Travel Destinations

Friday, June 20, 2014

Hotel Review: Catalina Island’s Pavilion Hotel

Pavilion Hotel Garden, Catalina Island, California
The Pavilion Hotel's tropical oasis.
Catalina Island’s accommodations come in all shapes and sizes, including luxury hotels, charming B&Bs, affordable inns, and private vacation rentals.  Since Avalon is only one square mile, space is at a premium, as is the view.  There are no huge hotel chains with buildings soaring into the sky.  Most of Catalina’s hotels are boutique hotels with coziness and charm.  For our two-night stay on the island, we enjoyed the luxury accommodations of the recently re-designed Pavilion Hotel.

The Pavilion Hotel offers complimentary luggage service from the boat dock to the hotel no matter what time you arrive.  However, one of the best things about the Pavilion Hotel is its location.  The Pavilion Hotel is just steps away from the beach and an easy walk from the dock, so the complimentary luggage service isn’t really necessary. 

I immediately felt myself relax as I walked onto the Pavilion Hotel’s property.  The hotel is a two story u-shaped building surrounding what feels like a tropical oasis with a green lawn surrounded by palm trees and lounge chairs.  Near the front of the property, with a view of the water, are inviting seating areas where hotel guests can unwind.  At night guests can gather around outdoor fireplaces.

Pavilion Hotel Outdoor Ocean View Lounge, Catalina Island, California
The Pavilion Hotel's outdoor ocean view lounge.
The Pavilion Hotel provides a complimentary continental breakfast which is quite a spread.  Breakfast includes breads, muffins, pastries, fruit, cheese, and hardboiled eggs. In addition to peanut butter, jam, and butter, they serve one of my favorite treats, Nutella.  Breakfast is served in the library, which is open to guests throughout the day.  In the afternoon the library is where the Pavilion Hotel hosts a complimentary wine and cheese hour for hotel guests.

Pavilion Hotel Breakfast, Catalina Island, California Pavilion Hotel Wine and Cheese, Catalina Island, California
Never hungry, always happy with the Pavilion Hotel's breakfast and wine and cheese hour.

Rooms are spacious with soft beds and large dressing areas.  The walls are decorated with nostalgic Catalina Island travel prints.  After spending a day exploring Catalina’s interior or partaking in Catalina’s water activities, it is nice to have such an inviting room to return to, take a nice hot shower, and relax.

Pavilion Hotel Room, Santa Catalina Island, California
The Pavilion Hotel's comfy room is a welcome sight after a day of adventure.
The Pavilion Hotel’s concierge can assist with booking dinner reservations and tours.  The Pavilion Hotel is owned by the Santa Catalina Island Company which also runs many of the island’s tours. 

Not only is the Pavilion Hotel steps away from the water, it is also nicely situated near some of Catalina’s best restaurants, including the Avalon Grille and Bluewater Avalon, plus some great cocktail stops like Luau Larry’s.  (Visit Passports & Cocktails for my article about the best places for cocktails on Catalina Island.)

If you are looking for convenient and luxurious accommodations on Catalina Island, the Pavilion Hotel will hit the spot.

Thank you to the Santa Catalina Island Company and Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau for hosting our trip to Santa Catalina Island and making this post possible.  As always, all opinions are my own.  To book a room, visit the Pavilion Hotel's website.

Travel the World: Luxury accommodations at Catalina Island's Pavilion Hotel, steps away from the ocean.

Katherine Belarmino and Romeo Belarmino are the authors of Travel the World, a travel blog for the everyday working stiff. They work full-time in non-travel related jobs, but take every opportunity they can to travel the world during their limited vacation time.