Studio 9 Hotel Catalina

The building dates back to 1892, which gives the hotel a real connection to the island's history. It's nothing fancy, and there's no elevator, but the bed was comfortable and the bathroom ample. Our room had a great harbor and ocean view, and the large porch at the end of our corridor had good views too. There's another porch on the floor below. The hotel has three floors in all. Staff were very friendly. It's on a side street, half a block from the beach, and much quieter than the parallel streets closer to bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. We plan to stay there again on our next trip to Catalina Island, an enchanted place.

There was no room service, and the lack of basic amenities was frustrating: no in-room coffee or tea, no microwave for heating food or water, and no coffee or water in the lobby. The toilet didn't flush properly. There's no air conditioning, the ceiling fan didn't work, Wi-Fi was slow and often dropped out, the TV remote failed, and the key card worked only about half the time. The hotel has no real ocean view, though it's fairly close to the beach and shopping. Service was nearly nonexistent. If you stay longer than two days, you'll have to find a maid yourself to get clean towels. Maids only work from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm, and the front desk isn't staffed as advertised from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Each time I went there, I saw an "On Break...call (xxx) xxx-xxxx if it is an emergency" sign. Other guests complained about it too. A low-income apartment building next door meant the sea breeze smelled like marijuana. There's a security door on the ground floor to keep non-guests out of the rooms and patio, but staff leave it propped open during the day and don't shut it at night. Anyone can get in. A drunk bum came into the patio making a lot of noise at 1:00 am on my first night, so I shut the gate myself every night after that.

The location is good and the staff were warm, welcoming, and helpful. The building is old but clean and well kept, with a lot of character. It isn't for everyone, though. Rooms and bathrooms are small, and the bathroom in ours had no sink, only a narrow shower with a curtain and a small toilet that could be uncomfortable for some. The door closes but doesn't seal neatly. The old push-button switches still work fine, and the ceiling fan works too, though figuring out how to turn it on isn't obvious if you're not tech-savvy. The hill is steep, about a 30% grade and 110 feet up from the main street, at the end of Crescent Ave. After sightseeing, the climb back felt intense. Third-floor rooms involve steep stairs, and upstairs rooms aren't wheelchair accessible. King beds are only on the second and third floors, while ground-floor rooms have queen beds. Older guests may prefer a room on the main level. If you're older or have luggage, you may want to hire a ride from the ferry terminal landing area. Hotels off the hill cost roughly $100 more per night. The top-floor views are fantastic. Based on this stay, I'd come back. Pack comfy walking shoes and a safari hat. If you're renting a golf cart to explore, wait until afternoon. Rentals are an eight minute walk from the hotel.

It's an old-school hotel, so keep your expectations realistic. The staff were friendly, the room was clean, and the location was great. We would have liked furniture on the balcony to enjoy the weather. The shower control was set opposite to the water temperature, but once we figured that out, the water was hot.