Hotel Maya Long Beach Review

The Hotel Maya is a fun and relatively inexpensive 199-room resort hotel in Long Beach that offers great views of the bay and the Queen Mary (in select rooms). Other rooms have garden views. The decorating style of the property and rooms is a post modern kitschy version of Ancient Mayan aesthetics. This laid back, unpretentious resort boasts lots of activities, amenities and nooks--good for families and ideal for young, sports-inclined singles and couples. So if you just need some R&R and aren’t that motivated to sightsee, this all-inclusive spot is the place for you.

Joie de Vivre, the company behind the Hotel Maya boasts a roster of whimsical, more-dash-than-cash boutique hotels all over California. They’re often laid back and coolly contempo-styled without being super-pricey and in the high-end luxury category. I got the chance to stay at their high-rise pier-front Santa Cruz property, The Dream Inn. The Maya similarly follows suit while upping the ante as a stand-alone resort.

There’s plenty to do and see on your own in or around the nicely landscaped resort--namely the nearby Queen Mary and the Long Beach Aquarium. But, if you’re a typical Angeleno whose middle name is “Blackberry,” you’ll want to stay put, chill and take in some tanning, volleyball, and margaritas on the terrace.

There is a sense of “Mexico-in-California” about the Maya. So if you don’t have time to jet down to Cabo, this is the perfect alternative. The restaurant Fuego specializes in authentic coastal Latin American cuisine. That includes dishes like mariscos and barbacoa, tacos, tortas and traditional and contemporary entrees. There is even a signature ‘Maya Fiesta Domingo’ brunch on Sundays which includes dishes like 'Chilaquiles' with eggs and bacon served with salsas divorcidos and crisp fried tortillas.

As far as drinking goes, you’d better have an iron stomach if you’re going to explore the Maya’s tequila tasting room. I’m not even particularly fond of tequila but I really enjoyed trying out these spirits and discussing them with the knowledgeable bartender. The Maya claims to have the largest tequila selection in the region--approximately 75 premium tequilas.

Then it’s off to bed for most of us lightweights. The rooms are comfortable and clean. The decor is a little campy for my tastes but I can say that I slept like a baby with the balcony sliding door open, and the smell and sound of the ocean seducing me into reverie.