Best Western Carmel’s Town House Lodge

We stayed in the building behind the pool. Our room was spacious for a hotel room. The king bed was comfortable, the pillows good, the water hot and the towels were fluffy.
The back has covered parking.
Staff was always very pleasant and helpful. I booked through Best Western and the price was as reasonably considering the location in Carmel by– the– Sea.
The onsite parking spaces are tight. My full size pickup had trouble navigating the spaces. I would not bring my truck here again.
The hotel is close enough to walk everywhere in town with little effort.
When the toilet flushed the noise was similar to a cannon.
I would consider staying here again.

I’ve booked this hotel on Expedia where I had only me as a user. However, I have a family of six with four little children, aged 1 to 7 at the time of this booking.
We pulled up directly in front of the office in our family van, and I went inside with the three older kids.
I’m normally presented with a hotel form, where I write I have six occupants.
I’ve reserved a «family suite», depicted as a spacious room with a king-​size bed and a sofa bed in another room. There was also a pool mentioned on Expedia. The pool was the key reason I had chosen this hotel as kids love pool during travel.
The suite turned out to be tiny, with no real separation between the rooms — the key need for parents who put the kids to bed and then can watch TV, read with the light on, etc. The doors separating the rooms are glass doors. The pool turned out to be seasonal, ice-​cold. This should have been very clearly conveyed.
But the real nightmare started when we left. I have given the hotel my American Express card for incidentals. Suddenly I’ve seen a charge of $ 150 going through. I’ve called the hotel and asked what’s going on. The person who answered said he will ask the manager to call me back. I’ve not seen the call, and called back in a couple of days.
The manager explained that the desk chair had a leather cover that «came off completely», and he has to «replace the chair». Then he strangely said that a $ 50 telephone was also damaged «somehow», but he «may» not charge me for it. I’ve not recalled any chair damage at all, and it’s indeed very hard to incur such damage, especially leading to a complete replacement. This never happened before in years of our extensive family travels. The manager started then making accusations that I misrepresented the number of people and it turned out there were six. This was clearly a way to claim somehow the damage was valid, although it had nothing to do with it, and most importantly the employee who registered us saw the four of us in the lobby, kids asking whether the pool works, and the rest outside in the van. I told the manager that this line of justification for incidentals is inappropriate and I will dispute the charge with American Express. To that the manager responded that he will then add the $ 50 charge if I dispute the $ 150 charge, which he’d be willing to forego otherwise. I’ve promised to get to the bottom of it and hung up.
When we returned from vacation, I found a charge for $ 150, but also another charge for $ 100 on the same day, two days before the call. It meant that the manager lied during our conversation, while trying to dissuade me from disputing a clearly inflated charge, using a second charge as leverage. Furthermore, he was making up numbers, confirming they were random to begin with.
I’ve asked my 5 year old daughter who sat in the chair what could have possibly happen, and she explained the cover was already peeling. We did not have any sharp objects in the room, and small kids cannot so damage any real hotel furniture. As veteran road travelers with kids, we stayed in dozens of hotels and never had any damage at all. I believe that if there was any damage, the chair was unsuitable to be in a family suite, and it should ultimately be the responsibility of the hotel to make sure it maintains its furniture properly. In all cases the manager did not try to contact me, but charged me twice and then started making up inappropriate accusations.
What’s most upsetting about it is that the manager did not try to reason but dealt with the incidentals card as a way to enrich himself and then, when confronted, to keep the ill-​gotten gains. He was extremely unprofessional both on the phone, on email, and then in his responses. When I published what happened in reviews, he responded there with my real name, violating site guidelines, and claimed I used threatening language, promising to ban me from the hotel. I’ve previously explained that his behavior needs to be made public, and that his hotel does not uphold Best Western brand’s expectations, the facts which I will convey to other consumers and organizations overseeing hotels.
Overall, I think that the main reason I booked this hotel, it being a Best Western, did not reflect the Best Western brand we all know and enjoy. It is not appropriate for a manager of a Best Western hotel to behave in this way against a family with little children, overpaying $ 275 for a tiny suite, and then having to fight off made up charges, dealing with a manager who violates all expectations of what a good innkeeper should do. Obviously I will never stay in this hotel, but also, due to the ordeal inflicted on us, will have to report this to all appropriate bodies, including BBB, Carmel Innkeeper Association, Carmel Chamber of Commerce, and Best Western parent organization.
I will never stay in this hotel until it is under new management, and strongly encourage you to never give a credit card to this hotel.

Sadly, there is nothing «best» about this place. Stains of unknown origin on the bedspreads, bird poop on the window, no a/​c, TV barely worked (be prepared to push forever on the «sanitary» remote), overflowing garbage outside, no elevator, gum spread throughout the stairs, you can hear sounds from other rooms all night long… The worst, however, is that we were charged hundreds of $ per room when quoted a much lower rate on the phone. We stayed at an excellent 3-​star hotel the night beforehand that was cheaper for most rooms! Buyer beware. We were shocked that such a place could be in Carmel, which supposedly prides itself on high standards.

Hate to give a bad review. Service was exceptional. The receptions were super polite.
I expected the room to be a little roomier. It looked pretty at a glance from online posts, but the bed was old n flat. Hard to have a room with no AC but r all hotels here the same way?
The room was about 200 a nite n u have to book two consecutive.
For that price I could enjoy so much better.
There was a strong smell of pee coming from the bathroom. I think it must’ve been stuck to the shower curtain.
I tried to ventilate as much as possible.
Yes they need to air out the rooms.
I tried their breakfast. Strawberry Banana yogurt, not my choice of flavor. The boiled eggs could be made fresher. The waffle mix tasted like styrofoam. The fruits were old. The lady working was real sweet.
Interesting place n area, maybe I’ll try the b n b next time.

Hi give 10 stars to the Best Western run by J D.
Love the remodel, Love the courtesy for all the staff… they could not be more accomodating. I would recommend this hotel to everyone. They have been amazing consistently for 5 years to date. always look forward to my Visits!!!
Geries Fashion Closet of Agoura Hills ca 91 301

THE BEST best western there is. the outside looks old, but the rooms inside were all remodeled and modern looking. Flat screen TV and better than the hotel rooms across the street where my sister stayed, which cost most and was not remodeled. The breakfast buffet wasn’t too bad either. It’s a 2 story hotel. I would def stay there again. Best price in the area. Don’t freak out simply because it’s a Best Western

I was stranded in Carmel for a couple days and ended up at this Best Western. It was the nicest of the three Best Westerns I had been to before. The man that greeted me at the check-​in counter was very nice and courteous and I got a good rate being a AAA member.
The room was nice, good upgrades and was very clean. The bed was also comfortable. It’s close to downtown where all the shops and restaurants are and it was quiet and peaceful.
I don’t really have many comments to leave except for that I’d definitely stay here again. The wifi was also decently quick.

VERY clean and accomadting! close to everything! Helpful staff, Very friendly!

Wow, not many recent reviews on here so I’ll leave mine. I had a great experience here, especially for the price. (I even got a discount on
) Its not very stunning on the outside but check out the interior. Its very new looking and clean. Great location, everything is in walking distance. I actually wish I had more than one night here to explore more. I compared all the hotels in Big Sur, Monterey, and Carmel and this was the best deal I found :)

Some superficial renovations, and friendly staff, but rooms are cramped, with no space to put a suitcase, and I kept hitting my shoulders (!) against the showerhead — I don’t recommend staying here if you’re over 5’2″ (I’m 6’2″). Also very noisy — I could hear every step our upstairs neighbors made, and the bathrooms have those incredibly loud fans that run as long as the light is on. I suppose the price is right for the location though (in the middle of downtown Carmel, near may restaurants and antique+art shops). My 12yo son quoted the (free) Wi-​Fi as the best part of his trip.

Great stop if your on the highway and hungry. Awesome salsa! And you can buy it to go in cute mason jars. Getting some for son in laws stocking stuffers. Not cheap but the roasted rustic flavor is worth the price

I’m staying in a suite tonight which I had thought would be a nicer room & accommodations. To my dismay, the bath tub drain was not working. With a disability, I cannot take a shower & the drain would not hold water. After checking in & attempting a bath before dinner, I discovered the problem. The manager, J.D., said he would put a plug in the room for me after I returned from dinner. I went to dinner without a bath where I felt uncomfortable the entire meal with my family. When I returned, I found a shower cap on my night stand. I called the front desk & asked what it was for? Apparently I am supposed to use the shower cap to cover the drain to take a bath?! Wow. Who has ever heard of that? how can a manager even have the nerve to tell someone to do that??? This is the worst customer service ever. I am offended & appalled that someone would even suggest using a shower cap over the drain in order to take a bath after paying $ 250+ for a suite. Unacceptable even though it is a Best Western hotel. I would have thought better of this chain & hotel. I have always held this name in high regard when choosing a place to stay as we travel monthly but now am questioning not only their standards but their cleanliness as well.
Never again.

great location.
newly remodeled rooms.
free wifi
good continental breakfast

I have a very mixed review on this place. I see all the potential and how great it is, however, I had a very particular experience. I’ll be fair…
Everything was exceptionally nice, the room had great features, upgrades all around and very nice décor. Central location and it also has a decent breakfast bar across the office. Don’t expect anything more than a nice continental breakfast.
So why I’m so hesitant about giving them a 4… Once checked-​in and settle in the room, I started hearing a screeching sound. Very extremely high pitch almost like the sound that dolphins get trained with. At first I thought it was bird and then it went on ²⁴⁄₇. The weird part of it all, my boyfriend didn’t hear the noise but I did. We started to think I was crazy and erratic. I’d sit in the desk chair and would point out to him, «There! can you hear it? It’s right there.» and he would answer «I can’t hear Abby, it’s probably a bird or something» I didn’t sleep all night and I was crankier then the people in the sneakers commercial, not a very pleasant person to deal with.
In the morning I made a comment as I was getting in the car «This fu****» sound is going to drive me to the insane asylum” That’s when another customer and her boyfriend turn around and said «You can hear it too, it’s driving me crazy»
My other negative thought on the hotel is: Why in the world would anyone have construction on a fully booked hotel on memorial day weekend at 7:45 am? We all want to sleep in and relax; close the weekend on a high note but I guess not.
If you’re very sensitive to noise or sounds and don’t want your trip ruined go somewhere else, otherwise enjoy!

I didn’t expect much out of this hotel. When I finally got there, it was amazing. The staff was very nice. When we checked in, it was our first time. He gave us a map, which was very helpful, of Carmel. What blew me away was the room. I didn’t expect it to look so nice. It was decently sized and had the necessary amenities. The bed was very comfortable. The pillows weren’t too soft where my head was not fully supported. I was a little worried about the blankets because I didn’t think they would keep me warm, however they did.
I loved the location of this hotel. Everything was in walking distance. This hotel wasn’t that far from ocean ave. and the beach. During this trip, we walked everywhere and it wasn’t too much of a hassle. It’s a pretty small place with a small parking lot. However, it was a lovely hotel. If I ever come back to Carmel, I will most likely go back to this place.

Situated in a great location, just a couple of blocks from Ocean Ave, which is where all the shopping and lots of restaurants are, the hotel offers free parking, wireless and continental breakfast. We arrived about 9:30pm, but the office was closed. An envelope with our name was taped to the door which included a letter and our room keys. A little odd, but I guess it worked.
Rooms are updated and nice looking. The bed was comfortable. The hotel info binder in the room was pretty outdated, so wasn’t much help. The bathroom window faced the parking lot and was in front of other room doors and only had a thin curtain and didn’t offer much privacy, so I added a towel over the curtain.
It fulfilled all of our needs (location, price, comfort & cleanliness) for our stay in Carmel and I would stay again.

Four stars: «Yay! I’m a fan.»
Who’da thunk it?
I scoffed when my coworker told me to book this Best Western over all the B&B’s in Carmel four annual Pro-​Am work party. Yes, scoffed!
However, this is now my new favorite place to stay in the area. Don’t be deceived by the dumpy exterior. The rooms were nice, clean and updated. I had an ocean view (see pics), plenty of space, a parking spot (a biggie during this weekend) and am in perfect stumbling distance from all the Pro-​Am debauchery. Yes, I partook. My apologies if you bore witness to any of that…
My coworker got the «king suite» downstairs and WHEN I return, I plan on booking one of those rooms. It was right in front of the (tiny but useful) swimming pool. Shame there isn’t a hot tub.
In response to the whinging in other reviews: my bed was comfy, I wish I had a tub– although the stand up shower did the job, nothing of mine was stolen, I didn’t really hear my neighbors too much– even though this is the one weekend a year that Carmel turns rowdy.
In short, it’s less shabby, more chic… for a Best Western.

THIEVES, THIEVES, THIEVES
Stayed here this past Saturday. Things were going great and remembered that morning being on my iPad. After packing to leave and away in the car, it dawned on me that the iPad was left ON THE BED NEXT TO THE PILLOW. Very sentimental item, as it was engraved from my husband as a gift. Approached manager and staff. Looking dumbfounded, they stated that they did not see the iPad while cleaning the room. The manager, of course, sided with his staff. He brought up reasons in the past that their staff was trustworthy. He mentioned that a wallet was turned in with hundreds of dollars once by his maids. Well, WAS IT THE SAME MAID THAT CLEANED MY ROOM! Short answer, probably not. A police report was filed and I have been watching my iCloud since. No one has logged on. Funny thing, the staff was warned that if it was turned on, they would be busted. Now it is probably in a dumpster somewhere.
I WILL NOT remove this Unilocal post until the item is found. Not a replacement, MY iPAD with the engraving! Man I’m pissed. If you stay here, make sure you secure your items. Just because it’s Carmel doesn’t mean the staff is honest.
Jim’s Wife
UPDATE: Despite of what one had posted, I dd not go off the name of this Hotel, I went by the address. This IS the House-​O-​Thieves! Still haven’t received my property since.

The hubby and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary in Carmel and decided to stay at the best western. Carmel is a pretty pricey town and this was definitively a bargain. Yes, it is an older hotel but it has definitively been remodeled and improved.
If you like AC then this is not the place for you because they do not have it. They do provide you with a fan for the room and honestly it was more than enough for us. We stayed in one of the king suite’s and had no problems. On one of the mornings we decided to sleep in and housekeeping placed a call to our room to inquire as to our desire for her to clean the room. I thought this was nice of her. We did not try the breakfast here however they do provide it in the main lobby from 8−11am.
As for the darkness in the room that was commented by other Unilocalers I did not have that problem. Our room was well lit and welcoming. Yes, it has old TV’s and basic cable but I didn’t come all the way to Carmel to sit in my room watching TV :)
Overall, we were satisfied with the hotel and would likely stay here again.

This place is for utilitarians, it’s simple, very clean, friendly staff (even though it was only 11am he opened a room so I could go to the restroom.). Also gave us some ideas for places to go.
The closet space was large, the bathroom not so much, less closet space, more bathroom maybe? Other than that, it was very nice and we had a great time, parking lot was a plus too. Will come again when we visit.
Carmel itself was an odd bit of a town, drink a lot of wine, walk or stumble around look at art and oh yes, don’t forget your dog, dang what’s that all about? It’s got a bit of an east coast vibe with a scene out of Palmer Square, in Princeton, NJ, at night, it’s more like a Jack the Ripper vibe when the fog starts coming in. Oddly I like it.
Oh one thing, internet service, I believe it’s cat 5 only and not wireless, so you’ll need a notebook that has it, (some don’t, like the macbook air).
We were however able to get around without it, some great free maps.
Rooms were a bit pricey, but it’s Carmel, so expect it unless you go on the off season.