Hampton Inn Cardiff Beach Encinitas, CA Near Del Mar

The breakfast was good, and I liked the little snack bar with food and toiletries. That’s about all I can praise. I booked a king room a week ahead, then arrived at 10:30 AM after a 5-hour drive and was told king rooms usually aren’t ready until later. The front desk woman did help me get a room with two queens once one was “made available.” Parking also costs $20 a day, which felt frustrating when I was already paying to stay there. My bed wasn’t comfortable, there was a blood stain on the cover, and the do-not-disturb sign kept falling off whenever I opened or closed the door. The outlets were all loose, and the bathroom fan switched on by itself overnight. I had to get up twice to turn it off, once at midnight and again at 2:34 AM. Maybe it was just my room, but good grief, I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The rooms have plenty of space, good shower pressure, a fridge and microwave, an easy-to-adjust thermostat, and lots of outlets. Still, what keeps bringing me back is the staff and breakfast. I travel to San Diego at least 2-3 times a year for sports tournaments, and breakfast starts at 6am every day with a wide range of food: eggs, sausage patties, potatoes, oatmeal, cereal, regular and soy milk, bananas and other fruit, yogurt, bread, bagels, muffins, and two waffle flavors each day. This week I had s’mores, churro, and pumpkin spice. The breakfast-area attendant greeted every guest, and everyone on staff was friendly and accommodating. Coffee’s available in the lobby all day, and there’s a handy bottle filler that also dispenses ice. The Mexican place beside the hotel has fish tacos that are cheap, delicious, and filling. Free parking would have made the stay completely perfect, but the daily fee was posted on the website, so I knew about it in advance. I’ve paid more at hotels without included breakfast, so the parking charge still felt like a fair trade for everything else. One of my best hotel stays in California.

The location is handy for I-5, yet the hotel wasn’t noisy. Rooms were clean and spacious, with a mini fridge, microwave, and in-room coffee. Staff were helpful and courteous, and they kept the breakfast items well stocked. Breakfast runs 6-10am daily, with hot and cold choices like waffles you make yourself, fresh eggs, meats, oatmeal, yogurt, juices, and continental options. There’s coffee and tea all day, too. For the area, the daily room rate was reasonable. The extra $20 nightly parking fee is the drawback, as with other California hotels. I’d recommend it and would stay again when visiting family nearby.

Breakfast is served from 6 am to 10 am, with waffles, scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, bacon, and egg white frittatas, plus muffins, bagels, cereal, bananas, and oranges. There’s also an outdoor pool and hot tub. Great hotel, and the staff were super friendly.