Little European Lodge

I’ve stayed at Little European Lodge a few times and it’s never let me down. The location is great, with the beach only 10-15 minutes away and plenty of local wine tasting nearby. Rooms have plenty of sleeping space for the family, and the beds are very comfortable. The towels are so soft, too. The staff are friendly, and check-in is always easy.

The room had everything we needed, including good TV service, a refrigerator, microwave, and Keurig coffee machine with different coffee brands. They also supplied bottled water and disposable cutlery. The towels were excellent quality and looked brand new. The shower and restroom were great, and they’ve clearly made a good effort to make the room feel nice and cozy. But we stayed two days, and nobody came to make the bed, empty the trash, clean the restroom, or leave fresh soap or toiletries for the second day. The outside of each room could use better upkeep and looked a little run down. It feels more like an Airbnb operation than a lodge.

Carola, the owner, is so, so sweet. She made our stay feel special and helped with everything we asked for, and then some. This is a beautiful, quaint hotel in Carmel Valley that’s been family-run for many decades. The pool is really nice, and the rooms are great. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

The former Manager, Brayli, was the best part of my long-term stay at LEL. The location was a problem, though. I couldn’t stand the nonstop traffic noise on CV Road, and the adjacent restaurant was quite loud. Twice a day, wine bottles were tossed out. The unit was drafty and faced the unappealing “backyard.” Raw olives collect on the cute-looking patio, making it messy to walk across, and the patio itself needs replacing. The unit was oddly sized, all one room, with the bed against the very back wall beneath large windows. It was kind of dark inside and could use more light and modernization. The small bathroom had an awkward layout. I paid for a “kitchenette,” but it barely qualified, with no counter space for food prep. The glass slider front door was hard to open, and the screen door was even more stubborn. The Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and other equipment need improvement. It was freezing in cold weather and stuffy and HOT in warm weather. The property must have been lovely once, but now it’s old and rundown and needs cleaning and renovation. Too bad about the location. Rates are quite high for what you get, though it’s somewhere to stay if the other area hotels are full.