5 Resorts In California Travelers May Want To Avoid

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

As the home of the original Disneyland, California knows a thing or two about resorts. After all, it's the third biggest state in the U.S., where you can ski and then swim in the ocean the same day (even with SoCal traffic). California's resorts have it all, whether you want to cozy up after a day of hitting the slopes, sip on a poolside drink in the hot desert, or snag a private beach chair overlooking the Pacific. But unfortunately, some of California's resorts don't quite hit the mark and are places you may want to avoid instead of book.

Resorts by their nature are often more expensive than hotels since they offer a wider range of amenities and all-inclusive capabilities. So, for many, the expectations of amenities, service, and overall quality of a resort is understandably high. For most of the accommodations on this list, it's an issue of over-charging while under-delivering. Others have more unsavory complaints about noise, cleanliness, and outdated amenities that make them feel more like a "last resort" than a choice one. 

Our main resource in determining these hotels is looking at recent reviews to see how visitors are experiencing them now. So, these are all locations that currently have less than four stars on Google Maps and TripAdvisor and less than eight on Booking.com. At minimum, they have lower marks on at least two of the three sites.

Desert Hot Springs is a mid-century getaway from Los Angeles, which is less than two hours away. It's the quieter, alternative Palm Springs, which became the "spa capital of the world" in the mid-20th century thanks to a unique mix of hot and cold mineral springs (via the Desert Hot Springs Historical Society). Over 100 spas opened at the time, so it's not surprising that some of Desert Hot Springs' accommodations are counted among the best hot springs hotels in the United States. Unfortunately, the Miracle Springs Resort & Spa may not be one of them.

The Miracle Springs Resort & Spa has been a Desert Hot Springs staple since reopening in 1997, after a colorful past under the name Desert Hot Springs Spa. Its reputation today tells another story, as seen by its 3.6 stars on TripAdvisor, 7.6 on Booking.com, and 4 on Google Maps. Many of the positive ratings speak of the resort's amenities, which include a full-service spa offering massages, facials, and treatments, plus eight natural mineral pools. Its poolside Italian restaurant, Capri, is a favorite local spot for hand-cut steaks.

Unfortunately, the rooms and maintenance are where things start to break down. The categories of "bathroom," "sleep," "air conditioning," "TV" and "Wi-Fi" all have high percentages of unfavorable comments on Google Maps reviews. Many call out the old, unclean, and smelly carpets, with one writing that they "wouldn't walk on [them] if you paid me." Others say that the rooms, buildings, and facilities feel run-down and outdated. One reviewer even says they found roaches in several rooms. If you're interested in the resort's pools and spa services but are concerned about the rooms, you can always get a day pass, which offers access to the pools and restaurant. Alternatively, you could book a spa treatment, which also includes a day pass.

From the bougie to the budget-friendly, there's a resort for everyone on the popular south shore of Lake Tahoe, North America's biggest alpine lake with 75 miles of shoreline surrounding crystal-clear blue water. The Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort South stands out for its location steps from the shore, offering convenient access to Tahoe's restaurants, casinos, and Heavenly — one of California's best ski resorts.

Although it has 4.1 stars on Google Maps, this resort only has a 7.8 rating on Booking.com and 3.7 on TripAdvisor. The family-friendly Hilton Lake Tahoe has a wide range of amenities like an indoor/outdoor pool, restaurant, kids' activity center, and a game room. However, unlike other resorts on the lake, many rooms don't look onto the water and it doesn't offer beach access. The hotel is shaped like an H and its two longer pieces don't face the water. If you want a lake view, try to book a 4th-floor or higher room in the cross-section of the H.

Besides the run-down rooms, one of the biggest complaints is that it's a timeshare  property. Guests may encounter aggressive timeshare agents and requests to attend pitches. One visitor noted that staff constantly tried to pressure them into taking a hotel tour, which "made the stay feel like a timeshare ambush rather than a hotel experience." Parking too is a major issue, with 68% of 373 Google Maps reviews being unfavorable due to the resort's mandatory expensive valet fee (charged regardless of use) and over-packed parking lot. It may add to this sense of being a helpless cog in the capitalist machine that just wants us to buy. Sure, it's the reality for everyone, but perhaps we don't all want to feel that way on vacation.

With over 20 properties in Hotel Circle, San Diego visitors have no shortage of options. For many though, there's one obvious choice: Town And Country Resort. Built in 1953, this former 40-room accommodation was Hotel Circle's first property, and in 1969, it opened San Diego's first convention center. Although it was renovated in 2021, it has maintained its mid-century style and charming historic atmosphere. It's now one of SoCal's most beloved resorts that San Diego Magazine named as the city's top family-friendly hotel in 2026.

But for some, that cool retro style doesn't extend to the rooms, which is why Town and Country Resort has 3.9 stars on Google Maps and 7.9 on Booking.com, despite having 4.4 on TripAdvisor. Its rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, air conditioning, and sleep quality are all reviewed unfavorably on Google Maps reviews. Several compare the rooms to prison cells, with one writing that "it's less 'boutique getaway' and more 'mid-century correctional facility chic.'" Others describe them as feeling more like motel rooms than those of a 4-star resort. Rooms may smell musty or even of cigarette smoke. It can be difficult to get housekeeping to tend to them or to get staff to respond to requests and issues both before, during, and after your stay. 

Where this resort shines is in its common spaces like its three pools (featuring a four-story waterslide) and dining areas like the popular ARLO. Some have noted that the resort can get a bit crowded and loud, especially at the pools, but there's an adults-only pool for those who want a quieter experience (pack the earplugs regardless). But, if you want to enjoy the vintage vibes but take a break from the pool scene, Mission Beach, one of San Diego's best beaches, is just a 10-minute drive away.

Known as the smaller and more affordable alternative to Lake Tahoe, Big Bear Lake is about two hours from Los Angeles. It's an ideal place to ski in the winter (i.e. when the temperature drops below 70 in Southern California) and go boating in the summer. But if you're planning a trip to Big Bear, you may want to strike the Holiday Inn Resort The Lodge at Big Bear Lake by IHG off the list (try saying that three times fast). 

We'll just call it The Lodge, and it has the lowest Booking.com rating on our list at 5.9 stars. TripAdvisor users give it 3.6 stars, while Google Maps has it at 4. One of the main complaints is about the hotel maintenance, as rooms feel shabby, seen in the 3.3 rating for the rooms on TripAdvisor. Folks on all three sites cited broken A/Cs as an issue, which could explain the 3.2 stars for "sleep quality" on TripAdvisor. Several noted that they weren't alerted about the non-functioning air conditioners beforehand, even though it can be a make-or-break factor when planning a summer vacation. 

This is Holiday Inn's first resort in California, which opened in 2016. Amenities include a pool, jacuzzi, on-site restaurant, and complimentary parking, although the pool is sometimes closed. Where The Lodge does shine is in its location just a few blocks from the south shore of Big Bear Lake. It's within easy walking and driving distance of nearby restaurants, and the year-round fun of the alpine-themed town of Big Bear is just 10 minutes away by car. So, this prime location may be enough to overlook the resort's other faults. Just be sure to call beforehand to find out if the A/Cs and other amenities are working or open before booking.

Located two hours north of Los Angeles between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara is known as "the American Riviera" and it's home to some of the best resorts in the U.S. Perhaps that's why the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort has disappointed a number of travelers, who expected more from the idyllic location and the Hilton brand, which renovated this former 1980s DoubleTree property in 2018. 

This resort has amenities like a pool with cabanas and daybeds, pickleball courts, a full-service spa, and several restaurants and cafés. While it has 4.1 stars on Google Maps due to its pool and location, the 3.7 and 6.7 ratings on TripAdvisor and Booking.com indicate that this Santa Barbara resort may not quite deliver. Most of the negative reviews note that the resort's quality doesn't reflect its higher price, with many people finding it poorly maintained and understaffed.

Several complain that the rooms are dinghy, outdated, and don't get cleaned during your stay. Sleep appears unfavorably in 59% of 187 Google Maps reviews due to noise and unpleasant room conditions, while reviews mentioning the bathrooms are 67% unfavorable for being unhygienic and in disrepair. Others note the limited staff can mean waiting up to an hour just to check in and elevators may be broken or non-existent in some buildings, all of which has left some guests feeling taken advantage of instead of taken care of. The one thing that's hard to beat at this resort though is its location just across the street from East Beach. Beach access is a fresh breeze and you can enjoy the sound of waves crashing at night. It's also less than a 5-minute drive to Santa Barbara's artsy waterfront "Funk Zone," where you'll find art galleries and a Michelin-rated restaurant.

When coming up with this list, there were a few criteria that had to be met. First off, we only looked at accommodations that are officially designated resorts. So, even though it may surprise you to see a Holiday Inn on here, the Holiday Inn in Big Bear actually is a resort. That begs another question: What's the difference between a hotel and a resort? The main thing is the amenities: Resorts typically offer more than hotels, so that guests don't really have to leave. Resorts are typically in nature-based settings or near tourist destinations (like Disneyland), so we also looked for options in different parts of California to reflect the state's diverse offerings. 

We also wanted to include a mix of independent and name-brand properties since the latter may entice visitors based on the name or reputation alone, which isn't always a reflection of the state of the property. In fact, in some cases, that's part of the reason why people were left disappointed since they had certain expectations of a brand that weren't met.

Finally, we used Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com to narrow the list down to properties that currently have less than 4 stars or less than 8 on Booking.com. There was sometimes an outlier with a higher rating, so these properties have lower stars on at least two of the three sites. Our focus was on reviews no older than nine months since complaints older than that may no longer be relevant as properties may have addressed the issues. Regardless, we scoured reviews across all three and found that even on the site that had higher ratings, many folks were still making the same complaints as ones on the other websites.