lovely unassuming place with a spectacular view of the beach & ocean. Very clean. convenient walk to many restaurants, places of interest and of course Moonlight Beach. We would go again in a heartbeat. read more

Closest motel to the beach in beautiful Encinitas. Just two blocks from Moonlight Beach and mere steps from one of my favorite coffee shops and the charming heart of downtown Encinitas. Everything is walkable which I absolutely love. We've stayed here four times now, always in a room with a private balcony and ocean view. There's nothing like waking up at sunrise with a cup of coffee and soaking in the peaceful coastal panorama. Rooms are spacious and here's what's included with your stay: mini fridge, microwave, free WiFi, free parking, beach essentials (if you don't pack your own), access to bbq grills, complimentary morning coffee, and snacks from the front desk. The beds are very comfortable, and the bathrooms appear to be upgraded. Some rooms even come with kitchenettes. For the best rates, skip the third-party sites and check their official website directly. You'll fall asleep to the sound of ocean waves and wake up to the scent of salt air. It's truly fabulous. read more

See all

Clean rooms, friendly staff, great location.Close enough to walk to everything including the beach.

I can't say enough good things! Clean, friendly staff, close to beach and local shops! can't wait to go back!

Great front desk reception lady, so friendly & warm!! Our spacious room was clean with 2 queen beds & a kitchenette. booked last minute through Expedia & got a terrific price for 1 Sunday night! We were very happy with our stay!! Thank you Moonlight Beach Motel! read more

Very good location walking easy access to the beach and close to coffee shops and restaurants read more

See all

Everyone was so nice and accommodating. The rooms were spacious and very clean. It's in a beautiful place with a great view. Walking distance to Moonlight Beach and into the town of Encinitas with great shops and restaurants. I would definitely stay there again. read more

Very warm welcome, everything felt new and fresh. Staff was wonderful and accommodating. Beautiful ocean view from our balcony. Quick walk to the beach. No Bo complaints. Highly recommend . read more

Excellent value for money. The rooms were spacious enough for 4 of us and they are very well maintained. We had a lovely view of Moonlight beach from the room and small patio at the entrance to the room. The bedding was comfortable and sheets frequently changed. The location was peaceful and very well located for walking into downtown Encinitas, as well as being just 6 minutes walk from the Coaster train station which gets you to various towns up and down the coast, and San Diego in about 40 minutes. All in all we had a great break at the Moonlight Beach Motel. read more

Superb. Love the place. Jennifer is the BEST. Also, Patrick. I'll be back. A super experience near the beach.​​

My husband and I live in Encinitas but we were having work done on our house so had to find a place to stay for several days. I always wanted to go to Moonlight Beach Motel so this was my chance. We had such a wonderful time there. It is minutes from the beach in one direction and minutes to delicious and healthy restaurants in another. We took great beach walks every day and vowed to continue after we left. We saw exquisite sunsets every night from the viewpoint at Moonlight Beach. We were even able to walk to the SRF Gardens on K Street. The Motel had everything we needed, including a kitchenette that had every single item, unlike dozens of Airbnbs and motels I have visited in the past. The bathroom was clean, just like everything else, and was well stocked with soap and towels. The manager and all the employees I met, were sterling. They were friendly, accommodating, and sweet. After we checked out, we accidentally left a rather expensive item. Fortunately an honest employee reported it to the office and they gave us a call. I will go to Moonlight Beach Motel again whenever I can. It was a great experience. read more

Our room was comfortable and clean. The bed was very comfortable and the linens were nice. We loved having a full size coffee maker and larger refrigerator. View of the water and the beautiful sunsets was a treat. read more

This is a great, family-run, family-friendly motel two blocks from the beach in Encinitas. The staff are lovely and helpful, and the rooms are clean and bright. The upper two floors have balconies with tables and umbrellas where you can get a sea breeze. What I like about this motel is that it has a relatively small number of rooms, and the rooms themselves are spacious and well laid-out. There's an area for grilling and picnicking but no pool with all the noise and mess that can go with that. read more

A week long Airbnb in Carlsbad, we decided last minute to extend our getaway and explore Encinitas and a couple of locals we met highly recommended this spot. So we signed up for two nights, It's basic and of course we didn't expect "WOW" factors with the room but the ocean view from the top floor was priceless! What stood out the most was Jennifer who went above and beyond to ensure that our stay was comfortable. A huge shout out! We ended up adding an additional nights stay which Jennifer expedited with ease. Thank you! read more

I was very impressed by this establishment. Wonderful room, great view from the balcony, easy to locate and park. Close to many restaurants. I could have moved in! read more

everyone was very nice and accommodating. rooms were clean. excellent location. we stay there every sept.

We just love this place. Welcoming and friendly and so low key. Got to love the coastliner trains which seem to honk their horns in town periodically though. So close to our favorite beach, Moonlight beach. read more

Great location but sterile and overpriced Front office doesn't answer phone or emails Noisy and overly lit patios and hallways Recent renovations and customer service is disappointingly corporate. With all the boutique motels to follow modern hospitality and decor, this motel is a sadly wasted opportunity Let's hope Moonlight Motel is sold to owners that care about guests and make this beach hotel better read more

What a little slice of heaven! I was in town for a few days, and as Encinitas has always been my favorite beach town in the world, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend a few nights near the beach. The location really can't be beat because it's right off of Highway 101 and a myriad of shops, and also just off of the Encinitas Blvd exit of the 5, and you're right around the corner from a good coffee shop and some of the best ice cream in the country. The staff is super friendly and was able to upgrade my room so that I had a bit of a view of Moonlight Beach. Since it was the off-season and the middle of winter (well, the closest SoCal gets to winter anyway), it was pretty quiet. It's still worth a stay, because the beach holds its own charms when the weather is cool too. (Seriously, Moonlight Beach is one of the best kept secrets in SD County too.) I can see why it gets high ratings all around, and frankly, it's a great value when you consider what you can get--a kitchenette, some storage space, and walking distance to all that this cute little village has to offer. I would come back in a heartbeat! read more

Clean, well maintained family friendly facility. A short 2 block walk to the beach. Well situated just off Pacific Coast Highway 101; many shops, coffee houses and restaurants in walking distance. Very pleased. Highly recommend. read more

Moonlight Beach Motel - Looking west towards the ocean. - Hotels Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great location -- 2 shorts blocks from a great beach -- modern updated rooms, clean and well kept, with lots of fun restaurants and cafes in walking distance. Biggest plasma TV I've seen in a hotel/motel. Nicer on inside than you might expect from outside. Hard to reach someone after hours, but a solid 4 1/2 Stars. read more

Moonlight Beach Motel - View from balcony of best room, Rm.308. - Hotels Near Me - Encinitas, California

Very nice, older style motel near Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. The rooms are large and very clean. Plenty of parking.

5 stars for friendly staff. I made a mistake and only booked one night. I called them up. They were so friendly changed the reseevation for the second night. No problem. Emailed me a confirmation hassle-free just completely amazing. Motel rating... MOTEL... 5 stars! This place is just a stumble away from the PACAFIC OCEAN. We had the 3 bed special. Think studio kitchenette with bed and and a back bedroom with two beds. I cannot say enough about the family / staff. My son LOST the key on the beach and they were able to let me in after hours. They have their own parking lot. That is a big time saver! 5 star everything. Ok... 1 star internet service. Internet was super slow. Cable TV is good. Love this place!!! read more

See all

Very disappointing all around. Back for our 2nd time, and seems like it's really gone downhill. Long story short we had some person on drugs or drunk start knocking on all the units at 3am and kept coming back until 5am when they started pouding on our door like they were going to break it down. Couldn't reach management, called the cops, never got a call back from management even in the morning. When I went to check out the front desk lady seemed to think it was comical that we got woken up , kept giggling even in spite of my standing there with a stunned look on my face. Good luck if you stay here for you life. Also make sure you have supplies because they seem to have only enough blow dryers and irons for the rooms there, no onsite security, and check your iron before you do anything. Their iron was in bad shape and left burn marks on my wife's dress. read more

We are really enjoying our stay at moonlight hotel and will definetly return. We arrived about 6p on a Tuesday post holidays, and connected with the office who also gave us a courtesy call about that time, with info about check in after hours. Great location, super walkable to the beach and nearby restaurants and of course, coffee. Room was very spacious with two king beds balcony and room with a view. Very clean, updates bathroom with large shower and small window for ventilation. Greta spacious desk, closet , drawers, microwave and mini fridge. Very pleased and great value. read more

Clean rooms at an affordable price and close to the beach. What more can you ask for.

Jennifer is the best!!! When we arrived there was a problem with our reservation and she fixed it on the spot. We would have had a rather frustrating stay without her help. It was so relaxing and fun, would definitely stay again. Jennifer also went above and beyond our expectations when she mailed back my kids souvenirs they left in the room by mistake. WOW! She made the stay memorable :) read more

Moonlight Beach Motel - Hotels Near Me - Encinitas, California

I would just like to start off by saying that the man who checked me in was very friendly. I felt very welcomed from the start. He offered the use of beach items, free of charge, as long as we rinsed and put them back. Checking in was super easy, and when I got to the room I was pleasantly surprised with how clean it was. There wasn't even dust in the lights on the ceiling! The location is great, we had a wonderful ocean view. The balcony was a nice place to spend each morning and wind down on each night. We were in walking distance to many bars restaurants stores, and two blocks away from the beach. However, we had quite a noisy stay. Unfortunately, our room was next to the washer and dryer, in which they were remodeling the little room they were in. So the noise from the construction was quite annoying on a Saturday morning. Also, we noticed that our door had several cracks in it, making it so that we could hear every little conversation outside of our room. Granted, the guests are not the hotels problem. But we were unlucky enough to have quite some noisy neighbors. They were constantly going up and down the stairs, and it sounded like they were moving furniture back-and-forth in their room all night, as the noise was going from one corner to the other, which lasted several hours each day. Our bathroom door also had a hard time staying closed. My boyfriend and I literally had to slam the top of the door and the bottom of the door AND lock it for it to actually stay shut. If we just tried to close it regularly, 30 seconds after the door would just shoot open which makes for a very uncomfortable situation in the restroom. But we made it work. Overall it was a nice little place to stay for the weekend. I think if I had to stay longer than two days though, I would definitely try to find a place a little bit more quiet, and maybe something with a continental breakfast. read more

We were so pleasantly surprised at how fresh and clean this motel was! Staff was great and the grill area came in handy. Many rooms have an AWESOME view. We would absolutely stay here again! Can't beat the location...beach and many restaurants are within an easy walk! read more

Moonlight Beach Motel - Balcony view - Hotels Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Perfect location, close to ocean, restaurants and night life. Jennifer an amazing manager, took care of our quirky requests with a smile. Look forward to staying again! Almost don't want to post this, rather keep this place a secret! read more

Mainly, I would like to give a huge shout out to the extremely hardworking & wonderful staff at The Moonlight Beach Motel . They made ALL the difference in our stay this week. Denise, Jennifer, Yeshica and Joe ( and one more very nice man who's name I forgot to ask) were always patient and helpful at adjusting & adding to our reservation--they went above and beyond to help us as needed, at a time that might have been otherwise stressful. The hotel is casual, clean and comfortable, with beautiful views and ocean breezes...conveniently located within walking distances of fun and lots of delicious food. This was our first time at this motel , and we will be back! Thank you!! Rooms 203 &205 (with broken down car ) read more

We are one day into our 5 night stay and I have to say this place is a gem! Great location, very friendly staff, amazing view and walkable to many great places. Yashica went above and beyond to make sure we are comfortable. Highly recommend read more

We live in Carlsbad and thought we would give this a try Sat night while we attended the Switchfoot concert. We are a family of four, kids 9 & 12. We were very impressed as our expectations were a bit lower. Great owners and well kept up rooms for an older motel. Highly recommend it if you want to spend time at the beach and have plenty of sleeping area for the family! read more

Must admit, I'm tempted to leave a modest review to make sure this gem remains hidden... Selfish, I know, but once you have stayed here, you'll want it all to yourself, too! I was charmed the second I opened the door to our room, which functions as a studio apartment complete with kitchenette. The building itself is a little aged and modestly decorated, but everything is very clean and well-stocked. Honestly, the simple, unpretentious nature is a great appeal. The managers are a genuinely kind couple. Area is convenient, and you're less than a 5 minute walk from the beach. Worst I can say is while showering, an errant toilet flush may scald you, but that only made us feel more at home! If possible, spend the extra change to book a room with an ocean view. read more

See all

A very good motel to stay with, and you should come and visit! The staff was very adorable and accommodating. They entertained me well when I stayed there in their hotel. The swimming pool is big and clean. A very delicious food served to us by this elegant hotel. It was truly worth it. Thanks! read more

Moonlight Beach Motel - Hotels Near Me - Encinitas, California

Wonderful View, Great Staff I stayed in the Moonlight Motel this past week and I was very impressed. The view was spectacular - especially nice when having a glass of wine and afternoon snacks on the room's balcony before walking into town for dinner at one of Encinitas' amazing restaurants. The king bed was very comfy, and the sheets and comforter were luxurious. The staff in the office, and the cleaning crew, were all friendly and offered great tips about the area. I will admit that the room needed some updates but the good news is that the entire hotel is currently being renovated room by room and the room in which we stayed will be updated soon. We are looking forward to returning in 2020, after the renovations are complete! read more

Fantastic place to stay. Great location, central to many stores, cafes, restaurants, the beach, and so much more. The staff is very professional, friendly, and welcoming. The beds are comfortable, all amenities provided, and the BBQ area is perfect. I highly recommend this for a family vacation. We will certainly be back!!! read more

Staff incredibly welcoming, friendly, patient and kind. Food, shopping, even different grocery shopping options in walking distance or less then 1.5 mile away. Transit trains and buses also in walking distance. Beach in walking distance. Beach with different free sea life sightings but also incredibly safe. Fridge the best amenities the best . Definitely coming back . read more

What a gem in a primo location! The rooms and bathroom are spacious and updated. I loved having the kitchenette with fridge. You can walk to Moonlight Beach, numerous restaurants in Encinitas, and a lovely grocery store Lazy Acres. Jennifer at the front desk was kind and so helpful! There is plenty of parking spaces. This will be my go-to spot every time I go to Encinitas! read more

Super cute motel! It's very clean and has a beautiful ocean view. The staff is very friendly and accommodating! We loved our stay and hope to be back soon. read more