Nice two bedroom/two bath unit with kitchen, dining, and living areas. But you can hear everything in the units around you. People talking, moving chairs, running a shower, open/close doors, etc. Stay here if you are a sound sleeper or if you party till 4am (you'll keep everyone else up, but you'll be fine).
The units were very nice, but I prefer a concrete building.
The building is long and narrow and is wedged between the hillside and the coast hwy. The rear units literally face a retaining wall holding up the cliff-side (you could reach out and touch it, you may as well not have windows). The front units overlook the coast hwy and the train tracks just across the street. They have a beach/ocean view. We had a rear unit and it seems that all the conversations in the units around you bounced off the wall and into your unit and you could hear everything.
The water pressure is great, but with this comes a big flaw...every time your neighbor(s) turn on the water you hear it loud and clear.
Bottom line...beautiful rooms, paper thin walls. Not for light sleepers.

I needed an affordable place to stay while on business, and this fit the bill. It was definitely an interesting mix of amenities and services. It was clear tha most guests were vacationing, which was fine. The front of the hotel has a lovely view of the ocean, while the back looks at a wall of dirt. The downside to the front of the hotel is noise- a major road and an active train track run just in front of the hotel. I found the trains bothersome the first night, but really didn't hear them after that.

The biggest advantage to this place is the full kitchen in each unit. And I mean full kitchen! Range top, full size fridge, nicest microwave I've ever seen, dishwasher, regular size coffee pot, blender (!), all the dishes, pots, and pans you could want, PLUS, a full size Weber grill on the balcony! If you want to save money by eating in, this is the place.

Downsides include the fact that housekeeping services are not daily- just once a week. This would have been ok, had I been told about it up front, but no one mentioned it when I checked in. In general, the hotel looks like it's been around the block a few times, particularly in public areas. The rooms are nicer than halls, etc. The building I was in had one old, small elevator, which was very slow.

The ugly- parking. Each building has an underground parking garage, which is great. However, the parking spaces are the smallest I have ever seen- and I was driving a compact car. If you are used to city driving and parking, this would likely not phase you, however, I found the lot to be a challenge. Overnight street parking is not an option. There is a large parking lot across the street, however, it's part of a local park and costs $15 per day to use. If you drive a large vehicle, beware.

Would have been perfect if Amtrak and Metrolink trains didn't roar thru every few hours especially at 6am. Beach was very rocky and need to cross over highway via a walkway about 2 blocks away. Staff was pleasant but not overly so. Lots of road noise from traffic. Easy ride to Dana Point which was scenic quiet and peaceful.

We stayed at the Riviera Shores May 18 - 20, 2012 while attending the Doheney Blues Festival. There is a pedestrian overpass nearby which takes you over the Pacific Coast highway and the railway to the beach. The Blues Fest provided a complimentary shuttle service to the Festival which was a couple of miles away. We were on the fourth floor so didn't find the passing trains too disruptive. Large balcony with a BBQ. The kitchens are well equipped for those who wish to cook their own meals. The rooms were well appointed and good value @ $141 CDN/night. We made use of the large pool, however one of the hot tubs looked a bit "green". Extra charges for room WiFi. Front end staff very friendly and accommodating.