Newport Beach in Southern California epitomizes the SoCal way of life with beaching, boating, surfing, biking, skateboarding and other endless summer types of activities.
While there are plenty of Airbnbs and house rentals in the area, if you're looking for a new and luxe hotel experience, drive on down to The Lido House Hotel, an Autograph Collection Hotel.
Formerly the city hall building, the hotel is located at the start of the peninsula making it easy to explore the rest of Newport Beach and most importantly, Balboa where the Fun Zone is located. The overall vibe of the hotel is seaside luxury with lots to do which makes it perfect for families.
We spent two nights here—one night without kids and one night with all three of them in the room. (The toddler slept in a crib; our middle daughter slept on the small sofa nook and our eldest in the bed with us.) Here's what our room on the 4th floor with two queen beds looked like:
WHAT WE LIKED:
- Swish Rooms: The hotel feels very “coastal chic” (it admittedly copied a Cape Cod aesthetic) and that nautical vibe extends into the guestrooms. Ours had a double bed layout with a cute sofa nook and a balcony. But the decor in the hallways is just as fun, especially the giant mermaid painting at the elevator lobby. (Think Ariel, but sassier.)
- Great Hangout Scene: The Mayor's Table restaurant and bar is a stylish place to get craft cocktails and new American-style food. It's made even more happening with the live music that plays most nights.
- Lots of Fun: There's a pool in the back of the hotel with Instagram-perfect cabanas and in front of the hotel near the coffee shop there's a large lawn to play games. Up top is the rooftop deck, called Topside, which is a killer spot to wind down at the end of the day.
- Kid Bikes and Baby Bike Seats: The amenities that we LOVED the most at Lido House were the kid-sized bikes and the baby bike seat that they offer. We could all go on a bike ride together to the Lighthouse Café and Marina Park on Sunday morning.
- Great In-Room Amenities: It's the small things that win us over like delightful beds, a tub in the bathroom and a bathrobe so comfortable, we almost bought it. Another small but important amenity for families? The empty mini-fridge in the mini-bar, perfect for storing milk for babies and smoothies for toddlers and older kids.
MORE PHOTOS OF WHAT WE LIKED AND THE ONE THING WE DIDN'T LIKE BELOW!
WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE:
- Room Service Letdown: When you order room service here, it doesn't arrive on the traditional room service rolling table. Instead, the food comes packaged as a take-out order which makes it feel as if you've just ordered through DoorDash or Uber Eats and not through a luxury hotel that charges more than $400 a night.
GOOD TO KNOW:
The hotel charges a daily $35 “destination” amenity fee which includes a beach shuttle, bikes, surfboard rentals, flip-flops in the room and a few more items. You will definitely make good use of that fee during your stay but the charges do add up over a few days.
BOTTOM LINE:
This is an adorable spot with a great location and lots of fun services. But it is pricey, even if you are a Marriott Bonvoy Member. Our stay in mid-December was over $400 a night and rates go even higher than that during the summer season. Which is why you should book with us because…
**BOOK WITH TRIPS + GIGGLES**
Booking your stay at The Lido House with Trips + Giggles will get you daily breakfast for two and a welcome amenity such as a bottle of champagne and a Lido House hat. So send us an email and we'll start checking rates for you right away! For more on our travel agent services, go here.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Endless Summer (and Endless Space) at The Resort at Pelican Hill
Trips + Giggles Favorite Place: Marina Park in Newport Beach
