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Discover the pros and cons of staying at the Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa hotel in Orange County, California.
Thanks to Travel Costa Mesa, I was invited to have a staycation at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa is known as the “City of the Arts” and a great place to visit for attractions such as the O.C. Fair, Broadway shows at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and The Los Angeles Chargers Training Camp.
Choosing a Hotel in Costa Mesa
Where to stay the night in Costa Mesa is the burning question
Prices for hotels in Costa Mesa vary from Crowne Plaza (as low as $227.05 per night) to the Holiday Inn (as low as $236.55 per night) to boutique hotels such as Avenue of the Arts (as low as $322 per night) to name brands such as the Marriott Costa Mesa (as low as $215 per night). I looked up the prices for a one-night stay on July 28, 2021, and as you can see the prices are all over the place. You can get a standard room at Marriott for less than the Holiday Inn. So unless you plan on staying at a boutique hotel, the price isn’t going to be a huge contender in your decision-making.
Location is Key at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa
Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa was super easy to access right off of the 405 freeway and Bristol Street. It was only a seven-minute drive to and from the O.C. Fairgrounds and a four-minute drive to and from Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Being right off the 405 freeway at Bristol Street, you’re in the heart of Costa Mesa and can reach most locations in less than 10 minutes.
My Experience at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa
After reservations were made for my overnight staycation at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa, I was pleased to find the hotel immediately off the 405 Freeway.
Parking ($16 overnight parking fee per day) in front of the hotel at 4 o’clock (check-in time) was conveniently found with several handicapped parking spots in front of the lobby.
When returning from the O.C. Fair in the late evening we found that parking was much more difficult to find with no handicapped parking spots available so best to drop any mobility-challenged friends and family members at the lobby before driving down the length of the parking lot to find a spot.
Walking into the pristine lobby in July 2021, there were signs saying that masks were required to be worn inside the building and hand sanitizer stations were to be found at the entrance to the lobby and by the elevator. All employees both in the lobby and at the Fireside Tavern, their on-site restaurant where breakfast was served starting at 6 a.m., were wearing masks too.
In the lobby, you have a choice of taking the stairs or a ramp that leads up to the single elevator and guest rooms. The elevator has a capacity for three (with space markings – as of July 2021).
The first time I stepped out of the elevator onto the second floor I was knocked over by a musty smell but each time I came into the hall the smell seemed to dissipate.
Guest Rooms at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa
Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa offers both rooms with one king bed or two queen beds.
We stayed in a room with two queen beds and our sleeping experiences were entirely different. I slept like a baby with one of the four pillows on the bed and my companion slept lousily despite trying out all four pillows.
The room amenities include a Keurig machine. We were able to bring our own K-Cups and they also provided 2 Decaf Coffee K-Cups and 2 Regular Coffee K-Cups. There were no tea options in the room. In addition to the coffee, there were non-dairy creamer and sugar packets as well as two paper cups.
Additional amenities in the room included: a television set, in-room safe, desk, two phones, four USB charging stations on the two lamps, lounging chair, pouf, and a closet with both pant and shirt/dress hangers.
In the bathroom, there were several economical baths and hand towels that were scratchy and thin. I prefer towels that are softer and larger. There was also a small bar of face/body soap, a tiny shampoo bottle, and a small bottle of lotion. The fact that there was only one soap bar was ridiculous because you had to carry the soap from the sink to the shower and back again.
You would think Crowne Plaza could have afforded to give guests two soap bars.
Overall the room was comfortable for two adults and a good base camp for visiting the Orange County Fair.
Breakfast at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa
Unfortunately, my biggest disappointment with Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa was the breakfast options. In July 2021 I was given the option of a breakfast buffet for $19.95. The buffet included scrambled eggs (mediocre), pancakes (tasted like McDonald’s – rubbery and very disappointing), smoked bacon (not too bad), fruit (fresh and ripe), oatmeal, cold cereals, bagels, and muffins.
I paid for my own breakfast and was disappointed that the pitiful breakfast buffet was not included in the cost of a night stay at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa. Also, for that price, you would hope that they would have better eggs and pancakes and even an omelet station or waffle station.
If you plan on staying at the Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa hotel consider getting breakfast elsewhere on your way out for the day.
Disclaimer: My stay at Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa (not including the breakfast) was sponsored by Travel Costa Mesa but all photos and opinions are my own.
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