Calling this place a resort is somewhat misleading. The Biltmore in Arizona is a true resort. This is more of a fairly fancy hotel. There are some great spa treatments and other facilities on site, as well as a pretty good restaurant (Marisol), but it doesn't really qualify as a resort to me. As a resort, it's a 2.5 to 3 star. As a hotel, it's a 4 star.

I visited Pismo Beach during the Memorial Day weekend - my first time to Pismo and first stay at the Seacrest Resort. The property location itself is pretty great, only a few minutes by car to downtown Pismo Beach (or if you don't mind some exercise, it is about a 15-20 minute walk along the beach to all the shops and restaurants.) Also, the property is situated atop a bluff so you do have to navigate down some stairs to get to the beach below before trekking over to downtown Pismo, but it's all very do-able if you don't have any major physical limitations. I really liked that the hotel was far enough from all the crowds and noise of downtown Pismo, but close enough that you could easily drive or walk to downtown to enjoy the food, people watch or walk along the pier. Another plus is there was plenty of parking at this hotel (unlike some of the other hotels in the heart of downtown). My first impression upon arriving at the Seacrest Resort was not very positive. Exterior of the building is very old looking and doesn't conjure the image of a "resort" and the lobby is tiny. The room, however, was more inviting. I had had read other reviewer comments that the hotel had recently undergone a major renovation so decided to take a chance (focusing more on getting a clean modern newer furnished room). I stayed in an ocean view king room on the 2nd floor of the main building. Room was very clean with a small flat panel TV and modern decor. Having full view of the ocean and swimming pool area below was very nice. My biggest complaint is that the bed was very uncomfortable and I actually had a backache after the first night. We were supposed to stay for 3 nights but ended up checking out after 2 nights because I couldn't stand sleeping another night on the bed. (By the way, when I mentioned this to front office staff, they didn't really seem to care or offer any help.) It can also get pretty noisy at times during the night, not sure if they have rooftop or AC equipment running or something but if you are a light sleeper, it may bother you. I have vacationed in many places and have stayed at many hotels, and the Seacrest Resort did not stand out in any way. Although the grounds, pool area, and room were clean and well maintained, I wouldn't call this property a "resort" by any means. There is no restaurant or entertainment on site, and again, the exterior of the building when you drive up looks pretty dumpy and disappointing. I would say Seacrest is an okay place to stay if you are looking for convenient proximity to downtown and a clean room, but don't expect fireworks if you've been to nice hotels/resorts before. It is pretty pricey for what you get.