Ocean Cove Lodge Bar & Grill

This review is only for room 9, which is a special situation, as it is the only room on the property that does not have an ocean view. I may be mistaken, but I do not believe this was not disclosed on the website when I booked. That actually wasn’t even the problem because this stay was out of necessity for me and not for a view, so I wasn’t super devastated when I found out. My bigger issue is that it is the smallest hotel room I have ever stayed in. The bed takes up the entire room, and the room overall has a supply closet feel, like it wasn’t supposed to be a room, but they tried to turn it into one. Besides being very small, it did not have a closet or dresser. I mean, there is a space for a closet, but there is no rod and no hangers. Because the room is so small, a closet with some hangers would have been useful. The furniture also included some bizarre old looking items put together for you to set things down on I guess? Also, the curtains have holes in them. There was also a space for a smoke detector, but no smoke detector, which did not inspire confidence. It just seems like if they are going to take a room that is down a hall with a view of the dumpster, the least they could do is put some real furniture in it from this century, make the closet usable, replace the damaged curtains, and install a smoke detector. I also think it’s fine if they want to rent out this tiny tiny room, but they should make it very crystal clear what someone is booking on the website, because maybe someone would book this voluntarily, but I certainly would not have. By the time I got there there were no other options and I had to accept it bc they were otherwise full. I would have gladly paid extra money to get any other room than this one. Otherwise, the check-in staff was helpful, the linens were clean, there was free coffee and continental breakfast in the morning, and the restaurant nearby was fine. There is ample parking and a nice view of the ocean from the parking lot, and probably your room if you got any other room than the one I got. I bet it is a perfectly lovely stay here if you had another room, but room 9 is pretty rough.

Ocean Cove Lodge accomodates our function at Fort Ross for the last two years. The rooms are very clean (the towels and linen smell so fresh) the staff at the lodge and restaurant are so friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our three nights stay very much. Sam at the front desk is very kind and helpful. Also kudos to Ana at the restaurant, she is a gem, so friendly and treats us so well. Thank you for a wonderful stay and see you next year. (I promise not to take the keys next time, they are in the mail)

I stayed at the Ocean Cove Bar & Grill and unfortunately, it was one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve had. I was on a business trip and had a couple of days to fill, so I was hoping for something relaxing—this wasn’t it. Before arriving, I read a review saying the front desk staff “needed customer service training.” That turned out to be a generous understatement. The woman at the front desk reminded me of Rosa from The Way—the tough, no-nonsense hostel owner—but somehow made that character seem warm and welcoming by comparison. To be fair, the room itself was clean. But the setting was very disappointing. The property sits right along the highway, with essentially a curb and fence separating you from the drop toward the ocean. If you’re expecting a beach, there isn’t one. If you’re hoping to relax on the property and enjoy ocean views, that’s not really an option either. Ironically, the nearby campgrounds—about a block away on the ocean side—offer much better views. There’s also no cell service at the hotel. Connecting to the Wi-Fi was unnecessarily complicated, and I had to get help just to get online. Even then, I only had limited connectivity—texting worked, but phone service didn’t. I should also mention that I have a strong fear of heights, and the cliffside drive to and from the property was terrifying—far scarier than anything I’ve ever experienced, and it lasted nearly an hour each way. I had booked two nights but ended up leaving after one. Between the service, the location, the connectivity issues, and the drive, it just wasn’t worth staying longer.