Hotels
Catalina Island hotels: where to stay in Avalon and Two Harbors
An hour by boat from Los Angeles lies an island where golf carts stand in for cars. Bison graze the hills, and the whole town gathers on the waterfront in the evening. These are the Catalina hotels we would book.
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The boat from Long Beach swings into the bay, and the first thing you see is a round white building on the point and hundreds of yachts on their moorings. Golf carts, not taxis, wait on the quay. Within five minutes it is clear the pace here is not the mainland's.
Catalina Island lies off the coast of Southern California, and almost everyone lives in the little town of Avalon. For decades the island was owned by the Wrigley chewing gum family, and most of it is now protected land. Hotels are few and mostly small. We picked eight, in Avalon and the village of Two Harbors. Links go to Hotels.com, and we always choose the hotel before the link.
In short: where to stay on Catalina Island
Stay in Avalon, where the ferries dock and the restaurants, beach and Casino are all within walking distance. The hotels along Crescent Avenue on the waterfront are the most convenient. Two Harbors, across the island, suits those who want nature and quiet, with one lodge and little else.
Best for couples: Seacrest Inn
Best for families: Hotel Atwater
Best for a first visit: Pavilion Hotel
Best for peace and quiet: Banning House Lodge
Best for a pool: Catalina Canyon Inn
Our first choice: the Pavilion Hotel on Crescent Avenue, with its garden and the beach on the same side of the street. Check availability and prices
How to choose a hotel on Catalina
Avalon or Two Harbors: Avalon is the town, with most of the hotels and restaurants. Two Harbors is a tiny village with a lodge, a campsite and trails.
Waterfront or hillside: Hotels on Crescent Avenue sit right by the beach and the boats. Further up the hill it is quieter, but steep.
No car: Visitors cannot bring cars. That is no hardship, as Avalon is small. Hire a golf cart or bike to explore further.
Minimum stays: Many hotels require two nights at summer weekends.
Book the boat first: Reserve the Catalina Express at the same time as the hotel. Sailings fill up at weekends and in holidays.
Day trip or overnight: Most visitors arrive on the morning boat and leave in the afternoon. Stay the night and you have Avalon almost to yourself in the evening and early morning, which is when it is at its best.
How to spend the days: Snorkelling at Lover's Cove and Descanso Beach, a tour of the Casino and a glass-bottom boat trip. Guided trips head into the protected interior, where the bison herd introduced in the 1920s still roams. All can be booked in Avalon.
The courtyard
The garden courtyard at the Pavilion sits between the rooms and the beach in Avalon.
Avalon waterfront: Crescent Avenue
Avalon's seafront curves around the bay, lined with cafés, shops and the pier where the boats come in. This is where most visitors stay, and the easiest base for a first trip.
Pavilion Hotel: a garden and the beach on the same side of the road
The Pavilion sits on the beach side of Crescent Avenue, with a green courtyard between the rooms and the sand just beyond. Wine and cheese are served in the garden in the afternoon, and in the morning you watch the boats head out.
This is our pick for a first visit: step off the ferry, walk a few minutes and you are there. Rooms are not large, and the promenade is lively in the evening. The beach outside is the town's busiest by day, but early in the morning you may have it to yourself.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pavilion Hotel
The Bellanca
The hotel sits midway along Avalon's seafront.
Bellanca Hotel: the newest on the seafront
The Bellanca is one of Avalon's newest hotels, with bright rooms, a roof terrace and bay views from many rooms. It sits midway along Crescent Avenue with the restaurants right below.
It suits couples who want modern rooms and polished service in a town where many hotels are old. Prices reflect that.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Bellanca Hotel
Seacrest Inn
The small inn is a block back from the water in Avalon.
Seacrest Inn: a small inn for couples
Seacrest Inn is a small inn a block back from the water, with few rooms and a quiet, private feel. It is designed for couples, and several rooms have their own whirlpool bath.
It suits anyone after calm and romance in the middle of Avalon without staying on the seafront. It is not set up for families.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Seacrest Inn
Hotel Atwater
The Wrigley family's 1920s hotel in central Avalon.
Central Avalon: a block from the beach
A couple of streets up from the water are the hotels in Avalon's older buildings. You still walk everywhere, but it is calmer.
Hotel Atwater: the Wrigley hotel from the 1920s
Hotel Atwater was built by the Wrigley family in the 1920s and has been refreshed with light rooms and cheerful details. It is a block from the beach, between the seafront and the shops.
This is our pick for families, with a range of room types and everything close by. Children like walking to the beach and ice cream stands on their own, and parents like the lack of traffic. It is large for Avalon, so less personal than the small inns.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Atwater
The Aurora
A small hotel a couple of streets up from the water in Avalon.
Aurora Hotel: modern and quiet
The Aurora is a small, modern hotel a couple of streets back from the water, with simple, clean rooms and a terrace for evenings. It is quiet here, even though the promenade is two minutes away.
It suits anyone after a calm, more affordable place to sleep while spending the days outdoors.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Aurora Hotel
Hotel Metropole
The hotel is beside Metropole Market Place in the middle of Avalon's seafront.
Hotel Metropole: on the square by the seafront
Hotel Metropole sits midway along Crescent Avenue beside the small Metropole Market Place, with shops and cafés outside and the beach across the road. Several rooms look over the bay.
It suits couples and friends who want to be central and walk everywhere. The area is lively day and evening, so ask for a room away from the street if you sleep lightly.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Metropole
Catalina Canyon Inn
The hotel sits in the valley behind Avalon, ringed by hills.
Avalon Canyon: a pool and some peace
Behind the town a valley runs up into the hills. It is quieter here, and hotels have room for a pool. Above town stands the Wrigley family's former summer house, The Inn on Mt. Ada, though it is not sold through Hotels.com.
Catalina Canyon Inn: a pool in the valley above town
Catalina Canyon Inn sits a little way up the valley behind Avalon, surrounded by hills, with a pool and hot tub, which few hotels in town have. It is quieter here than down by the water.
It suits families and anyone who wants a pool and room to breathe. It is a fifteen-minute walk down to the seafront, or a short hop by golf cart.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Catalina Canyon Inn
Two Harbors
From the lodge you see the bays on both sides of the island's narrow middle.
Two Harbors: the quiet side of the island
At the island's narrow waist lies the village of Two Harbors, with a pier, a restaurant, a shop and trails in every direction.
Banning House Lodge: a view over two bays
Banning House Lodge is an old wooden summer house on a rise above Two Harbors, looking over the bays on both sides of the island. It has only a few rooms, and in the evening it is almost silent.
It suits hikers, kayakers and couples looking for nature and peace. There is little to do at night, and boats here run less often than to Avalon. Bring food and water on hikes, as shops are few beyond the village.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Banning House Lodge
When to book
Summer and weekends are peak season. Book the boat and hotel together, ideally several weeks ahead.
Spring and autumn are quieter, with a good chance of fine weather and easier availability.
Winter is peaceful, though some restaurants and tours keep shorter hours.
Sea conditions: The crossing can be choppy in winter and in strong wind. If you get seasick, sit in the middle of the boat and choose a morning sailing.
Our first choice on Catalina Island
Pavilion Hotel
We recommend the Pavilion Hotel because it sits on the beach side of Crescent Avenue, a few minutes’ walk from the ferry. A green courtyard lies between the rooms and the sand, and wine and cheese are served in the garden in the afternoon. In the morning you have the beach almost to yourself.
Catalina Island hotels: your questions answered
Where is the best place to stay on Catalina Island?
On a first visit, stay in Avalon, where the Pavilion Hotel has the beach right outside. Couples like Seacrest Inn a block from the water, and families Hotel Atwater. For a pool, choose Catalina Canyon Inn up the valley. Banning House Lodge in Two Harbors suits hikers.
How do you get to Catalina Island?
By boat from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point. The crossing takes around an hour, and Catalina Express is the main operator. There is also a helicopter from Long Beach. Book the boat alongside the hotel, especially for summer weekends.
Can you take a car to Catalina Island?
No, visitors cannot bring cars. Avalon is small enough to walk everywhere, and you can hire a golf cart or bike to see more. To explore the protected interior, join a guided off-road tour from town. Book it in Avalon, ideally a day ahead.
Is Catalina Island worth an overnight stay?
Yes. Many people come for the day, but the best hours are in the evening and early morning, after the day-trippers have gone. One or two nights gives time to swim, snorkel, see the Casino and perhaps head into the hills.
What is the best hotel on Catalina Island?
It depends on the trip. The Pavilion is the easiest for a first visit, Hotel Atwater works best for families and Seacrest Inn for couples. The Wrigley family's old home, The Inn on Mt. Ada, is the most special, but it is not sold through Hotels.com.