Choosing a Room at Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside

The church bell rang every fifteen minutes at Mission Inn Hotel & Spa from sunrise to sunset. The soothing sound percolated the old stone walls, filtering into our hotel room, which overlooked a courtyard that glittered in red Christmas lights. The hotel was decorated with festive holiday decor, such as life-sized Nutcrackers and a giant Christmas tree displayed in the lobby. 

We loved our stay at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, which was originally constructed in 1876 with just 12 rooms. Its original owner, Frank Miller, drew inspiration from Mission Revival architecture, incorporating flying buttresses, domes, chandeliers, stain glass windows, and murals. He gradually expanded the property with one section over another, addition upon addition, resulting in a complicated and intricately built structure that contains narrow passageways, exterior arcades, a medieval-style clock, a five-story rotunda, castle towers, minarets, and catacombs.

An Unofficial Guide to Choosing a Room at Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

When booking, I highly recommend calling the hotel. Nearly every room is unique, so ask for something with a balcony. Make dinner and spa reservations in advance; it may be booked on the day you arrive.

The Deluxe rooms make up the U shape around the pool. Most have balconies with a pool or street view. Each one of these rooms looks a little different inside, especially the corner rooms. These rooms are the least expensive. Look at these rooms during the off-season, when the pool isn’t packed.

The Raincross rooms are ideal if you’d like a nice view of the hotel’s architecture. They are mostly overlooking the Spanish Patio area, the pool, and Orange street, and many of them have patios.

The Glenwood rooms are usually on the third floor and are more spacious than the previous room types. Be sure to request a room with a two person table to enjoy some coffee above the Spanish Patio.

The Mission rooms are usually on the top floor, have high ceilings, murals, and are very spacious. The odd number Mission rooms are along 6th street and are the better rooms. The even number overlook the Court of the Orient and don’t have any balconies.

We stayed in Room 402, a spacious Junior Suite with a living room and a spiral staircase that led into a large bedroom. All of the junior suites have two rooms. If you’re traveling with children, you should consider booking one of these room types.