Downtown El Portal, California

Elevators are notorious for being a nuisance so ask to be roomed on the top floor and as far away as possible. Most hotels book nearby rooms last so hopefully they have availability elsewhere.

Not all online booking systems are fully integrated with hotel reservations systems so there is a chance that smaller hotels are hand entering your stay from a fax machine which leaves room for errors. Book directly with hotel to avoid any problems and ask for a price match if you find a better price online.

Bring an actual credit card to avoid deposits and pre-authorizations consuming money in your checking account which will reduce your available balance. Hotels that accept paper cash often ask for a hefty deposit to cover potential damages in your room leaving you scrambling to find an ATM.

El Portal offers on-the-go dining when you visit your favorite food truck. Pick up some corn tortilla tacos with freshly made pico with a fresh squeeze of lemon to give your day a boost. Food trucks can offer a wide variety of niche ethnic blends.

El Portal is the place to go when you want to freshen up or replace your nails. Call ahead to schedule an appointment, pick your colors and style and let the transformation begin. Some salons offer hair styling and coloring as well as lashes and eyebrow coloring.

El Portal has a great collection of barber shops to choose from if you want to take a little off the top, get a clean shave or to trim your moustache or beard. Take a moment to consider buying some styling gel, beard oil or wax and always tip well.