Casa Tropicana

My wife and I spent a weekend here and really enjoyed it. The deck outside the quaint rooms was a great spot to watch the sun set over the ocean. The free San Clemente trolley stops right outside, so you can leave the car parked and let public transit do the work after a drink or two. They gave us a coffee voucher for the cafe downstairs, and a $5 tip got us several refills in the morning. The room was comfortable and the bed was nice. If you're looking for the Ritz, this isn't it, but for a comfortable room it's a good fit. The bathroom tubs are a bit dated, and the old jacuzzi feature doesn't work anymore, though the shower was hot and worked fine. We'll definitely stay again.

The location and views were lovely, but cold showers at night and again in the morning ruined the stay. The after-hours number was wrong, so there was nobody to deal with the problem. The manager offered to cover breakfast at their restaurant as compensation. When I asked about comping a room, she said no, not even at 50%, and instead offered us a chance to book another date for almost $300, far more than we paid for this stay. No room comp, and then an offer to pay them another $300? So disappointing. Give your money to another hotel in San Clemente.

The location is the only thing this hotel has going for it. The noise insulation was horrendous, with no notice about the hammering outside our room all day. Housekeeping and maintenance had their radios so loud you could hear them from other floors, and when they were on yours it sounded as though they were in the room. A couple fought all night and into the morning, screaming profanities and crying hysterically. The bathroom was outdated, with hair on the floor from the previous guest and water rings around the sink. It made me wonder how thoroughly they clean the highest-touch, germ-filled surfaces. Staff were impossible to reach before we arrived. I work remotely and had to work one day of the trip, but the Wi-Fi was slow and my calls kept dropping.

The location is awesome, with views of the ocean and pier, and the staff were absolutely fantastic, really wonderful people who made a difference. But the apartment was horribly outdated and dysfunctional. The fridge didn't work, though it's a Sub-Zero and should be easy to repair. The island stove was broken, so they installed another stove on the adjacent countertop. Its heat is warping the cabinets and making the countertop lighting crust over. Cabinet doors are broken off and lying around, and the enamel sink and tubs are cracking. My daughter cut her foot on a crack in the enamel tub. There was no working AC for hot, muggy days. I recommend bringing in a dumpster and remodeling the apartment.