The Hotel Carmel

The bill for a recent Saturday/Sunday stay here was $1472. Without a doubt this lodging is the most overpriced relative to quality of any place we’ve ever stayed anywhere in more than 50 years of travel. From reviews on their own and various independent web sites, you’d think you were going to a charming, sophisticated, lovely little boutique hotel in Carmel, worth the hefty price. Well, you are not. It is an old motel-type place now with an added outside fire-pit and jacuzzi. The staff is nice and you get a small but adequate continental breakfast included. But you have nice staff most places in resort towns and the breakfast is expected. The issue here is that despite the high price the basic accommodation is substandard. You get a small room tarted up with louvered shutters, a gas fireplace (decent enough) and a decent bed. But any airport express hotel from any chain offers an infinitely better bathroom, this one is particularly poor since there is a large opening to the bedroom, no separating door (other than to the tiny toilet) and very bright and non-dimmable lighting, making use at night difficult if there is another person with you. To boot, the HVAC didn’t work, and it was cold! We didn’t stay for the second night of our booking. At another and much better lodging we met someone by chance who used to work here who mentioned that the lack of investment by the current owners in the Hotel Carmel is well-known in the local hospitality industry, but you wouldn’t know it from the website or the reviews. There are many places to stay in and around Carmel, for just a couple hundred dollars more you could stay at the Auberge or Bernardus, both top-class places. In the local market, about 300/night would be the most this place is worth, and there are I am quite sure better options at that price point.

Overall enjoyed our stay, but we were charged full price for a room without a window. Read that again: we paid $400+ for a room without any real windows. The only source of light was a strip next to the door. The hotel was not at full capacity so there’s no reason the hotel decided to put us there. The room (114A - should have been a giveaway) should clearly only be booked as an add on to the room next door. And it should NOT cost the same as other rooms in its category. There’s a connecting door and you can hear absolutely everything from the rooms next door. Luckily our neighbors were quiet, but it made me feel terrible about even speaking in our room. The hotel itself is cute. Breakfast is a nice plus. We really enjoyed the attached restaurant/bar, Brophys. I’d still recommend this place as long as you do your research on the room you’re getting.

My husband and I had a fantastic stay at Hotel Carmel. The location of the hotel is perfect, within walking distance of downtown Carmel. Upon arrival we checked in early and they upgraded our room to a King suite. The room was clean with great amenities and plenty of towels and toiletries. We mentioned it was our 10 year wedding anniversary and when we arrived back to our room later that evening the staff had left us a bottle of champagne and a handwritten note on the patio. The staff kept the grounds pristine the whole time we were there. We really enjoyed the breakfast and champagne/mimosas provided every morning. Brophy's is a great bar/restaurant attached to the hotel. All in all overall great experience and we can't wait to stay here again!

My room had fleas and spiders. There was very limited parking so you have to street park. You can hear everything and the rooms are very loud paper thin walls. Horrible experience. Rugs are dirty. Fake tree in rooms were dirty. We had 2 rooms for 3 nights. When I found the fleas they had no other room to move me in. Manager was nice about it and offered to spray my room:( Never again. Expensive for a very bad experience. Front desk staff are nice .

Lovely hotel in downtown Carmel, it’s a great location to explore the town. If you’re looking for a cozy hotel, this is a great choice. The room was nice, only downside is that the bathroom was a bit dated and they did not honor the room category we booked (we received 2 queen instead of a King room). You have 2 outdoor chairs in front of your room and there’s an outdoor courtyard with fire pit and jacuzzi. Rey serve a continental breakfast in the lobby and sangria and cookies at 4pm daily.

We enjoyed our stay and special touches Hotel Carmel offers. However our room 206 could use an update - especially in the bathroom- outdated and shower was way below quality expected in this price point. Also if you’re looking to stay here, please know there aren’t any elevators so if you’re on the second floor you’ll be carrying your luggage etc

This hotel is conveniently located to downtown, quaint and clean. For the price I paid, close $700 per room, I expected more. The rooms we stayed in were in need of updating, particularly the bathrooms. The coffee maker does not make hot water for tea. The desk lamps in both rooms were non-operational and the only other lighting was bedside sconces. The breakfast was a bit on the weak side with the only protein on offer was hard boiled eggs. The fruit was seasonal, but tasteless. The lobby room was a bit scant for finding a place to sit for breakfast. All-in-all, if I had paid about half the price I probably would not have taken time to rewrite an unfavorable review.

We stayed in a room at $800 per night for one night not during a high demanding weekend. The amount this places charges is ridiculous. The shower head was broken and there was no hot water at all. Also, the coffee machine did not work, and the bedding was not nearly up to the quality of a hotel status. I am just curious how did they get to call the place a "hotel" and charge their guests this amount?

We stayed here twice already and we are going to book here again on our visit next time. Service and location are excellent. They serve good breakfast and snacks. The customer service was exceptionally great. I highly recommend this place! At first, we stayed at the room up from the lobby and second near the patio outside.

Spoiler alert: Thin Walls. You will hear EVERYTHING.. a sneeze, fart and a text alert from your neighbors. We came here for a baby moon and was truly excited for our quick weekend in Carmel. We had a long day getting in but relaxed on the beach for a few hours and had a nice dinner. We were excited to end the night relaxing at the hotel since this would be our last night just the two of us. Checking in was fine. Anne helped us and explained all the parking regulations- and in Carmel it's a lot. The other issue is the parking spaces are first come first serve so you're more than likely going to have to do street parking. The biggest issue we had was how thin the walls were. The room above us was loud and partying until about 1am. We had to call the lobby to ask them to talk to the above room. Once called, half the party left but the guests who were there blasted the TV and you can literally hear word for word the shows and their own conversation. It wasn't until 2am they tuckered themselves out. Being pregnant and tired is one thing but paying over $500 for a room and this is what we are dealing with on our last trip together made me extremely mad and I felt a bit jipped of my experience. If you want to try it for yourself- I recommend trying to get the 2nd level rooms. Unfortunately I did not because I was having a hard time with steps. Definitely won't be coming back and for that price ticket. Should have went with my gut and went to Hyatt.

Great service! Honestly, if you've done searching for places to stay in Carmel you'll have noticed a majority are extremely dated, sometimes giving you Golden Girl vibes. Not Hotel Carmel though! They have adorable interiors especially their reception / lobby area. The rooms are more or less courtyard style. The courtyard area has a cool fire pit with lots of Adirondack chairs perfect for evening wine sipping! The gals working the front desk are adorable. Extremely inviting. They do a complimentary continental breakfast in the mornings in the reception area. Cute setup!

We came up from L.A. during the fires looking for a safe, comfortable place to land after a very stressful week. From the moment we arrived, Anne made us feel at home. She was friendly and helpful; the chocolate chip cookies helped too. The room was clean and bed was so comfortable. The next morning, Katherine, at the front desk was even more welcoming! We sat with her for a while and chatted like we were old friends catching up after many years apart. Love this place and its people. Thank you so much!

Cute boutique hotel in Carmel. All of the hotels in Carmel are small boutique lodge types but some are older and not updated. Hotel Carmel fits the boutique vibe but is nice, renovated, and welcoming. Room was a good size and clean. Cute little hot tub and courtyard with fireplace and seating. The lobby had fresh chocolate chip cookies every night, a generous continental breakfast in the morning, and different complimentary cocktails throughout the day. Overall very pleasant experience and would stay here again.

Disappointing start to a mother daughter getaway. We pulled into the hotel/motel an hour early and thank goodness was we did. The parking spots get snapped up fast. When our room was finally ready, I was disappointed to discover that although we booked two months earlier, we were stuck in a dank back corner of the courtyard in two musty rooms. Even more disappointing was that a courtyard room was the hotel reservationist's recommendation so that we wouldn't overlook the parking lot. But guess what? The parking lot rooms have views of the ocean. So lame. We haven't been here very long but so far the desk staff is curt, the bathrooms are crappy and the room is depressing. There are far more fun quirky places to stay in Carmel. The location is good but the rest stinks. Update Day 2 After doggedly pursuing a change of rooms we were promised two on the second floor the following day. Same layout but sunny and not soul sucking. We can even see the pacific over the treetops. The hotel staff was cheerful and helpful, offering to help schlepp the luggage up the flight of stairs. I have a few other positives to report on at Hotel Carmel: 1. Their continental breakfast is a true, European style continental with amazing croissants, fresh fruit, yogurt and granola and hard boiled eggs. They even supply champagne if you'd like to start the day with a mimosa. 2. Their in-room coffee makers are lavazza, superior even to Nespresso for a morning espresso or americano. 3. Management reached out to me to apologize for our experience and sincerely listened to the issues we had. I did notice that my new room had freshly cleaned carpet which was a big step up from whatever bio-hazard lurked in the last room. I increased my stars to three. Just don't request a downstairs courtyard room unless they guarantee a sunny one.

Very charming place with a great staff. This boutique hotel features comfortable amenities and friendly staff. Kathleen was super nice and helpful! Close to everything. Wish there was an electric car charger on premises. Otherwise great stay!

Oy vey. This isn't a hotel. This is a motel. One of those places you are truly excited to stay because you booked a suite and paid $1,529.23 for ONE NIGHT, but it just turns out to be good marketing. This place is just that. They have hired someone to build a beautiful website, use a couple of great shots, they have painted the building black and white and added shutters -- but the reality is not good. Our room was small (supposed to be a suite), the bathroom was even smaller (should have known when NO pictures where on the website) and very outdated, carpets had stains, and we didn't even have a spot in parking lot and had to go park wherever we could find street parking- all for $1,529.23 for ONE NIGJT. We have stayed at many other local hotels nearby and we were the fools to fall for this one, shame on us. I should have read the other reviews before booking as most folks say the same things as noted here. -It has NO AIR CONDITIONING. We baked all night! -it's obviously dog friendly because we could also smell dog urine in our room. What a nice smell. -We also had someone's old leftovers in the mini-fridge too that was never cleaned out. -We could hear our upstairs neighbors walking and talking the entire trip.

Quite disappointing and I agree with many of the reviews already on the site. Our room was dark and musty and definitely not a luxury stay. We checked out one day early despite already paying for the night.

Great location! $1500 for a "suite"was ridiculous but room was decent, quiet. Bed and pillows comfy, really hot without AC. Prior guest's leftovers in fridge. housekeeping took nonslip mat from shower. Had to ask front desk for ice and Don was great about it. Miss K acted like It was beneath her and wouldn't get it for us. Coffee pot empty at 7am and pretty sure Miss K couldn't be bothered to keep it filled. Food at Brophys was good. Got lucky to find parking spot each day. Hottub and outdoor fireplaces were nice. Will not stay again though.

I went here for my engagement weekend - it was super magical and the hotel was perfect. But that Sangria and those house made cookies were to die for!

Hotel Carmel is literally the first hotel that I have stayed in since COVID happened. I haven't ventured out into many places but over the weekend we decided to take a chance and try something new. This little small hotel is beautiful in every way. We got here pretty late and the check-in counter was closed. It said to call a number and immediately someone came to the door. A very nice man had let us check-in and told us about the area and also how COVID measures have changed how they did their breakfast meal. Overall I'm glad we picked this pretty fun hotel. The outside and inside are quite pretty and super relaxing. When we woke up we could see the ocean from our second-floor hotel room. It was quiet and nice but what was pretty fun is they have a little patio area with a fireplace. Everything is well decorated and the staff was super chill and really sweet. We had a lot of fun and totally would stay here again!! Thank you for making my first time to the outside world feel safe and homey in a way! Loved it!!

So my boyfriend booked a trip for our anniversary a week long. Check-in was seamless staff was friendly. I was waiting for one of the staff to check us in and were were supposed to get a bottle of champagne but never did. Per Instagram message someone has message after reaching out if they do any anniversaries or birthday special and they said yes, we will provide a champagne bottle upon arrival but never got it. We were kind of disappointed when we discovered the rooms don't have windows you can open to have some ventilation it does get muggy after a while. Although at night gets cold. (When went around December time) Cleaning people were great of always giving us new towels immediately when we called. The bedroom is soft that you immediately sinked in. It was so hard sleeping on there for 4-5 nights. It really hurt our backs. Maybe because we are so used to hard firm beds which is like it. So we understand it's a preference. We so badly wanted to like it. It was cute but overall I have to give it a 3/5. We will most likely not return again. Definitely checkout the pub across the street the pretzels are truly is amazing like most reviews give. It was so good we had it twice in a row.

All around excellence. This is a boutique hotel in a quaint setting that masters the comfort and service game. The staff was casual and incredibly accommodating and helpful. All members that I encountered were excellent and friendly. The room felt cozy, bed was comfortable. There was a fireplace with a timer for those chilly night where you dont want to climb out of bed to shut it off. The TV had chromecast and there were extra comfy robes and an honor bar. The courtyard had a tastefully screened jacuzzi spa and fireplace, fire pit and lots of seating to enjoy both. The hotel is in walking distance to restaurants, beach and wine. The breakfast was included and delicious. Fresh berries, croissants, granola, yogurt, eggs, fruit. Parking onsite and included. The hotel attracts friendly and respectful guests. Definitely a top choice for Carmel.

Update [7/20/21]:: Hotel management has responded to some of my concerns via email and indicated room improvements are being made. I'm updating my review from 1-star to 3 for their willingness to make things better. Major misrepresentation of room setup. I booked a 3-night stay for the Suite ('The Attic'). My negative experience is not due to rude staff or lack of professionalism, but rather an expectation of privacy the hotel was unable to provide. The nature of my visit was for my honeymoon, so privacy was clearly my first priority. The Attic is structured more like a cheap upper unit buildout within a large garage space. The front desk lobby is directly below the suite and is occupied 24 hours per day. As guests check in, their voices and conversations are easily heard from within the suite -- there is zero sound barrier. The bathroom has a window and no exhaust fan, leaving us with a conundrum if we want to enjoy the shower -- humidify the entire unit but retain our privacy, or leave the window open and broadcast how great it is to be newly married and on vacation. Within the suite was an unlocked utility closet with open access to the attic crawl space, which was full of random storage items. It immediately evoked a sense of amateur hospitality and clearly would be a major safety concern had I checked in with children. This hotel suffers from incurable defects that severely negate its value for guests. Would not recommend.

Located in the heart of Carmel, this boutique hotel has the feel of an inn with probably 20-25 rooms. My first impression as I pulled in was that it seemed perfectly nice and that I'd selected well for my one night passing through Carmel. But first impressions are just that. I quickly noticed there are insufficient parking spots on site for hotel guests and most of the limited street parking in the vicinity has restrictions which require vehicles to be moved every two hours and if you're lucky enough to find a spot by 7 pm, when restrictions end for the day, be prepared to wake up early as your car must be moved again by 7 am. Upon checking in, I was told by the employee at the front desk that despite having properly reserved a dog friendly room, a $250 fee comes along with having a pet. I explained that this policy had never been communicated to me when I made the reservation. Before I could get the words out, I was quickly told this policy is stated on the hotel website. I explained that I was forced to call the hotel to make my reservation as there was a glitch in the website when I attempted to book - and I specifically requested a pet friendly room and nothing was said about any accompanying fee. I clearly stated that my issue was with the lack of communication - not the policy itself (which seems excessively high) - and was then told this would be conveyed to a manager and I'd be called later with an update. I then went to my room - 107 - which was perfectly nice with a comfortable bed and accurately represented by the interior photos I'd seen online. What I had not seen online was how dated and subpar the bathrooms - specifically the showers - are. When paying $400+ per night, I expect a nice shower and that's sorely missing here. Soon thereafter, I received a call from the front desk letting me know the $250 pet fee was being waived since I had not been told about it when making the reservation. I appreciated this very much. I walked into town for dinner and was pleased to see how great the hotel's location is. It is just minutes by foot to the heart of Carmel. Upon returning to the hotel after dinner, I was hoping a parking spot would have opened up, but no such luck. I was fortunate to see a street spot open up in an area that doesn't require cars to be moved by 7 am and quickly moved my car there. Back in the room, I was truly alarmed by how paper thin the walls are - I was able to hear every single word said by the people in the room next to me. But the biggest issue is that the room above us was occupied and every step they took felt like an earthquake and was extremely loud. This is by far the biggest problem with the hotel. If you stay here, bring earplugs - and that's unlikely to drain out all of the noise you'll inevitably hear from other guests. Lastly, the tv in the room enables guests to login to their streaming accounts such as Netflix. I followed the simple directions to do so and received error reports. I called the front desk seeking assistance and was told someone would come by within 10-15 minutes to assist me. I called back 35 minutes later as nobody had arrived. 10 minutes later, a very nice employee arrived and discovered the reason I was unable to sign in: 12 other devices were currently connected (presumably from previous guests) and he did not know how to disconnect them. Apparently this is supposed to be done automatically each time a new guest arrives, but obviously this is not the case. He recommended I watch movies on demand instead and assured me they'd be complimentary. I was unable to find anything I wanted to watch as it's a limited selection, so I decided to simply try to go to sleep (unfortunately no ear plugs in my possession). Pros: great location, comfortable bed, management's decision to waive the pet fee. Cons: incredibly noisy rooms, outdated bathrooms and insufficient guest parking Conclusion: without spending time researching the competition, I'm confident there are options with substantially better value for the amount I paid to stay at The Hotel Carmel. I will not return.

If you stay here, you are getting 5 star location, a 2.5 star room, and paying 4-5 star prices. We just stayed at Hotel Carmel for 4 nights. pros: location cleanliness staff is super friendly breakfast in the morning was excellent adjoining bar was pretty good outdoor couch/fireplace sitting area is cute. Despite the negatives below, the place has a certain charm about it. cons: $650 for a $200 room They clearly are not putting much money into improving/updating the rooms. - mattress was very old - bathroom vent sounded like a jet engine - it's basically a motel, so you'd like sturdy/safe/working windows. Not the case. - there is a hot tub in the main common area, and the water tubes are running above ground with a protective step on top of them so you don't trip over it. remember - they are charging $650 a night!

Unfriendly and disorganized staff. Poorly managed and check-in is a disaster. Any other hotel would be better. Limited parking.

I found this awesome little place on my way to Monterey. Got in a little late, but would've been nice to spend the day here. Quaint hotel with alot of history. Oh and the room very clean with alot of upgrades. The staff was very polite and helpful. Thank you to Robert Slaybers for assisting my bride in locating a parking spot. Had a couple of cocktails at Brophys Lounge which is located on the premises. And last but not least, the tasty and light complimentary breakfast. I will definitely be back here next time I plan to visit. Also the surrounding area looks great to go for a nice stroll.

Great customer service! Everyone was nice and helpful. The area is also nice and very close to the beach.

We like to stay in Carmel because of the cute shops and the fact that most places are within walking distance. Hotel Carmel is the 3rd hotel/motel we have stayed at so far. Overall, our experience with the Hotel Carmel was just average. It looked cute and cozy from the outside, but just as others stated, the inside of the rooms are a bit outdated. My husband booked the room based on the images he saw on the website, but most of the photos are of their lobby, not the actual rooms. The images lead you to believe it has a modernized cabin look but the room decor is actually a floral wicker style. For the price of the rooms, I have stayed at more modern places. We checked in on a Friday night and found the parking lot to be small and pretty full. There were a few spots underneath an overhang but it was so low we couldn't open the door to the trunk of our SUV making it hard to get our things out. Upon checking in, the employee was nice enough to warn us not to move our car because parking can be difficult so we decided to walk around. When we got back to the room, I noticed the TV was not working. Then when I went to put our leftover food in the fridge, that was not working either. I looked under the desk to find the power strip connected to the two were unplugged. I plugged them in and continued to place my items away. Well, because of the weather, sometime in the middle of the night the power went out. Because of this, the room was a bit cold and we had no fireplace to make matters worse. Since it was rainy outside, there was no natural light either so we had to get ready in the dark. My husband went to ask the front desk and apparently they have a generator that powers half the building, just not our half. It would have been nice to be informed of the power outage or be provided with lighting or anything to help make the stay more comfortable. I know they cannot control the weather but they should have precautions in place in case such things happen. What are guests supposed to do at night. About a couple hours before checkout, we decided to walk to town and find something to eat since our food in the mini fridge went bad and the breakfast the hotel had was just hard boiled eggs, fruit and yogurt. About an hour before checkout we decided to return to the room one last time to use the restroom. When we got there, we found housekeeping was already cleaning. We had removed all our luggage but had not checked out, specifically because we were not sure if we were going to need the room later. It is not housekeepings fault, but it was definitely disappointing. Would I stay here again, probably not. It is not a bad place to stay but there are much better options for the price you pay.

COVID REVIEW This hotel is super cute during non covid times, being in a prime location close to the beach and the main street. However, I wouldn't stay here again during covid for two reasons. 1. The lady at the front desk who handles all your coffee and tea and food during the morning does not wear a mask. Like wow. I'm not even joking. It's that bad! Pretty sure that's illegal nowadays. She straight up handed me my tea with no mask on and it wasn't even on her chin or hanging somewhere. Very gross and unsanitary and a health risk. 2. The continental breakfast is..... so gross. Some granola, a dry muffin, some almost expired (in 2 days) orange juice and yogurt. No thanks

Cute little hotel located in Carmel. The beach, restaurants, and shops are all walking distance. The room was comfy but there's no AC and you can only crack open the window for some ventilation. At times the room would feel stuffy. It does cool down in the evening which kind of helped a little. Parking is very limited and it's first come first serve. Street parking is available. Fun little bar located next to the lobby. The pretzel is a must try! They give out complimentary cookies at 7 in the lobby. :) breakfast was good. Highly recommend the chocolate croissants. I would visit again.

I don't even know where to start. Definitely in agreement with some of the other reviews. From the outside and the website, this motel looks charming, however in reality, needs a renovation! The motels greatest asset is Anne at the desk who is, as she says, not a manager just a desk clerk. The plumbing is a mess. Our toilet was running, the pipes under our sink leaked to the point of water spilling out onto the carpet. Speaking of the carpet, it was buckled by the foot of the bed across the entire room. Very dangerous. The Chromecast in our room did not work. It just showed no signal. We were also charged $20 a night for amenities meaning breakfast which was supposedly included. I would have to say thou that the two worst parts of this motel were the bed, where you rolled into the middle although we were told it was a new mattress, and the noise from the road & other rooms. Extremely noisy! I would recommend handing out earplugs at check-in. As I initially stated, the best part of this property was the staff who are courteous and professional, however paying $500 a night to stay at this "Motel" is absurd. We came from the East Coast for a nice peaceful stay in Carmel, unfortunately that's not what we had at the Hotel Carmel. Will definitely choose a Hotel next time.

Very disappointing, especially for the price of $600/night. The rooms have been given a quick cosmetic update, but for the price per night, they needed to go a bit deeper on renovations. The bathroom is outdated and needs to be upgraded. In the morning, we were woken up by the next room's TV, which wasn't blasting, it seemed like they had it on a normal volume. An investment in some sound insulation, especially at the price they're charging would have been a wise investment. The breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese was quite nice, however. If the rate was half, it would be a decent value. I would recommend if you're going to pay around $600 a night that you go elsewhere.

A cute little hotel right in the heart of Carmel by the Sea. A short walk to shops and restaurants and beach. Fun bar next to the lobby also. Sangria at happy hour and the breakfast was good too. Clean and cozy rooms. I hope we can go back again soon!

I feel the right thing to do when a proper remedy to a problem is sought is to acknowledge the effort and concern of the business. Upper management got in contact with us very quickly and issued our refund for the day we were charged we did not stay and released the hold on our card for the incidentals and amenity fees we did not use. I would like to thank the Hotel Carmel upper management also Anne (receptionist) and Elizabeth (receptionist) for being so kind and working with us to rectify these concerns and issues. Mistakes happen and issues surface, but how they are handled is what makes the business a class act.

Overall good stay. A bit bumpy at the start. We arrived to our room and my husband found a long hair in the shower (gross). We called the front desk and asked for the bathroom to be cleaned the housekeeper arrived. We showed her the hair and she picked it up then said the bathroom was cleaned. When I asked her to do another once over, because well why is there a hair in the bathroom that doesn't belong to use she rolled her eyes and told me again "it's clean." Well let's say I was over speaking to her. Also, while walking outside after the incident I did hear the same housekeeper speaking in Spanish saying some not so nice things about me (probably not a great idea, never know if your guests speak a different language). I went to the front desk and Anne was kind enough to handle the situation and even brought us some champagne (very kind). I will say when looking for something under the chair I found a tennis ball (again not ours). Goes to show cleaning crew is not actually doing a thorough job. Very cute hotel in a great location, cleaning staff left much to be desired.

My review is based on their, in my opinion, ridiculous, dog policy. I was about to book this hotel earlier today for several nights in October, rates were about $600/night. It cane up as dog friendly and allowed two dogs, up to 80 lbs. So I figured this was perfect. Prior to booking, I double checked he policy and first off, charging $250 per stay is absurd. We've taken our dog to many high end hotels and have never paid this much as a flat rate for a pet. But I figured, this is a nice place per the website, so fine. Then I saw the accommodations allow two well-behaved dogs, limit 40 lbs per... BUT they don't allow pitbulls or pitbull mix. WTH? We have a pitbull. He is QUIET, doesn't bark, doesn't yap, doesn't growl, he is the sweetest and calmest boy. We've never had any issues and to be honest, It's the smaller breed dogs that cause the issues and are disruptive. This was really disappointing and ridiculous to me that you completely exclude a breed of dog and based on what? Needless to say, we will not be staying here ever, even if we don't bring the pup. It's concerning that you'd have a policy that completely discriminates against an entire breed of dogs..What's next? Looking at other reviews, however, looks like this worked out best!!

Summary: I would never stay here again. I would encourage you not to make the same mistake I did. See below for more detail. Decor: Let's start with a point of clarity. This is not a hotel. This is a motel. Traditionally, to be a hotel you go into the building, approach the front desk and then go to your room from inside the building via a hallway, staircase, or elevator. Here, you go to the front desk and then exit the building and go up an outside staircase and go along an outside platform until you reach your door. Rooms are accessed from the outside. The rooms themselves are decorated somewhat beachy 1990s kind of fashion. A bit outdated. It has much more of a bed and breakfast feel than upscale hotel. Some of the doors must be slammed shut in order to close properly and windows must be pushed and prodded into position. A point of supreme importance, there is no air conditioning. They try to pass this off as unimportant by saying that the cool climate in the region makes it unnecessary. They're wrong. Also, the only functional windows face the walkway outside your room, meaning if you leave your window open, anyone walking to their room can see straight into your room. One more point about the decor and this one is completely unforgivable. The safe. It's not bolted to anything. It sits on a particleboard shelf and only weighs about 40 pounds. A very nice way to package your valuables for someone to steal. Not OK. This must be fixed ASAP. Service: As many reviews will comment, the staff is polite and friendly. But polite and friendly can only take you so far. When you encounter issues and the staff is unable to resolve them, they can only offer an apology that provides little comfort. Also you should be aware that there are no ice machines at the facility. To obtain ice you have to go to the front desk and they will then give you an ice bag to take back to your room. Oh and you can only get ice until 11 PM. Value: This is one of the most expensive motels, inns, whatever you wanna call it in the area. But the decor and experience were far below many others. Did I mention they don't have enough parking for all their guests either? Yes, this means you might pay $600 or more for one night and may have nowhere to put your car. Final Thoughts: Too many problems to fully list. Parking. A hotel should always provide enough parking for all its guests. The hotel will even tell you that they don't guarantee parking. That's not OK especially in a state like California where everyone drives. The excuse they provide is that other hotels in the area don't provide any parking. That doesn't make it any better, it only says a bad situation could be worse. You should never have more guest rooms booked at your hotel than you have parking spaces for and no amount of disclaimers will make it OK. You should always have at least one parking spot for each hotel room and guarantee each room a parking space. Oh and my car got dinged staying at your hotel...so thanks for that. The safe. Fix that immediately. Bolt it to the wall or bolt it to anything big enough and solid enough not to be carried out of the room at least. Lobby. The facility does not allow smoking at any location. And I applaud this. However in their lobby there is a painting on the wall that shows a man and woman smoking. It doesn't make any sense to have that in this type of place. Also there is a picture of the Hotel Carmel on the wall behind the front desk. The picture isn't of the Hotel Carmel in California, it's a completely unrelated facility in Missouri with no connection to this place which was formerly known as The Dolphin Inn. And please staff your desk 24 hours a day. Ice. I should never have to go to the front desk to ask for ice. Find a nice corner away from the rooms and put a 24 hour dedicated ice machine. Air conditioning. It is inexcusable to not have air-conditioning. Fans are not a substitute. Fire pits and hot tub. At the rate charged folks staying here should be able to have access to these any time of day. Staff the front desk 24 hours and allow people to be out there as long as they want not just till 10:30 PM. I paid a lot of money to stay here and what I got for it was a few polite thank you's and I'm sorry and little more. I can't recommend this place for a variety of reasons as outlined above. My recommendation stay at the Intercontinental in Monterey instead.

Growing up in Carmel I never gave much thought to hotels in the area. So coming back to the area as a visitor is disorienting when it comes to finding accommodations. When we arrived, I vaguely remembered this place as the Dolphin Inn. Well, it turns out, it was! The funny tidbit is that my in-laws stayed at the Dolphin Inn 30 years ago for their anniversary in the same room as my husband and I for our anniversary stay! This made our stay that much more special. Changes have been made to make the property more modern, and I believe they are continuing to make improvements under new ownership. The pool is no longer there, but a large and welcoming sitting area with a firepit that encourages guests to relax and interact was wonderful to use during our stay. There is a hottub which many were taking advantage of. The rooms are comfortable, but the walls are thin as are the single pane windows so if you're noise sensitive, keep that in mind. To be honest, Carmel is a pretty quiet and sleepy town, so outside noise is minimal, but if you have a noisy neighbor, the walls won't keep them out. The location is a HUGE plus. It's just "far enough away" at only 2 blocks from the main commercial area and Ocean Ave, which means there is less traffic and noise to deal with. But its so close that it is only a 5 minute walk to all of the restaurants and shops. They have parking onsite, that is not extra. However, it is first come first serve, and some of the spots are tight. So if you have a large SUV, please be mindful and dont park like an a**! In fact, the street parking near the hotel is all day and free and we found it easier to street park than fight going in and out of the lot. They have a lovely front staff, and the breakfast was delicious. Its simple--consisting of bagels, oatmeal, overnight oats and breakfast burritos--but was just right so a quick bite before heading out for the day.

The best features of the hotel are its proximity to all the shops and restaurants AND the friendly, helpful staff. Don in particular at the front desk was excellent.

Absolutely book your stay- no hesitation on my part to return again soon. The location is prime to the beach + the downtown area for endless shopping & dining. Carmel is such a wonderful experience- Hotel Carmel is the cherry on top of a great visit. I did partake in the wine tasting they have in their uber cute lobby from 5:30pm-6:30pm. I also enjoyed a small amount of time on their lovely patio (which I noticed they keep in pristine condition). They have a hot tub available to guests from 9:30am-9:30pm. I took advantage of this as well. Since it was winter I went down in my (hotel provided) robe. The waters temp was perfect for a star gazing night. The lobby staff was superb- I think it was J... (can't remember his name) that checked me in & provided all the need to know info. Overall: extremely happy with my stay. Thank you Hotel Carmel!

Cute little hotel in a great location. Can walk to everything. Staff we're all very friendly; nice jacuzzi and fireplace outside. Had sangria at check-in and mimosas at breakfast. Would stay here again.

Overall this review is due to the marketing on Instagram and website making the expectations of the hotel different than they are. The hotel is really an older revamped motel. We were extremely shocked and disappointed when we got to our room. The price doesn't adequate what you're getting. We thought about leaving our second night but ultimately stayed. The fireplace room having that is a nice touch. Staff was nice and friendly.

Terrible hotel and service. Check-in was a mess. I arrived around 945pm and the lobby was empty with no staff. I had to wait for 30min before someone came in. The receptionist was unfriendly. There is limited parking. The receptionist told me to park on the street. The hotel room was terrible. Feels like a motel with cheap dry walls and dirty carpets. The coffee machine took space on the desk so you had to move them before using the desk.

We stayed at hotel carmel this week me and my hubby had the most lovely time! Nice room and nice staff. I liked the office interior. :)

HA! Such a joke! Thanks to the night time guy! My mom and I booked this room for a girls weekend getaway, thinking; "oh! We will be safe, pretty decent reviews!" WRONG!!! The evening lady, Anne; if im not mistaken, was so sweet. "Im here is you need me anything you need call me." We we're very happy very content. Felt comfortable. We go out to dinner and come back from dinner try to get the air on, come to find out it's broken, the lights won't turn on, one of windows won't open. We call the front desk the guy; who is not Anne; states "nothing I can do.." WOW we paid $1,200.00 for 2 miserable nights, my recommendation is DO NOT STAY HERE!

Ann at the front desk welcomed us during a stressful time and BLEW ME AWAY! She offered amazing customer service and I will recommend all my friends stay here! Love the trendy decor and FABULOUS welcome 5 STARS

3.5 stars is pretty accurate. The location of this hotel is great. You won't have to drive because it's within walking distance to restaurants and the beach. The hotel is clean and like a nice motel. The price to stay was overpriced. I think the prices were significantly inflated for Memorial Day weekend. For a lot of money to stay, you don't get much. Due to COVID-19, I assume, we didn't get maid service at all during our 3 night stay. We took our own garbage out and had to ask for new towels. The hot tub has no water in it so there are few amenities. The continental breakfast was an orange, granola, vanilla yogurt, and orange juice. At night, someone was blasting U2 music at 11:30 pm. The walls are thin so it bothered our kids and kept them from falling asleep.

We had planned on a family reunion just before Thanksgiving at the Hotel Carmel, and we ended up inviting a few other friends to turn it into a celebration of family, marriage, and fun! Hotel Carmel was wonderful to work with and made all of the guests feel special. Using all 30 of the Hotel Carmel's rooms, we were excited to have the patio with fireplaces and other communal spaces for friends and family to chat late into the night. A few of my cousins were happy to re-tell how they kept Brophy's open an hour past closing while watching a football game. Friends regaled how happy they were to wake up with a cup of Nespresso and the ocean view. A great uncle thanked the staff for cleaning his room after he later decided to switch with another guest for less walking. I appreciated the staff's quick return with ice and a long table when my brother decided to add a 3 year old's birthday to the list of celebrations. Renting out an entire hotel for 3 nights might seem crazy, but I can confidently say it was worth it at Hotel Carmel. To make matters even more complicated, the Paradise Fire hit northern California at the same time of our reservation. As a result of families fleeing south, Hotel Carmel was completely booked before and after our event. I commend the hotel staff for flipping 30 rooms in a day - twice in one week.

3 nights $1,200 + A birthday celebration regret. Great location, cozy/small yet clean rooms. Very little storage, your luggage is in the way no matter what, paper thin walls and ceilings. Bathroom is a disappointment for the price. Had to ask for basic extras . Don't be on the bottom floor you'll regret it. It's 11:30pm we politely complained about the noise from above. We can hear conversations, walking around, their toilet flushing and the Tv from above. NO resolve, the noise continued and became worse after complaining until after midnight, we had to wait til they went to bed, then loud snoring. This is NOT a quite place for retreat. It's basically a glorified motor motel, NOT a hotel. Parking is horrible, your lucky to find a spot and when you do the parking spots are so small that you can't get out of your car. We opted for parking on the street. The advertised balcony is a walking hallway breezeway, NO privacy. You can open the windows however there are no attached screens. Not worth the mortgage payment for 2-3 nights. Sweet and Friendly staff, no breakfast like others have reported. It's a "NO" for me. We just expected a "retreat" for the price. Location is perfect!

Recent stay 2 nights expensive but location good . Parking was adequate , Friendly staff . Cool tavern next door Brophys Walls paper thin easily hear your neighbor s conversation .We had a double queen decent room but bathroom small and needs extractor fan badly .Complimentary coffee in room . As we checked in @ Front desk free sangria in the evening !! Ceiling fan would be nice seeing there is no A/C ! Breakfast 4/5 continental style . Would I return yes but would only like a room facing the street .

Cute little room. In walking distance from shopping and food. They pool/hot tub was still closed due to covide so that was a bummer

I had booked a weekend away for my birthday. It's been a while since Covid so my family and I were looking forward to spending some time at the beach. We arrived early to see if we could do a early check in. Unfortunately we could not because they were still cleaning. The front desk lady was very friendly, let me use the restroom and gave me a few places to check out for lunch. From what I saw of the hotel it was very charming. We ventured out to get lunch and to the beach. Here is when the unbelievable happened. I fell and broke my leg when I went to check out Bixby Creek bridge in Big Sur. I was in disbelief my trip was canceled. We went to the hotel and my husband informed them of what happened and we would not be checking in. We were going straight to the E.R. The hotel was so understanding and insured us we were not going to be charged since it was in fact a emergency. I'm soo saddened I was unable to stay here I can only hope that I can book another trip once I'm recovered. But I truly am thankful they were understating. Hope to see you again the hotel Carmel.

It's the first time I have stayed at The Hotel Carmel and now it's going to be the only place I stay in Carmel! It's the the best hotel with great rooms great service and great bar! We have had a 10 experience and will recommend this hotel to everyone !

The location is pretty good but honestly the price for the room is way to high. The motel is a three star at best. Parking is tight. Noisy rooms with paper thin walls. Decor is blah. And bathroom is sad tired looking. Staff was pleasant. Wish I had read the reviews before I booked. Carmel isn't what it used to be. But was is anymore

The absolute cutest hidden gem of a hotel. We are bummed we could only stay one night! Perfect location, very nice rooms, and great courtyard area. Ann at the front desk was amazing. We will certainty be back for a longer stay

Arrived to Hotel Carmel after a mesmerizing drive up the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1). It was raining all day, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the majestic views and natural canvas'. The arrival was organized and welcoming. After pouring a glass of local Pinot Noir, Brett proceeded to escort us to our amazing rooms, which are nicely appointed with beautiful carpets, a plush down bed, and a Nespresso Cafe maker! We are so happy to have stumbled upon this property after learning their sister property, La Playa, was fully occupied for Spring Break. Brett, AGM for 6 Classic Hotel properties in California, is the consummate host and shows great leadership style with a stress free opening day and beautifully appointed rooms here are Hotel Carmel. Now we are off to hopefully meet Clint!