Hotel Arcata

The building has a lot of character, with historic photos in the hallways, physical keys for the rooms, and frosted sliding interior windows that made me wonder if they were used by housekeeping in the old days. It’s a beautiful place, and the people are doing their best. The hotel is clean, and the staff are friendly and helpful. It’s right by Arcata plaza. The area is economically struggling, but people are exceptionally friendly. Our room had a comfortable bed and a tub with a curtain for showering. There was no fridge, and the radiator didn’t work, so the room came with a space heater. Breakfast for guests included coffee, orange juice, yogurt, bagels, and waffles, enough to get you started on the next part of a road trip.

We had a great long weekend at Hotel Arcata. It was conveniently located near restaurants and coffee shops, and they provided a permit for nearby parking. Pets were allowed.

The location is handy for downtown, but I wouldn't stay here again if I needed proper sleep or comfort. We would have moved elsewhere if we were booked for more than one night. The hotel has old charm, but that doesn't make it comfortable. There's no AC or fridge in the room, and the thin windows let in a ridiculous amount of street noise. You have to crack a window for air, which means listening all night to cars, horns, shouting, slamming doors, revving engines, and loud music. This was a weeknight, so I can't imagine a weekend. The open window also brings in cigarette and weed smells all night. It's a classic vintage place, but the tub and sink looked like they hadn't been cleaned properly in decades. In my opinion, I'd rather stay somewhere else for a decent night's rest.

Avoid room 216. The window looks out over the trash, and opening it for fresh air means dealing with noise all night. People drag bins around late, and bottle recyclers go through the trash at 5 am. There were also homeless people sleeping and having a party right outside the window.