The Bottom Line
The Varden is a great little European-style boutique hotel in a historic building in Long Beach. The owners have taken great care to make the small rooms bright, spacious and functional for leisure and business travel. The value for the money is outstanding. The Varden is a smoke-free hotel. Despite a few foibles, I love this affordable little hotel, which is a great addition to downtown Long Beach. I look forward to the restoration of the historic Dolly Varden neon sign on top of the hotel to finish off the old dame's face lift.
Pros
- Economical
- Walking distance to downtown Long Beach attractions and convention center.
- Directly on the Metro Blue Line
- Continental breakfast and wine and cheese hour included, coffee available all day
- Free Wi-Fi in rooms
Cons
- No elevator (however there is a wheelchair lift up to the first floor)
- Small showers
- No two-bed rooms
- No pets (a pro for some)
Description
- Address: 335 Pacific Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
- Phone: (562) 432-8950
- Reservations: (562) 432-8950
- Room Rates: $$, compare rates at kayak.com
- Website: www.thevardenhotel.com
- Property Amenities: breakfast/coffee/cocktail nook
- Room Amenities: Wireless Internet, bottled water, hair dryer, flat screen TV, iPod docking station
- Parking: $10 night
- Metro: less than 1 block to Blue Line, 1 block to free Long Beach Passport bus
- Discounts: AAA, AARP
Guide Review - The Varden Hotel in Long Beach
The Dolly Varden Hotel has been in downtown Long Beach since 1929. The property was completely renovated in 2008 and re-opened as The Varden, a European-style boutique hotel.
There are 35 rooms on 3 floors in various layouts with full and queen-size beds. The smallest rooms are about the size of a dorm room (way more luxurious), but with a full-size bed. Prices are based on location, not room size.
Despite the small square footage, design elements like a mini ledge desk and a half-depth sink from Spain allow space to maneuver without feeling cramped. The platform beds provide a drawer and room for luggage underneath. The showers are tiny and the bathrooms in some rooms are so small that they moved the sink into the bedroom. The bathroom doors are sliding wall mirrors and there is a lighted make-up mirror above the bathroom sink.
The owners kept the original wired glass windows and matched the dotted tile floor in the bathroom, adding subway tile to the shower. The geometric motif is repeated in the blue and grey carpet. Some rooms have exposed support beams. The historic details work well with the modern décor.
They haven't skimped on the luxury bedding and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Even the toilet paper is a better quality than at most high end properties.
The Varden has complimentary continental breakfast and evening wine and cheese hour in the "living room". Coffee, bottled water and fruit are available there all day, as well as free bottled water in the room.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of this review. While it has not influenced the review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
There are 35 rooms on 3 floors in various layouts with full and queen-size beds. The smallest rooms are about the size of a dorm room (way more luxurious), but with a full-size bed. Prices are based on location, not room size.
Despite the small square footage, design elements like a mini ledge desk and a half-depth sink from Spain allow space to maneuver without feeling cramped. The platform beds provide a drawer and room for luggage underneath. The showers are tiny and the bathrooms in some rooms are so small that they moved the sink into the bedroom. The bathroom doors are sliding wall mirrors and there is a lighted make-up mirror above the bathroom sink.
The owners kept the original wired glass windows and matched the dotted tile floor in the bathroom, adding subway tile to the shower. The geometric motif is repeated in the blue and grey carpet. Some rooms have exposed support beams. The historic details work well with the modern décor.
They haven't skimped on the luxury bedding and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. Even the toilet paper is a better quality than at most high end properties.
The Varden has complimentary continental breakfast and evening wine and cheese hour in the "living room". Coffee, bottled water and fruit are available there all day, as well as free bottled water in the room.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of this review. While it has not influenced the review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
