Crystal Cove Beach Cottages — Hotel in Newport Beach

Yes, the location is great. Yes, the cottages are somewhat shabby. We stayed in unit 29 - still combined as one unit due to the pandemic that is nowhere near over. (One staff member told me they thought this combining would end soon, and the unit would be rented out as 29A and 29B again). Note, when I got lucky and got a reservation, it said premium cottage 2-29. At first we thought we got cottage 2, but it was 29. ||||Things of note:||||1. We are a family of 4 and this cottage can sleep 10. There were tons of beds we did not use, but the towel allotment was pretty stingy (one washcloth, hand towel, and bath towel per person) so the extra towels came in handy.||||2. As others have noted, there are no paper plates, cups, or utensils. There was a full roll of paper towels. Plus, not sure if the State Parks provided this or the previous guest, but there was a small bottle of dish soap.||||3. The bathrooms have no fans but could really use them.||||4. Even in early October, the cottage got hot. For some reason there are no screens on the two kitchen windows that open. Those were the only windows that opened. One bathroom window has slats you can adjust to be open. There are also two doors that open, plus a sliding door in the downstairs bedroom.||||5. One thing sorely missing that I have not seen mentioned: a way to hose off wetsuites, boogie boards, people, etc. outside. There are tons of notices in the cabin saying not to bring sand in. We tried really hard but sand gets caught in bathing suits, etc. There are brushes outside for feet but no way to rinse anything. And nothing in the "historic district". Which meant we took sandy salty wetsuits in our car and could not clean them until we got home.||||6. Staff members were all nice. No one wore a mask, unfortunately.||||7. Not sure about entire carafes, but the check-in office had coffee and to-go cupts (plus tea, etc.). (We brought a single-serve Keurig with us.)||||8. Note about the Trader Joe's: after reading so many reviews that mentioned the nearby TJs, we figured we could get everything we needed foodwise and so we hardly packed anything. Well. This store doesn't seem that small, footprint wise, but they had a lot less variety than most TJs. My two local TJs are smaller but have way more variety. And I don't mean they just didn't have my particular favorites - each and every section was small compared to other TJs with many fewer options. So we had to improvise since many of our planned meal items were simply not there. (Note for vegans: very small plant milk selection--for soy milk, only one type of shelf stable, no cold version.)||||9. Another note for vegans: the same shopping center has a z-pizza which offers vegan pizza.||||10. The waves were somehwat rough. Not suitable for snorkeling, at least in the immediate vicinity. Or swimming.||||11. Some kind of winged insect infiltrated our cottage (it was too hot to keep everything closed). We think they were termites (I hope State Parks is reading this, considering these units were recently renovated.) Gross. We also saw a couple ants, but no mice. There were Ecolab traps outside surrounding the cottage (likely not humane traps).||||12. There are fans inside but you can't control the speed (would be nice to speed up).||||13. Beds were okay, not that firm.||||14. Wifi - there is wifi in this unit --the signal appeared strong, bar-wise, but it did not work. Don't count on it.||||15. You get small bars of soap in the bathrooms, that's it. Bring shampoo, etc.||||16. Cottage 29 has lots of outdoor seating on the deck.||||17. As posted in the cottage and at all entrances to the beach, this is Marine Protected Area, so no collecing shells, disturbing wildlife, etc.||||18. There was a scrabble game and some old books in the cottage.||||19. I had read that the beds were not made in the dorm-style rooms, but I was surpised the beds were not made when the cottage was being rented as an entire unit (I don't really understand the reasoning here, other than maybe the dorm renters pay less, but we were not). It is odd--the bed is "made" in that the blanket is tucked in. So I don't see why they don't just put the sheets on, but whatever (you have to take off the blanket, put the sheets on, then re-add the blanket).||||20 Tip: we were told that (while they are still renting this out as single unit) that this unit , plus other dorm units in same situation, are offered only 30 days in advance, vs. 6 months for the rest. That is probalby how we got it, since I randomly tried exactly 30 days before the time period we got (by chance, I did not know this...

The Cottages at Crystal Cove in Newport Harbor, California, offer stunning views that are truly breathtaking. However, several significant drawbacks make the overall experience less enjoyable.||Positives:||The View: The coastal views are absolutely stunning and provide a serene and picturesque backdrop for your stay. This is by far the best feature of the cottages.||Negatives:||Parking Situation: The parking situation is a major inconvenience. You have to park at Los Trancos and schlep all your gear down to your cottage, which is not fun, especially when you have groceries or luggage. Moreover, you are not allowed to drive down to the shuttle drop-off site to unload passengers and belongings, making every trip to and from the car a hassle.||Ants: Plan for ants. It’s not a question of “if” but “when” they will show up. This is a persistent problem and, at this price point, frankly unacceptable.||Cottages: The cottages are a step up from camping, but not by much. Considering the cost, one would expect more amenities. There are no stovetops or dishes provided, so you need to bring everything you might need or plan to eat out for every meal. The cottages are sparsely equipped despite having ample cabinet and counter space.||Beds: The mattresses seem ancient, perhaps from the 1930s or second-hand from the California State Penitentiary system. They are super thin, uncomfortable, and very small, providing a poor night's sleep.||Water Issues: The water was turned off overnight for two nights in a row, once without any notice. This was extremely inconvenient.||Window Problems: On our first night, the windows couldn’t be closed because they were so rusty and stuck in place. Maintenance did come the next day, but their solution was to remove the rusty hinges and put signs on the windows saying, "DO NOT OPEN." Not exactly reassuring.||Parking Pass: Ensure you display your parking pass at Los Trancos. Reversing an incorrectly cited parking ticket is a nightmare. The park rangers are not helpful, and making a call to resolve the issue does not work.||In summary, while the views at The Cottages at Crystal Cove are spectacular, the numerous inconveniences and issues make it hard to justify the high price point. Know what you’re getting into before booking. The price does not reflect the expectations you might have for your stay.||PS: Be meticulous about displaying your parking pass to avoid any unnecessary hassles with...

If you're looking for a 5 star resort where everyone caters to your every whim, this isn't the place for you.

If you are looking for a few days of serene, peaceful views of the ocean, connecting with yourself, family, and friends (who ever you might bring along), this might be the spot for you. They're historical , quirky, one of a kind cabins with no TVs (WiFi but we'll get to that later) You'll be transported when times were simpler and you can slow down and enjoy the views., take a morning stroll to check out the sea life in the tide pools or take a little walk north of the cabins to check out the sea caves. You'll never be bored here.

The weather is great all year. Just bring jackets for after sunset and be prepared with layers if you take a morning stroll on the beach. You'll leave a bit chilly but peel the layers off long before you head back. The cabins have basic kitchens, so you can bring water, snacks etc. Bring your own paper plates and disposable utensils. They'll have paper towels etc.

It's such a magical hidden gem hidden in plain sight, and you can't beat the prices. No wonder they're booked 6 months in advance. It is completely worth all the effort if you can get it. Some of the cabins are actually beachfront! Nothing in front of you but the sand and beach! Most resorts / hotels in the area can't offer that and are a bit of a walk from your room. (Not to mention VERY pricey) These cabins are like tiny homes, some with multiple bedrooms and room for the whole family!

There's also the Beachcomber Cafe on site and Ruby's Shake Shack just up a flight of stairs if you'd rather skip bringing your own snacks or want to rent a fire pit for after dark on the beach. (You can ask the staff at The Beachcomber and they'll either direct you to the place for reservations or take care of it for you)

So grab your beach gear and be prepared to make some great memories. If you're lucky, you'll see the pod of dolphins that hang out in the cove. They swim back and forth.

This place holds so many memories for me and my family. I try to book it when I can (there's a limit on how many nights a year you can book so we all get a...