Hotel Carmel

I could put up with the room's age and poor upkeep until the second day. The heater clanked like a tractor all night, a bulb looked ready to burn out, and the window view was unacceptable, though the room itself was clean and neat. I booked the first night through Expedia, which listed valet at $25, but the hotel charged $45 per night for Expedia or booking reservations. The next day I asked to extend for one night. A man at the front desk said he'd match my Expedia price including taxes and fees and waive valet since I was extending directly. He asked me to come back in 30 minutes to pay. When I did, the cashier, Maria, quoted a completely different, higher price. As I tried to check Expedia, she said booking there would mean a $50 late checkout charge and that I'd have to check out and check back in after 4 PM. I asked for that staff member or a manager, but Maria said she had no supervisor contact information and nobody would be available until Monday. That was shocking and unacceptable. She also charged the destination fee I'd already paid the night before, and asked for $45 valet even though I hadn't used valet and parked myself for about $25 a night. The whole experience felt frustrating, misleading, and very unprofessional. I wouldn't stay again.

The staff were warm and friendly. This is a great hotel in the heart of Santa Monica. It's 100 years old, with the charm you'd expect from a 1920s hotel, so don't let complaints about its age put you off.

The staff made our visit to Hotel Carmel in summer 2025 especially good. They were extremely pleasant and helped us throughout the stay, then made sure our departure went smoothly. They really went above and beyond, so I'm giving five stars. Thanks again, and highly recommended :)

The staff really made the visit for me. The front desk team, especially the morning shift, were super nice, as were the valet and cleaning staff. The hotel is definitely old, but the rooms are very clean and some have been modernized. It's centrally located, though I'd ask for a room as far as possible from the nightclub or bar behind the hotel off Broadway. I'd consider staying again for the location, clean rooms, and friendly staff.