MarBrisa Carlsbad Resort

We’re here for a whole week, and the noise from the family above us has made being in our room miserable. They run and pound on the floor at all hours, morning and night. The property called them as a courtesy, but nothing changed. Coming back after a full day out and hearing the noise into the evening is stressful and frustrating. The rooms and property are very nice, the location is great, and staff communicate well. There are signs asking guests to consider the people below them, especially from 10pm to 7am, but our experience has still been awful. A large group with children shouldn’t be on an upper floor. With people being so inconsiderate, the place may not be worth the headache.

We had a one-bedroom suite at The MarBrisa Carlsbad HGV for a long weekend. It was spacious, with a much larger bathroom than we expected, and having a washer and dryer in the unit was handy. The couch creaked a bit but was still comfortable. The large pool area had plenty of seating, and there was a special entrance to LegoLand. We were glad our building was next to the main lobby, which made it easy to get water bottles each day. They also put popcorn out in the lobby from 3-5pm daily. Everyone on staff was very nice. The part that frustrated me applies to timeshare owners: they kept contacting us about an owner's update meeting. They emailed a couple of days before arrival, and I replied no thanks. They asked again after check-in, saying they’d put me on a list that I could cancel because they didn’t want me to miss a possible last spot. I said I didn’t want to be on a list and would get in touch if I changed my mind. That evening they called our room, then tried my cell the next morning, and later called the room phone again, which my partner answered. I’m a travel agent and told them I can earn commission by booking our activities myself. If we booked anything, I could do it ourselves and wouldn’t have to spend vacation time in a meeting. I wish they’d respected the first no, thank you.

My husband's brother came out from CT, and we had a nice stay-cation. The pool and exercise room were outstanding, and old Carlsbad is nearby with lots of food choices. Go to Pappagallio. It’s a great spot for Legoland too, since the properties are next to each other. My one complaint: where’s the coffee shop with a little breakfast food? There’s coffee and tea in the room.

Our group of five adults and a toddler fit perfectly in the connected rooms. The rooms were fabulous, and having two balconies meant everyone could find a quiet spot. The kitchen had what we needed, though storage was tight. I also appreciated having a washer and dryer in the unit. The location is fantastic, just minutes from the beach, with a private entrance to Legoland. The Cove pools and hot tubs were lovely, though they could’ve been a little warmer. Roasting s'mores over the fire pits was fun. My main issue was having to call so often for basics like towels, trash liners, and dishwasher soap, since they’d left us so few.