Everything in Avalon is walkable , and the Atwater has been a haven for savvy travellers for decades , those who want to experience the restaurants and bars of the harbour area and then walk back to a quiet safe refuge . The room was not the largest , although it had a great view of the harbour . What it lacked in size it redeemed itself in cleanliness , comfort and amenities . The hotel bar is offsite , a few steps from the hotel at the “ Avalon Grill “ .. Atwater guests get a $20 room credit to spend here .. the place was built and created for the Wrigley family .. they were no strangers to luxury and the finer things in life , so to walk in their footsteps gives you an idea of the experience that awaits .. Highly recommended..
I can’t say enough nice things about the Aurora Hotel! Before booking, I called several times with questions about the island/hotel, and Melissa and Casey were so sweet and helpful. When checking-in, Fabian was hilariously friendly. Because Catalina is such a tiny island, most hotel rooms and bathrooms are very small. Knowing this, we rented the Aurora Celebrity Suite, which is very spacious (incl. a private entrance, a fireplace, sunporch with patio furniture, huge bathroom with 6-head shower, separate living room and sitting area). Plus cute brown bathrobes, brown wash cloths, makeup wipes, and other necessary toiletries. Melissa knew it was our wedding anniversary and that we didn’t drink alcohol, so there was a bottle of sparkling cider and some chocolates in our room with a handwritten note. The free breakfast had a fair amount of options. The roof top deck offered a lovely view of the ocean and the city. Melissa was nice enough to take some bikini pics of me on the roof. The deck was under construction which was loud, so the hotel manager, Parker, gave us a really good deal on our stay! And Casey helped us get back to the dock in time to catch our ferry home. I highly recommend the Aurora Hotel!
CONS (but bear with me): This hotel is sorely in need of upgrades. The light switches look like they're from the 1960's (or earlier?). I don't mean that as exaggeration for effect. Also, please know that the hot tub does not work and the front desk clerk mentioned that it has been shut down for good, covid or no covid, due to pipe leaks. On the plus side, the rooms themselves while small and slightly shabby are super clean and tidy. This is no ”fleabag hotel.” The beds and bedding are comfortable. The shower works great, the towels are fluffy, and the tap water is also oddly delicious. We felt quite cozy in our room. Also, the view from the balcony down the hall was really great. It was a nice, inviting place to hang out. I felt like, for Catalina, this place was a super deal. Just be aware of the shortcomings before you book here so you do not expect this hotel to be something that it is not. It should have been classed 2 stars, not 3. I strongly recommend it as an affordable, comfortable way to stay overnight in Avalon. (for the record, i did not see any ghosts etc and the property had ”good vibes” for whatever that's worth.)
I agree with a lot of the reviews here that this place could be great if they just paid attention to details and service. This is not an updscale boutique hotel. This is a beautiful setting with Holiday Inn service and amenities. I appreciate a Holiday Inn if that is what I'm paying for. These prices are on par with Casa Del Mar in Los Angeles which is worlds above Zane Grey. Others staying here said the same things to us unprompted. Zane Grey has none of the luxuries you would expect at this price. Breakfast is again like the hotel lobby of a Marriott with some old muffins and half-hearted eggs. There is no place to get food at the hotel aside from breakfast. No wine and cheese hour. Plastic water bottles. The towels are old and thin with only two provided. The toiletries are really basic with pump dispensers in the shower. There were no towels around the pool. Everything is threadbare and shabby. The chairs around the pool are dirty and some were ripped. Water takes a long time to heat up or you have to turn on the bathtub to get hot water! The most information we got about the hotel was from a man who drove the cart. Otherwise the people who worked in reception were extremely unhelpful except to tell us how we would be charged $50 if we checked out late when we first arrived. And we could hear the voices of the people talking in the room next door. Don't pay the money to stay here. It's not worth it. If they are going to charge these prices, they need to deliver more than a view.
Quiet, lovely hotel. The rooms are pretty basic for the price, but the garden is beautiful, and the included breakfast and wine hour were great. We were on the first floor and were worried about noise, but it was quiet. And right on the main pedestrian *****, directly across from the beach.
Quiet, lovely hotel. The rooms are pretty basic for the price, but the garden is beautiful, and the included breakfast and wine hour were great. We were on the first floor and were worried about noise, but it was quiet. And right on the main pedestrian *****, directly across from the beach.
ผผู้เข้าพักEverything in Avalon is walkable , and the Atwater has been a haven for savvy travellers for decades , those who want to experience the restaurants and bars of the harbour area and then walk back to a quiet safe refuge . The room was not the largest , although it had a great view of the harbour . What it lacked in size it redeemed itself in cleanliness , comfort and amenities . The hotel bar is offsite , a few steps from the hotel at the “ Avalon Grill “ .. Atwater guests get a $20 room credit to spend here .. the place was built and created for the Wrigley family .. they were no strangers to luxury and the finer things in life , so to walk in their footsteps gives you an idea of the experience that awaits .. Highly recommended..
I can’t say enough nice things about the Aurora Hotel! Before booking, I called several times with questions about the island/hotel, and Melissa and Casey were so sweet and helpful. When checking-in, Fabian was hilariously friendly. Because Catalina is such a tiny island, most hotel rooms and bathrooms are very small. Knowing this, we rented the Aurora Celebrity Suite, which is very spacious (incl. a private entrance, a fireplace, sunporch with patio furniture, huge bathroom with 6-head shower, separate living room and sitting area). Plus cute brown bathrobes, brown wash cloths, makeup wipes, and other necessary toiletries. Melissa knew it was our wedding anniversary and that we didn’t drink alcohol, so there was a bottle of sparkling cider and some chocolates in our room with a handwritten note. The free breakfast had a fair amount of options. The roof top deck offered a lovely view of the ocean and the city. Melissa was nice enough to take some bikini pics of me on the roof. The deck was under construction which was loud, so the hotel manager, Parker, gave us a really good deal on our stay! And Casey helped us get back to the dock in time to catch our ferry home. I highly recommend the Aurora Hotel!
I agree with a lot of the reviews here that this place could be great if they just paid attention to details and service. This is not an updscale boutique hotel. This is a beautiful setting with Holiday Inn service and amenities. I appreciate a Holiday Inn if that is what I'm paying for. These prices are on par with Casa Del Mar in Los Angeles which is worlds above Zane Grey. Others staying here said the same things to us unprompted. Zane Grey has none of the luxuries you would expect at this price. Breakfast is again like the hotel lobby of a Marriott with some old muffins and half-hearted eggs. There is no place to get food at the hotel aside from breakfast. No wine and cheese hour. Plastic water bottles. The towels are old and thin with only two provided. The toiletries are really basic with pump dispensers in the shower. There were no towels around the pool. Everything is threadbare and shabby. The chairs around the pool are dirty and some were ripped. Water takes a long time to heat up or you have to turn on the bathtub to get hot water! The most information we got about the hotel was from a man who drove the cart. Otherwise the people who worked in reception were extremely unhelpful except to tell us how we would be charged $50 if we checked out late when we first arrived. And we could hear the voices of the people talking in the room next door. Don't pay the money to stay here. It's not worth it. If they are going to charge these prices, they need to deliver more than a view.
We had a fantastic stay at Hotel Mac Rae! The room was spotlessly clean with no unpleasant odors, which made for a very comfortable stay. The room was big enough for our needs, as we spent most of the time outside. The location can not be better. Before each snorkeling adventure, we were delighted to find fresh, big, fluffy beach towels waiting for us, adding a touch of luxury to our daily activities. The included breakfast was a treat, offering a wide variety of fresh pastries, accompanied by good coffee and refreshing orange juice. We also appreciated the convenience of refilling our water bottles with fresh, cold water throughout our stay. Overall, Hotel Mac Rae provided a wonderful experience, and we can't wait to return!