Best Western at Ventura Pier

A couple of weeks ago, we stayed here and were pleased with how clean everything was. Breakfast was included and filling enough to get us through the day. We also accidentally left something in the room. When I called right away, they quickly checked for it and held it for a couple of days until I could return to pick it up. We’ll make this one of our regular places to stay in Ventura.

I wouldn’t usually choose a Best Western, but the reviews were too good to ignore. We stayed here to visit the national park, and being close to the boat dock mattered to us. The location, the price for the area, the clean room, comfortable bed and pillows, and feeling safe in the parking lot were all positives. Everyone on staff I met was friendly and helpful. Since cars park right outside the doors, there can be noise in the evening and morning, and the walls are thin.

Great location for the ocean, shopping, and food, but the room had a lot of issues. Our keys kept failing, so I had to go to the office several times to reset them. The coffee maker didn’t work, and there was no chair at the vanity. The bed felt oddly fluffy, almost like a waterbed, and the vanity wall blocked airflow to it, making the room hard to keep at a comfortable temperature. There were no vending machines, and the ice maker was empty. Wear shoes indoors, too. The floors weren’t clean, and after one night my feet were filthy.

The front desk told me the boiler was having trouble, but they checked me in for a three-night stay anyway. Around 11 p.m., I turned on the water to shower and found it stayed cold, both in the shower and at the bathroom sink. I couldn’t wash up at all, and it ruined what should have been a restful night. Customer service and the front desk both said nothing could be done until morning. This is the worst hotel experience I’ve had. I’m shocked they accepted guests knowing there was no hot water. I don’t recommend this place.