Sea Blue Hotel

Room 16 was bright, clean, and comfortable, and had its own little patio, which was a lovely bonus. The Sea Blue Hotel is just steps from the pier, with great restaurants and shops all around. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, and the customer service was excellent. We loved our stay. If you want an affordable place near the beach, this is a fantastic choice.

The location is unbelievable, only a couple streets from the pier and steps from the beach. We walked to The Lobster for an incredible dinner and loved the pier. The desk person was also very helpful and nice. But the photos make the hotel look much nicer than it is. It’s extremely dated, the walls are paper-thin so you hear TVs, voices, pets, and kids running, and parking is insane. We barely squeezed our Sierra Denali 2500 double cab into a spot, and parking costs $29. Bring a small car if you’re driving, then walk everywhere. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, and after our ten-hour drive we had a rough night. The shower was awful, with uneven pressure, and the place was very dirty. The location helps, but expect a 90s room with minimal amenities. We most likely won’t be back.

I felt I got a good deal for the price. The room was spacious and clean, and comfortable inside, though the walls were thin and it got pretty cold. The only heat I had was a small space heater. The hotel is near lots of restaurants and tourist spots. I could see Santa Monica Pier from the window, though the ocean view was partly blocked. Parking is $30 a night, and spaces are limited, so keep that in mind if you drive. There were quite a few homeless people around the property, which made walking outside at night feel unsafe. My room door opened straight outdoors and didn’t seem secure, so I was a little scared staying alone. I heard people yelling and screaming outside, and saw a man jump-roping by himself in the courtyard in the dark. That was pretty scary. If you have a car or are traveling solo, I probably wouldn’t recommend it. Otherwise, it’s fine.

The location and check-in were good, and some staff, mainly the night crew, were very helpful and courteous. They seemed to have their hands tied on the main problems, which came down to the room and management. This was easily the worst hotel stay I’ve had in 38 years of traveling around the world. We brought our family for a week just before Christmas, and the large two-room family suite had no central heating or AC. When the kids got cold, I asked about the heater. They only had a small lunchbox-sized fan heater, not enough for a room that size. Keeping the doors open to warm both rooms also defeated the point of having a separate main bedroom. The heater kept tripping the breaker, cutting off power and heat. Staff suggested moving it, but the only other outlet was on the fridge’s circuit, and it tripped right away too. There were very few outlets. One above the sink wasn’t GFCI protected at the outlet, though the circuit might have been. Given the state of the other electrical, I doubt it. The tub was coming apart near the drain and could easily cut your foot. The shower pressure was awful, and even the “hot” water was cold. On our first night there was no hot water at all. Night staff couldn’t fix it. When the daytime manager arrived, he was condescending and said we hadn’t turned the right handle. The knobs were labeled backwards, a safety hazard, and we’d tried each for 15 minutes with no hot water. It seemed obvious to us that it had been shut off and they were blaming us. Staff told us these problems were ongoing and due to management. At more than $300 a night, we shouldn’t have to go without heat or hot water. The photos were misleading too, making it look as if the hotel was right on the beach. It’s a block away, and there’s a gate on the stairs, so without a key you can exit toward the beach but have to walk around to get back. The furniture in the pictures was wrong too, though that was a minor annoyance. There were other problems during the week, but this place felt like a scam through and through. It should be shut down.