Had a great experience last year, this year not so much... My wife and I were trying to enjoy the great 'private' rooftop patio, but some locals were just 'hanging out' making noise, generally annoying. When I asked the front desk guy, he said that they were just a couple a people waiting around for the next boat back to the mainland. Nice. I pay good money to stay at this hotel, and I have to listen to these annoying dipsh**ts bantering and playing loud games on there cell phone...great customer service Aurora. Also, no wash clothes, no explanation, they might have them tomorrow. Paper thin walls, spent the day listening to the guy down the hall with the 24 hour hiccups. Don't think I'll be back, will try elsewhere. read more

Do not stay in the Aurora Suite!! There was four of us and we thought staying in the Aurora Suite was going to be somewhat luxurious. Nope. The couch that pulled out into a bed was not a bed at all, no matter how we adjusted ourselves there was springs pushing into us. We barely got any sleep and the next day our backs were killing us. The next day they said they would have the maids bring in two air mattresses and set them up for us. When we got back to the room there was two air mattreses propped up against the couch, no sheets, pillows or blankets. and the maids did not set them up at all. The only somewhat okay thing about this hotel was that the staff was nice, which made it hard to complain. NOT WORTH THE MONEY. read more

We just returned from a one night stay in Catalina at The Aurora Hotel. We were celebrating our 33rd wedding anniversary! Our stay at this boutique hotel was wonderful. Like others said, the room was small, HOWEVER, it was completely stocked with everything you would need. The room and hotel was very clean and modern, which is not always true for Catalina hotels. The bed was super comfortable, the rooftop deck with the very comfortable furniture is fantastic. Wow! I could have spent hours on the deck, drinking wine, relaxing and taking in the beautiful view. The staff was very friendly and helpful! They made us feel very welcome and comfortable! Although we only spent one night in Catalina, we felt like we were gone for a week.... So relaxed and happy! Thank you Aurora and staff for the wonderful hospitality! We will definitely be back and soon, I hope! read more

I found a pretty good midweek deal for this place on the Catalina Chamber of Commerce website. In fact, it was $100 less than some midweek specials for inferior looking hotels such as Hotel Catalina. It almost seemed too good to be true. When I called to make the reservation, the girl who answered the phone wasn't aware of the deal I was referring to. It turns out, it was too good to be true, and that deal was no longer valid, but since I pointed the mistake out to her, she honored the price anyway. Lucky for us. I mean...it's still Catalina, so it wasn't cheap, but it turned out to be a major bargain. The size of the room was modest, but it was modern and clean. It had a French balcony, a flatscreen TV, a Keurig, microwave, fridge, wifi and two complimentary bottles of water (this is important, trust me). We didn't take advantage of the continental breakfast that was included, but I did take a peek at it and it was a pretty generous spread compared to most. The hotel also has a nice rooftop with comfortable lounge chairs and great views. The best part of the stay was the service. The staff was incredibly nice and helpful. I like that someone shows you to your room and points out the features. We were pretty hungover on New Year's Day and I called down to the front desk to see if there was any possibility of getting a late check-out (check-out is 11am). Lori informed me that our room was coincidentally the only room in the hotel that was booked for that day, but...to accommodate me, she would upgrade the other person to a nicer room and let us check out at 1pm. Phew. Thank God! Life saver! If I ever have a kid, I will name him/her Lori. I don't care if it's a boy. Based on my experience, I would be happy to pay the regular prices to stay here again. read more

I stayed at this in this hotel for valentines day weekend with my girlfriend, the staffs where amazing and so helpful. They always made sure everything was done right and genuinely care about your stay and made sure you had a comfortable stay at the Aurora. the view off the top deck was amazing. The manager Romero was awesome, he came through with a complementary champagne. sorry it took me long to write this review. read more

Husband & I stayed here for a weekend to celebrate my birthday. Like many things on the island, the Aurora hotel is overpriced for what you are getting. Pros The deck is very lovely and offers a nice view. They have happy hour in the lobby on week nights and have free wine, cheese & crackers, fresh baked cinnamon raisin cookies. They have a keurig coffee maker in the lobby and in your room plus a water machine to get free water. The free breakfast includes yogurt, cereal, muffins, bagels, fruit. Walking distance from the ferry, beach, restaurants. Cons Our room was very small. We didn't bring a ton of stuff because it was just a short weekend trip but the room felt very crowded with two adults and some luggage. Ugh, the bathroom! The sink is SO tiny. You have to turn to the side in order to avoid splashing water all over the place. You could hear the ac and fridge running 24/7. We ended up unplugging the fridge. The ac didn't totally work, the room didn't reach the temp we set and it never turned off and just kept running, very loudly. There isn't always someone at the front desk and they seem to never answer the phone when calling from outside the hotel. read more

Came here for a birthday weekend retreat for 2 days. We arrived to the Catalina Island early in the morning around 11am we wanted to catch all the sights we could with the limited time we had on the island. They obviously didn't have our room ready yet but they held on to our luggage while we roamed the island. The hotel is located up a pretty steep hill so get ready for a leg workout. The entire island is pretty much the same layout, lots of hills and walking. We spent some time on the hotel roof deck which had a great view of the island and water. They had a nice set up with chairs and beds for laying out. The rooms are small but really charming. My boyfriend booked the biggest room they had with a view of the water. It came with two robes and the bed is super comfy temperpedic foam. I just fell into a bed of clouds when I slept on that bed. We had a small balcony that was awesome. They have air conditioning and heating in the room. Bathroom is quite small enough for one person at a time. But you can't blame them space is limited on this island. We also had a couples massage done on our last day here. It wee amazing and so relaxing I fell asleep. The massage therapists were really nice and listened to what we wanted. It was a full body massage with hot stones. I enjoyed our stay here and I would defiantly come back. They also serve coffee and snacks in the lobby. read more

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Stayed here recently for a few days, Tuesday to Thursday, and it was fantastic. Ramiro, the Manager was very welcoming as was the other hotel staff members. We initially had a standard room, and upon arrival, we opted for a 2nd floor Junior Suite with a partial ocean view. The suite was nearly double the size of the standard room, and had a whirlpool tub. Our room was next to the stairway, however, there wasn't much noise throughout our stay. The bed in the suite was comfortable, and the rooms have a modern decor, as shown in many photos on here. It was within reasonable (1/2 mile or less) walking distance to mostly everything in town. As many people have stated, the roof top deck is a really nice feature of this hotel as you can view nearly 80% of the town from the deck. We were lucky to have been in good company each time we went up there. It was a great stay, and i recommend it. read more

I had been to Catalina Island many times as a kid. When my wife and I decided to go for a weekend I wanted to book a special hotel so that she would see Catalina in the same way I did growing up. I found the Aurora Hotel searching online. They have some nice packages that will not send you to the poor house. This hotel was constructed from a referbished building. Everything is brand new, clean and the furnishings are contempary. Included in the stay were capsules of coffee you could make in your room or down stairs at the wonderful contential breakfast, yogurt, coffee, juices, cereal, danishes, bagels, fruit... everything you needed to start your day. Most rooms facing the bay have great views. They will cost you a bit more but I think it is worth it if you are looking to wake up in such a pretty place each morning. Also, on the upper deck there is a nice sun bathing and sitting area where you can relax during the day or view the stars at night. We highly recommend the Aurora Hotel for your next stay on Catalina Island. read more

To start with this hotel is very modern and up to date! Rooms are small but just enough room to be comfortable! Rooms are also clean and offer fridge with other iminities to keep you happy when in your room. They also offer a pretty awesome breakfast in the morning that is included in the hotel stay. Cereal, bagels, muffins, fresh fruit, yogurt, eggs and other goodies were available. The toddy is also a dinning area as well. Very well kept. All that aside I think the BEST thing about this place is the staff! The staff are VERY friendly and helpful! They always greeted my wife and I when we came down stairs or came back to the hotel. I can not say enough good about them. And their manager Paul... what can I say?! ABOVE AND BEYOND is the best way I can describe him! For being our first trip to Catalina he really helped us out with not only booking transportation on the Catalina Express but answered every one of my dumb questions before, during and after our trip. We now LOVE Catalina and knowing what we get when staying at the Aurora we don't feel the need to stay anyplace else. THANK YOU PAUL AND AURORA HOTEL STAFF!!!! Pat, Danielle and Ethan! read more

This was our first time going to Catalina. The whole island is gorgeous, but we cannot say enough about how great the people at Aurora are. Very friendly, helpful ideas about the island, and always on top of things. The view of the harbor from our room was spectacular. Get a room on the side that faces the ocean. The rooms aren't huge, but the whole hotel is very recently renovated and very nice. Located right in the middle of the heart of Catalina, but far enough away to be peaceful. Can't wait to go back. read more

I have never written a review...I have only used yelp to evaluate places before I go, but in this case, The Aurora deserves to be praised! As mentioned in other reviews, the staff is super friendly and helpful - recommending not one but two special dinner restaurants as well as a cute breakfast spot. Due to a booking mixup, my girlfriend and I were upgraded to the Master Suite by Kathleen. It is far and away the most chic, comfortable, and most accommodating hotel. I look forward to visiting the Aurora yearly! read more

First the front desk staff is awful. Rude, uninformative, & under qualified. This hotel/ spa has some of the poorest management I have ever seen. The hotel and spa have zero communication with each other. We booked a 7 pm massage around mid day on 07/06/16 we got a confirmation text and all. We show up at 6:54 and the hotel informs us that they do not have anything available until 8:45 & they are unsure as to why the spa confirmed us and had no other answer for us... We could not speak with the spa who booked us because they were "busy" all they had to offer us was that they did not know. I don't know about you but that is completely unacceptable to me. Needless to say this hotel ruined my entire Catalina experience. read more

First off the spa part of this is semi accurate they don't take walk ins you have to book it ahead of time. It's also uphill from where the boat drops you off so a pick up service from them would be nice. For that reason I am docking a star, that being said we love the rooftop patio great view during the day and at night. I loved how thoughtful they were they even had makeup remover wipes in the bathroom that is always nice if you forget them. They have breakfast in the mornings and your room has the bare necessities such as microwave, fridge and coffee maker(kureig) yum! Staff was friendly and they gave us a little$50 off our next visit when we checked out. We will definitely be back. read more

The staff are so nice and helpful that we have a wonderful experience in Catalina. I booked Aurora for 3 night to celebrate my birthday by book.com. During check-in, Aurora give us a bottle of champagne for my birthday. It is 15 min walks from the pier.( I heard that Aurora will pay the Cab fee for their guests). FREE BREAKFAST!!! The wifi is free but it is not so good in our room. read more

I found a gem on the island. We were there for 3 nights for my girlfriend's birthday. The hotel is beautiful and quaint. We stayed in Room number 313, the best room in the hotel in my opinion, perfect ocean view and a balcony. Our rooms was more spacious than I expected and perfectly appointed. The mattress, linen and towels top notch.Free wifi and flat screen TV. A lovely continental breakfast is served daily in the lobby. The rooftop terrace has great Cabana style lounging furniture and offers beautiful views if you don't have one from your room. The front desk staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. We had an issue with room door and it got fixed promptly. We were offered a free tour of historical Avalon with wine and cheese for the inconvenience.. Thank you again for everything , I scored major brownie points with my girlfriend !!! read more

Phenominal!!! That pretty much sums it up. First of all, the staff are pleasant, friendly, welcoming and incredibly accommodating. They had set up all of our island activities and added it to our bill, super convenient! We had an issue with our ferry tickets, before I knew it, they had it all sorted out without any headache! We were escorted to our gorgeous suite and was given a brief tutorial and introduced to the multiple amenities the room came equipped with. I had preordered a basket as a birthday gift, it was awesome and awaiting us when we arrived. Besides the amazing hospitality, the suite was uber amazing. Bed was super comfy, which is a rarity in hotels, a gorgeous fireplace with a nice tv! Made for a comfy retreat away from home! read more

Aurora Hotel - The Aurora Suite! - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

Horrible Hotel this place smelled bad, was to small and had no View, except on the roof but that was hardly ever open Overall my trip was good, but I didn't like the personalty of the people in Catalina, very rued, unwelcoming folks. Next time I'm headed to Two Harbors read more

I booked this place through Booking.com after reading through a few reviews and deciding on price and availability. I think we made a good score on this one! The walk from the Catalina express really isn't that far but the climb up the hill to the Aurora is a small workout for those of us not in shape. We ended up taking a cab for 12$, more than worth it to the wife! We walked into the quaint little lobby and greeted by a friendly staff that got us our room right away. The place has very modern touches and the room, while small, makes fabulous use of the space and includes an in room Kureg, microwave, frig and a safe. The breakfast is basic fare but with helpful staff. I will be booking a room here when I get the chance to return. I guess this place is an easy enough 4 star spot but they got an extra bump because of this: we were having a quick lunch between tours at the Blue Rose and sat by two ladies at the next table. They quickly and easily asked about us and our trip. Turns out they were locals and they asked us where we were staying, when we told them one of the ladies said she worked there. She asked if we made it Friday in time for the wine and cheese they serve. We hadn't as we came in Saturday morning. When we got back to our room in the evening we found a complimentary bottle of white wine on ice in our room! Now that is service! read more

Excellent B&B with Modern Amenities, Free Wifi, Continental Breakfast and beautiful Rooftop Deck (with amazing harbor views). My Wife and I stayed here a couple weekends ago, and it was truly a great experience. Ruben, the host was really good with recommendations and advice. The continental breakfast is really good, with fresh organic yogurts, and a assortment of pastries and a Keurig coffee machine (can't mess up). Our room had a 32inch LCD with HDMI hookups, so we brought our Netflix + laptop + Wifi and had all the entertainment one could desire. If you want to travel to Avalon in style - go to Aurora, it's now my #1 Pick to stay (other than on a mooring that is!). Cheers, Jeremy read more

Super cute, little hotel perched up on a hill, walking distance to the main street. The views from the rooftop are amazing! Chris at the front desk was extremely welcoming, friendly and pleasant. We had a great holidays stay here around Christmas time. Will definitely return! :-) read more

Stayed here recently for a special occasion trip to Avalon. Staff was really courteous and helpful. Was able to store our luggage until the room was ready. Guest room/bathroom were smaller but clean and bathrobes were a nice touch. No elevator, stairs to upper levels. Continental breakfast was great. Hotel was close to all the restaurants and shops, just be aware it's located on a hill, not a difficult walk but maybe not ideal for someone with mobility problems. Would definitely recommend and book again in the future! read more

Loved this hotel! The staff was absolutely wonderful and helpful. We spent the weekend here for a wedding. If you are planning on getting married this is a great spot! Very clean, updated, great staff, and love all the amenities! If your visiting Catalina the Aurora is a must! read more

Aurora Hotel - Great location for weddings! - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

After researching for for a few weeks my wife and I gave up on finding a place for our anniversary vacation. She surprised me with Aurora, a place that she stumbled upon. We wanted something modern, and Aurora gave us that. The rooms appear big in picture, but are kinda small so don't expect anything big. I'm 5'6" and my wife is 5' and it was perfect for us. The breakfast was perfect because we just had cereal and fruit before our hike. The workers were super friendly and nice! The sun room was so relaxing when we wanted to just relax for a few hours. Definitely would recommend this place for friends and family. Pros: -Clean -Modern Decor -Free WiFi -View (213) -Friendly Service -Close to all the shops Cons: - Very small bathroom - Fridge did not keep things cold read more

I am in love with this hotel! Yes the hill is horrible! But it's worth it. It's nice, quite, clean, modern, and the beds are amazing! The rooms may seem small to some but for me and my boyfriend it was perfect! I would definitely stay here again every time we come back. read more

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Amazing hotel!!! Has a cute patio with great view of the harbor.. Anna helped us at the front desk and she was great! She helped us make reservations for tours and dinner. She was very nice! I will definitely come here again :) read more

The rooftop deck is what sold this place to us, and it didn't disappoint. My friend and I enjoyed a bottle of wine at sunset and it was great. Would be even better if they could get the heat lamp working. Rooms are fairly small and the bathroom is smaller. We had massages, which were fantastic! My only beef is that if you want to book two massages at the same time, they make you do a couples massage even if you aren't a couple. And the couples massage is more expensive, so didn't appreciate being forced to pay more just to get massages at the same time. Also, the massage room is just a regular room, so we could hear some other guests coming back to their room while we were in the middle of the massage. The therapist was quick to put a white noise machine on to cover up the guestroom noises, but just something to be aware of. The breakfast was not good. Quaker oatmeal packets, a few containers of yogurt, some sad pastries, and hardboiled eggs that tasted funny. No need to take the cab they offer from the ferry for $20. It takes less than ten minutes to walk "clear across town" from the ferry. You do have to walk up a hill for about a block at the end, but if you're in average shape it will not be an issue. read more

I loved this hotel! It is tucked away from the busy storefronts which I liked, because it's quiet and very private. I loved the rooftop access, which allowed us to enjoy the view every morning! They also provide a nice selection for continental breakfast and take your bags for free to the ferry so you can enjoy walking around hassle-free without worrying about them! (There is a charge to pick them up, but it's not a lot!) read more

I took my Dad here for an overnight stay on the island, and was very happy with our accommodations and the friendly staff. We booked a room with a single queen-size bed (no ocean view). The room was the perfect size for two if you don't bring too much luggage, well appointed and only one short flight of steps away from the rooftop. My father spent almost all his time up here, watching the bay from one of its many seats. We thought it would be a long walk from the boat dock, but it took only 5-7 minutes since Avalon is so tiny. The street it is on is steep, but also very short and wasn't an issue for my 76-year old father. (Note: the building does not have an elevator, so is not wheelchair accessible.) They offer to bring your bags to the dock for $5 when you check out, which we didn't do but is a nice option. The breakfast is very generous for a continental (yogurt, bagels, cereal, coffee/tea, snack bars, and fresh fruit!) and can be eaten in the spacious lobby or taken upstairs. Since we booked over the phone with them, they offered a complimentary bottle of wine, and when we left, I received a generous $50 coupon for our next stay. The only downside was that the wifi wasn't very strong, but all other things considered, I'd stay here again! read more

Spent our 4th year anniversary here and they gave us a bottle of wine! Very nice accommodations. We will Definately stay here again! read more

Aurora Hotel - Thank you for the wonderful suprise for our anniversary! - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

Stayed here with my boyfriend. Room was very clean, hotel staff was super nice! They even made a special happy birthday thing for him. The coffee maker was nice. However, the room was tiny and the shower even tinier (but you can manage two people if you want to) also the walls were pretty thin too. Other pluses: balcony Free continental breakfast Commfyyyy robes in room Bed is to die for Overall stay: 9/10 read more

Aurora Hotel - Birthday surprise! - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

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This is our 2nd time to this hotel, and we really enjoy it a lot. I just wish the checking in process was a little bit smoother and faster, they have somebody walk you to your room. Although it's a very nice, warm, and friendly gesture, I think we could find our room ourselves. There's only three floors. Lol. Lol. Not a big deal, but they should just give us our room keys and let us be on our way. Lol. Love love love this place, we will keep coming back here! read more

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Awesome, and friendly staff. The roof top deck is a bonus, it allowed us the privilege of enjoying our breakfast with a ocean view sunrise. We arrived early and they allowed us to leave our luggage while we explored the town. They were very knowledgeable to recommend the best places to dine. We got the partial ocean view room and even at that I wouldn't consider it partial. We watched the sunrise from our room and watched the boats and cruise ships come and go. The hotel is close enough but just a bit away from the Main Street to provide some seclusion from the noises of the golf carts and trolleys passing through. read more

Aurora Hotel - Roof top deck - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

The best hotel in Avalon! The Aurora is simply the best. From its location, to the rooftop deck, the ocean and bay views, charming, quiet, lovely. We've stayed at other hotels on the island, but this is he one for us. I think what really did it for me was the view from the shower- can't be beat! We had a junior suite with a partial ocean view. I didn't want to leave... read more

Aurora Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

This is a very cute boutique hotel. The rooftop patio is adorable and there are many nice amenities. The walls are incredibly THIN and when you stay next to a very amorous active couple - you will be missing an opportunity for a good night's sleep. Just keep that in mind! read more

Cute hotel. Looks like it was recently remodeled. They have a room terrace which was nice to sit out looking over the town and ocean view. The room we booked also has ocean view but it will be cheaper if you get non ocean view, depending on your preference. Morning breakfast is nothing special but nice it is offered so less meal to purchase on the island. It has a modern feel and staff is super nice as well and accommodating to your needs. Our room was small but we don't honestly care because we were there just to sleep and all day were on the island. read more

This is a nice, well run, cozy boutique hotel with a good location in Avalon. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the bed was crazy-comfortable. No view of the harbor, which would have been really nice, but we knew that going in, so no surprise. The continental breakfast was limited but decent and got both the kids and adults off to a good start each day. I definitely recommend the Aurora, a good place to call home while staying on Catalina! read more

A wonderful modern boutique hotel in the quaint island town of Avalon, with excellent and friendly service. The lucky ones get a sea-view and/or balcony, and for those who don't there's a great roof terrace with excellent views of the bay.. The minor quibbles that prevent me awarding a full 5 marks are: - Lack of step-free access to property and rooms - Rooms on the small side - Only one iron and ironing board for whole property, rather than default of one per room - No pool But none of these - or the short uphill journey from the seafront - would deter me from going back. read more

Amazing hotel. Amazing staff. Amazing service. Tempurpedic (sp) bed ! Awesome rooftop. Champagne in our room upon arrival for our anniversary. This place was beyond amazing! So cute. So accommodating. read more

Aurora Hotel - Champagne in room - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

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I picked this hotel, or I should say that it picked me, because I decided on a last minute trip to Catalina. This hotel is very very pricey. The good news is if you get on the right side of the hotel and in the front you will have a nice time. Unfortunately we got in the back and on the wrong side. As long as you don't look outside you are in good shape. The view from my window was a local's dirt backyard with broken down cars and golf carts. As long as you keep the two small windows closed they should not be able to peek into your room. The room is actually okay as long as you don't consider you are paying for a suite. It was clean and nice. The extras are nice; koereg with decaff coffee but without creamer, oils for the small spa tub, flat screen tv, and a quite a/c unit. I asked the front desk what the "Spa" in the name meant and I was told that there was a room set aside for massages. The bathroom privacy was an issue as mentioned by another yelper. Also, there was not enough hot water for the tub or for two people to shower. The sun deck was okay as long as you looked towards the water. Probably because of how overpriced the room was influenced my review. If I could get a deal on the right room (up front and on the water side) I may return. read more