Wayside Inn

The location at The Wayside Inn in Carmel, California, is fantastic, and the room was cozy, charming, and well equipped. Staff thoughtfully contacted us about our late check-in. There were a couple of letdowns: despite being advertised, breakfast wasn’t available, and parking is quite limited. The see-through toilet door also felt awkward and could be improved. Still, it’s a great place overall, and I’d recommend it for a Carmel stay.

The Wayside Inn is our go-to in Carmel-by-the-Sea. We sleep well in the charming, clean, comfortable rooms, and the staff are consistently welcoming and helpful. The location is excellent for shops and restaurants. For food and a drink nearby, we like sliders and beer at Mulligan’s at noon, fashions at Ms. Fabulous, happy hour at Vesuvio, and a cocktail with classic charm at Terry’s Lounge. We’ll definitely return to the Wayside again and again.

For more than $400 a night, we expected a peaceful, comfortable Carmel getaway. Instead, garbage trucks, heavy vehicles, and ongoing construction woke us early. Our room was beside a community power station, and its ventilation system hummed around the clock. Bring earplugs. The room smelled bad and was awkwardly laid out. The toilet was right on the floor, with no privacy, and the furniture looked worn and at least 25 years old. It felt tired and neglected rather than charming or vintage. The location is nice, but that’s true of nearly every Carmel hotel. This stay was absolutely not worth the price. Look elsewhere in Carmel for a newer or better maintained place to enjoy the area’s beauty and calm.

The property is frayed around the edges and needs upgrading. The premium rooms are nicer, but for the price there are much better places to stay in the village. The older rooms in the original building need work. Half of them have bedroom windows facing east at the back, where a loud machine noise never stops. It’s so loud you can’t open the window and still get a good night’s sleep. Given the room prices, I honestly wouldn’t return.