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Carmel Valley Lodge

3.3 (156 reviews)
PriceyHotels
Open • 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Full kitchen
Stacy H.

My husband and I stayed here with our pup. The front office staff was so helpful and friendly . They had great suggestions for restaurants . The complimentary breakfast was a nice surprise . We were allowed to bring our pup inside to eat. On the weekends they had a hot dish along with yogurt parfaits, croissants , fruit, hard boiled eggs. The grounds were beautiful and we enjoyed the hot tub. Our suite was dated as people have mentioned but having a functional kitchen was awesome . We loved the fireplace and living area to watch TV. Being across the way from a dog park was convenient . Restaurants were walking distance . Loved our stay ! Will be back !!!

Breakfast room.

What a charming place to spend the weekend. You could tell that the staff had so much pride and the place had such a family vibe. Each morning we had a home cooked breakfast which was delicious. Also, the weather in the valley was sunny, which was such a plus! I'll be back!

View from reception area
Carolyn T.

We stayed here because we were attending a wedding nearby. I am not sure how they can justify their room rate when it was really a sort of motel with minor upgrades. An air conditioner recently installed!! The mattress was way too soft. One pillow was very lumpy!! All sorts of wierd towels , two in a bag said for cleaning? Another said for makeup removal. The grounds are pretty and the continental breakfast was a nice surprise . Signs in room asking for tipping ?! Furnishings very dated . I am not sure I'd recommend this place but it's Carmel Valley and the choices are not numerous .

Kaela M.

Very adorable property! Clean and comfortable rooms. Fantastic complimentary breakfast.

Outdoor area to enjoy continental breakfast

I had the best weekend at Carmel valley lodge. This is a family run hotel run like a BnB. I had a two bedroom suite that felt like a cabin cottage and was perfect for a girls trip. Heater worked well for the winter. We took advantage of the hot tub and fire pits. Breakfast on weekends included delicious frittata. There was an ice machine and pretty artwork throughout. And we even did a yoga class with the owner as an instructor which was a great day. Location is walking distance to tap rooms/wineries. We can't wait to come back when it's warmer and we can use the pool. Friendly owners, and a great experience.

Our unit
Vicky M.

Stayed at the Carmel Valley Lodge for the wedding of my niece. It's a cute, quaint lodge. Most of the workers are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are large and have a nice electric fireplace in them. Parking is easy and close to the units. They do have a nice complimentary breakfast. The hotel needs updating desperately. There is no maid service. You can request they bring you fresh towels and let them know you have trash, on the porch, to be dumped. There was mold in the shower and the bathroom window doesn't lock. They don't make the beds while you are there. I found it ironic that they place a tip envelope in the rooms to tip someone who doesn't come. In addition to the above, the heater in our room was not working...the heater was set at 60* but kept pumping to, at least, 90*. When I brought it to their attention, I was asked, "didn't they fix it yesterday?" My reply was I have no idea since we checked in yesterday. The did offer to move our stuff to a new room while we were at the wedding. That was a no from us. A very RUDE man came over later with a floor heater, wouldn't listen to what I was trying to explain. Clicked his dentures a few times, dropped the heater off and left. They have no one to fix anything on the weekends. While I was reporting our issue another wedding guest came in to inform them that they had an overflowing toilet. Like I said, they need to update. Restaurants are close by as are boutique stores. Cute town! I hope they work on updating...would have been a golden opportunity during Covid shut downs.

Fun to walk around this property.

I'm very confused by some of these reviews. We must have been given the nicest room they have because I loved our comfortable, clean, spacious 2 bedroom. The shower head was a bit weird and could have been updated but the drain and the water temp/pressure was fine. The grounds were pretty. I loved the maintained gardens and the unique plants. My kids loved the huge chess set and the reading dragon. Because we were at multiple wedding events we didn't get to enjoy the pool and I'm hoping to bring them back for that. The gift shop was quirky and the breakfast was decent and included. It is also walking distance to the little downtown area and a bunch of restaurants. I love this place. It's not commercial and it's not insanely priced or snobby.

Parking right outside cottage for easy load in
K B.

We stayed in the 3 bedroom cottage and it was just perfect for 4 adults and 1 toddler. We brought a crib for the toddler. The living room and kitchen were perfect size. The pool was heated at 85* in June and the hott tub was 104*. Clean and steps from the cottage. Juliana was so helpful every time I called with questions. They have a continental breakfast from 8-10am. Coffee, juice, scones and yogurt. That kinda thing. Parking is right by the cottage. See my pictures. We can't wait to stay there again.

Lamp that holds four bulbs only had two
Christina D.

Our stay here wasn't horrendous, but the weeks leading up to it were atrocious. My husband and I had to postpone our Carmel Valley wedding three times--long story short, Carmel Valley Lodge was the closest hotel to our venue that had enough rooms to accommodate our wedding party and family. Getting a hotel block was easy enough, but that is where the ease stopped. For reference, postponing a wedding three times was incredibly difficult logistically, we moved across the country, and I started my medical residency in the middle of a pandemic. We are used to hard things. Carmel Valley Lodge was the most difficult and stressful part of my life for the last several months. Being that it was a wedding, we had many guests with the same last name. Several times, Theresa altered the wrong reservation because she either did not remember the person's first name or maybe she didn't even ask. We asked three times for a list of names, rooms, and dates for our wedding block. When Theresa sent us a list, she including the reservation number and names only. There is no way for us to look up the reservation number--we were told by the woman at the front desk that their internal system allows them to look up the reservation number and see what rooms are booked. In short, she sent us information that was completely useless to us. After countless emails, phone calls, and alterations made to the wrong reservations, about two months prior to our wedding, Theresa finally sent us a list of rooms and the names associated with them (no dates though). The number of rooms and reservations worked out, finally. Just to be sure, about three weeks before the wedding I asked for the list one more time. This list was the most comprehensive we had received, which included the status of the rooms ('held', 'paid,' etc). I then saw that a room we had booked back in APRIL was cancelled (it was August by this time). I called immediately. Theresa told me that someone had cancelled the room back in April, and she could not tell us who or why. I asked her why this room was included on all the lists she had given us when we had asked for confirmation of the rooms under our block. She simply answered with "I don't know." She made no attempt to provide a solution. We asked what could be done for us since we were under the impression, for FOUR months that this room had been booked and there was NO correspondence prior to this that indicated otherwise. Theresa kept repeating "well I don't know what to do." Great. She told us the only accommodations available was a three bedroom cottage. She promised that she would block this room off so no one else would be able to book it, and would make a note to her staff that this room was held for us. We told her we needed a day to think it over as it was much more expensive than the room we originally booked. We called back a day later and she said she could not give us the cottage as the owner of the hotel (her sister) would be staying there that weekend and she had only promised us the cottage because she hoped her sister would not be in town. ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME. First, as the owner of a hotel, if your staff screwed up, it should be on the owner to make it right and forfeit the room--YOU ARE IN HOSPITALITY. Second, the fact that Theresa made almost no effort to provide a solution upon realizing their mistake, is beyond me. After some harsh words from my now husband (he regrets letting his frustration show), Theresa offered to call other guests to see if they would reschedule, which I was surprised and grateful for. Until she called us 4 times to ask if a certain guest was in our block, when their names were included on the list she had given us of OUR WEDDING BLOCK. In the end, we actually ended up with the right amount of rooms (I attribute this to the fact I started praying because of this place). Which is where the next part begins. We had booked a room for my dad, and upon arriving to his room, the door was wide open. We had paid $400/night for a suite that was dated, had lightbulbs missing from one of two lamps in the main living space, and a half-broken kitchen light so needless to say it was extremely dark in our living room. One two light bulbs in the bathroom was screwed in so loosely it fell out while I was showering. Literally half of the light bulbs in this place were either broken or missing. Glasses in the cabinet were mismatched and dirty. They give you two dirty, old washcloths in a plastic bag with a sticker on it that says "I'm clean!" which they say is an effort to save on pristine white towels, which I guess is more environmentally friendly but a little odd. To top it off, there was a lizard in our room. The few pluses: there are two firepits on the pool deck and there is a space to hang out by the event center, which includes ample, comfortable patio seating and is well lit. The location is within walking distance to everything in downtown Carmel Valley and the views are great.

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Old facility, small, pool is kind of dirty, no activity offered, breakfast not good portable AC is noisy

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2 years ago

The history, the bar, the staff. This is what it means to care about keeping the history alive in Carmel Valley.

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A cute place. The price is right. The folks working here were very helpful and kind and personable. I enjoyed my stay. Thank you very much

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Ask the Community - Carmel Valley Lodge

Review Highlights - Carmel Valley Lodge

“The recent remodeling has only added to the comfort and relaxed atmosphere.”

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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Carmel Valley Ranch - Guest suite

Carmel Valley Ranch

(654 reviews)

$$$$

Not your typical hotel experience as the property is massive. Family pool and fitness center is not…read morewithin walking distance so expect to drive or take a shuttle. There are a few Tesla and ChargePoint chargers spread out. Tesla is free, while ChargePoint is $4.40/hr. Globalist benefit: Complimentary breakfast at Valley Kitchen, Market or in-suite dining ($50/pp, excluding service charge and delivery fee). They were quite generous with what was included. Initially, we reserved a St. Lucia room, but were upgraded to a 1-King suite, which is great when traveling with kids! Room itself was clean, but there are an excessive number of light switches throughout. Both the bed and sofa bed were very comfortable. You also get two complimentary drinks to use during your stay. Some great munchkin perks: Nina travel cot, white noise and night light, diaper pail, and you can even get a stroller to use. There's a shuttle service that takes you around the property and we typically didn't wait more than 5-10minutes after texting the hotel. Hilltop Meet and Greet: Able to get up and close to goats, sheep's, donkeys and mini horses. It was a lot of fun, but not ideal on super hot days. Make sure to wear closed toe shoes if you want to go into pens to avoid stepping in poop. Garden Meet and Greet: Was able to feed some chickens, and try some of the fruit that were growing nearby. Overall, it was a very comfortable stay that has a little something for everyone.

Enjoyed our experience here on a short Father's Day weekend getaway…read more Was greeted with wine and rubber duckies for the little ones. Also got free cookies and wine in our room. The room was spacious, we added a roller bed and BabyQuip crib. Signed up for the little rancher and was super cute. The kids got to feed the goats, per sheep, alpaca, donkeys and mini horses. Did breakfast buffet daily, as we had credit. We also went to the pool, and the kids loved it. Walked around the golf course and saw some deers. There was a wedding so it was kind of loud. Wished the in room dining had more food. All in all, good experience here.

Villa Mara - Portola room

Villa Mara

(33 reviews)

Love, love, love this beautiful boutique hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea!…read more Villa Mara is a gorgeous boutique hotel tucked away in a quiet seaside neighborhood. It blends so naturally into its surroundings that we actually drove right past it the first time. I imagine the town has strict design guidelines to preserve the charm of the area. We stayed here for the first night of our Big Sur vacation, and it was beautiful. When we arrived, we were greeted by a gentleman who escorted us to our room. He appeared to be handling everything himself that evening, yet every interaction was warm and welcoming. His hospitality made us feel genuinely cared for throughout our stay. Our room didn't have a microwave, which honestly suited the elegant aesthetic of the room. However, at night we needed to warm our 17-year-old Yorkie daughter's heating pad for about 30 seconds before bedtime, since she's a senior and warming her tummy helps her sleep comfortably. He happily heated it for us each night. We also needed to keep her food frozen, but the room refrigerator didn't have a freezer compartment. When we asked, he kindly offered to store it in their large commercial freezer in the kitchen. Because this is not a large, impersonal hotel, the warmth and personal touches made our stay especially comfortable and memorable. The service was so attentive that it felt less like staying at a hotel and more like being welcomed into a friend's home. In the evenings, guests were treated to complimentary slices of cake in the lobby along with a glass of wine. Our room had a lovely private terrace, and at night, when we opened the window, we could hear the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing as if the ocean were right next to us. It felt almost magical, and we fell asleep with the window slightly open, listening to the surf. The bed was very comfortable, and the TV was great--it had everything we needed. I especially appreciated the Japanese-made air conditioner, which made it easy to adjust the room to the perfect temperature. I was also impressed by the beautiful Waterworks shower in the bathroom--it was exquisite. Every corner of the hotel reflected impeccable taste and thoughtful attention to detail. Another thing that stood out to me was the scent of the hotel. When I first walked into the lobby, I noticed a beautiful fragrance that I believe came from L.A. Lab candles. It instantly created a luxurious atmosphere, and that same refined sense of style extended to the soaps and bathroom amenities as well. Honestly, we wished we could have stayed longer. On our second night we stayed at Alila Ventana, but next time we visit Big Sur, we'll spend both nights at Villa Mara instead. Finally, I accidentally left my white Japanese hair dryer in the room. When I called the next day, a staff member who hadn't been there during our stay immediately knew what I was talking about and kindly offered to ship it back to me. Less than a week later, it arrived safely at my home- thank you!

Villa Mara is pure California luxury, and easily one of the nicest boutique hotels I've ever stayed…read moreat. Opened in 2022, it feels brand new yet already timeless, with design that's both elegant and warm. The rooms? Incredible. Heated bathroom floors (yes, heated floors), a complimentary snack bar and fridge stocked with goodies, a sleek Dyson hairdryer, and even a fancy bidet -- every detail has been thought through. Our patio looked out toward the ocean, and at night you could hear the waves. But the real star of the show is breakfast. The coffee is excellent, the quiches are light and flavorful, and the almond croissants... wow. Hands down the best croissants I've ever had. I would come back just for those. Service was top-notch from start to finish. The staff made us feel so welcome -- kind, attentive, and genuinely happy to help. Add in the location (just steps from the beach), and this place checks every single box. If you're looking for a Carmel getaway that blends luxury with charm, Villa Mara is it.

Stilwell Hotel

Stilwell Hotel

(41 reviews)

For me, a 5-star rating is perfect so I don't give many 5-star ratings. Well, the place isn't…read moreperfect, but it's pretty close. It's a new place. It's a very nice place. It's in downtown Carmel and has a good location. It's clean and comfortable. The staff was always friendly and helpful. We'll probably stay there again. That said, here are the few areas we didn't care for. 1) There are lights under the bed that come on when you get out of bed. We don't want lights on in the middle of the night if we need to get up for some reason because that disturbs our sleep. We asked them to disable that after the first night, which they did. 2) The thermostat doesn't seem accurate. It seemed to be 2-4 degrees warmer than the reading. For example, we set it to warm to 68 which is normally cool and comfortable for us, but when it heated the room to 66, it seemed on the hot side for us. We dealt with this by just turning off the heater. 3) There were literally 4 people standing there checking us in. Sometimes between two of them they even asked us the same question twice. We just want to check-in, park our car, and get the key to our room. We don't need 4 people to do that.

Small but gorgeous hotel. I want to give like a 3.5-3.8, but am doing a 4. While it has an intital…read morehigh end appearance and price point, the Stilwell Hotel lacks the some of the essentials of a true luxury stay. - Staff: during check in, we were helped by a tall blonde young man with a deep voice . He has 0 customer service skills and should not be customer facing. He had minimal eye contact, cold demeanor as if we were bothering him, mumbling, and just overall unpleasant. He had the demeanor of a bro cashier at a GNC. There was a guy next to him which I assume was IT or something since he was messing with something at the front. There was a woman who brought us a welcome glass of champagne, and Angel - who gave us a brief tour and brought our luggage to the room. Angel and the woman were nice. Champagne was good, however I wish they offered non alcoholic options like a juice or sparking cider. Throughout our stay, we encountered many staff on the property in passing - not a single smile from any of them. Even the housekeeping staff at a BestWestern are nicer than the staff here. - Room: gorgeous but small. Booking a room for 2 does not just mean having a big enough bed, but actually room for 2 humans to move around. There is not enough room to lay your luggage out anywhere, and the bathroom was narrow. I would've liked to have a towel bar by the sink instead of having a silly rock be what holds the towel up. The room is aesthetically stunning and the bed was very comfortable. I loved the ambient lighting options and motion activated under-lighting. I liked that we had a balcony. I enjoyed the soaps / lotions, as well all the nespresso in the room. Air conditioning worked well. Room was very clean. - Parking: parking was easy in the day. We lucked out at night but guests arriving after 8pm had nowhere to park, which we witnessed first hand. We saw a guest told the staff "the lot is full", and the staff said "just take the EV spot". What about your guests with EVs who need to charge their cars for the night? On another day, a large car was parked in the entrance into the hotel (not the street) and stayed there for 15 min which blocked entry for everyone else - i wish the staff came out to inform the guest that they couldn't leave their car the. The main lot is very tight with slim spots and awkward parking angles, but the back lot was good . While this wasn't an issue for me, I can imagine coming off of a long flight, finally getting to the hotel at night, and being frustrated at the lack of available parking. - Breakfast: this is the main reason we wanted to stay here. The breakfast itself is good, not great. The French toast, juice, chia pudding and eggs are best things - everything else is okay as I found some things to be stale such as the waffles and muffins. I did enjoy how the food is displayed, and there lots of variety. Staff is constantly refilling items so you never have to worry about things running out, regardless of when you arrive for breakfast. Breakfast is much later than it is at other hotels, and with a small window (8-10am), which can be an issue if you are planning to eat early prior to a hike. 2 staff stay in the area however they just stare at you from the corner of the room. No smile, no good morning. The first day, I felt like we were being stared at as if we were freeloaders sneaking in for free breakfast. It was very uncomfortable. Not sure if they were staring because we're younger than a majority of the other guests but there really is no excuse. I think they should do a wrist band system or something if they insist on eyeing people. Property- they have a cafe by the breakfast area where you can order hand crafted pizza. We didn't do this but it smelled great. The location is convenient with lots of restaurants within walking distance . As a hotel guest, you get a discount at the Foray restaurant, which is closed mondays and Tuesdays Overall: Beautiful, but I don't think I'd stay again. For the price point and all the amenities, I expected to be in love with this hotel. At other hotels with this price point, I'm usually like "I don't want leave!", but not here. It wasn't a bad stay, but the experience didn't match the price point. I hope they get better staff or else I could see this hotel failing in the future.

Carmel Valley Lodge - hotels - Updated October 2026

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