I only stayed one night at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, but it was my second time staying there. While it has an unbeatable location with gorgeous views (but not from my room), it is getting a bit dated.
When I checked in, my key card didn't work on the door to my room. There was no phone available in the hall, so I lugged my bags down to the front desk to wait in line again. They gave me another key card, which only worked the fifth time I slid it into the lock. I soon discovered that the door locks are only one of the things that are in need of replacing.
My room faced the parking lot and highway 101. I tried to sleep with the patio door open, but the noise from the freeway was too loud. There are plenty of ocean-view and partial ocean-view rooms available, however. The patios are very small, but each room has one.
The decor of the room is a bit '90's. Everything screamed out for an update, such as the wallpaper and the linens. The bathroom with the tub/shower combo could also use a refresh. The bed wasn't very comfortable, and it felt like it is just in need of a replacement.
Rooms aside, the grounds of the resort are lush and beautiful. We watched a gorgeous sunset from the outdoor lounge, and felt like we were in paradise. It was too cold to use the pool, but it looked lovely. There is a nice path along the cliff to walk along, and another leading to the stairs down to the beach.
At checkout, I was surprised with a pesky "resort fee". I assume the resort fee was for use of the the pool, etc. Weren't amenities included in the price of the room at one time? I felt ripped off, especially since the room was not inexpensive for what it was.
Pismo is a beautiful place to visit. I only wish the Cliffs would renovate their rooms and at least be upfront about the bogus resort fee.
Room Tip: Don't get a room facing Highway 101! It is very loud.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
21 March 2012
I am so sorry to hear you were so disappointed in the resort! We really have tried our best through the years to keep the building up to date, from décor to facilities. Even when we do have to replace door locks, as periodically happens, our staff is trained to look for the signs that indicate it may be failing (blinking lights, difficulty with keys) and I am sorry we couldn’t have prevented your difficult check in.
We also try to be proactive and let our guests know about the facilities fee at the time of reservation. If we aren’t clear enough during the reservations call, the confirmation email or letter we send out details all the amenities the fee allows us to provide for our guests (pool and Jacuzzi, as you mentioned, along with wireless internet and valet services). We also try to point it out at check in, when each guest initials by their daily rate, to be clear that it is separate from the room rate but included in each guests’ stay.
We are constantly working to update the facilities, from furniture and linens remodeled two years ago to this year’s focus on the comfort and décor in the suites. We have long term plans for redoing the wallpaper in the hallways and perhaps the bathrooms could be a project for the future. I appreciate all the feedback we receive, and it helps us plan out the development of the hotel!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
