where to stay in Long Beach

[losijon]

Hello, I hope people have some suggestions for me. I have previously sailed out of Long Beach twice. One time we drove in a day early and stayed at the Queen Mary and did the park and sail. In October the wife and I are once again leaving out of long beach aboard a 15 day sailing to Hawaii. However my wife doesn't really want to stay at the Queen Mary again this time. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where to stay that's pretty close, not too expensive since its just for a night and that possibly has shuttle service and my vehicle would be safe there for two weeks? Thanks in advance.

[JillySue]

We stayed at the Residence Inn Downtown (there are 2, you want the one on Queensway), they were phenomenal. No shuttle, but close enough to walk or take passport for free. We took a cab for super cheap.

[SadieN]

West Coast board has lots of info.

 

The Maya is another option. They have a cruise package.

 

Be careful of super cheap hotels in Long Beach.

Edited January 18, 2015 by SadieN

[Tapi]

We stayed at the Hyatt the Pike. Absolutely WONDERFUL (pics in my Golden Princess link below in my signature). The hotel uses the nearby parking garage next door and it's on the path of the free Passport shuttle to the port of Long Beach.

 

Prices for the hotel may start a bit on the high side, but we rebooked a few days prior to sailing with a promotion which lowered the price below what other hotels of similar caliber where charging.

 

We were there for just one night, but it was truly an extension to our vacation. It was the perfect way to start our cruise. :)

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[susie8862]

Hotel Maya. It is wonderful and right down the street from the cruise port. It is actually walkable if you are young and in shape, but they do have a shuttle.

[bjd2]

We stayed at the Maya and had a great time. We ate dinner in their restaurant and although it was a bit pricey, I still have dreams of my seafood crepe entree. If we go to Long Beach again we'll definitely stay there again.

[Bruin Steve]

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer:

 

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

 

"A" List: 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 the nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

"B" List: Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, is the Hilton. 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...

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

"C" List: Slightly outside the prime area and/or not necessarily the nicest hotels for one reason or another, but options if all else fails are the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...The Queen Mary is across the bridge ...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.

 

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

 

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

 

http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/stay-aboard/

 

Getting to ANY of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi, car service or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle or Super Shuttle's Execucar...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...All would be a very short taxi ride from the Carnival Pier...From the Maya Doubletree, Residence Inn Downtown or Queen Mary, one could even walk...

 

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: 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

[Langley Cruisers]

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer: ...

 

Thank you, Steve. Your information and comments are so valuable to myself and others on this board. :)

 

OP, per Steve's recommendations we have stayed at the Hyatt and the Renaissance and they were both FABULOUS. Ate breakfast at The Omelette Inn and dinner at the Gaucho Grill.

 

Have a good cruise.

[vwrestler171]

We love the Hotel Maya. had a balcony room overlooking the water between the hotel and the aquarium area. They usually have a discount for Carnival cruisers. Cost me $119 for my room while the going rate was $160

[SadieN]

FWIW the round building with the wrap around mural is not the Aquarium. It's part of the Convention Center.

Edited January 19, 2015 by SadieN

[losijon]

Thanks everyone!

 

 

.....................................................

Carnival Pride 7 day Mexican Riviera: September 2008

 

Carnival Inspiration 4 day Mexican Riviera: September 2013

 

Carnival Miracle 15 day Hawaii: coming October 2015

[kenish]

FWIW the round building with the wrap around mural is not the Aquarium. It's part of the Convention Center.

 

LOL, and the huge murals are of whales and other marine life !!

 

Reminds me of a sign in a bicycle shop..."All clipless shoes 25% off. Clipless shoes are the ones with clips on the bottom" :)

Edited January 19, 2015 by kenish

[HawksFan74]

We stayed at the Hyatt the Pike. Absolutely WONDERFUL (pics in my Golden Princess link below in my signature). The hotel uses the nearby parking garage next door and it's on the path of the free Passport shuttle to the port of Long Beach.

We stayed there as well. Perfect location, and I really enjoyed the rooftop pool deck where you can watch for your ship to come in:

 

[SCarlow]

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer:

 

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

 

"A" List: 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 the nicest hotels in town. Doesn't necessarily mean they are higher priced, though...and you can often get a real deal via Priceline...

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

"B" List: Slightly further away, but still in decent walking distance, is the Hilton. 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...

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

"C" List: Slightly outside the prime area and/or not necessarily the nicest hotels for one reason or another, but options if all else fails are the Marriott Courtyard and the Best Western Long Beach Convention Center...The Queen Mary is across the bridge ...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.

 

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

 

http://bestwesterncalifornia.com/index.html

 

http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/stay-aboard/

 

Getting to ANY of these hotels from LAX, you'd either have to take a taxi, car service or a shuttle...Try Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle or Super Shuttle's Execucar...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...All would be a very short taxi ride from the Carnival Pier...From the Maya Doubletree, Residence Inn Downtown or Queen Mary, one could even walk...

 

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: 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

 

Our cruise (RC) is out of the San Pedro Port. What is the distance between the hotels to the San Pedro port. We arrive by noon the day before and there does not look like there is anything to see in San Pedro and thought Long Beach may be better. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Bruin Steve]

Our cruise (RC) is out of the San Pedro Port. What is the distance between the hotels to the San Pedro port. We arrive by noon the day before and there does not look like there is anything to see in San Pedro and thought Long Beach may be better. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Depending on the hotel, you would be about 8 miles from the pier in San Pedro...and about a $25 cab ride.

 

If your plane is scheduled to arrive at LAX, chances are you won't get to your hotel, whether in San Pedro or in Long Beach, until around 2:00...if there are no delays (that figures in time to deplane, walk through the terminal to luggage collection, get your luggage, get outside and find your taxi or shuttle and drive to the port)...

 

So, by the time you've checked in, you really won't have much time in either place...

 

Yes, Long Beach is a bit more "touristy"...there is a larger choice of nice hotels, a larger choice of both fancier and chain restaurants...and you may have time to go see the Aquarium or the Queen Mary as well.

 

The Aquarium of the Pacific closes every day at 6:00 pm...

 

http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/visit/prices_hours

 

And note the Queen Mary hours:

 

http://www.queenmary.com/hours/

 

San Pedro is a smaller, mostly harbor-related industrial town, but it does have two good hotels and a number of smaller, local, non-chain restaurants...and there are a few things to do..like tours of the USS Iowa and the Maritime Museum...

 

http://mobile.pacificbattleship.com/

 

http://www.lamaritimemuseum.org/

 

...but both close at 5:00 pm...

[timetravler]

Does anyone have any info on the Best Western near the convention center in Long Beach? Trip advisor has some good things to say about it. But I was hoping to hear from some cruise critic people.:rolleyes:

[Bruin Steve]

Does anyone have any info on the Best Western near the convention center in Long Beach? Trip advisor has some good things to say about it. But I was hoping to hear from some cruise critic people.:rolleyes:

 

The one on First between Linden and Atlantic?

Not a terrible location...it is a couple of blocks outside the ideal area of Long Beach...but walkable to the good area...

 

There's a few other cheap motels in that area of Long Beach--the TraveLodge, the Rodeway and the Courtyard--all around First and Atlantic...But I usually don't recommend them...1) since they are nowhere near the class of hotels as the ones on my A List and 2) They are really not as convenient...You are walking a good 10-12 blocks or more to get to the Pike, the Aquarium, Shoreline Village, etc.

 

But it is definitely several steps above some of the areas some people come up with on these boards--like that other Best Western up on Pacific Coast Highway...

[kenish]

I guess it's time again to post my standard answer:

 

Bruin, you really ought to have the Mods turn this into a sticky...and your San Pedro recommendations too!