Scandia Motel

As a travel nurse, I gave this motel a try for an assignment and was glad I did. The room was clean, and the recently renovated bathroom was a nice surprise. I’d read some bad reviews beforehand, so I expected less, but my stay went smoothly. The sheets could have been cleaner. For the price, though, it’s a good deal, and I’ll book here again for future assignments.

The cocktail bar was a highlight, with mixologists making drinks I thought were the best I’d had. The pool was huge and lovely, and breakfast offered a generous, high-quality spread that got each day off to a good start. I’d recommend it for a luxurious getaway. [worst hotel i’ve ever stayed, dirty floor is sticky SCAMDIA]

My boyfriend and I booked five days, but the room was tiny, with the bed taking up nearly all the space, and it didn’t resemble the online photos. We tried to make the best of it. On the first night I started getting bitten and thought it was a mosquito, since I’d seen one in the room. By our third night, my last there, I was covered in bites from head to toe and hives. I found out they were bed bugs. I’ve never had to deal with anything like this at a motel. Be warned, I believe this place is covered in bed bugs, and I wouldn’t stay here.

The location is handy for Carlsbad restaurants, and the Coaster train passes right by about every 30 minutes. Inside, though, the bed was extremely hard, and we slept badly with just three small, rather flat pillows and noise from nearby rooms. We could hear a neighbor’s TV all night and another walking around in heels. There was no coffee station despite the photos, and we got only one washcloth, one hand towel, two shampoos, and two bars of soap. They also asked $20 per hour for early check-in. We can cross this hotel off our list.