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The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach Review

The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach Review

This past weekend I stayed at The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach, California for an event with Delta Airlines and the Seattle Sounders.  I didn’t get to pick the hotel; it is the hotel the team had picked for their trip.  The Belamar is part of Pacifica Hotels group that includes mostly non-chain properties across California (and a couple in Florida and Hawaii).

Location

The Belamar Hotel is located inland from the coast in Manhattan Beach.  It is just south of LAX.  It isn’t a particularly tourist neighborhood however there are a number of malls across the street from the property.  Like much of LA, I wouldn’t consider the area walkable.  With that said, there is a trail from the hotel that goes to the beach (about a mile away).

Check In

The entrance to The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach is located on the side street off of Oak Avenue.  The property is surrounded by fence; it isn’t very welcoming from the street.  The building is in a “V” shape and the lobby is at the point where the two wings come together.  Parking is valet only.

The entire property has been recently renovated and has a mid-century modern vibe.  It definitely has more of a beach vibe than luxury.  The bones of the building are old so their renovations are confined by that fact.

The lobby is small but has a seating area and nearly any time I walked through there were people hanging out.

Check in was a bit different as we were arriving as a group and all the keys and rooms had already been prepared.  But throughout my stay I felt like the front desk were responsive and interested in the guest experience.

Room

As mentioned, The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach is currently undergoing a refurbishment.  I was assigned a renovated room on the second floor (room 214) with two double beds.  The rooms are small; some have a balcony, mine did not.

The rooms are bright; all the furnishings are neutral light tones.

Against the wall a headboard is built in for both beds.  The art work above the bed is screwed in; another guest in the group noted that one piece was crooked and he was unable to level it.  A low table sits between the two beds with a lamp and various outlets.

In the corner is a desk with chair and ottoman.  The white “bench” against the window houses the air conditioning unit.

The curtains do not do a good job of keeping the light out and the room becomes light once the sun comes up.

The entertainment center consists of a TV and record player.  The record player works and there is a library of vinyl you can check out from the front desk.  A coffee machine (pods) is in room.

The cabinet under the TV provides storage as well as an empty mini fridge.

The view from the room is of the parking lot.  Not much to see.

Bathroom

The bathroom is small.  There is a single sink but ample counter space.  The neutral tones translate into the stone in the bathroom.

The bathtub/shower combo is in poor shape.  It is probably the original tub and it has been resurfaced, yet the paint is peeling.  I found this one of the only issues with the room.

There are two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths provided.  The second day the towels were replaced but no wash clothes were left.

The bath products are high end CO Bigelow and were replaced daily.

A hair dryer is provided.  My travel partner reported the hair dryer was not the highest quality.

There are two robes in a closet just outside the bathroom along with a built in safe.

Pool and Courtyard

In the middle of the “V” shaped Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach building is a courtyard and the pool.  The courtyard is quite lovely and can be used for weddings.  Even when not set up for a wedding, there are groupings of seating around fountains and fire pit.

Off of the courtyard is an event space as well as the pool.  The pool is enclosed but the roof has open panels for an inside/outside feel.  There is a hot tub next to the pool; though it was luke warm when I tested the water.

Amenities

The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach has a restaurant and bar on the second floor called The Second Story.  I never sampled the food but went both nights during my stay to the bar in the evening.  It was a nice social space and was always busy the weekend of my visit.

Next to the restaurant is a business center with computers and a conference room.

Outside of the lobby are beach cruiser bikes available for rent.  $15 for two hours and $30 for the full day.  They are VERY green.

The rooms are still in the process of renovation as of August 2017 so you will notice some construction around the property though it didn’t bother me.

With the proximity to LAX, The Belamar Hotel is used by various airlines for crew rest.

Overall

The Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach is an old property that has been given new life as a boutique hotel.  It is not fancy but it is modern with a beach feel.  More money could have been invested in the renovations (especially in the bathrooms).  The hotel is small to mid-sized and if you don’t mind being located near malls rather than the beach, you will enjoy your stay.

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