Motel 6 Oceanside, CA Marina / Camp Pendleton

I barely slept, maybe half an hour, and can’t believe I paid $80 for this place. At checkout, when I told the woman it had been awful, she said, “Well, it a motel 6 what did you expect?” I’ve stayed in plenty of questionable places and don’t expect luxury, but this place was a complete dump. The staff were rude and seemed not to care. My room was in disrepair and incredibly noisy. People appeared to live there full time, with sketchy dogs and shady characters around, along with tweakers and trash. The people above me were vacuuming at 2:35 A.M. There were loud TVs and conversations from every direction at 4:00 A.M. I finally went to the office at 4:30 A.M. to ask what could be done. The guy didn’t seem to care, and nothing was done. Construction was going on through much of the hotel, with dirt, dust, and workers all over. Some seemed to be living there too, and they shouted and looked at me like I was the intruder. Housekeeping also somehow missed someone’s teeth and toothpaste in my room. How? Motel 6 isn’t a luxury resort, but I’ve stayed at dozens and usually found it clean, well priced, and quiet. This place was nothing like that. Do better.

There’s plenty of parking, and the rooms are big. This historic purple castle is still keeping to its tradition and offers the best value, though it costs the same per month as the place NEXT DOOR. The NEXT DOOR option has longer leases but comes unfurnished. That’s probably a better fit for people who complain about budget motel rooms or pick them apart in public, as if they’d been promised some grand experience in every inch of a vintage bathroom.

The location is nice, and they were accommodating when I asked to switch rooms. Unfortunately, when I stayed a couple of months ago, the place was infested with roaches. Moving rooms didn’t undo the damage, and I got the impression I wasn’t the only guest dealing with them. I wish I could return, but not to this location. 💔

The location is the only thing I can praise. Our room smelled and had roaches all over it. We’d booked three nights but left at 5 a.m. after just one because the room was so nasty.