The Surfbreak Hotel

I probably wouldn't stay here again, though there's nothing wrong with the place. Personally, I'd rather have the extra space of an Airbnb. For a few quick nights, though, it was worth it. The room was spacious enough for my bikes, had a decent-size fridge and Keurig, a clean bathroom, comfortable bed, dresser, and big TV. Mine had a little peek of the ocean, so keep expectations modest. There's outdoor furniture for each room, wet-suit drying racks on every level, an ice machine downstairs, and carts that helped with my heavy luggage. The hotel is pet-friendly for a nightly fee, and parking is free. It's a small, mostly automated hotel. There's an office, but if you arrive outside its hours, check-in is handled by text. Digital door locks are convenient. The staff were very helpful over text, replying quickly to questions and checking in about my stay, late checkout, or an extension. Wi-Fi details are on brochures in the room. Breakfast came with my booking, though not at the hotel. San Clemente Cafe across the street applied a $15 credit when I gave them my room number. I got a good rate through a third-party site. I'd ask for an upper-floor room on the far left when facing the hotel. The elevator is on the right, so that side gets more foot traffic past rooms and patios. The left side has stairs that most people don't seem to know about. I liked sitting outside with coffee and breakfast after walking my dog in the morning, especially on the third floor. Walking to dinner, Ralph's, or the beach is easy. The hotel does sit on a busy road beside the freeway, but the windows blocked the freeway sound well. I used the sound machine to sleep, though it wasn't as loud as I expected. Parking is tight, especially for a large car, and the covered and outdoor spaces are limited. At busy times, you may want to leave your car parked or find street parking.

Julie and Addison were great, and the hotel had a cute, small-town feel. It's right off the freeway. The cafe food credit was honored, and the donuts from the shop across the way made a perfect treat. We'd recommend staying here and will be back.

The location made morning walks by the water beautiful, and the donut shop across the street was handy for a quick, tasty breakfast. My family and I would stay at Surfbreak Hotel again if we're back in the area. The staff were attentive from the start. There were a couple of initial hiccups, but manager Julie Lipson was responsive and accommodating throughout. Angel and Elena from the cleaning staff were also wonderful, going the extra mile and quickly bringing us whatever we needed.

I liked how close it was to the freeway and to the main part of San Clemente. The room was clean, modern, and very spacious, and I enjoyed the amenities, especially the free bikes and beach towels for riding around town. The main drawback was getting into the room: the front desk was rarely staffed, and the keypad took at least a couple of minutes each time. Once we had to call, and they reactivated the door code. If they offered a key card or physical key, I'd give it five stars.