Beachcomber Inn

The staff were nice, but the rest of the place was a dump. The rooms were tiny, smelled bad, and had stains all over the floor. I was afraid to put my things on the bed in case there were bugs. The pool was closed due to federal regulations, and the lobby and breakfast room smelled like mildew. I have nothing good to say about it. There are much nicer places down the street, just as close to the beach and for the same price.

The people here take pride in maintaining the place, even though the facilities are old. The staff were incredibly generous and kind. They let me check out late, and when they could fill the room, they didn’t charge me for changing my reservation at short notice. I had a wonderful stay.

The room was in pretty bad shape. The carpet was filthy or stained, the whole place smelled of mildew, the fridge didn’t work, and there was no microwave. We did have ice, but had to let the water run a long time before it got warm. The walls were thin, too. The place has seen better days, and I’m afraid it would take so much money to fix that it’s headed for demolition. On the plus side, the woman at the desk was super nice and helpful, as was the man who brought more supplies. Breakfast included yogurt, waffles, bagels, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, and other things, and they sell very cheap postcards.

I used to like staying here because it was inexpensive and well located for trips to Monterey and Carmel, whether for work or fun. Asilomar Beach is a short walk away, and downtown Carmel and Monterey are a short drive. But the owners have let maintenance slide on the old building. The exterior needs paint and structural repairs, and several supports under the eaves are pulling away. On my last visit, I found what looked like termite evidence on the bed. I told management, but they offered little in the way of a solution and basically seemed to say there was nothing they could do. I might consider it again if ownership changes, but I won’t be back before then.