Hotel recommendations near Long Beach Cruise Terminal

[princeton123211]

46 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

When I stayed on it, it seemed the pipes creaked, the room felt dank and stale and the beds seemed almost tilted.

The rooms have been updated with new soft goods since you stayed there-- the beds on are on the same level as a Westin with the pillow top mattress etc. TVs are now all flat panel and they've gotten new carpeting. Bathrooms in some of the staterooms have been updated with new tile. It's still an old ship but its not the Soviet dormitory you are describing either. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Looking at food isn't the same as eating it.

 

Looking at the Queen Mary isn't the same as staying on it.

 

You can stay in a "modern" (euphemism for BLAND) hotel in almost any city in America. There is only one ocean liner hotel in the country.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

2 hours ago, scottca075 said:

Looking at food isn't the same as eating it.

 

Looking at the Queen Mary isn't the same as staying on it.

 

You can stay in a "modern" (euphemism for BLAND) hotel in almost any city in America. There is only one ocean liner hotel in the country.

 

Agreed.  Nothing can substitute staying in a unique historic place.  Plus, Queen Mary staff don't really want people coming in unless they're booking a room, taking a tour, or eating in a restaurant.  It may be a landmark, but it's still a private business.  So to my knowledge, it's difficult to just walk in off the street and look around.

 

Staying there made for great conversations with the people I met during my cruise.  Most lived close to the West Coast, rather than flying in from elsewhere like I did, so they knew of Queen Mary, but not everyone had actually stayed there, so they liked hearing my account of it.  Even the locals I talked to around Long Beach were interested in an outsider's perspective of their city's landmark.

Edited November 11, 2019 by LandlockedCruiser01

[ceilidh1]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 7:53 AM, Bruin Steve said:

Since this discussion keeps going, I'll pipe in once again with my opinion on the Queen Mary and other options:

 

I stayed just once at the QM...and, yes, it was some time ago...but from most reports, it has NOT gotten any better.  There are a lot of things about it that they just cannot change.  AND, YES, BTW, I understand that it has some fans...

 

But, basically, it IS an old ship...cabins are small, dark, and set at standards of 1934.  It is NOTHING like a modern luxury hotel.

The main reason one would stay there would be to experience what it would have been like to have been on a cruise ship (or, really, to use the correct term here, an "ocean liner") a century or so ago.  When I stayed on it, it seemed the pipes creaked, the room felt dank and stale and the beds seemed almost tilted.  The location is very close to the Carnival pier--but little else--though you can pick up the free shuttle into the main part of town...

 

OTOH, Downtown Long Beach has some very nice, very modern, first class hotels--close to lots of restaurants and shops...and from which one can always take that same fee shuttle in the other direction to visit the Queen Mary.  The Hyatt Regency, the Hyatt Centric at the Pike, the Renaissance and the Westin are, IMHO, the four best and best located hotels in Long Beach.  The Maya Doubletree and Residence Inn Downtown are also nice, modern hotels and are on that same side of the channel with the Queen Mary and the Carnival terminal and I would also take either of them over the QM.  And the Hilton, though slightly less convenient than the first four, is also a nice hotel and a good choice.

 

My advice is to stay at one of the much nicer hotels...and VISIT the Queen Mary to get your fill on nautical history.

You have given me some EXCELLENT spot on advice over the times I've cruised from Long Beach and San Pedro. Hoping you could weigh in with opinions of The Varden. I'm only staying one night pre-cruise and just want somewhere safe and clean. I'm with kids so safety is a priority. What do you think of the area it is located in?

 

Thanks in advance...

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

If you have never stayed on the QM at least once then you should.  

Edited December 24, 2019 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[Bruin Steve]

On 12/21/2019 at 11:19 AM, ceilidh1 said:

You have given me some EXCELLENT spot on advice over the times I've cruised from Long Beach and San Pedro. Hoping you could weigh in with opinions of The Varden. I'm only staying one night pre-cruise and just want somewhere safe and clean. I'm with kids so safety is a priority. What do you think of the area it is located in?

 

Thanks in advance...

The location the Varden is in is okay safety-wise and is moderately convenient...it is just outside the redevelopment area and only a few blocks walk to the main attractions ...it’s about a block off Pine Street...with some restaurants, though most of the restaurants are a few blocks south down by the water.  The building itself is OLD (1929), the rooms are small and it has no elevator...but it does get very good reviews on various websites (better reviews than the QM) so people seem to love it.  I have never stayed there myself (I have had the occasion, personally, to stay at the Hilton, Westin, Hyatt Regency and Queen Mary).

 

I guess the Varden compares in some ways to the QM...both are built almost a century ago and have small rooms.  If you are traveling with kids, you may want to stay in a more modern hotel with larger rooms built to accommodate your entire family.

[ceilidh1]

6 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

The location the Varden is in is okay safety-wise and is moderately convenient...it is just outside the redevelopment area and only a few blocks walk to the main attractions ...it’s about a block off Pine Street...with some restaurants, though most of the restaurants are a few blocks south down by the water.  The building itself is OLD (1929), the rooms are small and it has no elevator...but it does get very good reviews on various websites (better reviews than the QM) so people seem to love it.  I have never stayed there myself (I have had the occasion, personally, to stay at the Hilton, Westin, Hyatt Regency and Queen Mary).

 

I guess the Varden compares in some ways to the QM...both are built almost a century ago and have small rooms.  If you are traveling with kids, you may want to stay in a more modern hotel with larger rooms built to accommodate your entire family.

Thanks - appreciate it. I think we will do Hotel Maya for the night before and then figure something for the 3 nights after - maybe Santa Monica. We always stay at the Hyatt in Long Beach (thanks to your recommendation from our first trip there) and love it. Unfortunately, it is up around $500 a night for the dates we want!!!! We have always got great rates by bidding but it seems that is no longer an option with Priceline...