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Average
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About
4.0
#3 of 3 resorts in Pismo Beach
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.4
Service
4.3
Value
3.9
Oceanfront full-service hotel with sweeping ocean views, conveniently located on California Highway 1 and perched 100 feet above Shell & Pismo Beaches. Deluxe guest rooms with private balcony and mountain, pool or ocean views. Daily wine reception. Heated, outdoor oceanfront pool, The Spa at The Cliffs and 24-hour fitness center. Full service restaurant with room service, focusing on fresh, local produce and providers, as well as an oceanfront lounge with custom cocktails and local refreshment options. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Daily. Live music and activities select days throughout the year.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
it's our favorite staycation spot, and the staff is accomodating, empathetic, joyous, welcoming, etc etc. recommend all rooms, even if you don't have an ocean view you can walk outside less than 10 sec away from the door and get the most breathtaking views.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Marketing at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Mar 11, 2023
Thank you for the generous recommendation, brantg ~ staycations are the best! I am thrilled to hear how comfortable your stay was, we look forward to welcoming you back to your home away from home! Take care, Stephanie
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We booked this hotel as a way to end our birthday week in California's Central Coast. Man was this the best choice of the week! The pictures on the site do not do the rooms justice. We stayed in the Oceanfront Ground Floor Suite and it was simply beautiful. Large walk in shower, robes and slippers in the room, very comfortable king sized bed, and a large whirlpool bathtub complete with rubber ducky! Step down from the bed area into a comfortable seating area and on through the double sliding doors out to a semi-private patio overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Interesting note here, guests and locals alike gather on the lawn with wine/beer/dinner and enjoy the most amazing sunsets.
Now let's talk about service. From the minute you exit your vehicle you are met with a very outgoing and friendly staff. There is a resort fee ($34) that covers your valet parking. We walked in the front door and were met with smiles, bottles of water, and complete professionalism. James, the bellman, took our bags to our room, made sure we were settled, and even brought us wine glasses and a corkscrew so we could unwind. Everett at the desk made sure our room had everything we needed, and even found us some scissors and tape to box up the numerous bottles of wine we had collected throughout the week!
The restaurant on site, the Marisol, was beautiful and the food was delicious, but more about that in another review.
When it was time to leave, the staff saw to our every request: the brought down our car, carried and loaded our bags, and made sure we had water for the road. From start to finish a very friendly, professional, and just fun to be around group working in this beautiful hotel. We will surely be back to watch more sunsets from what is now our favorite room, number 147!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:The Oceanfront Suites have the most amazing views!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi B, Manager at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded May 13, 2020
What a great narrative, sprkchzr ~ so descriptive, I felt like I was watching the sunset on the lawn with you! I am thrilled to hear how well taken care of you were, we love our staff too! I am glad they made your stay enjoyable, fun and relaxing. We look forward to your next visit in room 147, we'll save you a seat on the lawn! Take care, Stephanie
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We stayed for 3 nights over the Thanksgiving holiday. We only live a couple hours away and wanted to getaway somewhere where we could enjoy the accommodations and stay socially distant from others. The Cliffs delivered! It was clear they were taking all precautions seriously and we could not have been happier with the cleanliness and masking/distancing standards. We even reserved our own private 20 minute slot for the hot tub! The front desk will text you throughout your stay and it was a great way to ask questions or make requests. We took advantage of room service for Thanksgiving Dinner (turkey plate and salmon plate) as well as one other evening for soup and salad were very impressed with the quality and speed of service. We did not opt to dine in-person, but it appeared the outside dining terrace would be very social distance compliant when outdoor dining was allowed. The resort fee is steep, but it includes either valet or self parking which can be very expensive in itself so it was reasonable to pay the resort fee to include that. The location is just far enough away from downtown Pismo so it is quiet, but still a quick drive in. We will definitely return when it is safer to travel again.
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Date of stay: November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Guest Services / Front Office at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Dec 14, 2020
Thank you, Kate R ~ I am thrilled that you had a safe, comfortable Thanksgiving getaway! We were so happy to be able to re-open the hot tub according to guidelines, I'm glad you had a chance to relax and enjoy, and I will share your compliments on our Thanksgiving meal, and service. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Take care, Stephanie
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We decided to get away for the night to get the kids out of the house and give them something to talk about for their Easter/Spring break. Initially we planned to stay in Avila Beach but that proved a challenge as most spots were sold out or wanted a three night minimum for the holiday. This proved to be an issue as the last minute nature of this trip so I looked beyond and am I glad that I did...enter The Cliffs. Beautiful resort overlooking the bluffs of Shell Beach, this is a full service resort, with a beautiful clean pool, many staff out and about cleaning/sanitizing, and there to help you at the slightest gesture. Monyka made sure we had all that we desired by the pool with service from Marisol, the property restaurant, who’s offering were second to none, and I say this as we ate there for each of our four meals. It’s that great. I’m not one to give props unless they are well earned, and The Cliffs earned theirs. My kids are already asking to to back and in truth, I’m ready to take them. Was it cheap, lord no, but nothing good is. As the saying goes, cool stuff ain’t cheap cuz cheap stuff ain’t cool. The same is true of your hotel choice, and you’ll always get what you pay for.
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Date of stay: April 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Marketing at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Apr 9, 2021
I am so happy that you and your family had a great spring break getaway and a chance to make lasting memories. We are honored to have been a small part of that, hoshsaidso. Thank you for your kind words, I will be sure to share them with our staff. Keep your eye out for our Special Offers that we send to our previous guests, as we have some great deals, for your next stay! Take care, Stephanie
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We love this hotel due to the location and the views. It’s far enough away from downtown and the crowds to feel like you’re in your own oasis. It’s close enough to drive down for dinners and shopping but feels quiet and secluded at night. The walkway down to the beach is a little far but not as steep as other places we’ve stayed. Being up on the cliff really gives you the most amazing views. We’ve stayed in the ground suite in the past and really liked it due to the layout, size and walking right out to the grass with a child. We decided this last time to stay in the fourth floor suite. The room is a little smaller but it’s worth it to be able to have a panoramic view at all times of the water. And, you can safely leave your door open and hear the waves crashing all night. Our only complaint is the refrigerator is VERY small. It won’t even hold a to go box from a restaurant. There’s also no microwave. This makes it difficult especially during the current virus to try cooking some of your food in the room. You are required to go out for every meal. It’s also hard to keep any kind of drinks in the fridge. Set up for eating in the room is not good for staying multiple days. There is one community microwave but only on the first floor. The ice machine is also down on the first floor. Not convenient especially if you have a young child. Definitely bring a small cooler. I still give it five stars because it’s such a wonderfully up-kept hotel and the staff is amazing.
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi B, Manager at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Jun 22, 2020
Wow ~ thank you, Dinoalita, I am thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your stay! I appreciate your feedback, we have made many adjustments in the current climate, one being the ice machine, as we previously had more throughout the hotel. However, your comments regarding the size of the refrigerator and the use of the microwave when we are going out less (or not at all) these days, are helpful,and I will share them with our team. We look forward to your next stay, and I am so happy you enjoyed the ocean views from your suite. Take care, Stephanie
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My family and I visited the cliffs in shell beach for a getaway to celebrate my daughter's 6th birthday. From check-in to the valet service to the restaurant staff to the housekeeping, every single person we interacted with was extremely kind and helpful. Everyone had really positive attitude and we all just really loved our stay. Everything was extremely clean and I felt very safe at the Cliffs. The Jacuzzi was under repair for the first couple of days but the Hotel discounted our rate for the inconvenience. I really appreciated that we were able to Make Jacuzzi reservations for 20 minute increments. That was plenty of time for us to enjoy the hot tub safely while allowing other families to enjoy privately as well. The pool area was really clean and tidy. The water was nice and warm. On Saturday while it was busy there was an employee going around cleaning each chair after a party would get up. One of the things we enjoyed most about staying at the Cliffs was our evening stroll. We could walk from the Cliffs South toward Spyglass Inn and the path was so clean and neatly kept. All the lawns in front of the hotels were beautiful and lush and green. I've stayed at many hotels with my family and the Cliffs was top notch. I have a daughter with severe food allergies and they were Able to accommodate us well with what we needed. I love that the Cliffs is pet friendly and though we did not bring a petWe enjoyed seeing all of the owners enjoying their vacations with their dogs. The water pressure in the shower was great. And the WiFi was good enough for my daughter room do our distance learning.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Guest Services / Front Office at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Mar 22, 2021
Wow, jennycC2292JZ ~ thank you so much for that thorough review, and I am thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed every aspect of your stay! We are honored that you chose to spend your daughter's birthday getaway with us (Happy Birthday to her!) and so happy that it was everything you were looking for. I hope we will have a chance to welcome you back soon (maybe your birthday) for some more pampering and evening cliff strolls. Take care, Stephanie
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We wanted a quiet and relaxing beach getaway but with a touch of luxury that is 3-4hrs drive from Los Angeles. After researching around we ended up with the Cliffs Hotel and Spa because of the panoramic Seaview feature from your own balcony. We wanted to be able to hear the wave crash, watching the sunrise and sunset from our own balcony and we certainly did with the "Cliffs Panaramic Room" which is a corner room for us.
Its definitely a beautiful location where we can relax, watch the ocean with the surfers, even saw dolphins in the late afternoon. The room service was great as we ordered in as well as ate at the Marisol Restaurant. Everyone from the front desk to the room service were all very friendly and professional. We paid for the daily valet parking which was a nice touch as it can get tricky to find parking around the hotel.
The Cliffs Panaramic Room came with a whirlpool tub which is nice not having to go into the public jacuzzi.
We travel the world yearly but because of the pandemic staying local wasn't a bad idea. We are glad we found an oasis few hours from Los Angeles. We will be back for sure again!
Note: We were there from Nov 26 -29, the Thanksgiving crowd were slightly noisy. By 11/28 once the crowd has left the whole place was so calm and serene to enjoy the beauty of the location.
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Date of stay: November 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Room 355 is a corner Panaramic Room has an amazing full view of the ocean. Can be noisy at times...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Marketing at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Dec 6, 2021
I am so glad you found us, FlyingPinkPanda ~ and so happy that we were the escape you were looking for! I love your photos, you capture that view from the Panoramic Suite magnificently. I hope we will have a chance to welcome you back soon! Thank you, Stephanie
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Stayed here for about a week for a couples trip, first time staying here, we usually stay in the Pismo area, so it was nice to explore the Shell beach for a change. quite a nice getaway. hotel staff very nice and accommodating from the front desk, to valet service, to the housekeeping staff. In this day and age of covid, it was nice to see hand sanitizer stations pretty much everywhere (even in the elevator) and I noted housekeeping wiping down the handrails to the stairs one day. It was reassuring to see. Almost 100% mask compliance with staff and hotel patrons alike. (I say almost because I saw one guest walking in the hallway maskless one morning). There was a wedding one night while we were there, bride and groom were taking pictures out on the lawn area taking advantage of the scenery behind them. There's a nice little walkway behind the hotel that you can walk along to enjoy the view. Valet was great, included in your resort fee. I will point out that there is only 1-2 charging stations for electric vehicles so if there's a lot of Tesla's rolling in, you might have a little more of a challenge getting a charge or a full charge. this happened to us twice with our gas/electric hybrid. I do have to say the housekeeping was very honest, one day I unintentionally left my purse in the room (opened up with money visible) thinking they weren't coming while we went to breakfast. I'd suggest putting out the "do not disturb" to avoid any scenarios like that. the room was perfect, we had a beautiful ocean view. the bed was beyond comfortable. lots of pillows to make yourself cozy if you desire. I can't stand when a hotel is stingy with pillows. I would go back just to sleep in the beds again, I slept great every night I was there. the bathroom was a bit older, but plenty of space to set stuff down, hot showers and working toliet, that's all you need anyway. Big gym, and open with guidelines. pool and spa (reservations) open. all in all a fantastic place for whatever the occasion is.
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Date of stay: November 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Guest Services / Front Office at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Dec 2, 2020
I am so glad you had a chance to explore Shell Beach this time, Wikolia2016 ~ still close to downtown Pismo Beach, but a little quieter, hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for your comments on the cleanliness of our property, it is so important these days, and I know that will help set people at ease. I appreciate your suggestion on the charging stations, I will share that with our Front Office Manager, as well as speaking with our Housekeeping Staff about being clear on guests wanting service. I am happy to hear that overall you enjoyed your stay, and felt well taken care of by our staff, and most importantly ~ that you had a great night sleep! We look forward to welcoming you back soon, Stephanie
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Wow. Our experience at The Cliffs was perfect in every way. The room was clean and spacious with a beautiful view of the ocean and nature. Unlike many other hotels during COVID, The Cliffs offered daily housekeeping so we arrived back to restocked towels and freshly made beds everyday. Every single staff member we interacted with (valet, front desk, housekeeping, Marisol) went above and beyond and treated my family and I like valued guests. On top of that, there are views of the beach from nearly every spot of the hotel and the beach is just a 2 minute walk away. We will definitely be back soon!
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Date of stay: May 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Marketing at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded May 25, 2021
Sophia ~ I am so happy that we could wow you! I'm thrilled that you felt comfortable and well taken care of while you and your family were here. We would love to welcome you back for another getaway, hope to see you soon. Take care, Stephanie
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This is our second stay at The Cliffs Resort and Spa in Pismo Beach. We were greeted by the friendly and courteous valet and front desk staff which made check a breeze. They offered complimentary sparkling wine after check in and our bags were delivered quickly to our ocean/mountain view room. Breakfast at The Marisol restaurant was delicious with high quality coffee. We love this resort!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Stefi Bowman, Marketing at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa
Responded Jun 21, 2021
And we love welcoming you back, as well! Thank you for the kind words, I am so glad you enjoyed your return trip with us. We are happy to be welcoming all of our guests with a wine or sangria tasting in the lobby from 3-5pm this summer, a little kick off to vacation! Thank you for taking part. We look forward to your next stay! Take care, Stephanie
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There are more places to choose from in the Pismo Beach area.
PRICE RANGE
$257 - $412 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the cliffs hotel pismo beach, cliffs hotel pismo beach, cliffs resort pismo beach, cliffs pismo beach, pismo beach cliff resort, the cliffs resort
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan Luis Obispo CountyPismo Beach
NUMBER OF ROOMS
165
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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