an overnight stay is the location. One block from the Santa Monica Pier and 4 blocks from 3rd Street Promenade.”

Jul 9, 2008 by Eric from Rolling Meadows, IL
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[6] • Location:[9]

• Very good location, great bathroom, free internet & newer furnishings.
• Room was small.

“This was a very good hotel, especially for it's location. The room was very small, but the furnishings (bed, bathroom setup, chairs) were very nice. Free internet was a huge plus as many places want to charge for internet access, which should be complimentary everywhere. The business center was very poor, only one computer and the printer broke down while we were there, so they put a sign on it saying it was broken instead of fixing it.”

Jun 15, 2008 by Kathy from West Hollywood, CA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[9] • Location:[8]

• The staff.
• Dirty carpets in room, small elevators, parking expensive.

“The staff was wonderful. The room was bright and well furnished, though the carpets were worn and stained. Parking is very expensive at $23 per day. Nice location.”

Jun 15, 2008 by Steven from Encinitas, CA
Overall Rating: 5
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[7] • Location:[7]

• Location.
• Noise.

“There was construction going on outside that started at 7am. Moreover, maid service came at 8am, which is far too early. Therefore, it was not a good place to try and get a good long night sleep.”

Jun 9, 2008 by Tracie from Flossmoor, IL
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[5] • Staff:[9] • Location:[10]

• Staff.
• Lack of luxury.

“Staff is wonderful and very accommodating. Rooms are sparse, but have what you need. Small bathrooms so difficult if sharing a room. Security is good. Location is excellent.”

Jun 9, 2008 by Marc from Broomall, PA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[8]

• Great location.
• Poor linens.

“Great location as far as tourist area and beach access. But the hotel is located right on the freeway. The noise level was not bad and did not affect my sleep.”

Jun 2, 2008 by Lisa from Pismo Beach, CA
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[8]

• The staff was very friendly and accommodating.
• The parking charge could be disclosed in advance.

“This was a great location to the pier and a variety of dining choices. The room was very comfortable and the staff extremely helpful.”

Jun 2, 2008 by Hardev S. from El Cajon, CA
Overall Rating: 2
Cleanliness:[6] • Staff:[1] • Location:[6]

• I did not.
• I did not like the attitude of the reception.

“I was also not informed of the parking fees of 23.00 dollars until I got my bill in the morning. I was told I could park downstairs without being informed there was fee for it. Very bad experience.”

Jun 1, 2008 by Vaclav from Temp, AZ
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Concierge staff, spaciousness of room and location!
• Perfect room, only disappointment? Wish I could have stayed more than one night!

“Concierge and front desk were 5-star quality. The room was extremely spacious, with a nice ocean view! Convenient location (right across the street from the Santa Monica Pier!), the hotel was everything I could possibly ask for! I will be a return visitor!”

May 25, 2008 by Vic from Hilton Head, SC
Overall Rating: 3
Cleanliness:[6] • Staff:[6] • Location:[2]

• The manager was very friendly and helpful.
• Freeway on wide side, and a noisy street with construction on the other.

“I will never stay at another three star again. Four star wasn't available in Santa Monica. The location is a good one near the water front and the pier, but the noisy freeway on one side of the hotel, and construction work on Colorado Ave. in the front, made it a very unpleasant experience.”

May 24, 2008 by Sandr from Riverview, MI
Overall Rating: 1
Cleanliness:[4] • Staff:[7] • Location:[10]

• Location was great.
• Was Noisy.

“Nice staff.”

May 19, 2008 by Karen from Seattle, WA
Overall Rating: 2
Cleanliness:[3] • Staff:[2] • Location:[6]

• Location was central and near the beach.
• Noisy construction, unhelpful staff, inadequate facilities for a 3 star.

“There was noisy construction right outside my window that lasted all day, every day. I asked to be moved and was told there were no other rooms available for the duration of my stay, which was hard to believe. The restaurant and lounge were not 3-star class by any means.”

May 18, 2008 by Chris from Fontana, CA
Overall Rating: 5
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[4] • Location:[8]

• Very close to beach.
• Gave us a room on the construction side.

“Great location. They gave us a room on the side where construction was taking place, even though there were other rooms available on the other side. Claimed that no king beds were available even though we checked in early and the hotel did not appear full.”

May 18, 2008 by Sam from New York, NY
Overall Rating: 2
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[2] • Location:[8]

• The location is nice,.
• Staff is jaded, construction on one side and the highway on the other.

“Good location, ok for a Holiday Inn, but alas, only a Holiday Inn (and nothing higher than that). Rooms are decent but not great, were clean. Hotel staff was jaded and generally unhelpful.”

May 9, 2008 by Bernardo from Laredo, TX
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[5] • Location:[10]

• The rooms are very comfortable and clean.
• The construction around and the service at the front desk.

“Very good location. Very comfortable rooms.”

May 8, 2008 by Laura from Dallas, TX
Overall Rating: 1
Cleanliness:[3] • Staff:[3] • Location:[1]

• Everything.

“Waited 10 minutes for valet to come. Had to ask for help with my bags. Initially, was checked-in to a room some one else was still staying in. Took 30 minutes to find me a new room. No bar or restaurant service in the afternoon. Construction going on all day right outside my window. Tried to order a movie on Sunday. Took an hour for that to happen. The whole trip was a huge waste of money and has caused me numerous problems since. I thought, maybe you guys know something I don't and put my assumptions to the side and prepared for a nice, relaxing birthday weekend at the beach. It has been an horrific experience from start to finish and I will never come again.”

May 7, 2008 by Brendan from Cleveland, OH
Overall Rating: 4
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[5] • Location:[5]

• Location would be good, if it wasn't for the construction.
• $23 a day for parking?? It's $5 across the street. That's disrespectful to the guests.

“Hotel is decent inside. Facilities are bare boned so you don't want to hang out in the hotel. Major construction is going on outside which explains why the prices have dipped. Parking costs a whopping $23 per night. If you walk across the street you can park for $5 per day.”

May 6, 2008 by Nat from Brampton, ON CA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[8] • Location:[9]

• Convenient location, clean, parking available $.
• Construction outside front of building.

“Recommended. Good, clean, convenient place to stay for leisure travelers and families. Pricing was reasonable for location. Parking onsite $. Walking distance to pier, beach, shopping and restaurants.”

May 6, 2008 by Jeremy from Lake Havasu City, AZ
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Great location, clean rooms, nice.
• No view of ocean.

“Great hotel. The room was clean and close to the pier.”

May 1, 2008 by Mary from Silver Spring, MD
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[7] • Location:[7]

• Terrific location.
• Road construction outside the hotel. Very noisy and windows were dirty.

“Clean, pleasant and a great location. Didn't go to the pool which is by the highway and very noisy. I object to disposable coffee cups which most hotels seem to use instead of washable mugs/cups. I also didn't know that I was going to have to pay for parking which cost $23/night.”

Apr 15, 2008 by Donna from Charlotte, NC
Overall Rating: 4
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[4] • Location:[5]

• Location.
• Uninformed that the room was a smoking room and it had an odor. Loud trucks passed by window all night and day. Next door was loud construction.

“I would only recommend this hotel for it's location, and I'm still debating whether the location was worth the aggravation. There were too many issues that were unappealing during my family's stay at this hotel. When we came upon the hotel were surprised to see construction going on in the lot next door, and when we spent time in the room during the day, the noise of the construction was unbearably loud. Due to this construction, guests were forced to detour to get to the hotel. This made our daily ride back to the hotel a challenge. There were also loud trucks passing on the road outside the hotel all night. We were also uninformed that the room was a smoking room, and the odor in the room was stale from smoke. The staff (although friendly), were confused when we asked for information on a local restaurant for breakfast, instead they tried to convince us to eat their breakfast. I thought that was inappropriate, and I felt uncomfortable asking them any questions about local information.”

Apr 11, 2008 by Joseph from Wasco, CA
Overall Rating: 3
Cleanliness:[2] • Staff:[1] • Location:[9]

• The proximity 2 the pier and downtown other then that.
• Couldn't get a non smoking room and staff was Very Rude.

“NA.”

Apr 11, 2008 by Abby from Holland, OH
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Location.
• Had to go through the parking garage to get to the pool, which had no hot tub.

“Much nicer than a typical Holiday Inn.”

Apr 10, 2008 by Rory from Fresno, CA
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[8] • Location:[4]

• The room was quite nice.
• Major construction on adjacent street.

“The hotel itself was comfortable, clean, and reasonably well located. But the adjacent street has been torn apart and is fenced off and the mall across the street is shut down for remodeling. When all this work is complete, the location will be much better.”

Apr 5, 2008 by Paul from Edina, MN
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[5] • Location:[9]

• Great location, close to Santa Monica pier and 3rd St Prom.
• Asked for extra pillows and was given ones without pillow cases - gross.

“Decent place, no real complaints, except the overall cleanliness was not as high as desired - we are picky about that.”

Mar 31, 2008 by Martha from Dallas, TX
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Location, cleanliness, staff.
• Poor service and food at the restaurant.

“I had not stayed at a Holiday Inn since I was a child - likely 35 + years ago and was very pleasantly surprised with the property. I am used to staying at the W, Westin, Hilton etc and will definitely put Holiday Inn on my list for future stays; impressive.”

Mar 17, 2008 by David from Tempe, AZ
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[7] • Location:[9]

• The location was great.
• There was some construction going on in the area.

“The hotel is located very close to the Santa Monica Pear. Also all other things one would want are close by (e.g., shops, restaurants). Further, the hotel room was very clean and service was good so I had an excellent experience at this hotel.”

Mar 11, 2008 by Melissa from Salt Lake City, UT
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[3] • Location:[9]

• The location.
• The front desk staff lack knowledge of surrounding restaurants and shopping.

“We were happy with this hotel for the most part. Our only complaint was the helpfulness of the front desk staff. I was sent the wrong direction twice, hauling kids with me, and walking distances described were longer than the staff told. Tough with kids. There seemed to be a real lack of education in regards to hospitality at this hotel. I often got blank stares when asking for help around the area.”

Mar 10, 2008 by Matthew from Ladera Ranch, CA
Overall Rating: 3
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[2] • Location:[10]

• Great location.
• Noisy construction outside. Hotel staff was rude (except for Valet staff).

“Great location, but the staff at this hotel, excluding valet, drops this hotel at least two star levels in my opinion. Very rude staff - not friendly at all, never saw a smile, never heard a thank you - not what you would expect in Santa Monica from a hotel at this star level.”

Mar 10, 2008 by Sandra from Lakeside, CA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[4] • Location:[10]

• Near the beach.
• Parking 22 dollars day, noise and ok views.

“I do not mind paying 10 bucks to park but 22 dollars is way too costly. The hotel was nice, I have been by this hotel and always wanted to stay there. The manager was very nice very professional. The staff behind the counter was not that friendly, the house keeping staff, very friendly and nice and they seem to do a good job. Whoever designed this hotel did a poor job, it could be much more than what it is, No rooms have views of the Ocean or little. Its not quite 2-1/2 stars, basically the beach is right across the street and the pier. I enjoyed the experience.”

Mar 9, 2008 by Robert from Montpelier, OH
Overall Rating: 1
Cleanliness:[6] • Staff:[6] • Location:[8]

• Location close to beach.
• It is clearly only a 2.5 star hotel.

“Great location near the beach, but as far as for business travel it alls way short. The rooms are average at best and loud due to traffic. No view of beach but of parking lots, etc. Do not recommend.”

Mar 9, 2008 by Victoria from Lemoore, CA
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[9] • Location:[10]

• The location being near the beach.
• The fact of a construction site was right outside my window.

“Overall it was a nice hotel but I was not satisfied with not being able to get a king size bed accommodation and the fact of construction going on, overall I was satisfied with the hotel.”

Mar 7, 2008 by Pj from Huntington Beach, CA
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] •

• Close to beach.
• Old windows in room, contraction in the area, noisy

“Close to beach, ocean view, very noisy, friendly staff, lots of construction in the are, not upscale hotel as advertised.”

Mar 5, 2008 by Tammy from Crestline, CA
Overall Rating: 3
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[5] • Location:[6]

• The room was nice.
• The parking was expensive. $23.00 for overnight and a tip on top of that.

“The road outside the hotel is under construction and it makes the hotel difficult to get to. I was unaware of the parking situation. $ 23 minimum each day plus a tip every time the valet gets your car. The day I stayed they put me in a room on a floor that I was the only room that was not part of a high school sports team. There were teens running all over and very noisy. I called the management and they did come up and talk to them at 1:30 AM but the kids did not settle down until after 3 AM.”

Feb 26, 2008 by Joe from Kunia, HI
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[7] • Location:[8]

• The room was well appointed, the staff was very nice, and wi fi is free.
• Parking is expensive. The hotel was noisy due to the freeway that runs by it and noise in the hallways.

“The location of this hotel was good but currently there is major road construction in the area and in order to enter or leave the hotel by vehicle you have to drive in a crazy and confusing round about detour. It would have been nice to have been notified of this in advance. The hotel staff was friendly and the hotel seemed safe and secure. The room was well appointed and very clean. Also, the hotel provided free wi-fi which was very nice. The rooms at this hotel have mini-refrigerators in them which is very helpful.”

Feb 24, 2008 by Jon from Cerritos, CA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Location to activities
• Parking.

“Enjoyable place, pool area needs work. View of ocean is misleading, all rooms face east and west and south towards the pier.”

Feb 18, 2008 by Ashley from Rialto, CA
Overall Rating: 5
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[4] • Location:[9]

• I liked how close it was to the pier.
• The construction, not notified there was no hot water; the front desk is very rude.

“We checked in and the front desk man was rude, then we paid $277 and were told there was no hot water. We left 2 phone chargers there by accident and were told we have to pay to get them mailed to us or drive out there to get them. I understand it was our fault we left them, but they should send it to us because we had no hot water.”

Feb 14, 2008 by Steve from Glenview, IL
Overall Rating: 4
Cleanliness:[6] • Staff:[6] • Location:[6]

• Convenient location.
• Road construction during our stay.

“The hotel was dated and unattractive. I would have rather spent more to upgrade to a nicer facility.”