Located in scenic Irvine California, not far from the John Wayne Airport, the Hotel Irvine is a fantastic place to stay for all of our travel needs. After driving over from Phoenix, we were very tired as construction and traffic delays made the trip longer than we had anticipated. The friendly and efficient valet parking was on hand to greet us upon arrival.
When I entered the lobby, I was taken in by the vast space of the lower level as well as the art deco stylings and inviting décor of the hotel.
Our check in was prompt, efficient, and courteous and we were made aware of several amenities of the hotel which we will discuss later. The four elevators offered a real treat as two of them gave a view as we travelled to our suite on the 11th floor.
The room was a real treat as not only was there a very comfy king size bed and sizeable flat screen television, but also an in room safe and fridge which was a big help over the weekend. The room had ample closest space as well as a comfortable desk and chair which was ideal to setup as a work station which when combined with the complimentary Wi-Fi is a real plus for those needing to stay connected and productive while they are away.
With a full day of activities planned, we set a wakeup call for 6:30 AM which arrived promptly and had us ready for the day. The bathroom had great shower pressure and plenty of hot water, though the door took a bit of adjustment as it did not run the length of the tub. Despite this, it did not cause any leaks or splashes on the floor and we were ready to go in no time.
Upon leaving the room, we had a newspaper waiting for us as we made our way to the EATS Kitchen & Bar for breakfast. With an option for patio or dining room seating, we opted to stay inside and enjoyed a complimentary breakfast which included cereal, yogurt, juices, coffee, toast, Danish, and pastries. The option to order other items is available as well for those who need something heartier.
As we left the restaurant we noticed the Marketplace which is a sizeable shop that offers everything from custom made pizza, pasta, and sandwich options as well as a big selection of snacks, drinks and other items 24 hours a day. This was by far the largest in hotel convenience we had seen as it is more in keeping with a food court than a hotel shop.
As we ventured off to Anaheim and Irvine for our daily activities, the valet was helpful as a text to order our car was not received but they had our car out and gave us directions to our location in a very short order.
When we had completed a very full and busy day, we were more than ready to get back to the hotel to enjoy some rest and relaxation. We made our way to our room and relaxed with the complimentary HBO and numerous channels on the television and noted that the hotel did offer on demand movies as well.
We made our way to EATS Kitchen & Bar once again and had a truly memorable and amazing dinner which we will chronicle in a follow up story. Suffice it to say that the staff and chef truly were impressive and the great décor of the restaurant shined.
Following dinner we noticed that the Red Bar and Lounge was doing a great mix of drinks and music and seemed like a very happening and trending place to be. Had we had more energy we would have spent longer, but the room and our balcony patio called to us.
The following morning we took advantage of the gym, and were impressed with the range of weights, machines, and other options that were available. Aside from some weight work, I mainly took advantage of the treadmill, stationary bike, and other cardio machines. The well maintained machines even offered a plug in for headphones and the ability to watch cable stations while you worked out.
Following our workout, we made our way to breakfast and had a few issues as it did not run as smoothly as the day before. I noticed that there was no butter, jam, peanut butter or honey, and asked a server to bring some out. Ten minutes later I was still waiting and I finally asked another server who brought out a bowl of butter five minutes later. When I asked about the peanut butter he apologized and said that they had run out. They also had a shortage of coffee cups but resolved this by bringing paper cups out to meet the demand. I did notice that thirty five minutes after I had made my request, there was still no jam to be found and only the bowl of butter was available.
The hotel offers several other great options such as conference rooms which were in use while we were there, an ATM, a pool, basketball court, complimentary airport shuttle, and so much more.
Hotel Irvine has events ranging from DJs at the bar to BBQ and outdoor events and is located near several restaurants and shopping locales and has very easy access on and off the freeway from their location.
The Valet parking runs $18.00 a day and is really the best option as that is what you would pay to self-park so you may as well enjoy having your vehicle brought to you.
The hotel has pet friendly rooms as well as numerous special events and other fun activities for guests looking for a stay in a spacious room with plenty of amenities and other fun events.
We hated to leave but due to a short time schedule we marked the hotel as one we would definitely want to do follow up coverage with whenever we were in the area. While we did not have time to visit the park on this trip, it should be noted that it took about 30 minutes to get to Disneyland from the hotel via the freeway as we made a brief stop at Downtown Disney on our way home.
From the friendly staff, great rooms, services, and great dining options and location, the Hotel Irvine is a very nice and relaxing place to stay that is ideal for work, vacations, or quick trips such as the one we took. We look forward to a future visit and encourage you to check it out during your next trip to the area.
