Convenience and California beach access on a budget: A review of Newport Beach Marriott Bayview
Although California can be synonymous with high price tags on everything from gas stations to groceries — and especially accommodations — the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview offers travelers a well-priced option for those exploring the area south of Los Angeles while also experiencing a more upscale part of Orange County.
The hotel, located on the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, is less than 15 minutes from some of Southern California's most iconic beaches and just under 10 minutes from John Wayne Airport (SNA). The hotel is conveniently next to several highways and just a short drive from the heart of Orange County's most famous beach city.
As part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, the property has decent redemption rates and great availability if you don't feel like spending cash.
If you're planning a trip to the beach cities of Southern California, here's what you need to know before booking.
Related: Sardines, Steinbeck and sea otters: TPG's guide to exploring Monterey, California
What is the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview hotel?
Built in 1988, the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview is a nine-story hotel on the border of Newport Beach, flanked by the city of Irvine to its east. The hotel is in a fairly business-centric area with office buildings and several auto dealerships across the street, such as Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. The west side faces a back bay nature preserve that leads into the Pacific Ocean.
The property is geared toward business and leisure travelers looking to visit Orange County and its well-known beach cities, such as Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach.
Related: The best coastal hotels to visit during your next seaside getaway
The location
If you want to jog on the beach every morning or go for a sunset stroll, this hotel is not for you. The hotel is located within Newport Beach's back bay on a preserve, so you're about 4 to 7 miles away from the various sandy beaches of Newport.
However, a jogging and bike trail straddles the entire back bay, so if you still want ocean breezes and views of the bay, that's a good option. Any trip to California requires renting a car, allowing you to easily drive to those nearby beaches or the frozen banana stands on Balboa Island.
How to book Newport Beach Marriott Bayview hotel
Cash prices for the property are manageable compared to other properties closer to the beach. Offseason nightly rates can cost anywhere between $220 and $300. For the dates of my recent stay, prices were about $246 a night for Marriott Bonvoy members.
Looking forward, spring break prices are about the same but then increase to as much as $600 a night during the summer months. Of course, you can also book this property with points, and there is decent availability throughout the year. For the dates of my stay, the cost was 34,000 points plus a $250 cash copay for the two-night stay or 68,000 Marriott points without a cash copay. Since the Marriott Bonvoy program utilizes dynamic pricing for award stays, expect to pay upward of 60,000 points a night or more during peak season or national holidays.
When booking the hotel, be sure to use a Marriott cobranded card such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card to earn at least 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program and to maximize your Platinum or Gold status for more points earnings or elite status benefits. According to TPG's March 2025 valuation, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.7 cents apiece, so determine whether or not you're better off paying cash for your stay or redeeming points.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Spacious but outdated rooms
Last renovated in 2009, the hotel's need for an update is evident based on the interior decor of the property, rooms and even technology, such as the absence of USB ports in guest rooms. Although the carpet in the hotel hallways and the choice of paint color were popular 15 years ago, unfortunately they give the hotel a tired and dated look now.
The hotel's dated style and decor continue once you step into the room, with the furniture and room finishings looking like a blast from the past. A standout feature is that every room is a suite with a decent-size living room, a separate bedroom and a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. Rooms measure about 420 square feet, but the smart use of space and layout gives them a bigger feel. Having a door between the bedroom and living room feels nice, making it ideal for families who may opt for a rollaway bed or a baby crib in the living room.
The room has a typical coffee machine with Marriott's branded filter coffee instead of a Nespresso-style espresso machine and pods. Free water bottles (or cans, in this case) were limited to two, and additional water bottles in the room were a whopping $9, a hard pass for me.
Related: These are the best new hotels that opened in 2024
The Jack-and-Jill bathroom style allows access from the living room or bedroom. There's a standup shower with decent width and a bathtub. However, it was oddly low-profile and looked strange sitting front and center in the bathroom.
Amenities
The Newport Beach Marriott offers standard amenities for a property of this caliber. Upon entering the hotel, there's a large seating area in the lobby, which also serves as seating for the hotel's only restaurant.
In addition, there's a small business center in the lobby across from the restaurant with two computers and a printer for guests to use. In line with other Marriott properties within the U.S., there's a small pantry where you can purchase snacks, ice cream, toiletries or property-specific items like a tumbler.
There is a decent-size fitness center with free weights, treadmills and, what shocked me the most, an array of Peloton bikes. I've seen Peloton bikes at higher-end hotels such as Four Seasons or some Ritz-Carltons, so this was quite a nice surprise.
There's an outdoor heated swimming pool and a whirlpool in a covered section of the property outside the fitness center and behind the pool.
Related: 14 of the best hotel pools in the US
The hotel staff was kind enough to alert me to a trail map covering nearly 11 miles in the Newport Back Bay area.
Related: World of Hyatt members can now earn points using Peloton at hotels around the world
Vista Kitchen Bar
The Newport Beach Marriott Bayview has one restaurant that serves as its outlet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Vista Kitchen Bar has some essential classics for lunch and dinner, like burgers, bolognese and some sharing dishes.
I expected more seafood or other quintessential California dishes, but the menu had some unique choices like a Mexican-inspired esquite bowl and apricot glazed salmon.
DANYAL AHMED/THE POINTS GUY
After checking in, I made my way to Vista and grabbed a quick bite to eat, including the wagyu smash burger, which left a lot to be desired. Although I asked for the meat to be cooked medium, the meat was extremely well done, and the bun was overtoasted.
Upon check-in, the hotel acknowledged my Marriott Platinum Elite status and informed me that because the hotel does not have an executive lounge, they'll provide me with two vouchers for complimentary continental breakfast for up to two guests. In addition, for my welcome gift, I opted for the $10 food and beverage voucher instead of 1,000 bonus points.
Related: Marriott Platinum Elite benefits, and how you can earn this valuable status
Vista Kitchen offers a nice continental breakfast with a selection of fruits, granola, Greek yogurt, various cereals, bagels and toast. For an add-on of $14, you could have hot breakfast items, made-to-order eggs, potatoes and breakfast meats. The continental breakfast was enough for me and included coffee and juice. Despite coming at the tail end of breakfast, the service was fantastic, and the coffee was fresh.
On the second day, I kept the continental breakfast and ordered the avocado toast ($14) off the a la carte menu. I also noticed a lack of alternative milk choices for those with a dairy allergy or sensitivity.
Related: Which hotel has the best free breakfast? TPG ate 10 meals to find the winner
Related: Marriott Bonvoy: Complete guide to the hotel loyalty program
Accessibility
The hotel has several accessibility features, including wheelchair-accessible sidewalks leading onto the property.
The floor I stayed on had Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant rooms, and most of the hotel signage was in braille for the visually impaired. Doors throughout the property, such as public bathrooms or the outdoor patio, have handicap-friendly buttons for easy opening access. In addition, both the swimming pool and whirlpool had ADA-compliant pool lifts.
Checking out
As a local, it was nice to see a Marriott property close to the airport and not too far from the beach that offers competitive pricing. This is a budget-friendly option for business and leisure travelers alike. Although room variety is sparse across the property, the suite-style rooms and smart use of space make up for that. Food options on-site are extremely limited, and I recommend looking elsewhere, especially if you have a car.
I hope this property gets some reinvestment and management updates the rooms and the property in general to bring it a much-needed enhancement. If you're looking for a cheaper stay in an expensive part of Southern California not too far from the beach, this property will do just fine.
Related: Best Marriott credit cards
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- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month