My husband and I took a last minute vacation to San Clemente. We looked on Expedia and Travelocity for hotels.

The price

The prices seemed very reasonable. We visited the hotel website and decided to call direct. I was given a price $60 less than quoted on any travel website by the attendant at the hotel.

The location

The hotel is right across the street from the beach, with a wonderful view. Parking was a little tight, but not bad at all. There are great local restaurants in walking distance for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but be prepared to pay cash at the mom-n-pop restaurants. This is a multi-level boutique hotel. There is no elevator, and many stairs to travel. We did not find it an inconvenience.

The room

We stayed in 5A, a studio room with a balcony facing the ocean. We ended up leaving the sliding glass door open to hear the waves at night. Very relaxing. The amtrak station is across the street. The noise is not that bad, we didn't notice it after a while. The rooms are old fashioned. A microwave and mini fridge were included. There was a portable radiator for heat in the room. The bed was not the greatest, but the location made it very relaxing,

The management

It seemed as though this is family run. We were able to check in at 1pm (earlier than most). Everyone was very friendly. This is not motel 6, the office is not open 24 hours. The staff helped me print my boarding passes for our return flight, and were very helpful to recommend local points of interest.

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. This is an older hotel, so expect charm. It is not what you would expect to see at a sterile motel/hotel chain. We are planning to stay again.