The Mariner

“Clean and affordable beach getaway.”

We stayed here at the beginning of spring break. My family had never been to an ocean or beach before, so this was a first for them. We stayed at the Mariner because we had seen it on Expedia and it seemed reasonably priced. We did not get to Galveston until around 4:00AM Friday morning, and wer… more

We stayed here at the beginning of spring break. My family had never been to an ocean or beach before, so this was a first for them. We stayed at the Mariner because we had seen it on Expedia and it seemed reasonably priced. We did not get to Galveston until around 4:00AM Friday morning, and were going to call around and see what was available. Called here first, and the rates were $49 for the night (even though it was nearly over), $99 for the next, and then $139 because it was a weekend. They pointed out the beds were full beds, not queens, and showed us a room before we paid. Not a problem. We paid, got a second-floor room, and went to bed. Rooms were clean, beds were plenty comfy, and everyone slept well on the trip. Shower had plenty of hot water. Was the room huge? No. Was it fancy? No. Was it new? No. But it was kept, everything worked fine, A/C worked great, and we had a great stay. Enjoyed it so much we tacked on an extra night. We paid cash for the first three nights, and I logged onto Expedia, the rate was more than fair, and I could use some of my Expedia cash. About 30 minutes later, the front desk called to make sure it was me and to tell me I was good to go and we could keep the same room. Front desk was very friendly and helpful the entire stay. Now my family is already talking about wanting to go back this summer and stay there again. We could walk across to the beach in a place where it wasn't crowded and enjoy ourselves. Down the street is Miller's Seawall. I honestly think we could have stayed here and not had to drive anywhere and been perfectly content. This place will never be confused for the Galvez or San Luis, but we also stayed four nights for less than what one night at the Galvez, which was showing $452 on Expedia. If there wasn't a huge price difference, I might shell out for one of those two. I've stayed in both, and they are definitely the standard all others are measured by. But for those of us on a budget, a cheaper option means a longer stay and more money to spend on entertainment. My kids loved it, we all had fun, and everyone wants to go back. Thus, when considering the price, I think the Mariner definitely deserves a rating of "Excellent", which is why I gave it all five stars.

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