With flashy neighbors like Los Angeles and Laguna Beach getting so much attention, it can be easy to pass by the city of Long Beach. But this is a city with its own identity, its own vibe, and its own nightlife and hotels that serve up a great Southern California experience.
The DoubleTree Hotel Maya cuts an eccentric profile in Queensway Bay, on the southern edge of Long Beach, yet its contemporary resort design blends thoughtfully with its waterfront surroundings. But what is it like inside?
Wanderlust spoke with Cameron Andrews, a public relations consultant who works in the area, about his time at Hotel Maya, and why it is the perfect spot to celebrate Long Beach Pride, May 18-19.
Describe your arrival.
Arriving at Hotel Maya is like approaching a tropical oasis with hundreds of palm trees dotted throughout the property amid lush tropical gardens in an open-air setting. It is like walking into a beautiful, indoor-outdoor resort, enticing yet relaxing.
How was your room?
The rooms have a warm, earth-tone motif, with luxurious furnishings in deep wood accents and splashes of bright colors that added just enough energy. The pillowtop bed was really nice. I loved the high thread-count sheets. But I spent most of my time looking at the view of the harbor from my balcony.
Is the food worth a visit?
The restaurant, Fuego, is stunning, both because of the amazing Latin American cuisine and also the bay views through the retractable glass walls.
Brunch on the bay must be really nice.
It is nice! Fuego hosts “Maya-Achis” Sunday brunches, that celebrate holidays and special occasions throughout the year. During Long Beach’s LGBTQ Pride weekend, the band on May 19 will be Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, an all-LGBTQ mariachi band with cis and trans musicians. There can be a discriminating culture of “machista” in the mariachi world, so this band is a safe haven for musicians who just want to play good music. And they are very good.
How is the hotel’s location? The waterfront views look beautiful, but how easy is it to get around town?
The hotel is close to downtown and Rainbow Row across the bay, with bars and restaurants along the Broadway corridor. There are bars all over downtown. Hamburger Mary’s is along the free trolley route. Hotel Maya’s private dock is also a stop for the AquaBus, and that goes around the bay to Shoreline Village, which is at the entrance to the festival. (The fare is $1.)
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What a fun way to arrive at pride! Have brunch, see the mariachi band, and then take the water taxi to the festival.
The water taxi is awesome. It’s an exciting ride through Queensway Bay. On the way back to the hotel, the AquaBus goes past the Queen Mary and the cruise ships docked at the port.
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What’s the Queer Quotient of this hotel were you to put it on a scale of 1-6 with 6 being the queerest.
Hotel Maya can definitely be a 6 if you want it to be. The restaurants are all surrounded by fire pits, there’s a magnificent chandelier and a waterfall in the garden area, and it all has amazing views of the Queen Mary and downtown skyline. Fabulous.
Photos provided by DoubleTree Hotel Maya
