The beds, pillows and shower are the best at this hotel. Loved the "pillow menu". Lounge was nice though a little pricey. Pool and spa area was very, very nice. Second floor room was a little noisy with the sound of the elevator heard through the walls. Front desk staff was very helpful. Breakfast that came with our group rate room was ok though nothing special. Overall a nice getaway and not too far from Newport pier and restaurants.

I stayed at the Holiday Inn costa mesa in Dec 2007 for 1 night.

The hotel was decent, with free wireless internet and a coin operated guest laundry which came in useful for me. No free breakfast. Free parking available

Room was ok but there were some smell. It smells like the hair cream - brylcreem....which was quite unpleasant to me. It was not very strong and I managed to settle in shortly. Room furnishing was simple, looks a bit old but good enough for me as it was only a one night stay. The bed was comfortable.

The bathroom is quite small. Shower area was small even for an Asian lady like me. The shower head was very low and I had to bend down to wash my hair! Water pressure was also very weak. No problem getting the perfect warm water temperature though.

Over it was an ok stay, they next day we drove down to palm springs, which took about 1hr 45mins.

Cheers

Location is great for something in the centre of south LA and close to Newport beach etc. But beware.

The property exudes the early 1990's feeling all over again - it has not been refurbished for years (or if it has, the housekeeping staff are doing a terrible job).

Unclean, un-organised and smelly would only be a couple of nice words I'd use.

After my colleague had a sleepless night in room 118 (right near the noisy lift), we got moved (I was in 122 and I suffered the same problem because the room is near the back office main door which is used more often than a bus door at rush hour!).

We got moved but my collegue had his bag thrown into the hallway by housekeeping or someone who may have mistakingly checked into his room. Whatever - his bag was a security problem - the big security problem is Yvette at the front desk who did not keep her eye on the ball and make sure the room moves were correctly followed through. This is a major stuff up that caused major grief.

So - onto my usual Pro's and Con's

Pro's
Great location, well priced breakfast buffet, excellent parking, fantastic freeway access, average pool and good laundry.

Con's
Noise of lift in any room close to the second lift in the "main building" - avoid anything with room number x18 to x26 (x being floor number). No in-room water bottle or condiments for coffee. Smelly and old. Not maintained. Housekeeping very average.

Final verdict - spend the extra money and go to the Hilton across the road. I wish I did!

At a Hotwire rate of $62 a night, this turned out to be a great deal and a great base for a long weekend getaway to explore the beaches of Orange County. It's right off the 405, "technically" within walking distance of South Coast Plaza, a variety of shops and restaurants, and less than 10 minutes from the piers of Newport Beach.
The hotel building is older (the elevator motors are loud...stay away from rooms next to them), but the decor is fresh and inviting and reminds you of a typical full-service business hotel. The restaurant served tasty breakfasts, the pool is large and warm, the courtyard is pleasant (since it is up against a residential neighborhood, it feels like you're in a big backyard), and for fronting a major commercial intersection, traffic noise was minimal. Overall, at the right rate (probably no more than $100), I would certainly recommend it.