Holiday Inn Resort Catalina Island

Reflecting its status as a low-key island getaway, the Catalina Resort & Spa is designed in a classic Mediterranean style that melds the outdoors with the in. The buildings feature terra-cotta roofs, stucco walls, large open windows, and arched doorways. The spacious courtyard includes a heated pool and hot tub, while pathways wind through the palm-tree studded grounds and offer up plenty of patio seating and sunning areas. The grounds offer hilltop views of downtown and are well-kept, but can feel brown and bleak if you hit the resort during a California drought. While mainly geared toward couples and families, the resort also offers amenities suitable for business guests.

An ideal choice for those looking for a quiet, laid-back property, the Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa is tucked away on a hilltop about a mile from the hustle and bustle of downtown Avalon. The resort offers a free shuttle to and from downtown Avalon, about a five-minute drive, an it gives roundtrip service to local transportation hubs. Be aware that while the shuttle runs about every 15 minutes, it offers limited seating, so guests may need to wait for an empty van. Adventurous guests can take the 15-minute walk downhill to the beach or into town, but getting back to the resort sans shuttle is an uphill battle that many may prefer to avoid. The ferry ride from the L.A. and Orange County areas to Avalon takes about an hour.

Rooms at Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa are spacious, modern, and streamlined, with pleasant decor, soft colors, light-wood accents, and fresh white bedding. While amenities vary based on room size, all rooms include flat-screen TVs with cable, free Wi-Fi, and coffee stations equipped with Keurig coffeemakers. Guests say beds are plush and comfortable, and headboards include individual reading lights. Most rooms also include mini-fridges and microwaves. Larger accommodations, like the family-sized President Suites, sit in their own individual buildings and feature a dining room with a six-person table, a stove, and other extras. Bathrooms are outfitted with spacious wood-based vanities, a stand-in glass-tiled shower, and rectangular mirrors with built-in lighting. They're also stocked with hairdryers and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Larger suites include a bathtub and/or an in-room hot tub.

The centerpiece of the hotel is the courtyard with a heated pool (with a maximum depth of eight feet) and a small four-person hot tub. Generous outdoor space includes areas for sitting or lounging, plus family-friendly extras such as a shaded ping-pong table. A small, four-person spa offers up a variety of services, such as a range of massages, acupressure, body masks, and body wraps. The indoor fitness area is basic but functional, with a tube TV, weight lifting area, and a few standard cardio machines, though there's no treadmill and the carpeting is loud and garish. The hotel allows pets with an extra fee. 

While Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa is mainly geared toward families and couples, it also offers business amenities, such as access to audiovisual equipment and corporate meeting rooms. Wi-Fi is free, but some guests say it can be spotty. The site can also accommodate larger groups for corporate meetings, banquets, or weddings, and it features a variety of large, on-site venues, including a reception hall that holds up to 125 guests. 

As of summer 2015, the business center was under renovation, as was the on-site Seaport Bistro, though the lobby offered morning snacks and coffee.