El Caminante Bar & Bungalows

We spent a lot of time on the patio, especially having coffee and looking out at the ocean in the morning. Our Ocean View King Balcony room had a great view. The little bar, lounge, and outdoor patio were all quaint and inviting. We also loved the record player and LPs, plus the Le Labo toiletries. Such a beautiful boutique hotel, and a great stay.

The staff made our birthday night extra special. When they heard there wasn't dessert but I wanted a surprise, Liz and Adolfo, if I'm remembering right, found cookies, tiny cupcakes, and candles, then came over singing happy birthday. So sweet. My partner and I came for one night to celebrate our birthdays, and we'll be back for anniversaries too. We both grew up nearby and remembered the place as run-down. The remodel was really thoughtful and kept its historic character. The rooms are small because it's an old classic building, and that charm is exactly why. 10 out of 10, highly recommend.

We loved relaxing on the front patios and grabbing drinks and small bites at the property. The staff were incredibly helpful, especially Michael, and the rooms were sparkling clean. It's an easy walk to the beach, and Dana Point is only about a mile away along Pacific Coast Highway. Getting to and from the main highways was easy, and the atmosphere was laid back. We had an infant with us, so we didn't get to try the e-bikes, but just the two of us would definitely have used them.

We stayed three nights in room 14 while back in town for my mother's funeral. The bed was comfortable, and the room was close to Doheny beach, but we had a lot of problems. The floor was sandy and dirty, and the lights flickered from electrical shorts. The bulbs were about 25 watts, yellow and dim enough that we both had to use our phone flashlights to read at dusk. We didn't use anything from the mini-fridge, just moved their cans around to fit drinks we'd bought. At checkout I accidentally packed the hair dryer, called once home, and shipped it back on Tuesday. We never got a checkout receipt or email for the debit card stay. Then an unexplained extra $360 debit appeared on my bank account. We called about our concerns, but nobody contacted us personally by phone or email. This is Thursday, and we got home Monday. Parking was another issue. They cater to locals coming to the bar, with no spaces set aside for motel guests. How is that supposed to work on busy weekends with 38 rooms and 24 spots? The manager was absent and very unprofessional. I have never encountered management this unprofessional, and I don't recommend staying here. To me, they don't care about honesty or communication.