3 Takes Travel Review: Crowne Plaza Hotel – Los Angeles Harbor
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Los Angeles Harbor for one night before our cruise departure. It seemed that many of the guests were there for the same reason, making it a convenient stop for travelers heading to the nearby ports.
While the hotel served its purpose as a place to spend the night before our cruise, the overall experience left something to be desired. The property felt rundown and poorly maintained, and it seemed both understaffed and overcrowded. For a quick overnight stay, it was manageable, but it wasn’t somewhere we would go out of our way to visit again.
The hotel did have a pool, which could be a nice perk for families, but it was not heated during our stay, and pool towels had not been restocked for the day. On the plus side, the hotel offered a nice breakfast buffet for guests who preferred to eat on-site, providing a convenient option before a day of travel.
One bright spot outside the hotel was a Mexican restaurant within walking distance that our entire group enjoyed, which has since closed permanently. However, with only one night stayed, we did not have much time to explore the other recommended areas, which made the location feel more practical than appealing for a longer stay.
From a family-travel perspective: When traveling with kids, we try to look for hotels that offer a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere, reliable amenities, or nearby activities that make the stay part of the vacation rather than just a place to sleep. Although the pool and breakfast buffet were potential advantages, the maintenance issues and limited nearby attractions made this feel more like a functional overnight stop than a family-friendly destination.
Final Take: If you’re sailing from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, this hotel may be a convenient option for a one-night pre-cruise stay. However, if you’re departing from the Port of Long Beach, be sure to factor in the additional transportation between the hotel and your terminal. Either way, we would consider staying in a more enjoyable beach community and traveling to the port on departure day. From a family-travel perspective, having a more inviting hotel, better amenities, and nearby activities would have been worth the extra travel time.
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