Meh. It’s a gas station with a convenience store attached, and a brothel! While I can’t speak to the services of the brothel, The convenient store was pretty lackluster with a bunch of overpriced alien memorabilia and dirty bathrooms.
We are a family of four (Mom 47, Dad 40, Son 14, Son 8). We normally stay at a 3 star hotel ($120-150/night) when we travel.
We are on a Christmas Break road trip, and this leg is from the Napa Valley to the Grand Canyon, traveling on the I-40. We didn’t plan ahead, and booked about an hour before we arrived. We stayed in room 230, with two queen sized beds and paid $84.00 (with tax).
We we looking for a safe and clean place to crash for the night that was close to the freeway so we could begin our day again at 6AM.
LOCATION ★ ★ ★ ★
A quick on and off the exit. Easy enough to find, other than another Best Western locates directly across the street, which was a little confusing.
SERVICE ★ ★ ★ ★
We checked in at 11:30PM. They have a 24-hour front desk and the front desk person was friendly and efficient. Our paperwork was ready and we checked in and had our key cards in minutes. She quickly went over breakfast, access to WiFi, laundry and gym facilities.
CLEANLINESS ★ ★ ★ ★
See the pics. The place was very clean and up to date. No bed bugs (seriously...I checked). Clean sheets, towels, toilet, sink, and shower.
COMFORT ★ ★ ★ ★
The beds were soft. I prefer a more firm mattress, but it was comfortable overall. The pillows were abundant, nice and fluffy. There was one flat screen TV that we never turned on. The plumbing was a bit loud. Someone in an adjoining room took a shower at 5AM and I could hear the water pressure through the walls. The water pressure bounced up and down, making it difficult to find a sweet spot with the temperature of the water, but I can’t complain about a long hot shower.
PARKING ★ ★ ★ ★
Abundant. The building is U shaped, built around the parking lot, so your car is always in eyesight.
SAFETY ★ ★ ★ ★
The main door had deadbolt and a safety latch lock. Overall, I felt very safe. I wouldn’t have a problem with letting my kids roam the property on their own.
FOOD ★ ★ ★ ★
The coffee was weaker than I prefer, but hot and it does the trick. French Vanilla creamer!! Hot and cold breakfast items available at 6AM. Scrambled eggs, bacon, breads, two juices, etc.
AMENITIES ★ ★ ★ ★
Outdoor pool (too cold outside to use), but it was lit and clean. Modern gym and laundry equipment. Decent WiFi for streaming, and four iPhones :-)
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?
Most definitely. For the price, ease, cleanliness and convenience, this was a great experience. I’ve paid more for less. I was surprised and impressed with the value. Next time I would request a room on the ground level, just for ease. There are stairs and an elevator, but I like a quick in and out. Overall, I give this place ★ ★ ★ ★ 👍🏽
Rating Scale:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ = Above and beyond expectations.
★ ★ ★ ★ = Impressive.
★ ★ ★ = Average. As expected.
★ ★ = Leaves a lot to be desired.
★ = Underwhelmed.
💩 = RUN
We are a family of four (Mom 47, Dad 40, Son 14, Son 8), on a Christmas Break road trip from Las Vegas to Napa Valley, traveling on the PCH. We stayed in a room with two bedrooms, with two queen sized beds.
Let’s start with the baseline. It is a motel in a small beach town. If you are looking for a hotel with any bells and whistles, this is not the place. If you need a place to sleep and continue your travels, read on...
LOCATION ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Awesome! It is 100 yards from the Pier, right on the beach. Walking distance to shops and restaurants (and an amazing donut shop 🍩 —Surfside Donuts — you have to start your morning here).
SERVICE ★ ★ ★ ★
We arrived late in the evening, around 9PM, and the front desk person was friendly and efficient. We checked in and had our key cards in minutes.
CLEANLINESS ★ ★ ★
See the pics. The place was clean *enough*. No bed bugs (seriously...I checked). Clean sheets, toilet, sink, and shower. A strong enough smell of Fabulouso filled the room, convincing enough to assume that the room was cleaned recently.
The floor was dirty, though. I didn’t take my shoes off. It’s like they mopped the floor with dirty water. Don’t walk though this place with white socks on (ewwww).
COMFORT ★ ★ ★
The beds were comfortable. The pillows were basic. Each room (two bedrooms and sitting area) had a flat screen TV with basic cable. Cable didn’t work in one room.
Walls are paper thin, we could hear our neighbors talking, clear as day. Luckily, they quieted down early enough.
PARKING ★ ★
I doubt that the parking space to room ratio is 1:1. Because we arrived late, we were relegated to street parking, just outside of the property. Not a far walk, but enough to feel inconvenienced.
SAFETY ★ ★ ★
The main door had a safety latch lock. Overall, I felt safe, but remained aware. I didn’t let my kids roam the property on their own.
FOOD 🚫
None. Although I did see a vending machine.
AMENITIES 🚫
Outdoor pool. But cannot review, wasn’t open/we did not use.
WHAT WE SAW
We took our 5 and 11 year old boys here. They weren't terribly impressed. We enjoyed it. We walked the path around the Serpent Mound. There were two overlooks, display the steep surroundings. We climbed up the stairs to the tower for the aerial view.
We visited the museum, which was just a room with a video and some posters. The gift shop had a lot of books about local Native American history, maps, odds and ends.
WHAT YOU NEED
Not much. Enjoy an easy stroll. You'll need some guts to get up the tower if you're fearful of heights. There are two restrooms buildings (one for men, one for women) but they were closed for the season. Two port-a-johns were available in their place.
TIME AND MONEY
We spent about an hour there. Parking was $8.00 which was paid in a small outdoor box. Bring cash. You may be able to pay inside the museum, idk.
What an amazing experience!!! Don't pass this one by!!!
We happened to visit when Sir Dave and regular Dave were there. Both were so knowledgeable about the castle both shared personal stories of Sir Harry Andrews, The man who built the Castle. These men shared information about Sir Harry's storybook life and personal history, which made the visit even more special.
WHAT WE LEARNED
The Loveland Castle is a replica of Chateau de Roche in France, made stone by stone, by hand, by one man, Sir Harry Andrews, over a 51 year time span. Bonafide royalty, Sir Harry, was knighted in France during WWI, when he saved the life of a Duke. Sir Harry was a genius, with an IQ of 189 and four degrees in architecture and engineering.
In addition to building this architectural marvel, he created the "Knights of the Golden Trail," a fraternal order that vowed to live their lives by the Golden Rules (Ten Commandments). Sir Harry ensured that each member received a college education, paying out of his own pocket to provide tuition. The members continue to support the Castle, and return to provide upkeep of the Castle, and share stories.
WHAT WE SAW
We went with our 5 and 11 year old boys, and they enjoyed exploring the three levels of the Castle, from the dungeon to the defense inspired rooftop. The castle was built with all of the features of a working castle in the 18th century, including sword rails, archery windows, the ability to pour molten lead from the roof, doors that were battery ram and axe proof. Room included a chapel, Knights room, game room, dining hall, horse stables, a dungeon and a jail.
If the arduous building of the castle's structure wasn't enough, the amount of detail and forethought that went into multiple features within the castle was mind blowing.
WHAT YOU NEED
Sturdy shoes if you want to walk down to the river (steep and muddy in March). A jacket or sweatshirt, it's cold in the Castle. Bathrooms are port-a-potties. There is little to no cell service.
What a great time for kids AND adults!! Took our 5 and 11 year old boys, brought "paleontologist" tools (chisel, hammer, paint brushes and "specimen bags" (ziplock bags). We spent about 2-1/2 hours there and found lots of fossils. You don't have to dig or look hard, you can find them pretty much everywhere. But you can also make it more interesting with tools and magnifying glasses and brushes. Mom and Dad ended up exploring and searching for fossils, too. Engrossing, fun and rewarding. Don't forget your tools and a bag, your camera and water!!
We took our 5 and 11 year old here prior to hiking the Fort Ancient Trails. The artifacts and signage taught the kids (and adults) about the culture of the Native Americans and the history of their demise. We spent about an hour walking around. Could have spent more time if the kids had longer attention spans. Really enjoyed this!