Winnie G.
Yelp
"The theme/aesthetic of this hotel is for retired 50 year old men who smoke weed and wake up hungover, eats cold pizza" - employee
If you are looking for aesthetics and a vibe, this is the Kimpton to stay at.
6-10am: There is a complimentary coffee/hot chocolate bar. You have your option of hot coffee (reg or decaf), hot tea, or nitro cold brew. They also offer almond milk or regular dairy. You can find that across from the ping pong table. The hot chocolate bar is less obvious and you might not notice it coming off the elevator from the rooms. It comes with toppings and if you read their beautiful sign, 21+ adults get a special adult topper from the front desk, which is 2oz shot of 8 year aged rum. Ouuuuuu how my blood stream tingles! The best part, there is slices of cold pizza for your enjoyment on the adjacent table - it is part of the breakfast and they want you to eat it!
5-6pm: Social hour for complimentary beer/wine. I missed it, but I'm sure it is what you would normally expect.
5-10pm: Complimentary smores kit and they encourage you not to be shy and ask for more or seconds! There are multiple fire pits around the outdoors area, so you have options.
Word dump: Bikes and surfboards are available as part of your stay. Free wifi, no password needed. Activities in the main lobby. 24 hour gym with a rock climbing wall. Self parking entrance is on 6th and valet is right out front. Pacific Hideaway is the restaurant/bar on site that also offers happy hour. Good selection for drinks and reasonably priced. During the Dec month, there is the Pier Summit Ski Lodge 80s theme bar popup from Wed-Sat 5-10pm. They don't tell you that the noise is loud and echos, especially if you have a room facing the courtyard. But at 10pm, they close sharply and kick everybody out. Lots of kids are here. Families - so expect loud noises and tiny humans running into you. Dog friendly, so expect dogs everywhere. Conveniently located right off PCH, so you get the beach steps away from the hotel entrance. Aesthetically pleasing everywhere and photo ready. The lobby bathrooms have a lock, and you'll need a code. Complimentary water all day (and some fruit infused).
King bed was comfortable, minus the floppy pillows (but that is with most hotels). The king suite was spacious and even had a pull out bed. Don't touch anything in the mini fridge or the snacks/drinks left out for your convenience. The sticker shock alone might give you a small heart attack. The hotel literally is on top of a CVS, so just go downstairs. Bathroom had a walk in shower, as well as a tub. Front desk staff were friendly and had no issues getting additional toiletries. The DND door sign is super cute, but easy to get caught in the door and snap.
Parking tip: Go with the valet option for 45$ a night because you get in and out privileges. The self parking at 36$ a night is per entry, so everything you leave and re-enter, you'll have to pay that fee. If you did self parking, you can hand your ticket and keys over to the valet and they do a swap, and you just pay the 45$ a night instead. There is a number to text when you're ready for your car and the service works fantastic.
Otherwise, it was a great stay and the hotel had everything you needed or you were steps away from it. Fantastic location for being steps from Huntington Beach Pier.