Crown Plaza or Double Tree San Pedro?

Doing Hawaii Cruise on Princess 1-18-19. We have stayed at Crown Plaza many times over the years. I am seeing very good reviews for Double Tree. Does anyone have experience with both? I would like an opinion about which one you enjoyed more. I have not been as impressed with Crown Plaza as we were 10 years ago. Thank you

We stayed at Crowne Plaza the first time and thought it was OK until time for the shuttle we booked through them. It was basically a free for all with no clear line so people were pushing in and it was very stressful as we were with others. We thought food was OK but not overly impressed, so tried BW last year. Preferred it by far. The front desk staff was fantastic and they went out of their way to get us on one of the free shuttles at the time we wanted. The lounge/restaurant had great food & drink happy hour specials so would definitely stay there next time.

Double Tree is in a pleasant location beside a park and yacht harbor. Went through a complete renovation a few years ago. Not close to any restaurants, but it's been said they'll shuttle you to one. Food is hotel restaurant food.

When you check-in tell them you need a shuttle to the cruise port, they'll have a sign-up sheet with departure times for you to pick. They use multiple vans bringing people to and from the port in the morning. A bit before your departure time head down to the lobby with your stuff, the driver will come in and call out. When you return meet the shuttle where they dropped you off, they run about every 15-20 minutes.

Thank you both for this great information. I believe I'm leaning toward the Double Tree. We have also experienced the pushing and shoving for the shuttle to the port. We found it very unpleasant and stressful. Don't want to start a vacation that way.

We've always stayed at Crown Plaza, San Pedro, because DoubleTree is somewhat isolated (even if they apparently

do offer shuttle service to dinner and shopping). But Crowne Plaza's version of park-and-sail doesn't stretch to the

length of a Hawai'i voyage and DoubleTree's does.

We have stayed at both during the last 30 years of cruising. We prefer the Double Tree due to parking, all self park, it is included in your room. You can eat at the hotel restaurant or walk (2-3 blocks) to another restaurant. If you have a car you can drive to Jaffee for lots of restaurants and grocery locations. It is safe to walk in the are as not residential, right next to the yacht harbor for very pleasant walk if not raining.

We used to stay at Crown Plaza but since the water front has changed a lot in the last 30 years I don't consider it safe to walk.

Norine

Thank you all for good information, I have booked Double Tree I think it will fit our needs better. It used to be easier when my husband was in good health, but the last time we stayed at Crown Plaza it was really hard on him. Having to stand in line for the shuttle and the pushing and shoving took a lot out of him. The Double Tree sounds like it will work better for us.

Guy we met on a cruise stayed at Doubletree and told us he found a great breakfast place nearby called Rex's Cafe.

Anyone tried it?

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Does the Crowne Plaza have a shuttle? I see that its within walking distance to the port. Would it be safe to walk?

The Crown Plaza does have a shuttle but it is not very organized. We have walked in the area and were not hassled much. In the daytime it seemed safe, I would be a little more concerned at night.

Does the Crowne Plaza have a shuttle? I see that its within walking distance to the port. Would it be safe to walk?

As of Oct last year: Yes. Yes. Yes. Been there, did all three, but the walk was without luggage..

As of Oct last year: Yes. Yes. Yes. Been there, did all three, but the walk was without luggage..

Awesome! Thank you!

Awesome! Thank you!

You're welcome.

There is one more wrinkle that you might wish to take advantage of. We stayed at Crowne Plaza

on Thursday night for a Saturday embarkation. Early on Friday, they shuttled us to Pier 95 to

take the boat to Catalina Island. We overnighted in Avalon, came back Saturday morning,

whereupon they shuttled us from Pier 95 back to the hotel to pick up the rest of our luggage, and

then to Pier 91 to board Ruby Princess.

Unfortunately, such doesn't work for Hawai'i, because their Park & Sail is only good for 10 days.

When we did the world cruise earlier this year they had cars parked for the entire 111 days at no extra charge.

Crown Plaza is much older than Double tree. Closer to the port but with everything I read about the shuttle I prefer Double Tree. The parking is great outdoors and sign up for shuttle is very organized. We have walked the area many times. If you have a car you can drive to Long Beach to find restaurants on the water. Double Tree has restaurant and there is a restaurant about 3-4 blocks away if you don't have a car.

Norine

When we did the world cruise earlier this year they had cars parked for the entire 111 days at no extra charge.

 

Crown Plaza is much older than Double tree. Closer to the port but with everything I read about the shuttle I prefer Double Tree. The parking is great outdoors and sign up for shuttle is very organized. We have walked the area many times. If you have a car you can drive to Long Beach to find restaurants on the water. Double Tree has restaurant and there is a restaurant about 3-4 blocks away if you don't have a car.

 

Norine

Thank you Norine! We are just going to take an Uber from LAX to the hotel so we wont have a car to worry about. My husband decided he doesn't want to bother with the shuttles again at a hotel (we had a nightmare of a time in Port Canaveral) so we will just walk or uber down to the pier.

I'm completely torn between booking Double Tree or Crowne Plaza! I'm traveling with my family in April 2019. There will be three of us sharing a room so I'm looking at a Jr suite at DoubleTree or a King bed suite at Crowne Plaza. My parents need a king bed and I'll be staying on whatever couch or sofa bed is available.

*We are flying in, not driving, so don't need to park.

*We're only staying overnight and don't plan on having extra time to go anywhere, and restaurant at the hotel is fine, so no need to factor in location.

Double Tree has prettier views with the harbor outside. But the Junior suite looks like it only has a half wall separating the bedroom from living room. Room size looks a bit smaller with a little less privacy.

Crowne Plaza king bed suite looks nice and roomy, but the views look kind of ugly out the windows, it looks more industrial. But we would have a lot more space, and it's a tiny bit cheaper. The hotel on the inside looks beautiful, from the pictures.

Based on the above, which would some of you recommend? Again, we plan on just going straight from the airport to the hotel and probably not leaving the property until it's time to take the shuttle to the ship the next day.

I'm completely torn between booking Double Tree or Crowne Plaza! I'm traveling with my family in April 2019. There will be three of us sharing a room so I'm looking at a Jr suite at DoubleTree or a King bed suite at Crowne Plaza. My parents need a king bed and I'll be staying on whatever couch or sofa bed is available.

 

*We are flying in, not driving, so don't need to park.

*We're only staying overnight and don't plan on having extra time to go anywhere, and restaurant at the hotel is fine, so no need to factor in location.

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Based on the above, which would some of you recommend? Again, we plan on just going straight from the airport to the hotel and probably not leaving the property until it's time to take the shuttle to the ship the next day.

Frankly, if you're not parking, the LAX area pops back into contention because what is the

advantage to Uber'ing (etc) to San Pedro the evening before then hotel-shuttling to the ship

the morning of, versus the other way around?

Or even shuttling back to the airport the morning of, and using Princess' airport transfers?

Frankly, if you're not parking, the LAX area pops back into contention because what is the

advantage to Uber'ing (etc) to San Pedro the evening before then hotel-shuttling to the ship

the morning of, versus the other way around?

 

Or even shuttling back to the airport the morning of, and using Princess' airport transfers?

From everything I've read so far, I was under the impression that both DoubleTree and Crowne Plaza are only a couple of miles from the world cruise center- I've even heard of people walking there (not with their luggage of course!) from Crowne Plaza, I think. I also heard that both of those hotels offer a shuttle directly from the hotel to the Princess check in area.

From everything I've read so far, I was under the impression that both DoubleTree and Crowne Plaza are only a couple of miles from the world cruise center- I've even heard of people walking there (not with their luggage of course!) from Crowne Plaza, I think. I also heard that both of those hotels offer a shuttle directly from the hotel to the Princess check in area.

Oh yes, I looked up on google maps and looks like DoubleTree is about 2 miles from the cruise center, and Crowne Plaza is .8 miles, so the shuttle over should take just a couple of minutes if that.

From everything I've read so far, I was under the impression that both DoubleTree and Crowne Plaza are only a couple of miles from the world cruise center- I've even heard of people walking there (not with their luggage of course!) from Crowne Plaza, I think. I also heard that both of those hotels offer a shuttle directly from the hotel to the Princess check in area.

Yep. But their big advantage is the free parking while you're on a cruise.

If you don't need the parking, adding LAX-area hotels to your choice pool gives you

more choices without making it any more awkward getting from LAX to the pier.

We stayed at Crowne Plaza the first time and thought it was OK until time for the shuttle we booked through them.

It was basically a free for all with no clear line so people were pushing in and it was very stressful as we were with others.

We thought food was OK but not overly impressed,

so tried BW last year.

Preferred it by far. The front desk staff was fantastic and they went out of their way to get us on one of the free shuttles at the time we wanted.

The lounge/restaurant had great food & drink happy hour specials so would definitely stay there next time.

What is BW ? I'm not good with acronyms.

I see what you're saying, now. That's a good point. I had my heart set on those two mainly from these forums, but it won't hurt to take a look around LAX before I make a final decision.

What is BW ? I'm not good with acronyms.

They may be referring to the Best Western, a few blocks away from the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro

What is BW ? I'm not good with acronyms.

After flying in from the east coast to LAX,, we will be staying at the Double Tree San Pedro.

We will only be there for a late dinner and then, overnight before our cruise embarkation the next morning.

Go ahead... Tell me what we will lose.

Just to mix things up a bit...

On our next trip out of San Pedro, we've decided to bypass both San Pedro and Long Beach and stay in Torrance, on a direct line from LAX to San Pedro and about half way in between. Taxi from LAX to Torrance, then next day from Torrance to the ship should be comparable to the long trip direct to SP. There are lot more hotel options in Torrance than SP which is an area we didn't really care for, and we are staying right next to a giant mall, so no problem with the pre-cruise shopping or dining. The taxi next morning will be a bit longer to get to the ship than from SP, but we'll just leave a bit earlier.