The Galvestonian

Right on the beach with an unobstructed view. Desk clerks were very forthcoming with attractions and restaurants. Only one working elevator currently, but off season didn't require much wait. Good prices for nightly rentals that are fully furnished. This was my 4th time vacationing there.

Had a great stay at The Galvestonian! The hotel was in great shape and had attentive staff. It was quiet and not crazy crowded. The beach and pool were perfect for young kids. Overall great stay and value!

Zero Stars for Oscar In the past few weeks, Galveston has endured significant challenges due to a recent hurricane. This disruption forced us to make a last-minute cancellation at our house next door in Beachtown, as power had not yet been restored. Fortunately, we found a three-bedroom condo available in Room 615 at The Galvestonian. The facilities at The Galvestonian, with the exception of the ice machine area, gym, and common area restrooms in the lobby, were well-kept and very enjoyable. Our condo itself was great, aside from three outlets in the kitchen and one in the living area not working, which left us without the use of the microwave. We informed the front desk, who said they would report it to maintenance, but we never received a follow-up or had anyone address the issue during our stay. The proximity to the soccer tournament, less than two miles away, was ideal. As is typical with tournaments, Sunday’s schedule was uncertain, depending on win-or-go-home scenarios. On Saturday evening around 5 pm, we inquired about a late checkout. The front desk lady informed us that it would be $25 an hour extra, with the latest checkout at 1 pm due to another guest checking in that evening. I asked when we needed to let her know, and she replied, “whenever.” The next morning, we had our first match at 9 am. We won, meaning we played again at 10:40 and 12 pm. This timing was perfect for our 1 pm checkout. I called the front desk to confirm we would take the extended hours and were okay with the additional billing. The lady on the phone abruptly informed me that they don’t offer late checkouts. I explained my conversation with her colleague from the previous evening, but she rudely cut me off, stating that the evening shift isn't allowed to authorize late checkouts. When I mentioned the unresolved power outlets issue, she told me, “you have to let us know if something isn’t working,” to which I responded that we had immediately disclosed this. She then admitted they... Read more

This place is overrated and overpriced. There's a sign above the thermostats instructing not to turn them below 70. The room we stayed in had a cheap, bouncy mattress and cheap, hot bedding (think 2 star) so sleeping was difficult. There are a bunch of stairs leading to the boardwalk, so to bring a cart (or wheelchair) to the beach, you must have someone at the front desk meet you in the parking garage to open a special gate to get outside on the lower level. The outdoor showers seem to turn off at 6pm when they take the beach chairs away. Meanwhile, the sun doesn't set for hours. The beach chairs are only available for rent from a third party for $45/day, yet the Galvestonian uses their images on the home page (deceptively) without any info about renting until you arrive, and you must order online by 5pm or do without the next day. You can't bring beach towels to the beach - only the pool - and you can only exchange them at the front desk. The 2 bedroom condos do not have bathrooms accessible from the main living area (annoying if you are awake when others aren't). Most don't have W/D or even curtains. The location was great and staff was friendly, but compared to other places we have stayed, I would have expected more for the price.

We always enjoy our stay at The Galvestonian. Never any issues. Always clean. Friendly service. Quiet and relaxing. We like the pool area and the private beach entrance.

We come to Galveston several times a year for family trips. This has been the worst stay of anywhere we have ever stayed in Galveston. We will not be staying here again and we will not recommend it to anyone. We loved the gorgeous view, the easy beach access, the extremely kind staff, and the beautiful unit we stayed in. The biggest concern is the lack of communication. We chose a unit that had a washer and dryer pictured so we could laundry during our stay. There was a sign posted that both machines were broken and we were not told beforehand. Each time we asked the front desk we were told "We'll get back with you," but no one ever did. The worst was the construction. We were staying for 2 full days. On the first day the construction noises in a unit above us were so loud, we couldn't stay in our room. We weren't told of construction happening or work times prior to our check in. They were working until 4:30. With 2 toddlers, nap is important mid-day and was not possible due to the noise. It completely ruined the day. A simple email prior to check in to let guests know of construction and times could have helped tons the planning of our day and the worry that something could be wrong. When we asked the front desk and manager if we could switch rooms because of how loud the construction was, we were told "everyone everywhere is complaining of the noise." The noise could not be heard on the lobby or the second floor (we verified with several other guests staying across the second floor). They refused to let us change rooms and gave us the number to the general manager. We still have not heard back from the general manager. We were told there would be no construction during our second day here. There was hammering in the unit above us that woke us up during our nap time. If everyone would have just communicated and been honest, we could have resolved our problems and worked around the construction times. Instead we were pushed off to someone else, ignored, and lied... Read more