Writing reviews is not for me. Member of Yelp since 2015 and only 2 reviews prior to this. But this past weekend prompted me to take the time to write this. I had wanted to go to Catalina for maybe 15 years, I guess I just never got around to it. For my girlfriend's birthday this weekend, I decided it was finally time to make this trip. I'm a perfectionist and therefore wanted everything over the weekend to go smoothly. Hotel Metropole didn't disappoint in the slightest. I arrived early, like hours and hours early, and the staff allowed me to leave my bags with them while they finished getting my room ready. Within 30 minutes I received a call from the front desk saying the room was ready and that I could check in, even though technically check in wasn't until 3pm. The VIP Ocean Front Suite was to die for. The jacuzzi in the room mixed with the fireplace set the ideal tone for a very romantic weekend. The balcony overlooking the ocean gave us absolutely gorgeous views. My favorite part of it all though: the hotel had mentioned that they would be bringing up a bottle of champagne for us to celebrate with. When I informed them that my girlfriend and I don't drink they went above and beyond and actually went out to purchase a bottle of Sparkling Apple Cider for us to toast with. Seeing that bottle waiting for us on ice after dinner really was the bow on an absolutely perfect weekend. Oh and to top it all off, after we checked out we still had a few hours to kill before our boat back. Vanessa at the front desk was seriously the sweetest human being alive. She saw that my girlfriend was wearing clothing that wouldn't be warm enough for the boat ride back, and offered us a room to change in later that evening before we left the island. Thank you Vanessa, you're my hero!! All in all I don't get impressed easily, but Hotel Metropole managed to WOW me enough to write all this. If you want the perfect stay on this quaint island, look no further!! read more

Very nice hotel. Great service with a beautiful view of the city. I would definitely recommend

This place is wonderful! Would definitely stay here again! The courtyard below reminds me of New Orleans Square in Disneyland. Catalina is a quaint little, enjoyable town, and this is a great, centrally located hotel. read more

My son booked this hotel for my birthday. I was very impressed. The room was large and nicely decorated with a very comfy bed, A/C, fireplace, wood floors and a beautiful bathroom. We got an early check in and a late check out thanks to Lucy, the very accommodating front desk representative. Thanks Lucy for making our stay a memorable one. I hope to return one day. The location is excellent. It is just off the main street with easy access to everything but far enough away from the noise of the bars and restaurants. There is a lovely courtyard that feels European. It is all very charming. read more

We went back and once again our experience was amazing. We love Hotel Metropole. We would not stay any where else. Everyone is so nice and accommodating. The rooms are clean and nicely decorated. They put out a nice little breakfast spread early. I would sneak down in my PJs and get coffee which was great. Then we would grab a bite later. I'm an early riser and I need my coffee. I love Catalina and the Hotel Metropole is the only place to stay. They have spa services and even a hairdresser. It's very quaint with a cobblestone court yard with eateries and an arcade for the kiddies. The kiddies did look happy. YOU will not be disappointed. read more

First let me that the island is gorgeous and what better hotel to stay at the Hotel Metropole. My girlfriend now my wife stayed here for our first Valentine's date. I without a doubt would stay in this hotel again, everything was perfect. I felt like we were a rock stone throw away from everything but yet we still had our privacy. Not like Vegas hotels pay alot and still share everything. But Hotel Metropole was amazing. We got a package. So we had chocolate and champagne at our room waiting for us along with a great amazing view of the coast. The bathrooms were made for God's I fell in love with them, I am planning on remodeling my bathroom after them. Service was good, employees were great and friendly and so willing to help. Taking the elevator down to the shops was cool we got to walk around and shop without having to map or worry about cars. If you stay here or need a time to relax please go see the message therapist they will make you feel like liquid gold. We did the couples thing and I til now can't stop thinking about it. Over all hotel was perfect. Thank you Hotel Metropole for the love and memories my wife and I will hold forever, until next time with love read more

My new fiancee and I staed here for 2 nights and thought it to be very pleasant. Because you are not in the hotel room for the majority of the time we opted for the cheaper rate room. (not the new renovated). The room was worth the price, I would stay here again. read more

Not sure if I can stay anywhere else now when I come to the island. The staff was great, the room spectacular with an awesome view of the bay. Granted this was a VIP room and paid for the view but walking away saying it was well worth every penny. The fire place, open concept Jacuzzi style tub and heated floors were a perfect touch after a long hike in the hills around Avalon. read more

Stayed here last fall and have been meaning to write a positive review about my experience. From check in to check out the staff was awesome and accommodating. The rooms are renovated and clean. Great location in the center of town and quiet despite the location. I have recommended this hotel to a few friends since my stay and hope to make it back to the island and Hotel Metropole soon! read more

Disappointing. Dirty. The room on their website is deceiving. I have stayed at courtyard marriotts that were better than this. We were on the 3rd floor and their laundry room is next to the elevator, so they have these piles of laundry everywhere. What a ripoff! read more

I had the best experience from beginning to end at the Hotel Metropole. We stayed in room 301, with an incredible view and great amenities. Definitely recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a great vacation. It's also at the best location on the island. Staff was great, gave us great ideas for what to do. Vanessa was exceptional- so accommodating and helpful. read more

I recently stayed here for my mom's 60th Birthday, and it was such a wonderful & relaxing place. They make sure to accommodate you in every way possible. If you are looking for an awesome, comfortable, clean hotel in Avalon, this is the place for you! read more

My room could not have been more stunning... and the location was super convenient. My husband and I stayed here for 2 nights in a newly renovated room with a fireplace... The view was stunning, and service was over the top friendly. We can't wait to find an excuse to go back! read more

We Stayed in the one bedroom Suite ABOVE THE RESTAURANT- We were told its the best room at the hotel. When entering the room , we noticed the smell of lamb or meat, I thought it was the furniture/leather. Later on that evening, we started hearing loud music with low bass muffling my ear drums. It was Mexican Music with the drums and loud vocals. I went downstairs and saw that it was coming from a restaurant below the suite. I realized the smell was not furniture but meat and gas that was cooking below our room and seeping through the floor and into our living area. The music was being played by the cleaning crew, they were throwing chairs around and cleaning the vents. The cleaning went on for 3 hours, I am not a light sleeper, but I was FURIOUS that the front desk did not disclose such a nuisance. My last complaint to the front desk was at 11:42 PM. It gets worse...the restaurant was using detergents and solvents to clean, the smell in the room went from meaty to chemical. I thought opening the sliding doors would help, but the stuff they were using was all around the street and patio area below our room. We were basically trapped above a detergent/solvent/meat cooking/natural gas using restaurant all night. I would have moved but I was in the room with A wife and three kids, one of which is only 20 months old. The chemicals in the room made my throat itch and basically ruined my stay in Catalina. The next morning we moved to another room in the hotel, this room was adjacent to Super Market that has parked its 18 Wheeler Size Generator that spews diesel from the muffler....I told my kids to walk quickly through the outdoor walkway to our room so they would not smell the gases coming from the Generator. I asked the manager for a discount for not being upfront with me about the restaurant and the nightly cleaning crew, the manager said " You received a discount on the room when You check in", My answer to her " If I had knowd the restaurant below was there, I would not have taken the room for free". The manager said, I was the only guest who ever complained about the restaurant but the bellboy and the people at the restaurant told me everyone complains about the smell and the noise. The Manager is a liar and does not care about a guest enjoying their stay. I called the hotel one more time after receiving my credit card bill and have not heard back from them. I truly felt like I was taken advantage of and felt bad for my kids for having to go through that on their spring break. Update 04/04/2012- manager called me back and credited $100.00 to my credit card. read more

We were on the island this weekend for a wedding that was hosted at the Hotel Metropole. A-MAZ-ING hotel!!! The accommodations were fantastic -- great bed, pillows, clean. Turn down service with the chocolate on the pillow was cute. The staff was amazing as well. They were always very helpful when we had questions, including locating a hair rubber band for when I went diving. We just happened to run into the owner at breakfast and he gave us lots of history about the island, places to go to decompress and experience the loveliness. He was very generous with his time and helped to make our visit all that much better! The next time I am on the island, I will be staying at the Metropole. read more

Great Place .....Even After 10 Years Returing to Catalina for the first time in a decade, we decided to look online at the hotel options avaiable these days.It was pleasant to find that the hotel Metroploe was the same great place as it was back then and still a great value. With our reservation secured on their website we took the big boat on the Catalina Eress line and was over at Avalon in about an hour....no hassles and no seasickness. The hotel satff was freindly and welcoming .We got a room on the third floor.It was clean and cvery confortable. Big sceen TV., Wi-Fi and evena hot tub. We also enjoyed the continental ffet in the hotel lobby in the mornings.Great coffee. We had a greaqt time and the restaurants and attractions were fantasstic. We will go back much sooner now that the kids are in college. It was aquick and fun getaway form the pressures of Los angeles. Thanks Metropole ! read more

In my opinion this is one of the best hotels in California. I am saying this from my own experience. They offer a lot of services and those are really impressive. When compares the price, is little expensive. But I am sure that all kinds of people will like the features of this hotel. Don't hesitate to try out this fantastic experience! read more

I really loved this hotel. The room was very inviting and comfortable with an updated bathroom, and there was a great continental breakfast, The staff was friendly and helped with with every request they went above and beyond to help with my arrangements to have an amazing anniversary. - Anytime I called or needed their assistance they did their best to accommodate . I really enjoyed the jacuzzi on the roof, and there is also free wifi. I have stayed at different hotels on the island and this is the Best experience I have had. read more

Great hotel in a great location. Very easy walk from the boat landing. The room was newly updated and was very spacious. Good bathroom. Our only suggestion Would be that they up the warmth of their front desk staff. We dealt with a few different people who all seemed bored and uninterested. We will definitely stay here again. read more

Fist of all, this review does not describe the accommodations, as we did not get past the booking. We scheduled the reservation with the hotel just shy of 2 days prior to our arrival date, and all we were told was there is a 24 hour cancellation for the Catalina Express. The lady we booked with, Vanessa was very nice, but for some reason very rushed, and said that all the information for our stay would be included in the confirmation email. 2 hours after making the reservation I was called on a emergency project for work, and I called to cancel the reservation as it was not yet charged to our account, and there was no indication of anything more then a 24 hour cancellation for the express, and we were beyond 48 hours before our reservation. We were transferred to a very insulting and condescending manager named Veronica who was just plain rude. She stated that they have a 7 day cancellation policy, and I asked her where this is written in the confirmation, and her response was "our very seasoned staff would have told you this".... she did not, and I booked the old fashion way over the phone, and did not have the luxury of clicking on a cancellation policy disclaimer online where she claimed that it was disclosed. In their defense they did offer me a credit for a future stay, but i can not see when I would be able to reschedule the trip and no where on the confirmation sheet was this cancellation policy noted. Immediately following the conversation over the phone, Veronica pushed the payment through our bank to try and insure payment when it would have been just as easy to cancel the reservation, and insure a possible future patron. Overall Veronica was extremely unprofessional and unyielding despite the mistake that was clearly made on their end. I am sure the hotel is very pleasant, but if you do have a problem, I highly doubt that management (Veronica) will deal with the issue in a professional manor. read more

Nice hotel. Well kept and well situated. We arrived a bit earlier than check in time. The front desk person was helpful and allowed us to check in early with a room upgrade. Lovely room with a gas fireplace. Located just off the main strip. Free breakfast in the am. read more

Just got home from another great trip to Catalina, and this year we stayed at the Metropole instead of the Aurora where we stayed last year. Wow! The Metropole's room is probably twice the size with a full ocean view, for what we paid for at the Aurora with a partial ocean view. The Metropole staff was fantastic, very accommodating. And all the amenities you would hope for since vacationing on the island isn't cheap to begin with...turndown service, beach towel service, luggage storage, etc. We really liked staying here. The location is great, you can hop in the elevator and end up in the lobby, or down another floor and emerge in the shopping center where the spa and several shops including the Metropole cafe and M restaurant are located. There is a jacuzzi on the rooftop with a gorgeous ocean view as well. The room was quiet and comfortable and we would definitely stay here again. read more

Ok, so fellow travlers. We spent $$$ for our honeymoon on a "deluxe" room. Minutes after we checked inwe were escorted to our VIP room. Left there the AC, TV, balcony door and 3 other "special" ammenties are complicated and needed to have someone come up to explain. The mini-fridge is just to eep things room temp???? I hope our trip gets better. Thank you fellow travlers. I will blog later after I hive them time of redemption. Visit my travel blog for update. read more

not a lot of luxery options on the island, this hotel is small but well located. We were able to walk everywhere we needed to be. Rooms were small and not reflective of photos I saw on the website. We paid a lot more money for ocean view, but found out it wasn't necessary. Most rooms will have a semi-view and ours was nothing special. Complimentary breakfast was an added bonus. Lots of healthy choices to chose from. Staff was exceptionally accomodating, someone was always available to answer questions. Wifi was terrible, it's free, but didn't work most of the time. rooms have been remodeled but lack that new feeling...they just made superficial upgrades to old rooms. overall, it was a great stay! read more

Clean rooms, pricy but hey it's Catalina down side no room service (kitchen/food)

A more decent hotel in Catalina with good packages. The cheaper hotels had better packages but weren't as nice to stay in. The elevator wasn't working and we actually got stuck in one for 15 mins. I was silently freaking out BC none of the alarms or speaker buttons for help worked. The Jacuzzi was broken; little water and Luke warm - felt like s heated pool. But man u couldn't best the view. Quaint hotel and staff was friendly. U could tell they were stressed and understaffed. Also the room cane with champagne that was not ready. Promised by check in but I had to call 3x BC they had no bellman at the time. Check in at 3 but didn't get it til 8pm. Such a bummer! And no one reminded us of the continental breakfast which would have been nice... would have saved us 30 bucks! Yiesh. Also the room had bareky noticeable trash; retail tags etc from previous guests and tub was wet and a hair on the ground. All in all a good hotel if they can fix their problems. Mostly seemed like problems due to being understaffed and they were in a rush to accommodate everyone read more

My wife and I just returned from a three night / four day stay at Hotel Metropole in Avalon on Catalina Island for our 18th wedding anniversary. Having stayed at least 6-8 hotels on Catalina I can say without any reservation that Hotel Metropole is by far my favorite! Absolutely perfect location, hotel & room was very comfortable and well appointed. As if all this wasn't enough to give them an outstanding review the staff and service took it to a completely other level! From check-in to check-out and everything in between the staff was amazingly helpful and kind! It's been many years since our last visit to Catalina and we wanted to make the most of our trip. The girls at the front desk helped us with every activity we wanted to do and made it so we got the best deals and best places to do everything; snorkeling, parasailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, beach clubs and places to eat. My wife wanted to go for morning runs each day and the girls helped her find the best routes, including how to get to trails off the streets. I was nursing a knee injury that required me to ice my knee a couple times a day. By they second night the girls working the front desk would ask me if I was in need of bags and ice to ice my knee. The third night they went as far as have the stuff ready to hand me when we returned to the hotel for the night, even checking on me an hour after I took the bags of ice to see if I needed a new supply of ice knowing what I had used had likely melted by then. This is the type of service I would expect if we were staying in one of their VIP rooms or were regular customers or VIP's of some sort. But we were just saying in a standard room and we're first time guests. All of that, and then just being welcomed by name in the morning and every time we entered or left the hotel. Like I said, we've stayed in many, if not all the better hotels on Catalina. I can't imagine any reason to ever stay anywhere but Hotel Metropole during all our future visits to Catalina. Thank You very much to all the staff at Hotel Metropole for their treatment and making our anniversary and trip the absolute best it could have been! read more

My husband and I, as well as many of our family and friends, stayed at the Hotel Metropole for our wedding 10.01.16 and we could not have made a better choice for our 5 night stay! Maria, the events manager, worked with me for over a year to setup our accommodations and room block for the big day, and she could not have made the experience any easier or more pleasant. To say the least, I was an OCD bride and wanted everything perfect, and Maria was there every step of the way to answer all my questions and ensure all was as we wanted it to be. Our rooms were gorgeous, and our wedding suite overlooking Catalina and the ocean was absolutely breathtaking and worth every penny! The staff was so kind and accommodating, the hotel is beautiful, and had a jacuzzi on the fourth for, which many guests loved! Can't say enough about the Hotel Metropole and staff, and we will return for anniversary trips to the island! read more

We had our honeymoon here and stayed for 4 days with the honeymoon package and it couldn't have been a more perfect trip. The staff was so accommodating and en pointe at every turn. Our package included a beautiful room with fireplace, king size bed, jacuzzi soaking tub with ocean view, and perfect ocean view on the front street of Avalon. Lovely convenient location for the hotel. Easy walking distance to each attraction. Room was clean and well furnished. We were greeted with a welcome basket of cheese, crackers, fruit, and snacks as well as a bottle of champagne. They brought us an opulent breakfast every morning we were there, as well as a golf cart rental, personalized robes, couples massage, and dinner for two at a local restaurant. I would highly recommend the honeymoon package for any newly wed or any couple looking to have a pampering relaxing vacation. We will definitely be back! read more

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The image is spectacular, to bad the employees ruined that! Not only did they "oh oops we forgot to book your boat trip" they blew off the responsibility of taking care of us while we had no where to go. Instead of my well planned romantic get away that had us starting off with breakfast on the beaches of malibu and arriving at 4 to check in at the right time and check out at 11 to have lunch and get on the boat home to make it back for dinner with my folks to announce our engagment we were stuck. The ONLY BOAT LEFT WAS 7 AM and 7PM, Yolanda the accomidating manager put a $2 bottle of champainge in our room and allowed us to have a late check out at 1, very gracious seeing how we were stuck here for 6 more hrs. 6 HRS ON A RAINY ISLAND ALL BECAUSE OF AN INCOMPIDENT STAFF. There are many options for accomidating, tickets to keep us busy, spa visits, even letting us stay till we were able to leave. We felt kicked out on the streets after taking our money they washed there hands of us. I WILL NEVER STAY HERE AGAIN! THE PAVILLION SEEMED MUCH BETTER . read more

My husband and I stayed two nights this last weekend. We had been told this was the best hotel in town. We were sadly disappointed on so many levels. First and foremost a front desk person show never say no. There should be suggestions, help and a positive attitute when serving guests. We were given early entry into our room. Our room #217 should never be a guest room. Shower is large - double head and sideways showers too but the drain doesn't drain and the entire bathroom area gets flooded. No mini bar or refrigerator which is a bummer. At 7am the complimentary breakfast is served right outside #217's door. The real problem is guest pull up chairs next to our door and you can't even get out of your door. Checkout is at 11am and for most people who use a ferry they don't leave until late afternoon. When asked is they had a changing area or bathroom to use the front door lady replied "oh no you have to use the public area restroom on the way to Descanto Beach". You'd think a first class hotel would offer more. Our son and his girlfriend stayed at Seaport Village and the got complimentary shuttle to their hotel, hot breakfast and a bathroom they could use on their checkout day all for $ 110.00. We very much overpaid. read more

I love the bed it is very quiet. Great rooms and balconies I loved my room 310. There food is great . You want to stay there

This hotel was not only beautiful but they spoiled us. It was in a wonderful location tucked away behind some shops. The views were amazing. The staff was friendly and accommodating. This was our first trip but won't be our last. It's a must try for sure. The got tub is on the fourth floor and over looks the ocean. read more

Great hotel, that is very clean and staff is very customer service oriented. Saw other reviews and didn't experience that at all with one exception. We booked the hotel but didn't know our room was 214.... if you book be sure YOU DO NOT GET THIS ROOM! terrible right off the lobby and they clean dishes outside your door. Staff walkie talkies going off all day and night. Zero windows that open, we joked that it is the dungeon room. If the hotel is going to rent this room it should be 50% off from other rooms, then I would understand. Again book this hotel but ask first if you are getting 214 RUN AWAY or ask to book for 50%, not that they will. Too bad ruined my experience for a friends wedding and our anniversary which could have been great. My fault would e booked a suite but none available. read more

Went here about two years ago. I was very impressed. I vacation at a lot of mega-resorts in Vegas and I am used to a very modern and clean standard. I always get squirrely about visiting a new place, because of the luxury of Vegas. This place did not disappoint! It's a tiny little building, right off the main 'strip' in Avalon. (Closer to the Casino than the dock.) They have 3 stories of rooms. Ours was a partial ocean view on the 3rd floor. We pretty much had a full view, it just wasn't head on. (Think look to your right on the balcony.) The room was very clean and well maintained. Some of the stuff in the room (TV, minibar) were a bit dated. Who cares? They worked. The room was bright and pleasant, with a island/beach/ocean theme that fits in well... on an island. They had a tiny little pool, which was nice. The hotel was very quiet and relaxing. The whole vibe worked well. The staff were decent enough. They didn't seem really thrilled to be working, but weren't unpleasant. I get the feeling that the people on the island do things at a different pace, altogether. They seemed confused when I tried to tip the bell boy for bringing our bags. They have a 'continental' breakfast that is pretty meager by my standards. But I eat like a hog. It was just kind of akward more than anything. I'd avoid it unless you want to stand in a tiny area eating a banana with a stranger. Just not my cup of tea. I had the maid bust in on me in the bathroom, but she was polite about it, so no harm no foul. The floor plans are kind of funny. Because it's so small, they make use of every nook and cranny. Nothing wrong with that, but they certainly are unique rooms, to say the least. Anyway, I'd highly recommend this place. I am going to return soon, myself. read more

basic hotel marketed as upscale. room was average...View was horrible...rooftop of the von next door. older hotel being made up to look new.

Yes - for the price, definitely worth it which came with complimentary bottle of champagne! Went there last Sunday for just one night and felt like we were there longer as it was very relaxing. Checked into room after our SundayChampagneBuffetBrunch@Descanso and EastEndHummerTour which ended@4:30pm. Our room on the 4th(top)floor faced the hotel jacuzzi so we got to enjoy both the jacuzzi in our room as well as the one outside-since we didn't have to hike up to it to check if it was available! Had a dip in the outside jacuzzi first and enjoyed the amazing view of the ocean from inside the tub! And got to make use of our room bathrobe too!haha..Had brought food from LA so after the soak, had a spread of foie gras+roast chicken with our champagne in our room. Room was big and we had a partial view of the ocean with the other half of the view being the steep road uphill which made me feel like I was staying on any one of my fav italian islands! Then, after another soak in the huge jacuzzi in our room (we brought bubble bath too+ a travel candle!), we explored the area on the other side of the GreenPier and saw a couple of deers which was very cool indeed! Hotel breakfast was concentrate orange juice, starbucks regular coffee, tea bags from CoffeeBean, yoghurt, cereal boxes, scones+muffins and apples-Only the apples were tasty to me so I got a few of them! It didn't really matter since we were going for breakfast at the Wrigley Home anyway! Glad we could enjoy the room and its' amenities. Also loved the fact that the hotel was not right in front of the beach as soon as you exited the boat but was actually tucked away at the back of the MetropoleShoppingArcade. Recommended. read more

This is one beautiful looking hotel. Everything is new, very well maintained and visually stunning. The owners are a lovely couple who welcomed me to the island, and Lucy and the front desk was prompt and sweet when I asked for a towel for the beach. I will be coming back here in the very near future! Thanks everyone!! read more

We stayed in one of the Superior rooms and it was very nice. I've stayed in Avalon a bunch of times and the hotels in that town are really hit or miss so we were prepared to be disappointed but not so! We stayed in room 301 which had a big ol' jacuzzi tub, nice hardwood floors, a little love seat, balcony and a nice bed. Very cozy. Even had a fireplace that we didn't use. People were nice, centrally located and it was nice and soundproof. The shitty engines of all the golf carts can be loud but once the sliding glass was shut you don't hear it. All in all a positive experience and definitely recommend. read more

Arrived on an early Saturday and stayed through Sunday at this hidden gem of a hotel. The Metropole is located in the center of everything on Avalon - a five minute walk to the Casino in one direction and five minutes to the pier in the other direction. The hotel staff is outstanding. They assisted us with recommendations for lunch and dinner and were happy to answer our many questions. A very nice breakfast with many choices is served on the lobby level. We will definitely return! read more