Unbelievable Morgan Hotel San Simeon: Oceanfront Luxury You Won't Believe!
Unbelievable Morgan Hotel San Simeon: Oceanfront Luxury (Mostly) Worth Believing! - A Messy, Honest Review
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this is not going to be your dry, corporate hotel review. We’re talking Unbelievable Morgan Hotel San Simeon, that supposed slice of oceanfront paradise. Did it deliver? Well, let's just say it was a journey. And my credit card's still crying a little.
SEO & Metadata (because, you know, gotta play the game):
- Keywords: San Simeon, California, Unbelievable Morgan Hotel, Oceanfront Hotel, Luxury Hotel, Hearst Castle, Accessibility, Spa, Restaurant, Beach, Reviews, Hotel Review, Things to Do, Family Friendly, Pet Friendly (even though… see below!), Wi-Fi, Fitness Center, Pool, Food.
Here's the thing: I’m not perfect, and neither is this hotel. And that, my friends, is what makes life interesting.
Accessibility:
Alright, let's start with the basics. Accessibility: The website claimed to be accessible, and the elevator was a godsend (thank goodness, because that ocean view room was on the fourth floor). But navigating around? Let's just say my wheelchair-using friend, bless her heart, had a few minor skirmishes with tight corners and doorways. Wheelchair accessible? Mostly. Facilities for disabled guests? Listed, yes. Completely seamless? Not quite. Think of it as a good start, but room for improvement, big time.
The Big, Fat, Glorious "Things to Do" (and My Exhaustion):
Seriously, I'm still recovering. This is supposed to be relaxing, right? HA!
- Hearst Castle: A MUST. Book that tour, wear comfortable shoes, and prepare to be utterly gobsmacked. It's majestic, it's history, it's… a LOT of walking. Bring water. Seriously.
- Beach Walks: The hotel's right on the coast, so that's a win. Waves crashing, seagulls squawking, the salty air… bliss. Except, I'm not a morning person. And those beach walks? Early. I swore I saw the sun glare at me.
- Hiking: There are trails nearby. I heard whispers. I considered it. Then I remembered the spa.
- Drive the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH): Okay, this isn't strictly "on-site," but it's the whole point of being in San Simeon. Epic. Breathtaking. Just watch out for those hairpin turns! My stomach wasn't super pleased.
Ways to Relax… And My Attempt to Actually Achieve It:
This is where the "Unbelievable" part of "Unbelievable Morgan" really got my attention (in both good and bad ways).
- Spa: The spa! They offered a whole menu of treatments – Body scrub, Body wrap, Massage, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Foot bath. And I was all in. I went for the deep tissue massage and I swear, I floated out of there. My knots? Gone. My stress? Poof!
- Swimming Pool & View: Yes, a Pool with view. It looked amazing in the pictures. In reality, it was a bit crowded. I managed a few glorious laps before the screaming kids took over (sorry, kid – maybe next time).
- Fitness Center: Okay, I intended to use the Gym/fitness facilities. The pictures showed sleek machines and panoramic views. I peeked in. It smelled faintly of regret and good intentions. I took a nap instead.
Cleanliness and Safety: The Sanitization Saga
In this day and age? This is top of mind for everyone.
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer, Hygiene certification, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays… They really went all in. I appreciated the effort.
- But… one day, the cleaning staff forgot to replenish the Hand sanitizer by my bed. I had to gasp walk to the lobby! The horror! Just kidding. But it’s those little things that matter, right?
- Safe dining setup: The Staff trained in safety protocol. Things felt pretty safe overall. I did notice a couple of staff members looking a tad frazzled, but hey, you can't blame ‘em.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: My Stomach's Diary
Okay, let's talk food. Food is important. I am a foodie. This is a potential make or break… and here's what broke it:
- Restaurants: Yes, plural. The hotel boasted a few, which was promising.
- Breakfast [buffet]: I’m a sucker for a buffet, and they had one! Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant. The omelet station was a standout. The coffee was… functional.
- A la carte in restaurant: I tried the a la carte in restaurant option for dinner one night. The food was good, but the service? S-L-O-W. I swear I aged a year waiting for my salad. Though the Salad in restaurant was worth the wait.
- Poolside bar: This was awesome. Happy hour on the deck with a gorgeous view, and the cocktails? On point. The Poolside bar was the best. Totally worth the price.
- Room service [24-hour]: A lifesaver when jet lag hit. The burger was surprisingly good.
Services and Conveniences: The Good, the Bad, and the Slightly Confusing
- Wi-Fi in all rooms! – YES! Actually worked! Thank goodness for that.
- Air conditioning in public area: Absolutely necessary. Summer in California can be brutal!
- Concierge: Helpful, but seemed a bit overwhelmed. They did recommend a fantastic seafood restaurant off-site, though.
- Dry cleaning & Laundry service: Used this – and it was done perfectly. Quick.
- Meeting/banquet facilities: Meetings, Seminars. Didn't need them, but they're there, I guess.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Nice to have.
- Pet Friendly (sort of): Hmm. Website said they were pet-friendly. I brought my small, exquisitely behaved dog, expecting warm welcomes. Instead, I was informed of a strict 'no pets allowed' policy, except in certain rooms with a large upcharge. This was a real downer. I mean, she’s basically a furry therapist. I'd advise calling ahead before bringing your best friend!
- Cashless payment service: Worked great!
- Doorman: Always there.
The Room: Where Dreams (and Bugs) Might Reside
- Available in all rooms, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens: The room itself? Gorgeous. Extra long bed? Check. Free bottled water? Always appreciated. The View? Spectacular. The Slippers? Plush. But, one night, I found a tiny, unwelcome arachnid guest. Cue scream. I reported it. They dealt with it. But… it did shatter the illusion of pristine perfection.
For the Kids (and the Kid in Me):
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal. I didn't have kids with me, but it looked as though they knew what they were doing.
Getting Around:
- Airport transfer: Available, but I drove.
- Car park [free of charge]: Yeah, parking was easy.
- I wish they would have had Bicycle parking.
- Taxi service: Yes.
The Verdict: Believable-But-Not-Perfect Bliss
The Unbelievable Morgan Hotel San Simeon? It has its flaws. It's not a perfect experience. But that ocean view? The spa? The overall vibe? It's pretty
Escape to East Lansing: TownePlace Suites Awaits!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, 'cause we're about to dissect a trip to the Morgan Hotel in San Simeon, California. Forget the perfectly curated Instagram feeds, this is gonna be a messy, glorious, and probably slightly regretful journal of a human experience. Let's dive in…
San Simeon, Here We Come! (And hopefully, Back Again)
Day 1: Arrival, Mild Panic, and Questionable Decisions
1:00 PM: Finally, we're here. The Morgan Hotel. It looks… well, it looks like a hotel. A slightly beige hotel. Reminds me of my aunt Mildred’s cardigans. I'm already itching to decorate. But hey, the ocean breeze is killer, even through the car window. Arriving late as usual
2:00 PM: Check-in. Smooth enough. The receptionist – bless her heart – probably gets this tourist routine down to a science. She's got that polite, slightly-bored-but-professional thing nailed. Got the key… room #307, which is "ocean view" so I'm hoping it's as good as the website promises.
2:30 PM: Okay, Room 307. Ocean view… technically correct. The ocean is out there, past a parking lot and a slightly tragic-looking balcony. Still, the salty air is a win. The in-room coffee maker is ancient but it works. It's better than nothing.
3:00 PM: Mandatory unpacking and light existential crisis. Why do I bring so much stuff? Am I secretly running away from something? Probably.
4:00 PM: Pre-dinner drinks at the hotel bar. Ordered a margarita that was… underwhelming. Reminded me of the time I tried to make a margarita from a YouTube tutorial and ended up with something resembling swamp water. The bartender was nice though. Great views.
6:00 PM: Dinner at the hotel restaurant. The menu is… ambitious. Ordered the seafood pasta and the pasta…well, that sounds like the best choice even if I am hungry. The pasta was overcooked. The sauce was bland. The experience? Unforgettable in a "I-will-never-order-pasta-here-again" sort of way. Feeling a little discouraged, I ordered a second margarita. This one was better. Maybe the bartender pitied me.
8:00 PM: Strolled along the beach, even though it was starting to get dark and the sea lions were making a racket and I think I saw a shark fin! (Probably just a log, but my imagination’s running wild). The crashing waves, the cold wind. It's the kind of melancholic beauty that makes you want to write poetry (or, you know, just buy another margarita).
9:00 PM: Back in the room! I feel really tired. Watched cable TV, was so exhausted I fell asleep while watching a documentary on the mating habits of the South American tree frog.
10:00 PM: Bedtime. Hoping for a decent night's sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Day 2: Hearst Castle and the Eternal Struggle of the Tourist
8:00 AM: Woke up with a strange craving for eggs benedict and regret for the pasta. The promise of an ocean view, even one with a parking lot in between, is enough to get me moving.
9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel - Eggs Benedict. The sauce was a little too thick, but the eggs were cooked just right. I'm starting to understand the beauty of mediocrity. It's not spectacular, but it's predictable.
10:00 AM: Hearst Castle! (Finally!). Got tickets for the Grand Rooms Tour. Standing in line feels like a proper tourist ritual, but the anticipation is real.
10:30 AM: HEARST CASTLE! Holy moly. That place is ridiculous. In the best way possible. The opulence, the sheer, unadulterated excess of it all… I was speechless. I spent a good ten minutes just staring at the Neptune Pool, imagining myself sipping champagne while lounging on a throne. And the art! The stuff! It's like walking through a fever dream of history and wealth, and it's fascinating.
12:30 PM: Lunch at the Hearst Castle cafe. Pretty decent sandwich and a ridiculously overpriced coffee. You pay for the view, I guess.
1:30 PM: More Castle exploring. We were supposed to get the upstairs tour, but due to our clumsiness and poor planning, we missed it. Feeling really frustrated, I spent a few hours walking outside. The gardens were spectacular. The view of the land was stunning and beautiful.
4:00 PM: Back to the hotel. Feeling sun-kissed and slightly overwhelmed.
6:00 PM: Dinner at a local seafood shack. It wasn't fancy, but the fish was fresh, the beer was cold, and the people were friendly. Much better than the hotel restaurant, and made me feel like I was having a real travel experience.
8:00 PM: A long walk on the beach. Decided that, tomorrow, I will learn to surf.
9:00 PM: Exhausted. Sleeping like that tree frog, except without the mating rituals. Thank goodness.
Day 3: Sea Lions, Surfing (Attempted), and a Final, Heartfelt Margarita
8:00 AM: Breakfast! The eggs are good.
9:00 AM: Went for a walk to see the sea lions. God, those things are loud. And smelly. But also… charming in their own, blubbery way. They're living their best lives, and I'm just here, slightly envious.
10:00 AM: SURFING LESSON. This is the part I'm both dreading and looking forward to. I'm terrible at sports, and I have absolutely zero coordination.
10:30 AM: I am a disaster at surfing. I spent most of the lesson face-planting into the ocean. But the instructor was patient (bless him), and I did manage to stand up for like, three seconds. Three glorious, wobbly seconds.
12:00 PM: Reward myself with a ridiculously oversized burger.
1:00 PM: Relaxing at the beach for a while. The sun feels good.
3:00 PM: Packing. Preparing for departure. Feeling pretty bad about it.
4:00 PM: One last margarita at the hotel bar. I have to say the bartender has improved. The sun setting over the ocean. The sky is a glorious orange, and the margarita is perfect. Not too sweet, not too sour, just the right amount of tequila burn. This is what it's all about.
5:00 PM: Leaving. A feeling of peace has settled over me.
5:30 PM: Making sure to visit the gift shop on the way out. I get a t-shirt and a San Simeon snow globe.
6:00 PM: Leaving.
6:30 PM: Already planning the next trip.
This is the kind of trip that's messy, sometimes frustrating, often ridiculous, but ultimately, it's a trip full of life.
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Unbelievable Morgan Hotel San Simeon: You're Gonna Need a Reality Check (and Maybe a Drink)
Okay, is it REALLY "Oceanfront Luxury You Won't Believe?" Because, let's be real, hotels lie. A LOT.
Alright, deep breaths. Look, "luxury" gets thrown around like confetti at a wedding, right? And honestly, *some* of the decor felt a *little*…dated. Think... repurposed cruise ship meets grandma's attic, you know? The lobby's impressive – massive windows showcasing the Pacific is a HUGE win. But then you wander down those hallways... and the carpet pattern is *intense*. So no, not *unbelievable* in a pristine, magazine-cover kind of way. It's more like... "unbelievable" in the sense that you're actually *there*, experiencing the raw, untamed beauty *right outside* your window, and that, friends, is the actual luxury. Forget the thread count, focus on the whales breaching. Seriously, I saw a pod eating breakfast one morning! The views? Absolutely worth the price of admission. But be prepared for a bit of a…vintage charm, let's say.
What about the rooms? Are they… clean? Because, you know, oceanfront can mean…salty…and crittery…
CLEAN. Mostly. Look, I’m a germaphobe disguised as a travel enthusiast, so I'm hyper-vigilant. Our room? Mostly spotless. The bathroom was, thankfully, gleaming. The bed was comfy, though the pillows… well, let's just say my neck is still recovering. (Bring your own, okay?) But here's the thing: this isn't a sterile, corporate hotel. You *might* find a rogue sea-salty…something… lurking in a corner. (My husband swore he saw a sand flea. I didn't. I *choose* not to believe him). But overall, yes, clean enough. And the trade-off for the breathtaking ocean view? Totally worth it. Just…maybe pack some extra Clorox wipes, you know, for peace of mind. I did. No shame.
The food! Tell me about the food! Is it… edible? (I've been burned before.)
Okay, the food experience is a mixed bag. Let's start with the breakfast. Free, which is always a plus, but… it's your standard continental fare. Pastries that have seen better days (but hey, carbs!), questionable coffee (I’m a coffee snob, so take that with a grain of salt…or several), and some fruit that might or might not be entirely ripe. But the view from the breakfast room? Magnificent. You can practically *taste* the ocean air while you begrudgingly eat your soggy croissant. For dinner…the on-site restaurant? Prices felt a *little* high for what you got. The fish was good, though. Honestly, my best advice? Explore the local restaurants. San Simeon has some hidden gems. Trust me. We found this amazing little clam chowder place…oh my god, I'm drooling just thinking about it! Seriously, eat off the property. You’ll thank me later.
What's the deal with the staff? Are they, you know, *helpful*? Or do they act like they'd rather be anywhere else?
Honestly? The staff was…mostly lovely. They were certainly trying. They weren't overly polished, but they were friendly and genuinely seemed to want to help. There was a slight blip with the check-in (long story, involving a lost reservation and a mild panic attack on my part…), but ultimately, it was resolved. They apologized, offered us a complimentary upgrade… and I was happy. Seriously, they were doing their best. It isn't the Ritz, people. Adjust your expectations accordingly. If you treat them with respect, they'll treat you back. That goes for everyone.
The pool! Is it heated? Is it crowded? Is it... worth it?
The pool... right! Okay, so it *is* heated. And yes, it's technically "worth it". But don't picture yourself gliding silently through turquoise waters. Picture this: you're sharing the pool with a gaggle of gleeful kids, a couple of sunbathing seniors, and a floating volleyball. The noise level can get a little…lively. But hey, it’s a family-friendly place, and the ocean's right there! I spent more time at the beach which was fantastic, and quieter. Plus, you can usually find a free chair down there.
Let's get real: What's the *best* thing about this place? And the *worst*? Dish. The. Dirt.
Okay, the BEST thing? One word: LOCATION. That ocean! That view! The fact you can walk out your door and be *right there* watching the waves crash...it's soul-cleansing. It’s the kind of view you dream about, the reason you booked the dang thing in the first place. Seriously, I could have sat on that balcony for a week and just stared at the ocean. And I *almost* did. The worst? Hmm. The noise, I'm not gonna lie, noise can be a thing. From the slamming doors, you should expect with walls that aren't soundproof (bring earplugs!), to the excited children, the foghorn (yes, there's a foghorn), and the seagulls...they have a *lot* to say. It’s part of its charm, I suppose, but it can make it hard to sleep through the night. Be prepared. Really, its not a perfect experience, but the location is worth all the other caveats.
Okay, so should I book it? Give me the straight answer!
It depends on your priorities. If you’re chasing perfection, manicured lawns, and hushed tones? Absolutely not. Go somewhere else. But! If you value stunning views, a relaxed (if slightly imperfect) atmosphere, and the chance to connect with the raw beauty of the California coast? Absolutely, YES. It's not flawless. It's not always easy. But that's part of its charm. It's real. It's alive. And the ocean? The ocean makes up for everything. Just…pack some Clorox wipes. And maybe earplugs. And definitely your own coffee. And embrace the chaos. You won't regret it. At least, I don't (and I'm pretty picky, trust me).
About those Hearst Castle tours...worth it?
HEARST CASTLEHotelish
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