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Hotel Vista Del Mar

4.5 (216 reviews)
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Stewart L.

I visit Catalina (Avalon specifically) fairly often and usually stay above the fray at Zane Grey or Mt Ada. I knew that if I were to ever stay along the "main drag" of Crescent Ave, I would try the Vista. The other lodging choices directly along Crescent Ave are: Edgewater, Mac Rae, Pavilion (closed for renovation), Metropole, Bellanca and Vista's sister property Snug Harbor. Vista is on the 3rd floor of the building that also houses Maggie's Blue Rose, the Brew House and shops on ground level and Steve's Steakhouse on the 2nd floor. There is no elevator. Most of Vista's rooms face a lovely interior courtyard/atrium, but the 2 front suites have terraces that overlook the boardwalk and the bay/harbour. I booked one of these rooms, which can be quite pricey in high season. The suite was fairly large and very well-equipped and maintained. There was a very comfy king bed, a large sitting area with sofa, chair, fireplace and wet bar with fridge, a jacuzzi tub, separate shower and double vanity. The terrace spanned the length of the room with 4 chairs and 2 side tables, separated from the lobby by a curtain. The TV had very limited basic channels plus music; there was a DVD player and library by the front desk. There is A/C if needed. My main concern was noise from the boardwalk. This was a minor issue since I had the windows open for fresh air, and surely it would be more of a concern in high season, on weekends or when cruise ships are docked. I would advise earplugs if you go to bed early. Until recently, the hotel offered a continental breakfast in the lobby. They still offer evening milk and warm (but not homemade) chocolate chip cookies delivered on a tray to your room. There was a coffee machine in the room (no tea). Service was very friendly from Juan and a woman whose name I didn't get. Do note that the desk is not staffed 24 hours, and they share desk duties at Snug Harbor. They contacted me prior to my stay for my ETA and left the 2nd floor door open. They also texted me before and during the stay to follow up. Overall a great stay. I am eager to try their other property in the future.

View from patio........awesome!
R T.

Close to the dock. So walking from the dock can take 5-10 minutes. The location is perfect. We had to climb three floors with our luggage but once we got to the top, it was worth every step. The patio view from there is amazing, calming , peaceful and makes you feel like you're in Hawaii or any island vacation. The rooms are quaint, comfortable and clean. The hallway is welcoming and warming. The service is amazing, and they serve hot chocolate chip cookies with milk every evening. Delicious and the aroma makes you feel like home. I will definitely recommend this place and I will definitely be back!

Hotel Vista Del Mar is the best hotel on the island! If you are looking for a nice room, beautiful hotel, amazing view, and great staff, definitely stay at Vista Del Mar. It is in the perfect location - right on the main boardwalk where all the shops are. The hotel is beautifully designed with plants and flowers and a beautiful fish tank. Super convenient location to all local must have restaurants and shops, not to mention the beach is RIGHT THERE! One of my favorite things I look forward to when staying at Vista Del Mar is their warm cookies and milk they service each night! So yummy!!

Living room
M K.

Perfect location and view but no privacy. Only a curtain to separate the room next door and the check in desk. We were hanging out on the balcony when someone below started smoking marijuana. The staff quickly snatched back the curtain and accused us of smoking. We don't smoke marijuana!!!! This room with a balcony cost $820 a night. When the locals asked how much it cost, they gasp and told us about a lot of better options at a way cheaper price with a complementary golf cart. We will be doing that next time.

Jenn M.

Currently day dreaming of Catalina Island and my visit here in late August. After much research I opted to stay one night in Hotel Vista Del Mar when visiting the island for a short 24 hour trip. The location of the hotel is central, making it accessible to countless restaurants and nearby shops. The aesthetic of the hotel is lovely and the rooms are comfortable and clean despite the size. While the hotel is on the smaller side and on a main tourist heavy street there was no issue with noise or privacy. The hotel felt safe and was overall easily accessible despite the lack of an elevator. Staff were friendly and check in and check out was smooth. I found no fault in our stay here and I'll be returning soon!

This was the view from our room.

We come to Avalon often and love staying at Hotel Vista Del Mar. It's close to everything and the views from the front rooms are spectacular. It's above our favorite restaurant, Steve's Steakhouse!

Covered hallway.

First off this hotel has NO ELEVATOR and two long flights of steep stairs that you have to carry your bags up, if you can handle that it's a beautiful hotel. I went with my girlfriend for her 50th birthday. We got the suite in front with the ocean view. It was beautiful and we had a really lovely time. I did see that there is no refunds, when you book it you pay, and you have to go or you lose the money. This was one of the only hotels that would take one night booking in Catalina. Expensive, but perfect for a special occasion.

View from patio

We had a fabulous weekend at this hotel. We stayed in the ocean view suite. The view is amazing, the room is beautiful and the service is impeccable. John checked us in and was so gracious. The women that brought up breakfast each morning and milk and cookies at night were very friendly. This hotel is central to everything. All restaurants were within a 5 minute walk if not right below. The Avalon casino is about a 10 minute walk (highly recommend taking the tour). The beach and pier are directly in front of the hotel. We enjoyed sitting on our patio in the morning drinking coffee and watching the boats come and go. It was very peaceful. Great stay! We will be back.

Suite

This is a top notch hotel. It's very clean, the location is near the harbor and view is great. They have an atrium with beautiful plants in the common area between the room. It's a nice place to sit and they make it comfortable. The staff is extremely helpful and want to make your vacation special. It's in the heart of all the amazing restaurants and Catalina has the best seafood! Lobsters are huge, calamari, salmon, tuna, ahi...it's all delicious! Catalina is like a tropical island in our own backyard. We want to go again soon!

Inside our room with romantical fireplace and flat screen TV
CeCe S.

I had the opportunity to stay here right before Christmas with my husband as a mini honeymoon/Christmas vacation. I would highly recommend this place. It's a fairly small hotel located on the second floor. Their staff is very friendly, especially Alex who went out of his way to accommodate us. They are conveniently located on the beach by the pier. There is a nice aquarium in the lobby area with seating next to the window facing the beach. The rooms are very clean with a romantic fireplace and flat screen TV. There are even blu-ray players in each room and a DVD library in the lobby. The bathroom is spacious and clean. They also serve continental breakfast every morning. There's bagels, juice, coffee, toast. Also, they serve milk and cookies around bed time. Nice touch if you ask me.

View from the hotel lobby
Kristin S.

Hotel Vista Del Mar was a pleasant experience for our first overnight stay on Avalon. We would definitely return to this lovely hotel again and recommend it to others. It was a relaxing and picturesque place to stay to get away for a moment. Staff: The staff was very helpful, attentive, and answered all of our questions. The night manager during our stay kindly informed us that restaurants were closing early on Sunday night and was able to recommend a delicious alternative to our original plan. We appreciated their hospitality. Amenities: The lobby view is the pier, and you can hear the ocean from the lobby seats. They have a large aquarium (puffer fish included) in the lobby. Vista Del Mar provides a continental breakfast (fruit, yogurt, breads, muffins, instant oatmeal, coffee, tee, and juice) in the morning and cookies (Otis Spunkmeyer) and milk from 8:00-8:45 pm. They also provide a library of DVDs (relatively newer movies and classics) for free rental. Accommodations: I love the interior design of the room. The creams, browns and modern wood details make it contemporary and clean. There was a fireplace, mini fridge, Keruig coffee maker, and DirectTV in our room. The beds were plush, and they gave us a total of 6 pillows! Bathrooms were very clean and kept. The shower had a seat inside and was very roomy. Location: Hotel Vista Del Mar was located right in the middle of town. Anything you want to do is walking distance and popular restaurants and bars were right downstairs. My husband and I would definitely return to this establishment with our daughter and maybe even another couples getaway.

Freshly baked cookies every evening

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Ask the Community - Hotel Vista Del Mar

Review Highlights - Hotel Vista Del Mar

We checked out a few complimentary DVD's for the night and we snuggled with our complimentary cookies and milk.

Mentioned in 69 reviews

Read more highlights

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Snug Harbor Inn - Continental Breakfast Served to your Room

Snug Harbor Inn

(114 reviews)

$$$

This was my first stay at Snug Harbor. I visit Catalina/Avalon annually and of course had seen the…read moreInn right on the corner of Crescent and Sumner above Leo's Drug Store, but it was not until my stay last year at nearby Hotel Vista Del Mar that my interest in Snug was piqued. Last year, Vista and Snug were under the same ownership, which is no longer the case. Snug now has closer affiliation with Hotel Aurora a bit up the hill. Snug is a cozy and charming 6-room inn. There is staff on duty during the day; welcome in-room wine and snacks are provided as well as daily continental breakfast. There is no staff on the premises at night, although someone is on-call. My stay was lovely and somewhat surreal. I visited during the February rains which caused the cancellation of all Catalina Express boats on 2 days during my Avalon visit. This forced guests here for the long Valentines/Presidents Day weekend to leave early or relocate. I ended up being the sole guest for my 2-night visit! And with minimal visitors on the island, evenings were also pretty quiet, despite being right above the main drag (Crescent). Snug does provide earplugs and eye masks if needed. I moved up my arrival date due to the weather and Snug was able to accommodate me, even offering the same room, which was the Santa Catalina room, the inn's "crown jewel" situated on the corner with two large bay windows, one facing Avalon Bay with Casino, Bay and pier views, the other with a built-in window seat facing Sumner and the hills above. All rooms have a fireplace and deep soaking jetted tub. The rooms are not particularly large but are full of charm, coziness and warmth. No robes or slippers, but there were 2 clock/music/alarm machines. Complimentary reusable water bottles are provided; there's a water/ice machine in the hall. The welcome snacks offered were olives, pretzels and high-end nuts (i.e., no peanuts). The continental breakfast was quite ample and includes a small loaf of warm banana bread, yogurt, fresh berries, granola, milk, juice and coffee or tea. You fill out an order slip as to what you want exactly and what time you want it delivered. There are 6 delivery times for the 6 rooms, which of course was not an issue for my stay. There is a common room with a sofa, fireplace and machine for coffee and tea. There is a closet for luggage storage, a public restroom and umbrellas. The front door is open 8-5, key access is needed in the off-hours. Shout-outs to the great staff I met--Jackie, Destiny and especially Johnny at the front desk and housekeeper/breakfast preparer Alicia. Overall a fabulous stay. I usually split my time on the island between Mt Ada and a property "downtown". Snug Harbor has moved to the top of my downtown list!

We stayed here with a group of friends over the Christmas break, and they really took care of us…read more They bring breakfast in the morning, and the welcome platter is such a thoughtful touch. We loved hanging out in the common area, and the hot beverage bar was especially welcome in December. We usually avoid hotels because they tend to feel generic, but this place is the opposite -- a true boutique experience with only six rooms. The location is perfect, close to diving spots and great food, and the attention to detail is exceptional.

The Avalon Hotel - Sunrise view from balcony room 101

The Avalon Hotel

(220 reviews)

$$$

We loved the hotel. Located on a side street and away from the busy Front Street shops and…read morerestaurants. We stayed two nights, and it was great. Our room offered a nice balcony with views of the bay. The bed was comfortable and cozy. The bathroom was large. We had cups and a coffee maker along with a mini fridge, so it was everything we needed for our two night stay. They offer a continental breakfast each morning out on the patio, which is a peaceful spot to just sit, enjoy the firepit, and koi pond. Or the roof deck is awesome with a BBQ, tables and chairs and stunning views. They also offer trays so you can take your breakfast back to your room and have breakfast in bed. Spoiled! The staff couldn't have been more helpful, friendly and accommodating. Evelyn was awesome, thank you for the smiles and truly wonderful service throughout our stay. Off the boat, we went to drop our luggage to store until check-in. Fortunately we were there during the week, and our room was ready earlier, so we chilled a bit before heading out to explore and have lunch. They also held our bags upon check out. After we returned from an adventure, they allowed us to sit on the patio and enjoy the sun before we had to be at our boat. We couldn't have asked for a better stay, and we will absolutely go back. Just a note for anyone who has mobility issues. The hotel is awesome, but note that you have to walk part way up a little hill to reach the stairs to the small lobby. There are stairs to the lobby and depending on which floor your room is located, there is no elevator, just stairs. For someone in a wheelchair or needing a walker and unable to climb stairs, it is not doable.

First time at Avalon and this hotel was a blessing to stay at. The views are great and the bed is…read morevery comfortable. Stayed two nights. They have packages that include the ferry back and forth so I recommend checking out their website. Continental breakfast is the basics but very good. Customer service and house keeping staff was amazing. They're super nice great people. Location is great! Definitely would stay here again.

Hotel Atwater - Bistro at the hotel

Hotel Atwater

(513 reviews)

$$$

We really loved staying at the Atwater. The lobby is…read moreabsolutely stunning, great space if you have to meet your group, because there's plenty of places to sit. They offer water, both regular and cucumber. They also have a great luggage holding service so if you needs to check out before your boat leaves, you can have them hold your bags or if you arrive before check in. The rooms are very nice and feel very clean! The bed was big and comfortable, what I didn't like was have no chair in the room, I like to be able to sit not on my bed, but the bed, king size, was so big, there's no room for a chair. The sink is also separate from the toilet and shower, which has benefits, like I can get ready while my husband showers, but it made the bathroom feel very empty, also there were no counters in the bathroom area, so you couldn't set down tampons or your phone or clothes anywhere in the room except on the closed toilet lid, which isn't my favorite thing to do. May finding a small side table or something to put here would be really helpful. In general it is beautiful and very comfortable. I will definitely be back!

Room 230. Avalon King A very well maintained older hotel. I…read morehighly recommend staying here. The rooms are very clean and tastefully decorated As a couple we travel a lot domestically and internationally. The staff at this hotel are probably the most efficient and gracious I have come across in all our travels. We had a problem with our booking and they bent over backwards to solve the issue. The problem had nothing to do with them it was an error on our end. Oliver D and Lily could not have been more helpful and efficient in assisting us. The room was extremely nice. The only suggestion I would make is in regard to the small window that is by the door connecting to the other room. The window is right by a street light. There needs to be a black out blind on that as the light shines through the shut blind The bed was extremely comfortable. The shower had wonderfully hot water with great pressure. The hair dryer was fabulous as it had power and dried the hair quickly. Often hairdryers in hotels are so lacking in power I often wonder if it is worth the effort. This one was brillant All in all a wonderful place to stay

Mt Ada - The sitting room! (Ooops!  I forgot to clean up my knitting first!)

Mt Ada

(143 reviews)

$$$$

I'm a bit of a Mt Ada regular; this was my 6th stay and, due to the rainy/windy weather, the most…read moresurreal. I stayed just after the long Valentines/Presidents Day weekend. All boats to and from Catalina Island were cancelled on 2 days of my visit, forcing other guests to change their travel plans. I ended up being the sole guest for all 3 nights of my stay here! With some whispers of Mt Ada being haunted (but not as many as Banning House Lodge in Two Harbors), I was a bit concerned, but fortunately had no paranormal experiences. To briefly review Mt Ada's history, it was once the Catalina home of William Wrigley Jr. and family, of chewing gum and Chicago Cubs fame. He was instrumental in putting Catalina "on the map", and his descendants still own the Catalina Island Company, which runs Mt Ada, Hotel Atwater, Pavilion Hotel and Banning House Lodge, as well as other businesses. All my stays at Mt Ada have been with the Company, although it was previously run as a private B&B. Mt Ada still runs as a B&B, as opposed to a hotel. It's a pricey stay but has many many perks that justify the expense. These include transportation to and from the boat or helicopter terminals, use of a golf cart throughout your stay, daily made-to-order breakfast and lunch, pre-breakfast continental breakfast, afternoon wine/cheese/charcuterie, 24-hour butler's pantry with snacks like gelato, chips, cookies and popcorn plus alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, discounts on Island Company tours and activities. Currently there are about 4 main people interacting with guests at Mt Ada, plus "behind the scenes" kitchen and housekeeping staff. My past reviews have mentioned a stay here is more like a visit to a home, as opposed to a hotel. There will be times when you may not see any staff (especially at night). But Pierre, Liz, Tim and Yoli (Yollie?) work their hardest to accommodate guest needs--they are the chauffeurs, front desk, waiters, luggage handlers, concierges, etc. I applaud them all. One of Mt Ada's pluses is its location on the hill (Mt Ada) above Avalon Bay, even above the main Bay viewpoint that all the rental golfcarts stop at (traffic jams are common here). It's quite peaceful, although in busy times the noise from "downtown" does carry uphill. Mt Ada has 6 rooms. The room I booked was the Grand Suite, Mr. Wrigley's former bedroom. It's the largest room, with a separate living and bedroom, a bathroom with a separate shower and tub, and a large terrace above the first floor terrace. It has a fireplace, as do 3 other rooms, and a raised bed that requires stairs to access, as does one other room. The living room has an antique "radio" that is seen in photos with Mr. Wrigley. There are radio stations hand-written on it; I was appalled to see "graffiti" defacing this historic relic. The terrace is fabulous, but alas the weather prohibited much use; I feared the high winds would blow the cushions on the chaise lounges over the railing. Even the dining tables on the first floor terrace were stored; in more temperate weather it's the loveliest place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. The breakfast and lunch menus have some new items and some old faves. Once again a fabulous and peaceful stay. Thanks again to all the staff. With the Pavilion Hotel reopening soon, Mt Ada may be the next property to undergo renovations. I hope it does not lose its charm or homey character.

Absolutely the best accommodation on the island. Spectacular views, the house is gorgeous, the…read morestaff is impressive and attentive. Highly recommend!!! There are only six rooms so book early!

Bellanca Hotel - Hotel restaurant/bar

Bellanca Hotel

(268 reviews)

$$$

My husband and I stayed here on June 16-19, 2025. We came to the Bellanca a few years ago in Winter…read moreand loved it, loved our room, loved the hotel. We wanted the same experience and the same room. We got a Studio Suite room in the back of the hotel in the upper private area. The last time we stayed here, our room seemed bigger, and I was a bit disappointed about how small the room seemed compared to last time, but we ended up really enjoying our stay. The room was clean, although housekeeping did not clean our room the first time we asked the front desk. Before our third and final night, we went up to the front desk and told them we were extremely upset our room was not clean the day before when we had asked them to clean it so they promptly came up and cleaned our room. The linens were clean, white, and fresh and the robe was nice though short. The towels were comfy and clean and they gave us more towels when our room wasn't clean the second night we stayed after we asked them. The outside the patio was amazing. We had a gorgeous view of the city behind us and the ocean in front of us. We loved to sit outside in the comfy chairs and just soak up the view and drink coffee/tea that was provided for us with a Kuerig machine. We had plenty of free water bottles and ice and kept asking for more and more because we drink like fish and they gave it to us all for free. The room had a couch and a little table, but the table was too short for my husband to use his laptop. He said he would have liked a bigger table, but we made do with what we had. Also, there were no nightstands in the room and the closet space was very, very small, just a small wooden box in the room with only enough space to hang our jackets. There were no real drawers to place our clothes in so we left them in the luggage the entire time. The bathroom was made of beautiful Italian marble with a large bathtub that we filled to the top with warm water for our nightly bath soaks. The only thing we didn't like about the bathroom was that the toilet was right next to the wall, giving us little room to sit and do our business and the sink had no area around it to place our bathroom essentials except for a really, really small glass area above the sink to place our toothbrushes. We took really long naps while we were there with the air conditioner on full blast and really loved our bed. It was sooooo comfortable. Also, our room had a refrigerator where we placed food we bought from the market and left over food from the restaurant. We are definitely coming back again to the Bellanca hotel for a simlar Studio Suite room, hopefully next time, a bigger one light last time, but even though there were things we didn't like about this room, we may request the same room again because the view outside looking towards the ocean was amazing. Oh, and the hotel gave us two free drink vouchers worth $15 each for mixed drinks at the Naughty Fox which we used and enjoyed.

I loved this hotel so much! The staff were super friendly and helpful. It's super close to…read moreeverything and has a beautiful balcony for a beach view! I also loved that they have free bikes for a little cruise around the town :)

Hotel Vista Del Mar - hotels - Updated May 2026

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