2055 Harbor Blvd., Ventura, California, United States | (618) 248-8274
Within walking distance to the beach and entertainment
Modern rooms have flat-screen TVs and coffeemakers
Optional mini-fridges and microwaves convenient for extended stays
Lovely outdoor pool and hot tub and convenient poolside
service
Large fitness center and on-site bike rental
Full-service business center and 18 meeting facilities
On-site restaurant that serves Baja-inspired dishes
Room service and a breakfast buffet (for a fee)
Guest laundry and gift shop
Pet-friendly
Free Wi-Fi in the lobby
Not located directly on the beach
Fee for in-room Wi-Fi
Fee for self and valet parking
Complaints concerning hotel's datedness
No views of the beach
For leisure travelers wanting to stay within a short
walk of the beach, the upper-middle-range Ventura Beach Marriot hotel is a good option. Quick access to Route 101, 18 meeting rooms, and a full-service
business center makes it attractive to business travelers, too. A pool and hot
tub surrounded by a tropical garden give the place a relaxing beach vibe, as
does the coastal-inspired menu of the on-site restaurant. The modern and
spacious 270 rooms, though basic and a bit dated, are outfitted with flat-screen
TVs and, on request, microwaves and mini-fridges. However, there are fees for in-room Wi-Fi,
breakfast, and parking. The stylish Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach is a good
alternative as it’s across the street from the beach and has free Wi-Fi.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Hotel with a central tropical courtyard that caters to all types of guests
Ventura Beach Marriott is a large blocky hotel with a
central courtyard. The courtyard is filled with the pool deck and a tropical
garden of palm trees, a pond, and a patio area with seating and umbrellas for
shade. As for the interior, it’s all about light. Skylights allow
sunshine to fill the central atrium and wall-to-wall windows light the lobby and restaurant areas. The lobby is
large with plush couches and chairs next to a stucco-style wall. Tiled
floors transition to dated floral blue carpet in the restaurant. It’s a lively
area with colorful mosaic columns and a waterfall beneath the staircase,
however, the carpet and some of the booths speak to a dated style that still appears throughout the property. A nice touch is the small gallery featuring rotating exhibits of photography by students and faculty of a local school; during our visit, the gallery had images of Cuba. The hotel
caters to all types of guests with its mix of features, though during our visit
we noted that families tend to congregate in the pool area following a day at
the beach.
Location
Within walking distance to the beach and entertainment
Ventura Beach Marriott is situated right off of the 101
Freeway and next to San Buenaventura State Beach. Despite the hotel’s name, it’s a seven-minute
walk from the beach. A drive to Santa Barbara Beach is a quick 30 minutes,
while it takes a little over an hour to reach Los Angeles (without traffic). As for exploring
Ventura, it takes eight minutes on foot to reach Seaward Avenue, a street
filled with shops and restaurants. Downtown Ventura is a five-minute drive away.
Pacific View mall, five minutes by car, has popular department stores. Ventura Harbor Village -- a five-minute drive -- is a row of shops (and restaurants)
that sell ocean and beach-themed products. There’s a few quick bites right near
the hotel, mainly fast food. Burbank Bob Hope Airport is an hour’s drive away, while Los Angeles
International Airport takes an hour to two hours, depending on traffic.
Rooms
Homey rooms with flat-screen TVs; mini-fridges and microwaves on request
Rooms at this hotel are homey in style but modern in
amenities. King or Double Rooms are available, though the Double Rooms are outfitted with full-size beds rather than two queen-size beds. Flat-screen TVs and coffeemakers are provided in
all rooms, while mini-fridges and microwaves are available on request. Decor includes white linens, old-fashioned wooden
headboards, and patterned carpet. The carpet, wooden furniture, and country-style armchairs are cozy but also fairly dated. Rooms facing the inner courtyard have lovely
views of the pool and garden. The bottled water provided and in-room Wi-Fi both
cost a fee. Some of the white-tiled bathrooms are a touch more contemporary than the
rooms with gray granite counter tops, gilded mirrors, waterfall showerheads in
the shower/tub combos, and Thann toiletries. However, guests note that some bathrooms remain quite dated, with older toilets.
Features
Pool with poolside service, hot tub, restaurant, breakfast buffet, fitness center, and meeting rooms
The best features of Ventura Beach Marriott are the attractive pool and hot tub surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas. Guests don’t
have to leave the pool deck for a snack as there’s an outdoor menu and phone to
order poolside service. The hotel’s Pacifico Restaurant and Lounge serves
Baja-inspired dishes and fresh California cuisine. Room service is available for
most of the day. A breakfast buffet is offered, but some contend it's pricey for
the food that’s provided. The on-site fitness center is much larger than typical, with free weights, weight machines, and a number of cardio machines with
TVs. Free headphones and fruit are nice extras. Business travelers can make use
of a full-service business center with two computers, a printer, and copy and
fax services. Plus, there are 18 meeting rooms covering over 24,000
square feet, some of which have outdoor patios. Other convenient amenities are
a coin-operated laundry room and a small gift shop for a late-night snack.
There’s free Wi-Fi in the lobby only, and self and valet parking incur daily
fees.
