I visit Ventura regularly but I had never stayed at Bella Maggiore before. It was a pleasant surprise. It should be said right up front that this is not a brand new, state of the art hotel like the Wynn in Las Vegas. Just the opposite. This is an older property and it shows it age but it also reflects the atmosphere of a bygone era that we rarely see any more when travel was more personal and inns tried to make their guests feel at home.

The furnishings are old but comfortable and you can feel the age of the place in the floorboards, stairs and even the traditional metal keys for the rooms. That's not a bad. To the contrary, it was a refreshing change of pace. The Bella Maggiore does offer amenities that you expect to find at most "new" places like wireless internet (slow but OK), ample parking, and even a terrific breakfast but some travelers might notice the lack of an iron or a hair dryer in the room. I didn't need them, so it was not a problem for me and they might be available by asking the front desk.

The bottom line is that this place was a fun place to stay. It is not perfect, so if you're that kind of person, this is not the place for you. On the other hand, it has a lot to offer and is a terrific value.

We have been staying here for 18 years both on business trips and for pleasure. It's always felt like home - with friendly staff and affordable, comfortable accommodations. Until our past 2 stays this year when the hotel staff were simply rude to us. This past summer we were staying on business and during our breakfast the staff interrupted us to let us know that we would have to pay an extra fee for having 2 people in one room. This is all well and good that the rules have changed, but it could have been taken care of after our breakfast. But NO she was insistent that she interrupt our meal and take care of complicated rate changes before we continued eating. This is not the Bella that I have been staying at all these years! Turns out that they changed their policy in 2013 since our last stay a few months before - to add an additional fee for rooms with 2 occupants. Okay - but let us know in a much nicer way at a more convenient time - like when we checked in or better yet when we booked the reservation. Also, the breakfast menu and chef have changed and not for the better. We gave the Bella the benefit of the doubt - maybe the waitress and new manger were just having a bad day. So we tried to stay at the Bella again about a month ago. Again - the staff was incredibly rude about another policy change. We booked a reservation for one night at the business rate. After driving all the way from San Francisco and arriving at 10pm before the inn closes, we arrived and were met with a hotel employee. She immediately informed us that we could not use the business rate for more than 1 person in a room. Our rate went from $67/night to over $90/night. Why didn't she tell me this when I booked the reservation. This has never been a policy all these years. I was not going to stay for this price at the Bella and especially with such a rude employee. We had limited options at 10pm at night in the small city of Ventura, but I was willing to take the risk to find a hotel that would have much better service. I was very straightforward about out decision - told her that I would be back solo next time. As we left to find another hotel - we saw her in the window tearing up my business card and contact card of 18 years in the window and pointing at it with an ugly pissed off face. Never again will we stay at this hotel with this disrespectful service. Hopefully you will have better luck if you try it. We moved down the street to the Clocktower who will receive our regular business.

When visiting our son and his family in Ventura, CA we usually stay at the Bella Maggiore Inn. We love the location, as it's within walking distance to Erik's house, shopping, dining and the beach. The place is very unique. It has that old European charm. The lobby is beautifully decorated with antique furniture, and large paintings adorn the walls. A wide curving staircase leads to the first floor, where we usually stay. The rooms are large, a little dated though, with large window seats. The bathrooms are nicely appointed. For the most part, the rooms are clean, the carpets could use some additional attention. Ask for a room facing the court yard, as it's a lot quieter than the ones facing the street. The complimentary breakfast is to die for, it's a la carte, choose what ever there is on the menu. The complimentary wine and cheese happy hour at 5pm daily is a wonderful touch. And the free parking is nothing to sneeze at, as most other places charge you an arm and a leg to park your car. And there is no other place in that vicinity where one can stay for under $100.00 a night.
We'll be back again in the spring.