Hotel Carmel

The staff and service here are excellent and I'm not sure why there's so many bad reviews! The staff were prepared with all of our necessities, I mean we got several coffee cups, water, ice, towels, all you have to do is ask. They didn't even upcharge! We enjoyed talking to them and asked about where to get good food. Rooms were very clean and our room cleaner was so sweet 🥺. Our daughter has a stuffed animal and they put the sleep mask she had on him. She also made me and my daughter's bed even with things on the top. With every cleaning they brought new towels that were clean. We brought our own silk pillowcases. We are very blessed with their kindness. Valet were attentive when needed. We had a mini fridge, and the front gave us everything we needed. We did not have a microwave, but there was one that the staff let us use. This hotel is a piece of history from the 1940s so of course it's old but that's the point of staying here. We loved staying here and would come again💕.

The hotel is definitely old, however the rooms are very clean and some modernized. The location is very central too. Just be sure to request a room furthest from a nightclub/bar at the back of the hotel off Broadway. What really made the visit outstanding were the hotel staff! Front desk people were super nice (esp morning shift), valet guy, and cleaning staff. I’d definitely consider staying there again just for the location, clean rooms, and friendly staff.

Visited Hotel Carmel in the summer of 2025 and had a great time. The staff was extremely nice and pleasant. Putting a 5 star review simply because of how much they helped us during the stay as well as making sure our departure went smoothly. They really went above and beyond! Thank you again. Highly recommended :)

We stayed at hotel Carmel for two nights. Our room was on the top floor. There was a smell throughout the hotel but it wasn’t unbearable. Our room was clean and good for what we needed it for! We didn’t notice the smell in our room. There was no fridge in our room, but they easily brought one up for us. The location was fantastic. A 5 minute walk to the pier and easily accessible by car! Many stores for clothing, restaurants, etc located nearby. We did not use the valet service — we parked in the parking garage right next to it but be mindful parking over night as their maxim daily rate is $20… we ended up paying $40 per night because of this (leaving it in the garage over night and into the morning). So I’m sure there are better parking options around! It definitely is a dated hotel but a perfect location! We would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a cheap, short stay with no frills!

Hotel Carmel is in a great location, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our short stay; however, I don’t feel it meets the standard of a 3-star hotel and found it to be overpriced. The property is quite run-down and outdated, with an odd smell throughout, making it feel closer to a 2-star experience. It’s not a terrible place to stay, but the pricing should more accurately reflect the condition and overall offering of the hotel.

This hotel is spectacular! The staff was absolutely wonderful, and all of house keeping needs a raise for sure! We would leave our room for like 20 mins in the morning and our bed was made and bathroom had fresh towels, they were fantastic. The location is so great. In the perfect spot, great distance to the promenade, the Pier, the mall, so many wonderful restaurants, and more. We parked our car and didn't move it once all weekend. I would say, definitely ask for a room AWAY from the alley, unless you're okay with getting up early. There is a lot of noise in the alley at all hours of the day and night.

I stayed for two nights in June 2025 and was so pleasantly surprised by this hotel. The 2-star category doesn't do it justice. It is at least a 3-star hotel. The room was a bit small but comfortable and very clean. Service was impeccable, from the lady at the valet parking to the front desk and the service employees. And the price a great value, unbeatable location, one block from the boardwalk, close to restaurants and cafes and two blocks from a Target. We didn't need to drive that much. I highly recommend it and will come back if I visit again the LA/Santa Monica area. Totally worth it!

Great location within walking distance to the pier, shopping restaraunts and more. Vintage hotel (early 1900s) with a nice bar/restaraunt connected just downstairs. Rooms are renovated with a/c and a fresh look while maintaining the original feel of the hotel. Classic and Vintage speakout at this one

For how expensive LA/Santa Monica hotels are, I was a little hesitant about how this would go because it is more affordable, but I was pleasantly surprised! Is the hotel going to knock your socks off with amenities and super updated rooms? No- but for people who want to sight see and then crash somewhere, it's perfect! Front desk staff were so sweet and welcoming. I believe this is a family run business, and it's always nice going to a hotel that is not a chain. Rooms were clean and had everything we needed. Court room was noisy and there wasn't a dead bolt on the door, but we still felt safe. You really just can't beat the location- walking distance to many great shops, restaurants, and of course the beach/pier.

The hotel is definitely old, however the rooms are very clean and some modernized. The location is very central too. Just be sure to request a room furthest from a nightclub/bar at the back of the hotel off Broadway. What really made the visit outstanding were the hotel staff! Front desk people were super nice (esp morning shift), valet guy, and cleaning staff. I'd definitely consider staying there again just for the clean rooms and friendly staff.

The hotel staff are amazing! Super gracious and accommodating for every request. Location is perfect, around the corner from the beach on one side and the Promenade on the other. The downsides were the rooms, especially the bathroom. An older hotel, the bathroom has no place to hang anything, no vanity for toiletries, and no safety in the tub. Slippery, no ADA bars, no place big enough for soap, or bottles. Valet service needs improvement. Only 1 valet person and not always available during busy times. This being a holiday weekend there should have been more than one person taking and bringing cars. Limited space to pull in to front of hotel on a busy street so had drive around the block several times to wait for space to open up.

We stayed here as a last-minute, same-day reservation because we wanted to stay in Santa Monica-- and it ended up being great! The staff were really nice and gave us as many mini water bottles as we needed whenever we stopped by the front desk. The suite was spacious and comfortable, with two separate rooms, a fridge, and a super cozy bed and couch. Even the shower felt unexpectedly luxurious -- nothing fancy, just a really pleasant vibe. We also got discounts at nearby places to eat; the breakfast spot next door Jinky's was fantastic. And best of all, it's a 5-minute walk to the pier. Ideal location for visiting Santa Monica, and we're already planning to stay here again next time. Also valet parking is reasonable and convenient add on!

I do not recommend this place. Started with having to go in search of the valet, there is no self park. We then had to find a luggage cart, load it, get it up to our room in an elevator that's 4' x 4'. It's August, our room was sweltering, the very poor working AC was not turned on in preparation for guests. The room is so tiny only one of us at a time can walk around. There's only one chair. We had to go find a grocery store to buy water and ice for our room. The location lead us to believe it would be a nicer hotel. However, as old and dated as this place is, it's clean.

Location, check ! Staff, check Cleanliness, check HOWEVER, where I stand as to why just the 2 stars .., Well, we were greeted by a dimly lit, not so pleasant outdated lobby, placed on the 4th floor when their elevators weren't working Ok so we lug our luggage up the 4 flights thru the dirty hallway rugs with many door-free rooms during renovations covered in black plastic bags (not visually esthetic) At the end we find out there's a "Santa Monica resort fee" just to make matters a bit worse

FUCK YOU HOTEL it's bad quality and noisy I hate my life in Santa Monica except the whole los Angeles it literally had blood stains and creepy when I open the closet door literally the worst day of my life

they're literally finessing with the online pictures because the actual room looks nothing like them wouldn't stay again LOL definitely not worth the price and the lobby makes u think the stay will be decent but just wait until you go upstairs ...

So here's the thing. It's a budget hotel and for a budget hotel you can't beat the location. There is nothing fancy or frilly about this place. It's a bed to sleep on and that's about it. But that's exactly what we needed. We were here for a very quick overnight and needed a place close to 3rd street. Location can't be beat. Easy walking distance to Santa Monica pier, the beach, and 3rd st. Lots of restaurants and tourist stores close by. Rooms are small, and the hotel is old. Again - no frills. But the bed was comfortable enough. It was clean enough. And it was quite enough. If you have trouble sleeping if there's noise - probably not the best place for you, you can definitely hear outside the window and any noise in the hall. There's an elevator on that door can use, didn't have any problems with check in. Not sure I'll be back, but happy with our experience

My friend and I had a great stay over Memorial Day Weekend. I only have one negative, which is why I am going with four stars. The carpet around the hotel is old, looks pretty dirty, a little squishy here and there. However, there are several positives. We stayed in the family suite, so we both had our own room. The family suite we were in was on the 4th floor and it looked recently remodeled. Pretty darn nice IMO, comfortable queen bed and surprisingly quiet given the neighborhood. The location is great one blockish from the beach and one block from the 3rd Street Promenade. The front desk staff, young lady was super nice. A couple more things, book on line and get your resort fee waived and $20 valet parking. Nice little coffee shop 2 doors down that gives a 15% off discount if you show your keycard. In conclusion, I would definitely stay at Hotel Carmel with my wife in the the future, as this was a guys trip. I just hope I get a remodeled room as the hotel is definitely in remodel mode. Cheers!!!

The Hotel Carmel is in a great location, walking distance to the beach, shopping and restaurants/bars. The staff is also very friendly and attentive! Aside from that, this hotel is incredibly dated. So if you're expecting a nice modern room then this is not the place for you. The rooms were decently sized, our room was right above a bar so the music went on until 2-3 am, which was fine because that was right around the time we came back to our rooms. The bathrooms are decently sized but I could literally hear the person next door or person above us having a conversation and/or using their toilet/shower. The beds were pretty comfortable, there was ample closet space as well as drawers to store our belongings in. There was a decent amount of space to walk around and lay our luggage out as well. FYI, there's only 1 elevator and it is super slow and can only fit about 4-5 people. We were a group of 4 girls and could barely fit ourselves plus our carryon luggages in the elevator. I would only stay here again because of the location and great hospitality provided by the staff. As mentioned previously, the staff was incredibly accommodating (allowed us to check in early) and were kind enough to store our luggage for an hour after we checked out.

Hotel Carmel in Santa Monica provides a great place to stay in the middle of everything. I really like the location and everything that they have available here. The staff here is very friendly and accommodating to make sure that you are well taken care of.

(This isn't really a review because I haven't been yet) I'm from the UK and will be visiting LA in September and this is the hotel I'm staying in I hope it will be worth it

The only ok aspect is the façade , the outside is kind of cute. But that's all. Noisy location, homeless population around and in front of the hotel. The lady of the front desk totally unpleasant and unfriendly The rooms are small, the AC is old and too noisy The shower water flow and temperature changes suddenly for the worse. No towels were left by the housekeeper on the second day of our stay and we call the front desk and they said you can come down and pick them up! The room floors a bit dirty! The lobby is outdated and dark. Don't waste your money, believe me!

It was great like always. The guys working that night was super helpful and friendly. One of the guys name started with a D. Awesome guy

It's a nice hotel on the outside and phenomenal location. The rooms seems comfy but look a little old school which don't much the lobby or the overall modern look of the place. The staff is nice and do a great job of keeping the hotel and rooms clean. Worth it to stay here if you're looking to be right in the center of Santa Monica.

This hotel was perfect for our family. It was like we were staying in a casita. Every single staff person was helpful and sweet and tried to make our stay as comfortable as possible. The hotel is nestled right in the heart of everything. We parked our car for three days and just walked everywhere, including the beach. If you're looking for tons of updated perks this isn't the place for you, but if you are looking for a quaint hotel that makes your experience a great one then I would recommend this place. I definitely loved the charm of this place and the location was ideal. My entire family loved our stay.

I loved: - The location is incredible - the grand, old-style entrance ...but that's where my positive experience stopped. *please note their photos are pretty deceptive. Some how they are accurate, but the feel of being inside is completely different. It seems as though the hotel doesn't care about you as a person or your experience...it seems to coast on it's good location: - none of the staff smiles, ever. They answer your questions, do as asked, and are not rude, but they show no interest in actively welcoming you. - you are almost knocked over by a fruity chemical smell as soon as you walk in the door. Throughout the hotel, there are these chemical smells that do not make it feel clean, it makes it feel like it's covering up poor sanitation and feels unhealthy - ***the beds, sheets, and pillows are HORRIBLY uncomfortable. The pillows feel like multiple cardboard boxes tied together, and the bed is somehow very uncomfortable. I'm not opposed to a firmer bed, but I woke up with my whole body hurting. Even taking a 1 hr nap on my side, I woke up with my shoulder aching. The sheets are scratchy, but very clean and very neatly made. - because of the wood flooring in rooms, sound travels very easily. I slept with earplugs/a sound machine so it didn't wake me up, just something to note. - the decor of the hotel is simple, and clean, but looks like it hasn't been updated, aside from the wood flooring and a coat of paint, since the early 90's - even the TV in the lobby played the WORST Patrick swazy 80's films. At every turn, this hotel makes little no effort, yet is still expensive.

The location was definitely the best part of this hotel. Watch out for hidden fees when you check in. They charge for this bogus "internet and water fee" which is essentially two 8 ounce water bottles in your room. The amenities were very dated and the room was a solid place to sleep for the night. I would not spend more than one night here if you're passing through the LA area. Overall it could have been better, but for the price point split between fiends and the location, it's a good place to stay for the very short term.

This place is very clean, cheap 230 a night 2 people, located 1 block from ocean and pier and 1 block from Prominad. For the price and location it can't be beat. It is low frills, one elevator place but location can't be beat. Only bad thing is Santa Monica is not as nice as it used to be. Lots of homeless that will harass you or act crazy around you. Be safe

It certainly is within walking distance of the pier and the surrounding area. It's a landmark building so it's not going to be the spiffy mirrored and glass contemporary style hotel. The rooms are a bit small, but all you really need is a comfortable bed and a shower. The downside is that the inner corridor rooms look over what seems to be a cacophony of hissing pipes and rumbling machines that make the rooms somewhat noisy if you're a light sleeper. The amenities are minimal, and by that I mean the usual soaps and shampoos are dispensed in wall mounted plastic bottles. So this requires a long reach to gather enough soap in your hands to wash your hands and face. These products are certainly not from a quality brand. The downtown location I guess makes it a bit pricey as to what you get...and one more thing...when we walked into the room we heard a rattling sound...each step...another rattle...then we identified the source of the sound...the draw pulls on the dresser vibrated as you moved about... I went down to the front desk and got some tape that I applied to the source of the sounds...problem solved.

Great management. Friendly staff .great comfortable beds. Old style design . I loved it small and affordable. Close to good restaurants. Walking downtown is fun.

The staff was so nice and accommodating! The location is prime! Just a few minutes from the pier! However, The hotel is a 100 years old and looks and smells like it! The walls are so thin that if you're in the bathroom, people in the hallway can hear everything and vice versa! I wouldn't recommend bringing your family here but if you're a couple on a budget, why not?

Leo, the front desk manager, was 0% helpful in refunding me for a room that I didn't book and didn't stay in, and he lied to me about their booking processes and how they sell rooms. Don't book this place if you like good service. There is a reason they are below 3 stars in one of the highest revenue generating areas in LA. Obviously they are hurting and probably won't be able to continue paying their Santa Monica rents or property taxes if they refuse to refund $209 for a room that was never stayed in. Please clear out your building for a more competent operator that understands good business. Also, the lobby smells like cat doodoo and mildew. I thought it was my breath (shame on me), but I removed my mask briefly inside and the smell got even stronger. The whole place stinks.

This "boutique" hotel is well located. It's near shopping, dining, and just a few blocks from the beach and the Santa Monica Pier. It has some of its early 20th century feel, but seems that some of its charm has been painted over. There is little attention to detail here. Yes, there is an in-room safe, but it's tucked into the back of an unlit closet so getting things in and out of it was such a hassle that we left our valuables to the whatever safety was provided by the door lock and presumed honesty of hotel staff and passersby. More disconcerting was the bathroom tub. There were no hand-holds, the bottom of the tub was slick, and no rubber tub mat was provided to prevent slips and falls. It was a lawsuit waiting to happen. Having said all that, the staff is friendly and helpful; the hotel is clean, convenient, and is a good value for the area. BTW: Valet parking is available at $35/night with in & out privileges. There is a city parking structure next door. I only noticed it so can't say anything about cost or convenience.

This old hotel is perfectly located for enjoying Santa Monica beach and pier and the many restaurants and elegant shops just steps away. The exterior is lovely and the lobby is decorated with Mission style furniture, a large, lovely oriental rug and a wood-beamed ceiling. Very attractive and welcoming. The first room we looked at we could not accept because the air-conditioner was too noisy. We were then given a very comfortable room. The room and halls and elevator are sparkling clean. Just steps outside is the entrance to the pier or beach, a bike rental shop, Nordstroms. Bloomingdales as well as many heavily-yelped restaurants, so it is easy to choose. If a view is important to you, ask when booking. Many rooms face the alley which runs behind the building. One especially commedable feature is that we were allowed to store our luggage after check-out for the rest of the day so we could enjoy a long bike-ride on the trail all the way to Venice Beach and back.

Hotel staff was courteous and efficient, very convenient location, room was decent, except for 1) the raucous people in the alley outside my window every night from about 11 PM to 1 AM, even on a Monday, and... 2) the cockroach that appeared in my bathroom the morning I was checking out. Fortunately it was only one, but still. Roach. And no, there was no discussion about a refund or some other sort of recompense for the roach. Still got billed the full amount.

Let me just say first hand, the staff and support were five stars! Leo, the manager and his coworker, bent over backwards. But I will not lie. The Hotel Carmel needs a FULL facelift! The hotel is nearly 100 years old. But that is not their fault. Thank you again Leo, for being so understanding and classy.

Very user friendly location. Small but clean, nicely appointed room. Easy check in with friendly staff. Valet parking was user friendly. Would stay again

Reasonable price and very quiet. The rooms were clean and bed was cozy. At last a place with good shower pressure. Only 1 block from the beach. A lot of places to choose to eat within walking distance. Front desk was courteous and nice. I will stay again in the future. The only bad thing is they don't validate parking which is just a few buildings down.

Great location by the beach. Building is old. But staff was very kind and helpful. Had a billing mixup and they were really cool about resolving it.

I had a great stay when I was there! Location is PRIME since it's walking distance to restaurants , shopping and beach. Leo , the manager was great. Very personable, accommodating and nice! Overall great for the price , HIGHLY recommend !!!

The location is what really drew me here, but the photos I saw online were quite deceptive. This place looks like an early last century build that hasn't been renovated since the 70s (mayyyyybe the early 80s). This place MUST be haunted by Santa Monica residents and visitors over the years! The architecture is VERY LA, and it may take a while to find your room if it is not right by the elevator. I came during a time when they did not have that many guests, and it seems they were trying to fill the fourth floor first. My room was tiny, and there was a slight musty smell. The sea breeze chill made it actually quite cold, so I turned on the heat, which requires you to flip a switch that has a big warning sign to not touch (I was told to by the staff!). However, the heat did not turn on, and instead I had a steady stream of cool air! Good thing the staff is responsive, someone came right away to fix it. They do have valet parking with in and out privileges, but it costs $35. They are not that highly staffed, and at 9PM it took quite a while to get my car, and it took similarly long time the next morning at 10:30 AM. Where do they park the cars?! Despite the amazing location (two blocks from the pier), I would probably not come again, but if you must come for the location, and don't mind the ghosts lingering in the old walls, don't need to rush to get your car back, this place is adequate.

Great location. Non aesthetically pleasing room. My main criticism is the cost was $40 more than my original booking due to "destination fees" charged per night that were not included in the total cost of the original booking.

This is Santa Monica: it's all about location, location, location hence the fact hotel rooms anywhere close to the beach are expensive. I just moved back to LA and needed a room for 1 night before moving into my apartment. I'm a local, so I know the city and prices. This hotel looks pretty nice from the outside. Are looks deceiving? Yes and no. Yes, if you haven't done research and saw that all hotels in this area area are quite, let me put it mildly, pricey. This hotel was $200 for a night. Plus $20 for valet parking (this is really cheap for LA and SM standards knowing your car will be safely parked in a garage nearby). No if you know that are and the other hotel prices... The room? No, just a basic room with hideous green carpet that makes me want to wear shoes all the time (which I did) The bathroom is so basic: at least there's soap and shampoo (no conditioner nor hair dryer). The room is like your average motel room.... probably even less. This place make money with basic rooms in an area that's expensive. For those who don't mind the basics and are here for the location: well-done, you've got yourself a "cheap" place in a highly desired location. For those who wanted more luxury: you'll be disappointed. The only place to charge your devices is at the desk, so when you're in bed there's no outlet to charge anything. I was ok with the room. As in terms of the location: it's a block away from the ocean which is great for me. Went to the beach at 6am for a walk and that's what's amazing about this location. They put out coffee and pastries in front desk area. There's are coffee places within a short walking distance of hotel. I like to sleep with open windows. That's interesting here... I'll post a picture of my view. I video'ed so you can hear the actual noise that comes from those blasting machines I looked at from my window. Forget about fresh air. I stayed in room 434. Ask for top floor since the upstairs floors are creaking like crazy. It's like having an elephant in the room above you. Front desk staff is helpful and friendly, although I'm not sure they're too familiar with the area! While standing there they couldn't point guests out to Main Street Santa Monica nor to Whole Foods that just 2 blocks away....but definitely friendly. If anybody found a great steal in this area let me know. It's always good to hear!

I totally agree that the looks of the outside are not what you find inside the hotel. This looks like the old school type of elegant place you'd expect to find in Naples, FL (or Naples, Italy for that matter). However, the rooms are very Spartan and dated. However, for the price ... you should know what you are getting yourself into without being surprised. Perhaps the hotel overpromises a bit in its marketing ... photos on hotel booking websites are not really what you find in the rooms. However, Santa Monica is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world. They don't usually have a problem selling rooms and if you want to be within safe walking distance to the Pier (and in this city full of druggies and bums, you will!) your options in this price range are limited. During busy weekends, I've seen this around $300-$350. But typically, when all other hotels are booked or above $250, you can get a room at the Carmel for about $100 - $150 less than a more modern mid-tier hotel, like The Wyndham. This is easy walking distance to the Pier/Beach and literally right next to the Third Street Prominade. Plenty of bars and dining options nearby. (I recommend Ye Olde King's Head which is an old school British style pub ... or for a dive bar experience, try Chez Jay) Location is what you pay for here. Couple of things ... valet parking is expensive. I try not to stay here if I can find a nicer hotel nearby but if things are sold out or prices are absolutely ridiculous elsewhere, I've used this hotel when I need a Santa Monica escape. One time my car had a black mark on the corner where a valet had clearly hit a wall with it. The hotel denied it and claimed it was there before. However, the other time, I had a flight to get to and was running late and the valet literally ran out into the street to stop traffic to allow me to sneak through a line of cars. The beds are so-so ... definitely on the firm side. The bedding is kind of gross. The bathroom is from the 1970s with ceramic tile and vintage faucets. The room looks a lot like it could be from the 1970s or 1960s. From the thrift store art on the wall in brown stained wooden frames to the color scheme ... think orange, yellow, green and maroon. The air conditioning units are the old school ones but they do blow plenty of cold air. The first thing you think when you walk into the rooms is, 'dated'. However, for the price ... I will give it an okay. Santa Monica is a city where lodging can be very expensive and/or sold out. Hotel Carmel usually always has rooms and at a fraction of the price. You get what you pay for.

This hotel is conveniently located in an amazing area the Pier, mall, and restaurants are all in waking distance. However, the room we stayed in was really outdated. The carpet was stained and in the bathroom you could hear the next room through the vents. We spontaneously drove up on a Saturday and this room was are only option for $290. Valet parking was our only option for $30. a night. I drive a manual Mustang and when we were leaving in the morning I had to walk over and get my own car out of the garage because the attendant couldn't drive stick. Wouldn't recommend unless you were being spontaneous like us!

This spot surprised me! My bf and I had a 3 night stay here and it was great!! I'm overall very picky about my stays especially about the beds and environment but overall it was great! We stayed in a king room. The bed was VERY comfortable, the room got nice and cool and the best part was the LOCATION!! We literally walked to everything. 1 minute walk to the pier, and Venice beach down the road. The promenade was 2 streets down with tons of shopping and restaurants around. The staff are very nice!! Always opened doors for us, and super generous. The hotel is overall well kept and it did the job! Would recommend to anyone staying in this area!

This place does not deserve a good review and because of the few good ones I completely ignored the bad ones. But honestly I have never stayed in a worse place. After paying almost $500 for 3 nights I am ready to pack up and leave after 2. Yes the location is great but there is no excuse for how dirty this place is The stained carpets...the moldy corners of the walls and the bathroom that needs a good scrubbing...there is no end to the grossness. I am so glad that we had a lot of activities planned so barely stayed in but if you are planning to hang out in your room...this is not the place. I didn't complain because it seems like nothing really would get revolved as I would probably get another dirty room and also that they don't refund charges. This was supposed to be a mini vacation but turned out to be something nightmarish!! Plus forget about a good nights sleep as the air conditions/heater seems from the 19th century that's you can hear turn on and off continuously.

I shall start off by saying it is a great looking old hotel. The Wi-Fi worked on everyone's devices except for mine. When we checked in the air conditioning was not working in one of two rooms. The air got restored promptly enough though. When we phoned in a request for more towels it wasn't delivered. The noise from the local bars filtered up into the rooms well into the night. We checked in on Friday. This was not my choice of places to stay. A family get together was why this place was chosen. It being a block from the beach and Santa Monica Pier.

The hotel is old but I could see they do there best to keep it as nice at possible. The style was nice, over all a classic style. I assumed the toiletry would be cheap and not very good, so I was happy to see name brand products. Our room as clean and well taken care of. Again, the place is old but they do there best to maintain it. The girl at the front desk was very helpful and nice. She was able to make dinner suggestions the sounded good. Parking is $25 per day and is valet. The are no better options. This is just how it is in busy city's.

This hotel is a lovely old building charming. Exactly what I expected of a building built in this era. Staff was friendly, bed was comfortable, room was clean. I was sad that our room faced an alley and we heard trash truck(s). Overall cute. USE CAUTION when using the water in the bathroom it gets scalding without notice.

Location is really good, near everything walking distance. Hotel check in was quick and front desk ladies were very nice. Hotel is older dated but my room I got the queen suite, was big and had two living areas. Bed were super firm but pillows were nice. My only draw back was outside noise. The bar downstairs had extremely loud music till late in the evening and you can't sleep with the window open due to loud drunk people. Warning: Valet was $25 a night.

Great location but very rude Manager. I called today because they overcharged me. I initially purchased a night through hot wire and they tried to charge me again during the check up process. ITV try en took them 45 mins to do the refund to find out later they only gave me a partial refund. I called Leo their manager and he was eager to cut me off the phone in which he did and hung up on me. I had to call back. He would let me speak.

"Looks can be deceiving" has never rang more true than for Hotel Carmel the facade and Hotel Carmel the inside... Situated just a block from Ocean Avenue and a block from Third Street Promenade as well as the newly built Santa Monica Place, it's the perfect....PERFECT location if you want a night out on the town in that general area... But the inside of the hotel is decorated with furniture older than my grandma, the floors creak, the elevator doesn't work occasionally because of a "power outtage" so we had to walk up three flights of stairs with our luggage, the service at the front desk was unfriendly and they charged me twice for the overnight valet... Overall, this place is a little slice of hell but the location is pretty amazing if you're planning on spending most of your time bar hopping and OUTSIDE the hotel!

Awful don't waste your money. The front desk girls were always rude, if you want to get stuck in an elevator this is youre hotel. Service was awful the only nice person was one of the valet guys and we also waited 35 for our car!! The AC wasn't working it would make awful noises

We left the same night we got there. We just couldn't take another gross encounter. THIS HOTEL SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN!!!!! Called the next day to complain, NO JOKE, when I was talking to the manager, he told me to SHUT UP and listen to him. If I wrote down everything that happened to us while we were there, the person reading my review would think they were being punked for reading this. Small breakdown...the carpet from the 1950's smelled like puke walking to the rooms. The towels smelled mildewed. The chain on the door was broken. If you are over 4'8, forget taking a shower, and the tub we had filled with water so we had to each take two minute showers,the valet will not walk away from you unless you give them a tip, the elevators take FOREVER and are questionable if it rides safely to your room, the view was absolutely hideous not to mention the windows filthy, sheets were used before us because they had sand in them. Should I continue? Because I could but that's probably enough. BTW...NO ONE will call you and ask why you left the same night you got there and don't even think about getting your $300 back, it won't happen.

Great location...horrible service. Possibly the most inept, incompetent and rude workers in the hospitality industry work here. Perhaps it's where rude and incompetent workers in this industry go before becoming telemarketers. I won't go into all the gory details, but they screwed up my bill (even after I pointed out to them at check-out that there was a potential problem) and didn't resolve the problem until months later, and only after writing and calling 50 times, and then getting the credit card company and the Better Business Bureau involved. Who needs that nonsense? Pay a little bit more and avoid this joint at all costs.

I would strongly recommend that you don't stay here and just pay extra for a nicer hotel. I had issues straight from the check in process, when they said that someone checked in under my name already (their mistake - but of course I received no apology from the front desk gentleman that barely spoke English). Now to the hotel itself. While it looks nice on the outside, the rooms are extremely dated, and probably haven't been updated since the 70s. The room had a nasty smell, there was mold on the bathroom tiles, the tub was breaking and had sink holes, the WiFi was free but terrible, the TV signal was poor and kept breaking up, the only elevator was broken, no mini fridge, and finally there very few electrical outlets in the room. Don't be fooled by how nice the exterior of the hotel looks. Stay somewhere else.