WOW! "Come for the view, stay for the experience" is one of the mottos for this GORGEOUS retreat…read more Another, more simple motto for this property: "BREATHE". Established in 1953, the Beachcomber in is quintessential California bungalow motor hotel. It's unique placement on a San Clemente bluff, with panoramic views of the pier and coast are nothing short of stunning. The rooms have full kitchens, king beds, sofa beds and patios with Adirondack chairs, in case being inside, staring through an enormous picture window just doesn't cut it. The staff obviously knows what a special property this is and there is great pride in the presentation and up keep of the grounds. Friendly, welcoming faces morning, noon and night. Because this is a vintage property, maintaining its original build and charm, it does not conform to modern accessibility requirements. Some may find the rooms small compared to modern, chain hotels, but I found everything cozy, comfortable and - dare I say - sumptuous! Given the hospitality of the staff, I'm sure they would do all they could to accommodate any guest. In addition to the amazing evening sunset views of the Pacific, a plus for me, was the Amtrak Surfliner passing through, down below the bluff. Paul Simon may sing, 'Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance', but I love the sound of a train close by! I find it very soothing and romantic. After the sun has set, it's time to gather around the large fire pit for easy conversations with fellow guests, maybe while you wait for your steaks to grill on one of their guest use BBQs. A lovely, relaxing way to ease into the night. We forced ourselves to leave the property and stretch our legs, walk the pier and roam the shops of nearby Avenida Victoria. But for REAL shopping in San Clemente, we took advantage of the free hop on/hop off trolley that runs seasonally and weekends(see separate review) that picks up just below the Beachcomber, at the San Clemente train stop. Weleft our car parked in our allotted parking space (1 parking space for those staying in Villas #1-12). Really, Beachcomber had everything we needed to settle in for a few nights and, yes, just "BREATHE". Cheers! "CC"

I have not had the opportunity to stay here yet but know enough from my experience with Tina that…read morewhen I do, it will be nothing short of amazing. I tried booking this place 2 weeks ago for a short staycation with the bf and called the office based on Yelp reviews. Tina told me they were booked but recommended another inn across the street to try. She also told me to stop by so she could show me the property when I was in town for a future visit with them. I thanked her and under normal circumstances that would've been it, but her personality over the phone was just so pleasant that even though the place she recommended was booked before I ultimately found a place to stay in San Clemente, my mind was already made up that I wanted to see the place when we got to San Clemente. So glad we did. We had drinks at Fisherman's by the beach before walking up to meet Tina. She showed us one of the vacant rooms and I'm in love. Planning a future visit to stay at Beachcomber Inn the next chance I can. The room she showed us was sanitized, and you could smell the citrus in the room. The gorgeous window view from the was like a painting. And the convenience of being steps of the beach speaks for itself. Looking forward to making our way back here again, hopefully soon

4.5 stars We've been coming to Sea Horse Resort for years…read moreand have stayed in various rooms, but our most recent stay in Room 5A was the best yet. The views are simply unparalleled -- nearly panoramic and absolutely stunning. The accommodations are comfortable and clean, exactly what you need for a great beach trip. Room 5A is a gem -- no elevator or modern extras, but the breathtaking views more than make up for it. It's an older property and the exterior shows it, but that's part of its charm. For a classic, relaxed beach getaway, the location and scenery are simply unbeatable. We'll always request this room.

This is the second time we have stayed at the seahorse and both times were amazing…read more The rooms were clean and bright. Great location overlooking the pier, which was exactly what we were looking for. Staff were friendly, professional, and helpful. We got a great recommendation for pizza at Sonny's, which was amazing. We were celebrating our anniversary and the seahorse was the perfect place to do it. Thank you.

4 stars only because the pool was not heated and thin walls…read more We were in the Executive King - room 236 DAY ONE: The smell of fresh clean linens. I love it. Room was huge. Executive king. Room has a sofa bed. Staff is very nice. We had the pleasure of meeting Ricky. He is amazing. Very nice, helpful and informative. NIGHT ONE: First night was a drag for sleep. We asked for the top floor upon arrival but were told they were all full at the top floor. I don't know why any hotel would put kids on a top floor. We had littles running at 11pm-12am and then from 4-6:30am running again and an adult stomping back and forth. After 2 hours I couldn't handle it anymore and called downstairs to have them call the room to have them stop. We were in room 236. They stopped for a bit and started back up at 6:45am. That was unfortunate. NIGHT TWO... used earplugs so I didn't have to hear the upstairs people stomping and kids running at 5am this time. The walls and floor are very thin. You can hear talking upstairs and next door. The hallways have a cold draft when it's cold. Our room started to smell like a wet damp towel on day two after we came back from being out all day. I assume it was due to the non stop rain and possibly leaks within the walls. The Dove soap does make a difference and makes all of the rooms smell good. We had to open the balcony door to air out the room. It makes sense why we see all of the rooms open when they are being cleaned out. They are being aired out before being occupied. NIGHT THREE: used earplugs so we didn't hear the new occupiers upstairs. But they were pretty quiet from 11pm to 7am. NIGHT FOUR: Ear plugs for the win lol. Still, overall, a great place to stay. I know renovations are expensive so fixing these thin walls most likely won't happen anytime soon. I would def stay here again but will remember to wear my earplugs every night Lots of parking. Feels super safe. The place is otherwise quiet. Sad part is that I looked forward to a heated pool and the pool was not heated. It looked nice though. I'm still made about the pool.... Couldn't even use it once. The water was freezing. Hotel itself is extremely clean. Our sheets were so clean. They smelled sooooo good. Staff was very presentable. Breakfast was good. Free breakfast every morning. 6:20-9:30 Mon through Friday and 7-10am on weekends. Cereals, bagels, toast, jelly's, jams. Peanut butter, yogurt, butter, omelets with cheese or ham, Boiled eggs, turnkey sausage, pork sausage, orange juice, coffee, milk, tea, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, apples, oatmeal, bacon on some days, oranges, bananas and pancakes. They supply Dove soap (Dove hand soap, shampoo and conditioner) which is amazing. We brought our own Dove soap just in case because most hotels use smelly soap lol. Inside the room is a microwave, fridge, ironing board, tv, clean remote in plastic, hair blow dryer and a coffee maker. TIPs: -Bring ear plugs -Air out your room daily (open that patio) -Turning the heater higher than 81 makes the room smell burnt -keep the room temp at 75 as the cold comes in from outside or keep your neck warm -if you're here for the pool, call before making reservations to see if it's heated

I was here last week and I fell in love with the hotel the location that I had to come back the…read moreprevious week to bring my son fishing and just hang out in San Clemente do some shopping some eating we went to Asada restaurant and it was delicious. We also went to the outlets and the pier for some food today we will go fishing. The management is the best here!! Ricky, Edwin and the young lady that checked us in are amazing!

My husband I spent 3 nights in the grotto. We can not express enough, how wonderful this gem is!!…read moreDo yourself a favor and experience this beautiful hacienda! Super clean, location is the best and the grounds are immaculate! We slept with the windows open to enjoy the sounds of the turf! The proprietor lives on premise and is kind and considerate. We'll be back for sure! David and Cindy Gonzales

I took my husband here to surprise him for his 30th and we stayed in the Bonita-Oceanfront room. It…read morewas so charming, relaxing, and the perfect romantic getaway. Thanks to the owner John for being so accommodating and for just being an overall cool dude! We will definitely be back!

Stayed at the cove the end of my grandparents timeshare week. They had decided to leave I guess…read morebecause one of the lady's at check in wasn't the nicest. The time I was there was good housekeeping was attentive when I came to the needs of the room. The balcony rooms will always have the best views if that's your goal. Very close to the downtown so lots of food options nearby along w the Sunday market. Room was very cold at points even w the heaters and the fireplace on but my guess it's because of the tile. I went in the winter but they do offer beach equipment if needed and towels which is always great. Plus the sauna and jacuzzi are always great to enjoy.

This is a timeshare I was gifted, I have the luxury of living close enough to drive down anytime,…read morewhatever date my week comes up I take it and just enjoy the beach and the privacy. They also have rentals available not everyone uses their timeshare not all the rooms and all the weeks are used up. Additionally, they have timeshares for sale. If you're interested I would say the prices for your yearly fees are comparable to any other hotel in their resort area or a beach area so well worth it to pay the timeshare fees and just come down whenever.

I enjoyed my stay here. One of the highlights of my stay was the staff that I personally…read moreencountered were great. I wanted to check in early and I first called and spoke to an Aaron who said that he could help me leave a note for early check in, and then when I got there I was checked in by Estrella who was also great and she let me check in early. I came here for a wedding block and did not check the reviews until after my stay and was shocked at all the negative reviews. A lot of the prior reviews all mention outdated rooms, but now in 2026 the rooms have been redone and they're great. The hallways/exterior/common areas are still quite dated, but the rooms themselves have been redone well. They're spacious and large and well apportioned. With that said, there are some negatives. First of all, they're still working on renovations in the common areas. A large portion of the lobby is petitioned off, and the pool and spa are both closed. Secondly, the room we were in the beds seemed on the small side, so if you were trying to put two larger people on one of the beds it may feel a little cramped. Lastly, there still seems to be some issues with management. I was lucky and all the staff I dealt with were great, but one of my friends had her room canceled last minute. Otherwise, the location is great, there's plenty of parking, and you're either facing the ocean or golf course.

Stayed here over the long weekend and unfortunately it was one of the worst hotel experiences I've…read morehad. The pool area was very dirty, and the common bathrooms were not being kept clean throughout the weekend. On Sunday night, there were guests drinking beer around the property, and the entire place felt overcrowded and poorly managed. There seemed to be no order or supervision -- towels were left everywhere, mud was all over the floors, and the overall cleanliness was disappointing. We also paid extra for an ocean view, but the view was honestly pretty bad and not what we expected. The breakfast was below average as well. For the price we paid, we definitely expected a much better experience and honestly would have been better off staying at a cheaper hotel. Unfortunately, I would not recommend staying here.

This place is very cool. I've stayed in s lot of hotels but this place is the best place so far …read more Also you are treated nicely here . My room was large and well decorated and you can tell that whoever decorated these rooms did it with love like good cooking and attention to detail. The pricing is awesome for what you're getting . Also you're close to shopping and restaurants . Do yourself a favor and book this place.

Terrible stay for my family and I, walked into a room that smelled like it had been hot boxed. We…read moreopened the screen door and turned on the noisy air. We left and went out and hoped that it would be better. It took awhile but you could still smell it, then trying to go to sleep with the noisy air was an adventure. Not to mention the thin floor so you could hear everything going on upstairs. They were nice enough to leave a jar with two sets of earplugs. Nice location we made the best of our one night stay but wouldn't recommend this place.

My family and I love this hotel! We have been staying here for over ten years and continue to…read morereturn for the great service, familiar faces, and amenities. Jacob has been working there for as long as we've been going to the hotel, always serving with a smile, knowledgeable, and reliable. Erin, in the front, is amazing! She has helped us for several years, attending to all things with the best attitude. Erin is friendly, professional, always welcoming, and kind. She has befriended our family, making our names part of her memory, and helped to create memories for my daughter and I , that we will never forget! They go above and beyond to make sure our stays are pleasant and enjoyable. The staff is something to look forward to every time we book our vacation.

Nice hotel about a mile from downtown San Clemente. My brother and I decided to walk instead of…read moretaking Uber and it wasn't bad. Rooms were clean and they do serve a breakfast for free. Waffles, egg sandwiches, fruit and a few other items. Prices are very reasonable compared to the hotels near the pier. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place to anyone.