Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel, Catalina Island

We stayed over Christmas and I have to say that we were very disappointed in total. When I called before our arrival, a heated pool was promised, but when we arrived an unfriendly staff member told us that this is not the case. The weather was foggy throughout (well, this is not to be influenced by the hotel anyway). The hotel is far off from the village on a slippery road. The rooms were overpriced and cold. There was no Christmas feel what's o-ever. We felt stuck in the middle of no-where. Sorry, but it was a bad experience all together. We chose a cheaper hotel in the village and were much happier. The sole positive aspect is the romantic ambiance of a lonely, oldish hotel. You have to deal with unhelpful and unexperienced staff over the holiday.

My wife and i stayed there right after the memorial day weekend. what a lovely place. Michael the manager was very pleasant. the complimentary breakfast, if you will , consisted of two pieces of bread to toast and butter, fresh apples and oranges in a bowl, and coffee and tea. perfect before an early morning walk. And do expect to walk, by the way. unless you call for a shuttle taxi, you will take a brisk five minute walk downhill and a taxing ten to fifteen minute walk uphill. very invigorating , especially after a good meal. but the serenity and the breathtaking view from the room made it all worth while. The good: No phone, no tv, no clocks, and NO CHILDREN!! that was wonderful. the bad. Dated bathrooms and no modern amenities. not a big deal. its an excellent getaway I could sit at the front terrace all day with a bottle of wine and feel like i'm in paradise. will go back soon

We loved Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel because: 1. Has a great history. I love the idea of the famous writer having this place to write and be inspired. 2. The rustic-ness. Can be casual, comfortable and relaxed. Not fancy, don't care about fancy. 3. Quiet and peaceful. Provokes creativity and inward reflections. 4. The views from the patios and rooms are fantastic. 5. I don't remember the furnishings, only that it was very comfortable. Because of this there is more attention to the overall beauty of the Hotel, the architecture, and the natural surroundings. 6. Love that there are no TVs in the rooms. Love the common Living room with the grand piano. Someone played beautifully, a guest, while we were sitting in the patio, what a treat! 7. Hotel manager was very nice and concerned that we had a pleasant stay. 8. The walk is great to and from the town.(It's good that there are shuttles for those that can't do the walking up and down the hill, someday we may need them!). 9. Every room name is a title of one of Zane's books and they are available to read! Cool! We are already booked for our next visit! See ya! Rick and Cindy Pratt San Pedro, CA

I loved the view and that is was away from downtown Catalina. It was quaint and romantic with nothing in the rooms to disturb you. No phone, no tv. The only thing I disliked was the fact that there was no closet. Other than that, it's very private.

If I could, I would rate this place with a negative star. The Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel should be called the Roach Motel. The staff was extremely rude and stuck up. They were also very ignorant (especially the french guy) in thinking everyone who stays at the Zane G. have previously been on the island. So, they tell you nothing and expect you to figure things out on your own. The crazy thing is when you make your reservation, they ask you have you ever been to the island before, you would think when a customer replies, "no", they would offer some information i.e. this is the boat you take and this is when the last one comes to the island. What's the point in asking?. The owners will tell you the cabs are complimentary, but they are not! We even asked for a cab and were told we had to call ourselves. Watch our for the cab drivers in this location, they will tell you it's 8.25 to do up the hill or down the hill and a few minutes later, the rate will increase to over 10.00 for a mile drive down the hill. We had a family emergency and the hotel would not even let us re-book for another weekend. We either had to take the room or lose the money, re-booking was not an option. I think that is very unprofessional and extremely rude! The rooms were dirty and very dark. The office closed early in the day, so you were left on your own to figure anything out. The location is VERY inconvenient. I would never wish this place upon anyone. It's a huge waste of time and money. There is nothing soothing or relaxing when you have dark clausterphobic walls, chipped paint in the showers, cracks in the batroom sink, floresent lights with spider webs, bugs in the bed, no air conditioning and no security. Also, there is a piano in the common room that some idiots decided to play from 10pm until 2am even though they were asked several times to stop. There's only one lock for the door. I would not recommend leaving any personal belongings at any time. If you want to travel to Catalina and experience a PURE NIGHTMARE, stay at the Zane Grey.