Cliff House Inn

We checked in and realized that there is no air conditioning and it was really hot and humid, but we thought we would try to tough it out. That evening we were preparing to go to bed and the room was crawling with ants on the floor and all over the bathroom sink.. I went to the front desk, and complained and they handed me a almost empty bottle of windex and a few paper towels! So we left and went to a Best Western Plus 5 minutes away and had a wonderful stay there. The Cliff House still charged us for the room and have not reached out to make any concession or accommodation. We will never stay there again and recommend to all...stay there at your own risk! There is usually never anyone at the front desk either.

We’ve now stayed at Cliff House Inn five times, and it’s truly a place we want to love. The views are absolutely unbeatable—being right on the edge of the ocean, hearing the waves all night, and even spotting dolphins from your room or at breakfast is something special. That said, this stay unfortunately highlighted some ongoing issues that are hard to overlook. When we arrived, there was no one at the front desk for quite a while, which made check-in feel a bit disorganized. We got in around 3:30pm, but the restaurant was closed until 5pm—leaving no options for drinks or light snacks. Since the nearest places are about 20–30 minutes away, we ended up leaving the property just to find something small to eat before our dinner reservation. Dinner, as always, was a highlight—great service, great food, and those incredible ocean views. That part never disappoints. The room, however, did. It was very warm and muggy when we arrived. We opened the ocean-facing window for airflow, but the other windows face the parking lot/freeway side, so opening those meant dealing with noise instead of a breeze. On top of that, the sheets were visibly torn in multiple places, and we noticed what looked like small dried bugs on the bedding, which was pretty off-putting. We planned to bring these concerns to someone’s attention, but again, no one was at the front desk when we went to look. Breakfast the next morning was just okay—but the view almost makes up for it. Watching the ocean (and dolphins!) while eating is something you can’t replicate. Although, fair warning… the seagulls are bold. One literally landed on our table, grabbed a whole hard-boiled egg, and flew off with it—and was helping itself to other tables too. Overall, this place has incredible potential and one of the most beautiful locations you’ll find. But for the price and repeat visits, the rooms, cleanliness, and basic amenities (like staffing and food options throughout the day) really need some attention and upgrades. We’ll probably still come back for the views—but we always leave wishing the experience matched the setting a little better.

So much of the criticism in other reviews is not consistent with my stay. I've know the place for decades, used to ive a few houses over. Ventura county coaast has nothing even close. Rooms are spcaiouism flat screen TVs, large fridge. Trye they are not flexible about checkin or out. But GRAT value, price has come down this year. VERY reasonable price. Biggest gripe is the screens cannot be removed and obstruct the view a bit. With a bit of investment the place could be spectacular. In its current state its still quite good. Breatfast is weak and needs improvement, agree with that criticism. The beaxh is at most a 100 meter walk not two miles. Yes they built a wallk so cannot enter from Northbound. The restiuarnt is one of the best in VEntura County. VERY popular. Hotel guests CAN use pool after 5pm, I have no idea whjere these other posters got these ideas. While thee saw pod of dolphins swim by less than 30 meters from the pool, and LOADS of pelicans fishing just offshore,m and two whale spourts about a half mile offshore. Weather was lovely. Its a lovely seaside corner away from the maddening masses in SoCal.