Malibu is an expensive area, especially if you want to be anywhere near the coast. If you're a surfer or love old surf history one of the selling points with the Mailbu Suites is this is within walking distance from Malibu Pier (just north is world famous Surfrider Beach). That plus the fact I booked this unit last minute and got a massive discount ($99/night) made the trip worth it in my opinion (although their cleaning fee is a little excessive in my opinion and likely a way to hide some of their cost).
Many of the gripes in other reviews do have some validity to them. I'll list some of my own related thoughts:
-I know it would be difficult but if the cleaning staff were able to clean the outside of the windows you would actually get a bit of a view.
-The AC is loud and could be a nuisance when it turns on/off for light sleepers
-The ocean waves are LOUD! This is not a lulling to sleep kind of ocean noise you might have on a soundscape. This unit is recessed a bit so I imagine the ones closer to the ocean it's probably louder. This should not reflect poorly on the property, it's just something to be aware of because yes THE OCEAN DOES COME IN UNDER THE BUILDING DURING HIGH TIDE.
-This leads me to my next point, if you're expecting to hangout literally behind the property on the beach you'll have to time it on a low tide.
-Some complained about traffic on the 101. I honestly didn't hear much during my stay (maybe the AC and the ocean waves drowned it out)
-Yes there are 2 shared decks with beach chairs, this unit doesn't have anything private like the other ones. This was perfectly fine with me and they were empty much of my stay so no complaints there.
-The unit can be stuffy.
-The place can be tricky to find but I think that's a bonus as I felt my car was safe there. I also did not experience any parking issues as some had described others parking in their space.
The place is nice and I really have no issues with the property itself. It's a great value given the location especially with a discounted rate. If you're not use to expensive areas, remember you're going to Malibu (fish tacos on the pier will cost your close to $40!). The staff, Cruz and David, were mostly responsive to my requests. I did have a request which they did not budge on and basically just did their best to get me to go away.
Overall if you're looking for something near Malibu Pier you don't have many options and I would recommend this place, especially if you get a discounted rate.