The Avalon Hotel — Hotel in Avalon

When you hear of the Catalina Island, it is almost impossible not to have heard of The Avalon Hotel. The experience in staying at such a landmark Bed-and-Breakfast-esque accommodation is well worth the hype - you will feel its magic once you arrive.

Nestled up on an inclined street, The Avalon Hotel bears the signature Manchu yellow color familiar throughout the island, with decorative geometric 1920's tiles, giving the bygone era sentiments with modern amenities.

Check-in was pleasant, the gentleman at the reception was quite knowledgeable and answered any and every question we had. He also informed us about breakfast (7AM to 10AM) and where we can fill up our water bottles.

The room was quaint with decors - we were also surprised with a gift in the room upon arrival! I did inform them earlier that it was a special occasion, and they welcomed us with a bouquet of flowers, balloon, a card, and even a Martinelli's Apple Cider (they offered champagne, we declined). We loved our balcony, with an ocean view, and was quick to take our coffee there to take in the salted chilled air! We also appreciated the unlimited coffee/tea and fresh fruits at the front desk area.

The continental breakfast included bagels and bread to toast, bakery items from Lloyds, as well as instant oatmeal and cereal bar. There were cold hard boiled eggs and yogurts, milk and orange juice available, as well as their unlimited supply of Columbia’s coffee, which was delicious. There were also fresh fruits, jams and jellies, cream cheese, and peanut butter. We enjoyed our breakfast out in the garden terrace, next to the Koi pond.

It truly was a magical experience to be able to stay at a well-maintained, well serviced accommodations, such as the Avalon Hotel. There's a reason why their rating is consistently high, they make their guests experiences one to remember!

The ONLY Way to get to the Catalina Island is by a ferry boat (via Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach or Dana Point)which is about an hour ride. Once you arrive on the island, give a call to The Avalon Hotel and they will provide a white cargo taxi transportation, which is complementary (however, tipping the driver is greatly appreciated and he may also help with the heavier luggage's up the first full flight of the stairs!).

PROS: EXCELLENT SERVICE! We were also unaware of the fact that the building does not have any elevator access, and we had booked a room that was on the third floor. Thankfully, they were kind enough to accommodate us to a lower floor unit! We did also opt for daily housekeeping - this is available with no additional charge! The hotel is very quiet and serene ambiance, we truly had the best rejuvenating experience!

LOCATION. This hotel is located within minutes of the heart of the Avalon, to the "Casino", the museum, the Vons supermarket, shops, and restaurants nearby. Because we were off-season, some of the businesses were not open, so it may be a good idea to call ahead to find out whether or not it is open for business.

CONS: NO ELEVATORS - STAIRS ONLY. This place will be difficult for those who have mobility issues, especially those in wheelchairs and or any assistive device. WEATHER. As mentioned, we went during the off-season (end of Jan-Feb) so it was a bit chillier than normal. However, coming from the East Coast, you will love this off-season weather! Just be aware that you will be welcomed with sudden rain showers, but no worries, the front desk area has clear umbrellas that you can double as a walking cane.

PRICE: Price is comparable to the season, whether you want to pay the high season prices it will be worth it, even though it is quite expensive. Going there off-season, there are specials that are available for guests - call The Avalon Hotel directly and they will be more than happy to work with you on your...

DO NOT HESITATE. BOOK NOW. Why? Where do I begin? So much to share. Let's start with the free taxi ride from the ferry. Second, these Innkeepers were some of the best we have experienced during our extensive travels around the world. My husband and I felt compelled to pause for a moment to simply say THANK YOU to the entire staff at The Avalon Hotel from Rock and Kathleen the managing partners, to Shane @ your service Concierge, Evelyn, Titava, Nicole, Kim and Flor the housekeeper. YOU ALL created a memorable Birthday experience that I will add to my BIRTHDAY Reel of moments to treasure. First, ROCK went out of his way to be accommodating by finding us rooms when the hotel was already booked. YES, I said room(s). We stayed in 3 different rooms on 3 different nights because The Avalon Hotel was the hotel my heart was set on after reading all of the reviews for the Island's Hotels. Believe the reviews about The Avalon Hotel. To move 3 times during our stay was WORTH any inconvenience we experienced packing and unpacking our bags each night. WHY? Because every afternoon the staff kindly moved our bags to the next room making it feel like it was our first day on vacation all over again. It felt romantic in a way to experience 3 different rooms.

Immediately after checking in on day one of our stay before our massage appointments that evening unbeknownst to me, Evelyn offered to let my husband use her golf cart to make a run to the Von's grocery store so that he could surprise me with flowers the morning of my Birthday. Who does that? The next morning we moved to the 3rd floor with the oceanfront room with H-MAZING Views day & night. In the evening it was so peaceful with a nice summer breeze. Later that evening either Shane placed the flowers my husband had bought in a vase and Evelyn or Kim can't remember which one had placed a complimentary bottle of chilled champagne on ice in our room upon our return from dinner. NICE TOUCH. Right? These Innkeepers provided such a warm, caring, personal touch to customer service and WE LOVED IT. They 'all' were kind, informative, and engaging. One morning, I asked Shane to print a document for work, then scan and email it to a client. No problem . . . they got you. We wanted advice on restaurants and tours on the island. No problem . . . they got you. We requested a slightly late check out on our last day on the Island. No problem . .. they got you. THANK YOU to all of the Innkeepers at The Avalon Hotel for your hospitality and customer focused service.

ABOUT CATALINA ISLAND. You can walk just about anywhere you'd like to go on this 3 mile island. Catalina is very easy to navigate. We visited the Descano Beach (too rocky) one afternoon but definitely preferred the South beach near the Pleasure Pier because it was on the main strip near food, shops and restrooms. We did the Catalina Tour for 50 minutes in a jeep and it provided us with enough history/perspective about the island and offered some incredible views. Loved the story telling and history. All the people in the tourism business on this island go out of there way to treat their guests well. The Food: we selected a few good meal options: Mi Casita (Birthday Lunch good Mexican Cantina), Steve's Steakhouse (Birthday dinner was OUT-STANDING), the Bluewater Grill (really good lunch and dinner spot), and Original Jacks (lots of Breakfast options...

We stayed at The Avalon Hotel for our 50th wedding anniversary. The atmosphere was so beautiful and relaxing. Breakfast was complimentary in the patio consisting of bagels, English muffins, muffins, cereals, fresh fruit, fruit cups, coffee, tea, juices.... The patio was so quiet and peaceful with the sound of the water fountain trickling. The room was very cozy, and the beds extremely comfortable. I love having extra pillows to prop myself up with when viewing television or just holding while I sleep. They give plenty of pillows for that! The hotel supplies you with good size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, all of great quality, enough for days. They also supply you with Q-tips, cotton swabs, and a razor. They provide bath robes to use or purchase if you would like, and a beach bag for use while there. It seems they think of everything you need to keep you comfortable. We had a room with a terrace that provided a beautiful view of the ocean and boats. Watching the boats come and go was interesting. Every night at 5pm they blow their horns a couple times which is something they started during Covid as a connection with each other. That was really fun to experience! Every employee at the hotel treated us with such warmth and welcome, always smiling. They will carry on interesting conversations with you with anything from plants in their garden to history of the island and more. It's as if you have known them for years. They go above and beyond to help you. They will store your bags upon arrival until proper check in time and early check in is available provided the room is ready, which ours was. They will also store your bags after check out so you can continue to tour the island freely. You are welcome to spend the day in their patio, or roof top supplied with chairs and a beautiful view, as well as an outdoor shower until you are ready to board your ship. As a bonus, you are given a free voucher for a taxi to and from the hotel on your day of arrival and departure. That was very convenient for us. I was amazed because we took the cab to the port, me not realizing that I left a bag of items that I purchased in the hotel lobby when we got into our car. Next thing we knew while at the port, Evelyn from the front desk was at the port with it. She hurried to the port in her car to make sure I got my items!!! I was shocked, so grateful, and convinced that the employees at The Avalon go above and beyond to make your stay the best! You cannot ask for better accommodations than what The Avalon offers. You feel like family there. Thank you so much for a beautiful and very memorable 50th wedding anniversary, and the complimentary wine and anniversary card. We will never forget this celebration, and plan to come back again,...