Dana Point Hotel
Doubletree Suites by Hilton
For a Dana Point hotel next to the beach and near the harbor for whale watching cruises, the Doubletree Suites by Hilton with its ocean views is hard to beat.
Doubletree Suites by Hilton Dana Point
All Photos (c) Donna Dailey
We really looked forward to getting to our Dana Point hotel, the Doubletree Suites by Hilton. We’d booked a sunset whale watching cruise, and after a short drive from La Jolla, we’d all day to explore the beach and other delights of Dana Point.
It seemed odd to be breaking our latest PCH drive just at the exact place where the Pacific Coast Highway officially starts – but that’s right here, less than a mile from our Dana Point hotel, at the junction of I-5 and Highway 1.
Our Pick of the California Guides
Finding the Doubletree Suites by Hilton
The Doubletree was really easy to find, and that was a bonus. You do need good directions, but if you print them out from the hotel’s website, you can’t go wrong. There’s plenty of room to pull in, and the valet guy made us feel really welcome.
He told us how to walk to the harbor, where best to cross the road to get to Doheny State Beach, which is right across from the hotel, and where we’d end up if we walked south along the beach – the answer being San Clemente, about five miles away.
Doubletree Suites by Hilton Dana Point
Our Room at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton
The friendly welcome continued inside the hotel at the reception desk, which sadly isn’t always the case these days. Here they clearly made an effort to treat you as a guest and not a job of work to be got out of the way. The reception area was big and bright, with some stylish décor, and there was a nice, thoughtful touch – chilled water, flavored lightly with citrus fruit, was always available just inside the door.
Our Bedroom
Our Bedroom
Bathroom In Our Suite
His and Hers Sinks
Our room was 416, which was right on the corner at the front of the hotel. With a balcony on each side, we had two different ocean views, which was fabulous. The walls were pale brown, and the chairs and bedding a delicate green. It was simple and relaxing. We liked the concealed fridge and microwave, the desk, the Jacuzzi in the bathroom, and little extras like some chamomile tea, and Wolfgang Puck coffee.
We didn’t get chance to sample dinner at the hotel’s Tresca restaurant, as we wanted to eat down at the harbor after our sunset whale watching cruise.
But we did look in on the lively Vivo Bar on the 4th floor, with its ocean views (that's the view from our balcony, below), and in the morning breakfast in Tresca was excellent. The service again was friendly, the coffee terrific, and we both liked the sound of the ranchos hueveros. It’s a dish we know and love, and this was a really tasty one.
The View from Our Room
Leaving our Dana Point Hotel
We’d love to have stayed at least another day in Dana Point. We really enjoyed walking on Doheny State Beach, and wandering round the harbor. The whale watching cruise was fantastic, too. And the hotel was impressive.
You Can Rent Bikes Too!
To be honest, we normally choose more intimate inns with character, family-run guesthouses, and the occasional luxury splurge. But someone local recommended the Doubletree to us – and we were glad that they did. It left us wanting more – the ultimate test. So we drove out of the hotel and right onto the start of the Pacific Coast Highway.
Other California hotels pages
The Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel is Ventura 's only beachside hotel with ocean front swimming pool and rooms with ocean views.
The Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino on the California coast is an eco-resort with yoga classes and the award-winning Ravens Restaurant.
If looking for Paso Robles accommodation you could stay on a vineyard at the luxury JUST Inn Bed and Breakfast, in the grounds of the JUSTIN winery.
The Napa Wine Country Inn and Gardens in St Helena overlooks a vineyard and has free wine tastings every evening and offers guests help with booking wine tours.
The historic MacCallum House Inn and Restaurant is just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Mendocino Village, which includes cottages and suites.
Pacific Coast Highway Travel recommends good cheap motels in San Diego including Super-8, Motel 6, Travelodge and Days Inn.
Los Angeles Airport hotels include Hilton, Radisson, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Crowne Plaza and other top names, all of them within a mile or so of LAX.
The Madonna Inn is a historic landmark resort hotel in San Luis Obispo, California, with 109 uniquely decorated rooms, steak house, and fitness centre.
The Oceana Santa Barbara beachfront hotel has a perfect seafront location, close to Stearns Wharf and State Street, and whale watching cruises.
The Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo is a romantic, historic guesthouse on the Mendocino California coast, on the Pacific Coast Highway.
The Viceroy Santa Monica hotel is one of Los Angeles' best, a favorite of celebrities like Dustin Hoffman, Sting, Demi Moore, and Leonardo DiCaprio,
The historic Franciscan Inn in Santa Barbara, California, near the Pacific Coast Highway, is in a quiet location near the beach ideal for those driving PCH.
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's website recommendations on Where to Stay in San Diego include reviews of budget and luxury hotels in downtown San Diego.
The Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa is north of San Francisco and near the Point Reyes National Seashore, a beautiful California coast hotel with Pacific Ocean views.
If you’re looking for a Cambria Lodging then the Cambria Pines Lodge in Cambria is a few miles from San Simeon and Hearst Castle.
For a Monterey Inn just off the Pacific Coast Highway in California, the Mariposa Inn and Suites is hard to beat, providing good accommodation close to PCH.
Morro Bay is a delightful small town on the California coast roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and noted for the huge Morro Rock.
Historic and romantic Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Carmel is a great place to stay with free wine and cheese and generous breakfast.
Where to Stay in Carmel include reviews of the Mission Ranch, Sea View Inn, The Cypress Inn, Lamp Lighter Inn and Vagabond's House Inn.
For a Moss Beach hotel just off the Pacific Coast Highway, the Seal Cove Inn offers good accommodation north of Half Moon Bay, minutes from the ocean.
The Pelican Inn and Suites in Cambria on California's Central Coast has oceanfront views, swimming pool, gardens, and is right on the beach near Hearst Castle.
There are many Santa Monica luxury hotels and while Le Meridien Delfina is not right by the beach it has a great bar, pool, restaurant.
The Inn at Morro Bay offers accommodation in Morro Bay State Park, close to beach and wildlife, with outdoor pool, just off the Pacific Coast Highway.
Pacific Coast Highway Travel brings you its choice of the best things to do in Dana Point, including museums, beaches, shopping, and outdoor activities.
The Grande Colonial La Jolla luxury hotel is downtown, close to restaurants and shopping, with historic charm, and a highly acclaimed restaurant.
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