After reading some of the earlier reviews, I was hesitant about our stay here. It was just for an overnight before a Hawaiian cruise. The hotel staff was very helpful, the front desk accomodating, the waitstaff cheerful, room clean, and looked newly renovated, food was good. The free transportation was a plus, both to visit the Queen Mary, and then on to our cruise ship. As priority club members, we got late check out enabling us to see a little of Long Beach before leaving, a discount on the next morning's breakfast, and a bag of snacks. The surrounding area is a little dicey- but for our purpose, the hotel was just fine.

Unfortnately my corp travel agent put me in this hotel which will be eliminated from our database!!! The employees are uneducated rude and unwilling to help with smallest request. The neighborhood is terrible and the hotel is not close to anyplace safe! The odor of febreeze does not cover up the stink of old and moldy.

There isn't really much night life around this hotel and transport is necessary to get to any bars or restaurants. The staff in general are very friendly except for one arrogant staff member who was very unhelpful when simply asked to help me locate a bank so that I could cash travellers cheques. Also they had very few safety deposit boxes (located only at reception) which meant I had nowhere to store my valuables. All in all are very unmemorable hotel.

We went on a Mexican cruise departing from the LA Cruise Terminal in San Pedro on 19 Feb 2006 and flew in the day before. We chose to stay in Long Beach since it appeared they have better facilities to spend the day. We found the Holiday Inn downtown quite satisfactory, having been recently renovated. The front desk at check in and out (same crew) was excellent. They provided recommendations for dinning and arranged for the complementary shuttle to take us about town. The hotel also provides a complimentary shuttle to the San Pedro cruise pier. The room was clean, beds comfortable, and quiet. Although the location is not downtown, it was in what appeared to be safe area. And like I said, the hotel shuttle can run you any where within 3 miles. We would definitely stay there again.