Hotel Maya - A DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel

The Hotel Maya is composed of five buildings, one houses the restaurant, reception area, fitness center, and conference room, and four others the guest rooms. With its russet-red and sunny-yellow color scheme, rustic hardware, and local folk art, the hotel has an earthy flair. The atmosphere is relaxed, and guests can feel free to walk around in shorts and flip-flops, although they may cross paths with wedding attendees in black tie or business travelers in suits. Clientele cuts a broad swath, and includes business travelers, couples on romantic getaways, wedding guests, families, and local residents on "staycations." The mix creates a highly social, and sometimes rowdy, vibe. The reception area features big windows in rectangles and squares, some with fuchsia-colored glass, and articulated gray stone and a red ceiling over the reception desk. The lounge has a cushioned bench, low gray bean-bag-style chairs, and poufs. Outside, a path winds through the property and along the water, with various niches for fire pits, palm trees, an herb garden, and cushioned rattan seating under huge umbrellas, and a pool surrounded by loungers. Fuego, a Mexican/Latin-American-influenced restaurant, has wraparound views of the harbor, farmhouse tables, saddle-leather bar stools, and a hookah lounge. Some of the beach loungers float on platforms in the harbor. The resort pulses with activities, from horseshoe tournaments to steel-drum bands to art shows.

The Maya is a 10-minute walk from the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The back of the hotel faces a relatively quiet road that leads to the historic Queen Mary, a docked 1930s ocean liner, plus a pier, and restaurant; and there's a bridge to downtown Long Beach that guests can reach via the hotel's free shuttle. A low-cost water taxi ferries guests to all points along Long Beach Harbor. The Aquarium of the Pacific is a nine-minute drive from the hotel, and the Long Beach Convention Center is a six-minute drive. Long Beach Airport is about a 15-minute drive, and Huntington Beach is about 30 minutes away by car. The Los Angles County Museum of Art and the Santa Monica Pier, with its much-filmed ferris wheel, are within a 50-minute drive. LAX Airport is a 26-minute drive from the hotel.

Rooms at the Hotel Maya have a touch of the tropics in their decor, including soft peach walls, beds with river-rock headboards, air plants, variegated wood floors, and dark-wood furnishings. Some of the rooms offer views of the harbor, others of the pool and other outdoor spaces, such as the restaurant terrace. All rooms have glass-topped desks, 37-inch HD, flat-screen TVs,  Keurig coffeemakers, electric kettles, mini-fridges, and robes and slippers. Bathroom walls mix charcoal granite with russet-orange walls. Bathtubs have powerhead showers and curtains in lieu of glass partitions. Toiletries are either Aroma Actives or Crabtree & Evelyn. 

The Maya hands out kits for toasting marshmallows around the fire pits and making s'mores, and the bar hosts tequila tastings of its 100 brands. The hotel will arrange for rentals of kayaks, paddle boards, and Jet Skis. The business center has computers and a fax machine, and offers free printing. There's also a conference room that can be rented, along with audio-visual equipment. The fitness center has an array of cardio- and weight-training equipment, and free weights. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.