Old Marina Inn

Being able to park right outside the room is a real plus for me. The rooms were clean and the staff were friendly, and there was some really good Thai takeout close by. The morning coffee wasn’t much, though at this price I wasn’t expecting anything special. A perfectly decent place to stop along the road.

We had a huge two queen room, with plenty of space for the bikes, the kids, and a table for three. That worked well for us, and I like the single story layout with parking in the middle because it’s easy to get to the car and feels secure when you’re traveling with bikes. I was in town for Sea Otter at Laguna Seca and chose this place to save money compared with Monterey. I’m used to the cheapest place that isn’t seriously bad, and I mostly got what I expected. The shower was a dark, tiled stall with a tiny glass door and no light, and the bathroom felt cheap, with no fan, though its window opens. I didn’t inspect for grime, so I can’t say whether it was dirty. There’s no air conditioning either, but the windows open and give you good airflow if it isn’t a heat wave. The sheets aren’t fitted and kept coming loose. Beds were too firm for me, but I bring a camping pad, and the kids didn’t mind. My wife wasn’t along, though I suspect she wouldn’t have liked the bedding or bathroom much. The rate was the main problem. On the busy event weekend I paid $220 a night for a room that’s $80 on other weekends. I understand a busy event can mean higher prices, but the lot was almost empty when we arrived, and since I booked just days ahead I felt they could have worked with me. At under a hundred a night, this seems about as good as you can expect. At the price I paid, I wondered if a few extra dollars a night for an upgrade would have been worthwhile. Still, it suited us, since we cared more about space and storage than amenities. Papa Chevo’s, a few blocks south, had amazing burritos.

The location made it easy to get to Marina State Beach, the Monterey area, and Santa Cruz. Every time I’ve stayed, the rooms have been clean and the mattresses really comfortable.

Plenty of parking, places to eat nearby, and the ocean is an easy walk or quick drive away. The rooms are big, with a fan, heater, TV, microwave, mini fridge, coffee pot, and free wifi. It’s a family run mom and pop inn with great service and good value for the money, priced lower than similar inns around here.