If you want the real Catalina island experience look no further than the Glenmore. It's my go to every time. Check out the Marilyn Monroe suite. Great views, extremely helpful and affordable. Pro tip: call them for the best prices. Other websites are gouging their affordable rates. Last visit was my Birthday and they upgraded me. No promises, but they truly care over there. ~ Barry G3 read more

The hotel itself does its job with service, accommodation and being in the center of town. It's definitely an older building that could use updating and renovating as hallways and staircases are small, narrow and even lopsided and crooked. But honestly, that was also part of the charm. The hotel staff was very friendly and gave me a water bottle at any time I passed by and asked. Again, room is small and older, but we didn't need much as we weren't sitting in the room all weekend. read more

See all

Experience and stay was very nice. Just be aware all the furniture and overall building is outdated. I'd highly recommend they still upgrade the bathrooms. Staff was so sweet and helpful. I'd definitely stay there again just for the welcome feel. read more

We had an amazing stay here! The hotel was incredibly clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. We stayed for two nights, and everything exceeded our expectations. The woman at the front desk was always so kind, welcoming, and genuinely helpful throughout our stay, which made the experience even better. I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about this hotel. If my friends and I come back to Catalina, we'll definitely be staying here again. Highly recommend! read more

Booked many different hotels in Avalon over the years so I thought it was time for a change. I come to Avalon every year to run an ultra marathon with loads of friends. So while checking out hotels this one popped up in the location I was looking for on the island. Ok I booked well in advance because this time of the year hotels fill up fairly quick. Ok so I got on the ferry and of course the seas were pretty rough. I got to the island in good time and just walked over to the hotel. I was lucky and my room was available for an early checkin. The woman at the front desk was amazing and courteous. And she actually helped me to my room with my bag. Actually she helped carry my two large bowls of pasta. I got to the room she unlocked the doors with regular standard keys and gave me a quick tour. I loved the decor and what really caught my eye was the balcony over looking the Main Street. Also a jetted tub. The room was immaculate, very clean. I checked the room over later and was very impressed. The location is spot on close to food brinks and anything you need. The staff are very friendly. Ok the deal is I'm going to book this spot again next year. read more

See all

Wow--this place is a true gem! We absolutely fell in love with our stay, especially Room 303. The combination of mountain and ocean views was breathtaking--we could've moved in it was so nice. The king bed was incredibly comfortable, and everything about the room felt thoughtful and luxurious. From the spotless cleanliness to the beautiful decor and the spacious walk-in rain shower with marbled granite, every detail made us feel pampered. Can't wait to come back! read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - The views were stellar! - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

customer service on the phone was terrible. whoever is working right now should be fired. So rude and i was just calling to see if rooms were available. Wouldn't ever even think to try and stay here again, good thing there's tons of other hotels. I didn't catch his name but he was yelling because i couldn't hear & i said never mind to him helping me because of his attitude and he just straight up hung up on me. Would give LESS THAN 1 STAR. read more

Excellent location friendly and accommodating staff would absolutely stay here again.

the best part about this hotel is its location!! it's right where everything is in terms of shops and food, no need to go up and down hills, it's so convenient the room we got was tiny, but it was enough for the two of us (and we planned on being out most of the time). the rooms are not really modern, but it's charming! kinda reminds me of staying at a relatives guest room lol. do keep in mind that you will hear noise easily from outside and through the walls. staff is friendly- always greeting you no matter how many times youve gone in and out in a day hahah read more

Loved the stay here. Bid and Denise are wonderful people. Cant wait to be back... Cute rooms, awesome location.. read more

This is a beautifully maintained historic hotel. Owners are lovely and incredibly accommodating. We booked three rooms on a last second notice. We were treated as if we were family, and they were expecting us all along. Will certainly stay here again:) read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Front entry - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

The room was smaller than advertised, the trash was not taken out when we arrived in the room, there was one usable outlet, there was a white stain on the bed, and my group got hit on by one of the old men in the lobby. He was talking to the man at the front desk, so we assume he either worked there/ was friends with the guy that worked there. read more

My wife and I stayed at the Glenmore Plaza Hotel on Catalina Island for her birthday and had an absolutely amazing experience. When I booked the room, the price was very fair, and I chose a basic room since we planned on being out exploring most of the day. We arrived early and were greeted by Jimmy at the front desk, who was incredibly friendly and welcoming from the start. Our room wasn't ready yet (which was totally understandable), but Jimmy offered to store our bags in a secure storage room with multiple cameras, so we felt completely comfortable leaving our things while we explored. The hotel is also right in the center of town, which made it the perfect location--everything was within easy walking distance. When we eventually checked in, Jimmy surprised us by upgrading our room because it was my wife's birthday. The room was beautiful--super soft and comfortable bedding, a large TV, a great city view, and a jacuzzi tub with fully working jets. The mini-split AC worked perfectly, which I really appreciated since I like sleeping in a cold room. Anytime I had questions about where to go or places to eat, Jimmy gave great recommendations and never let us down. On top of everything else, I honestly had one of the best nights of sleep I've ever had--the bed was unbelievably comfortable, and the room temperature was perfect. We truly had a wonderful stay and can't recommend the Glenmore Plaza Hotel enough. We'll absolutely be back. read more

Could not sleep period because of the pillows they are all empty inside was like trying use a tee shirt as a pillow every night. Also the shower takes 10 min to get warm then gets cold before you can finish. Going home will be the real vacation. read more

We sucked it up and stayed here for 3 nights, paid close to 2 thousand and by far this is the worst hotel stay we ever experienced. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND STAY SOMEWHERE ELSE! We first encountered an older man behind the counter, grumpy old man is how he would be described. Then he put us up on the 4th floor, there's no elevator! The stairs leading up from 2nd floor were narrow and uneven. There's no central air, only an individual humming ac unit on the wall directly aiming at the bed. The bathroom stay stuffy and hot like a sauna. The door entering the bathroom is small, not a standard size entrance, cramped adjacent to the tiny closet door. The room smelled terrible, old, the shower was in an old jacuzzi tub, which is a huge hazard to get in and out, and he saw that we have 2 little boys when we checked in. He also told us this is the best room in the hotel. NO IT WAS NOT!!! The room was obviously an attic turned into a room, both my husband and I banged out head on slanted down wall/ceiling in the bathroom as well as microwave area. There is a small table to eat with 2 chairs squeezed into a carved out window area. I can't describe enough how horrible this was. When we booked, we specified room for 4 guests and they assured us the room is large enough, but it isn't, there was 1 king bed, 1 pullout loveseat size couch. So our 2 kids and I slept on the bed and my husband slept with his feet hanging off the pull out. The tub stayed clogged for a while after 1 shower. Towels are old, hard and heavy. Pillows were all flat. Door and key were a trick to get into, and yes just a single key type of door. Window are all bolted in so you can't open up for fresh air. Mattress is clearly too old, as it sink in with even a 40lb child on it. The other staffs were nice, younger man (the actual owner maybe), the young gals are all nice but what was done is done. The old man we dealt with could either be the owner's dad or uncle because it is clearly a family business. Thinking back, we should have talked to the owner himself instead of biting our tongue. read more

Great location, but you pay dearly for it. Room was much smaller and more "vintage" than online photos led me to expect, it smelled musty, blinds didn't work and had to be adjusted slat by slat for privacy, there was no bathroom fan, nor did the bathroom window stay open without being propped, top lock on the door didn't work. When I notified the front desk of these issues, there was no apology. Breakfast was orange juice, bagels, and muffins. No fruit as was mentioned in some other reviews. Thankfully, the room seemed clean! read more

We were able to check in pretty early and the check-in staff on a Thursday morning was amazing. Very sweet and kind. They offered destroy our luggage while we went and explore the island and until our room was ready. Once I was ready, we had rooms on the fourth floor and our friends family had rooms on the second floor. The front desk workers offered to help us up to the fourth floor with our families luggage however it was no big deal. I was happy to carry it. Overall, we thought was charming. The room was very nice. We stayed in the Charlie Chaplin suite our friends stayed on the second floor and had this beautiful balcony. I would say the second floor room they stayed was a bit small for a family of four but the suite we had on the fourth floor was a perfect size. I appreciate the upgraded bathroom and the jet tub. The only downside I would say for anyone staying there is the bar that is downstairs to the left of the hotel does get a little bit loud and rowdy but nothing that you can't ignore and fall asleep too. However, if you are very light sleeper, I would recommend asking for a room off of that main street. Can't wait to stay there again this is our families first trip. We will be back next year. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - The bathroom floor near the looked like this in the Charlie Chaplin Suite - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

This is a quaint hotel located in downtown Avalon. It is the second oldest hotel in California and boasts of a rich history and some well-known residents over the years. We liked this hotel a lot! First, its location is very convenient - walking distance to pretty much everything in town. Second, the gentleman manning the desk was very sweet and friendly. Third, the hotel still maintains some of the old victorian architecture even though it is renovated - the lack of elevators, stacked staircase, uneven floors....our room was very comfortable. The bed was soft and we slept well. The heating was excellent and we had 3 windows for light in addition to the electrical fixtures. The bathroom was pretty big. Water was decently hot. The only issue is the lack of amenities as such. Their brochure mentions complimentary breakfast, but there is no breakfast. There is no swimming pool or spa or anything, but having said that, you are on an island with these things available at walking distance. All in all, this was a great stay and I will stay here again when I visit next time. read more

See all

I'm here now, and .... All these low-star reviews are spot on. I usually reserve judgment until I experience something firsthand, but it's day one, and I've already woken up three times from unbearable noise everywhere--the AC, bathroom, street noise, and even the people next door; I can hear them talking and plugging in their charger. & The place just feels dirty. I immediately got on Yelp to see if I was exaggerating, but so many others share the same views. This is the worst hotel I've ever stayed at. I'm supposed to be here for another two days, but I have no idea how I'll manage. I've never wanted a vacation to end so badly. I paid over $1,000, and this has been beyond disappointing. Our view was also trash...Never again. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

There is no way we could give this hotel a bad review given the price we paid. We would suggest a small table by the chair in the room. Also a clothes hanger on bathroom door would be nice. The hotel is incredibly located. We enjoyed our two day stay. read more

We loved our 3 day vaca at this quaint hotel. Denise (owner I believe) was a blessing. She asked if we were celebrating anything (yes, we were celebrating anniversary of hubby's heart surgery) and made us feel like family. Location is one block from beach and walking distance to boat landing, restaurants, mini golf and shops. King bed was super comfy. Bathroom clean and well stocked. Continental breakfast was perfect w a super nice lady serving (didn't get her name) and was convenient b4 heading out for a fun day on the island. We REALLY enjoyed our stay here! read more

Absolutely loved our stay! Centrally located next door to Antonio's Original Pizza. Very accommodating and personable staff. Can't wait to return. The bed was sooo comfy too. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

Amazing experience we will always remember how kind they were ! The room we had was really nice and perfect view of the marathon finish line . read more

I love this hotel and the staff. Truly a little diamond nestled right smack dab in the middle of Avalon. Denise and her Husband Jack (owners) were so cool and by the end of our short stay felt like family. We had a beautiful view that overlooked the mountain sunset, and the casino and the beach. We almost got to see everything. They place does have some charm as it's literally from the late 1800s but that's part of it. It's modernized comfy and has character. We really enjoyed our stay and would come back many times! read more

Amazing hotel stay for our overnight at Catalina. Very good at accomodating our needs and requests. Denise, thank you so much for your kindness and informative inputs about the area. Extremely friendly staff, homey atmosphere, and good breakfast before we left for our tour the following day. Cant wait to book again. read more

I came here for my birthday weekend and had a PHENOMENAL TIME. Denise, one of the wonderful employees at Glenmore Plaza, made us feel exceedingly welcome. She was kind, thorough, informative. Allowed us to store our belonging while we waiting for our ferry and offered us beach towels for all of your excursions. The room was clean, large and comfortable. The guests were quite and kind. Would absolutely stay here again, no question. read more

Hotel Highlights: LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! THE STAFF! We had the privilege of meeting Sean (Manager) who helped save our Honeymoon Lodging after an Airbnb blunder... We highly recommend the Suite Room with Partial Views, and Private Balcony. If you're looking for more quieter rooms the courtyard plaza rooms are more your vibe. Newly Renovated oh and light continental breakfast available early. Fresh Bagel and Coffees for My wife and I. Coffee in hand, boardwalk steps away... YES PLEASE We shall return soon. A very happily married couple, happily Honeymoon'd MJ23 read more

See all

Oh Glenmore. This was a decent little 3 star budget option when stayed here a couple years ago on little family trip. While the staff is still friendly and well trained and it's clean, the physical structure and some Of the room layouts and conditions are pretty bad. The windows are single paned in the back cottage and there was crazy steeet noise to 1am including garbage trucks which restarted at 7am-- very loudly and for 1.5 hour. The front desk blamed the city and said they are double waned windows-- which if that was the case wouldn't be an issue with so much noise. For $400....We slept like crap and been better off on beach or top deck of friends boat. Forget about an awkward room design, shades that are broken, and other lack of investments. Got to be able to offer a quiet room and just saying darn city, doesn't help us. Tough one! read more

It's an old school hotel but clean and the staff was awesome. Especially the friendly lady's for the morning continental breakfast.

This weekend was super booked due to the Jazz Festival, as it seems the island always has something going on during the weekends! We were able to book this gem of a place with as little as a months notice. Upon arrival, we were met with exceptional service from Christian, even when we had a little minor issue in our room with our air conditioner, it was taken care of immediately. We also learned this was one of the oldest hotel in Southern California (with the Hotel Del in Coronado being one of the oldest hotel as well) It was built in 1891 and it is a Victorian Style. You definitely get your workout in this hotel, especially if you are on the 4th floor (as this is an historical hotel and there is no elevators.). We learned that the Clark Gable room is definitely the best room (and we were close staying in the Jack Kelly Room) that it has a spiral stair case that goes up to the patio! Will definitely book that room next time! However, the Jack Kelly room was quite spacious and comfy! Ice old AC! We utilized the jet spa tub the last night and it was super relaxing! We did need to let the water run for a minute before it became warm, but once it was warm, it was lovely! We had a his & hers single petal stone sink. With the girls having a couple of makeup removers and the guys having extra soap :)! It was perfect! This hotel is located with in walking distance 5-10 minutes of everywhere on the main strip! We would definitely stay here again! TV is updated and all staff interactions were pleasant and helpful! read more

See all

Dingy rooms , super small, size suitable for guinea pigs, expensive, worst of all, wouldn't refund us, not even partially & blamed it on hotels.com Stay away from Glenmore AND hotels.com Furthermore the rooms are not as advertised on hotels.com. Stay away unless you book a suite. These people are false-advertising read more

The Glenmore has a fascinating history of being the second oldest hotel in California. The building and rooms have the old world charm without the old world smell. Their location couldn't be better, within easy walking to restaurants, the beaches, shops, and the ferry. The customer service is spectacular with Jimmy specifically being attentive, kind, and helpful. The rooms and bathrooms are on the smaller side but that's to be expected with a building this old. They are clean, however, and have extremely comfortable beds and bedding. For 3-4 people I highly recommend the king/queen mini suite. (Only 1 bathroom though.) The only issues keeping this from a full 5 star review would be: - It is pricey, but what on Catalina isn't? - Free WiFi, but depending on which room you are in it doesn't consistently connect. - The free breakfast is very limited: bagels, muffins, fruit, coffee, OJ, and water. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Original hotel. - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

We had a awesome stay at the Glenmore. I first spoke to Denise who helped me with a mess up on my reservation from a third party site. She was very accommodating with my situation. Once there i got to meet her and Buddy and they were just as nice in person. The hotel is located in a great spot. I loved that we could go to the beach and run back to our hotel to use the bathroom and freshen up throughout the day. It was a great stay!​ read more

Stayed here 10/27/19 for a night with a buddy to show him the island, had very little issue although the building and rooms are very old. Booked again 4/29/21 for another night, this time with my S/O. Unforeseen circumstances caused us to have to cancel the trip. We cancelled the trip long before the 7 day period listed on their cancellation disclaimer and did not purchase any guest packages which are not eligible for returns upon cancellation. They will not return our funds and have kept every cent of the total payment even after repeated attempts to reclaim it. Avoid the headache that is the glenmore plaza hotel. Many better options are not far away. read more

Customer service. I had to leave due to my daughter getting sick. No one at counter to check out. Had to call a number. Said leave key in box. Called back business next day still had me checked in. Person who answered phone never informed them of my checkout. Very hard to get a refund read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

Spent this last weekend at Glenmore Plaza Hotel celebrating our 15 year anniversary. This was our second time staying there & it did not disappoint. We stayed in the Marilyn Monroe suite & it was so cozy & charming. Everyone at this family owned is so friendly & helpful. The hotel is conveniently located close to the town & steps away from Vons. We'll be back again for sure. If you are looking for a place to stay I would highly recommend this place. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - Nighttime. - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

Please read this review before booking. I cannot express how bad of a hotel this is. You would think after paying almost $1000 for a 2 night stay it would be at least half decent. Let me just start with the pictures you see online ARE NOT the same rooms you get. The size of our room was probably 70-90sqft. Maybe smaller. One bed and that's it. The room was so filthy (I'll attach photos) dust everywhere, including moldy ac vents. We found hair on the toilet, bed and throughout the room. The shower was disgusting with broken fixtures. I honestly gagged a few times. The lady at the front was really nice and told us she would upgrade us to a suite if we waited a couple hours which was very nice. We put our 1 year old to nap in the crummy room as we waited. In the meantime we found old nasty socks in the closet. And that was the final straw, I grabbed my family and headed for the door. We booked a room at the Pavillion which was 10000% better and was cheaper!!!! On our way out, my wife had a few words with the manager ( they're lucky I didn't have a few words with him) he told my wife that they're housekeeper is not tall enough to see the old guests socks and just gave BS excuses. He even had the oddasity to say we used the room for 2 hours and left our child's diaper in the trash after we demanded a refund. This place needs new management. Go ahead James, fire away your comments below... I'm sure your future guests would love to hear some more BS excuses. read more

See all

The staff was incredibly friendly. That is my two stars. After checking in we dropped off our bags and went out to get some dinner, so we didn't really spend much time checking out the room. When we got back I noticed that the AC exhausted was not properly sealed in the window. So the window was always open for outside air to flow in, and when the AC was on the hot exhaust air would just flow right back into the room. I notified the desk and he came up immediately to look at us and tell us there was nothing that could be done. As we were getting ready for bed I noticed the adjustment rods for the blinds were missing from both sets of blinds. I notified the desk and he said he could adjust it by hand, when he came up he was surprised they were missing and tried pushing the blinds down with minimal effect. I came to the conclusion that as long as the window was east facing we'd be fine in the morning, then I checked and noticed it was east facing, and as expected the sun blasted through waking us up much earlier that we would have liked it. Not to mention we had zero privacy in our room. It really felt like they have a captive clientele since it's on an island, and because of that things just kinda slide. We definitely will not be returning. read more

Glenmore Plaza Hotel - A/C exhaust vent not properly sealed causing hot exhaust to blow right back in the room. - Hotels Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

We thought this historical hotel was the best location and value for the money. Located close to the water, ferry, Vons (mini golf) and more. Second oldest hotel in CA. Still uses actual keys. Comfy beds, nice staff. Continental breakfast (muffins, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, coffee, hot water, tea, etc.) Had a room to store luggage if you were checking out at 11a but your ferry wasn't until later. DirectTV and free Wifi. read more

After booking a few nights at this hotel I did not learn till later that this was a famous victorian historic hotel. We were here for a birthday celebrate and this hotel was located mins. from the beach. Check in was a breeze plus the front desk staff was very welcoming and friendly, this is a three story historic newly renovated hotel that has been family owned and operated since 1986 This is the second oldest hotel in the state of California...WOW! The famous guests that had stated here were Clark Cable Amelia Earhart, Laurel and Hardy, Marilyn Monroe and even Theodore Roosevelt. There are no elevators here so to the third floor we go with luggage, the room was pretty clean the AC work as well as the ceiling fan, the mico wave and small fridge as well worked, this room had three windows and a 55 in. flat TV on the wall, the bed and pillows were very comfortable for us. The TV was work pretty well but had a lot of wires hanging from it this was "NOT COOL!" and last there was no free breakfast plus complimentary shuttle service, this hotel was reasonable and accommodate. read more

See all