Residence Inn San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, CA

A few months ago, I made use of some airline miles to visit San Juan Capistrano, CA where I got to see one of my favorite musicians perform at The Coach House. I didn't want to deal with driving, so I needed a hotel near the venue. The Residence Inn San Juan Capistrano fit the bill as it's less than a mile away. I'm glad the hotel was within walking distance because, although some other online reviews mentioned a hotel shuttle, this Residence Inn does not have one.

My king suite was huge. The kitchenette included service for four along with a stovetop, microwave, coffee pot, full-size refrigerator/freezer, sink, and dishwasher with a detergent pack. A note in the room indicated that for those on an extended stay, the suite attendant would run the dishwasher when "sufficiently full" and change the bedding twice a week. There was also a selection of coffee and tea in the room.

The living area, which has a couch that pulls out for an additional bed, had a pretty good separation from the bed and bathroom. The one TV was on a lazy susan so it could swivel to be viewed from all parts of the room.

In the bedroom/bathroom area, I noted the standard shampoo, conditioner, and soap along with a hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and full-length mirror on the bathroom door. One disappointment was that the alarm clock had a charging dock only compatible with the iPhone 4S and older; I recommend that hotels start updating soon. Fortunately, there were plenty of outlets.

One of my favorite parts of this pet-friendly hotel was the door sign to notify housekeeping about a pet being in the room. Although I wasn't traveling with my cat this time, it's been inconvenient in the past to not be able to leave her in the room alone because it violated the hotel's policy. Since Residence Inns are often used for long-term stays this perk is awesome.

A number of reviews mention noise from the train which does go by quite often sounding the horn. I can definitely see where it would be bothersome for people who turn in early. The concert wrapped up a little before 11pm and I didn't hear the train at all once I was in for the night. Upon arriving back at the hotel, I was surprised to find the lobby door locked. As I fumbled through my purse to find my room card to unlock the door, the man at the front desk triggered the door open button for me.

In the morning I indulged in the complimentary breakfast. There was a nice selection of hot dishes like oatmeal and waffles plus fruit, yogurt, and cold cereal.

I took my meal up to my room to eat on the table there, but there's ample seating in the lobby as well as fireplace to enjoy.

The lobby also has two computers available to use.

Another thing to note is that the hotel has "Social Hour" Monday to Wednesday nights; my stay started on Thursday, so I didn't have the opportunity to see what that entailed (the website mentions free beer and wine). I assume that during good weather, "Social Hour" takes place by the nice outdoor barbecue that's available for guests.

The outdoor amenities also include a pool and tennis courts.

There's also a gym, which might be nice for longer term guests, but I didn't check it out. As for the WiFi, the speed was great and I had no issues with the connection.