Best Western Carlsbad by the Sea

Hotels
•
Best Western
7.6 (1109 reviews)
751 Macadamia Dr , Carlsbad , US
+1 760-438-2285

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Business center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Comfy, good-sized beds
Friendly/helpful staff (Dedrick, Itzel called out)
Pool, hot tub and gym praised
Spacious rooms / two-room suites available
Daily housekeeping noted
Convenient/strong location
Nice-smelling shampoo and toiletries
Quiet pool area and easy check-in/out for some guests
Cons:
Strong mildew/mold odors reported
Ant infestation reported in one room
Old/dated rooms, broken curtains and worn mattresses
Cleanliness incidents (dried vomit, overall dinginess)
Limited/poor breakfast and spoiled milk reported
No smart TV / complicated TV setup
Freeway noise for some rooms and large door gaps
Check-in delays/extra charges and perceived poor value

Categories

Cleanliness
4.5
Several guests reported strong mildew/mold odors, ants in a room, dried vomit in a stairwell and general dinginess; one guest did note daily room cleaning but overall cleanliness is a clear problem.
Service
10
Staff were frequently praised (named employees Dedrick and Itzel received high praise for helpfulness and hospitality); there are some check-in/early-check-in service complaints, but overall the front-desk interactions were a major positive.
Location
9.5
Location was called 'perfect' by multiple guests and generally convenient; one guest noted freeway noise and a large gap under the door, but most comments on location were positive.
Room Quality
6.5
Mixed: comfortable, good-sized beds and some spacious/two-room layouts praised, but multiple reports of old/dated rooms, broken curtains, mattress/pillow issues, mildew odors and awkward door layouts.
Amenities
9.5
Pool, hot tub and gym were repeatedly described as lovely additions and quiet; some negatives include lack of smart TV and occasional unpleasant bathroom lotion odor.
Value for Money
5.5
Perceived value is mixed-to-low — several guests felt the price was high given cleanliness and room issues, with at least one guest calling the stay overpriced.
Food and Beverage
6
Breakfast received mixed reviews: some guests enjoyed it, but others called the choice poor/limited and reported spoiled milk and items they wouldn't eat.
Overall Experience
9.3
Overall sentiment is mixed but leans positive due to helpful staff and good amenities; persistent cleanliness and value issues temper the experience, resulting in an overall above-average but imperfect stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:06

Property Description

Conveniently Located Property near LEGOLAND California
Best Western Carlsbad by the Sea is just a short 7-minute drive from LEGOLAND California, offering free daily breakfast and WiFi.

Relaxation and Comfort
Guests can unwind in the large heated outdoor pool and hot tub, perfect for a relaxing evening after a day of adventures.

Convenient Amenities
Each suite includes a range of amenities such as a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee machine. The hotel also features a convenience mart for quick snacks and forgotten essentials.

Plan your stay at Best Western Carlsbad by the Sea and enjoy easy access to South Carlsbad State Beach and the beautiful Carlsbad Flower Fields.

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: SAN

Location

Property Accessibility

Total Disability Score: 6.43
Public Area
  • Ramp: No
  • Entrance Leveled: Yes
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: Yes
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: Yes
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: Yes
  • Elevator Visual Signs: Yes
Show all accessibility features

Guest Reviews

7.6
Based on 1109 reviews
Cleanliness: 4.5
Service: 10
Location: 9.5
Room Quality: 6.5
Amenities: 9.5
Value for Money: 5.5
Food and Beverage: 6
Overall Experience: 9.3
J
Jemma • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Comfy good sized beds. Rooms cleaned daily with clean towels and friendly welcoming staff.
Pool and gym were both a lovely addition. It was our second time staying at this location, would recommend.

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
S
STEVEN • solo_traveller • gb
6
Pros:

Breakfast poor limited choice
Room clean and comfortable but needs some decorating

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
G
GIANLUCA • family_with_children • it
7
2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
P
Perla • family_with_children • us
10
2026-10-18 • via Nuitee
T
Talita • family_with_children • br
9
2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
R
Ricardo • family_with_children • us
10
Pros:

Love the setup of having two rooms in one. Will definitely be staying here again.

2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
J
jackie • couple • us
1
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
A
Andres.Paez5 • family_with_children • co
3
Pros:

El exterior remodelado.

Cons:

Es un hotel con habitaciones viejas, huele a humedad muy fuerte, las camas son viejas, los colchones y almohadas también, las cortinas rotas, etc. En general no lo recomiendo

2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
M
Marsea • couple • us
1
Terrible
Pros:

The staff

Cons:

The freeway is constant noise. Inconvenient elevators, dried vomit on the stairs didn’t inspire confidence that the room was clean. The room felt dirty and the entire building smelled moldy. Wouldn’t consider eating the free breakfast. The TV was so complicated to use even the staff had a difficult time with it. If this place was 50.00 a night it would be passable, but it was 350.00 a total rip off!!

2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
E
Emily • solo_traveller • us
8
Pros:

The pool and hot tub are lovely. Easy check in and check out. Quiet.

Cons:

Curtains did not fully close, couch comfortable, door to bedroom blocks the bed, hand lotion stinks in the bathroom.

2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
C
Cindy • solo_traveller • us
10
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful Stay and Excellent Customer Service!
Pros:

We had a wonderful experience at Best Western Carlsbad by the Sea! The property was very clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. Our room was beautiful, spacious, and very cozy, making our stay even more enjoyable.

A special thank you to Dedrick, who checked us in and made us feel so welcomed from the moment we arrived. He was friendly, accommodating, and helpful, and we truly appreciated his hospitality!

I also want to give a huge thank you to Itzel! After checking out, we realized we had accidentally left our eyeglasses behind. Itzel was incredibly kind, reassuring, and quick to help us locate our belongings. She made the entire process stress-free and helped us make arrangements to have our glasses shipped back home.

It's the little things and the people who go above and beyond that truly make a difference. Thank you, Dedrick and Itzel, for your outstanding customer service and for making our experience such a positive one!

We would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend this hotel! 💓

Cons:

The only negative thing I experienced was the bathroom door was difficult to close. The door needed to be picked up so it could latch closed.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
J
Jennifer • family_with_children • us
10
Pros:

Liked everything.

Cons:

there were 30+ little black ants in 109, even in a bed!

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
A
Anna • family_with_children • us
8
2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
Y
Yazminn • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
J
Jessica Izabel • couple • us
8
Pros:

The pool was quiet and they have good breakfast.

Cons:

They didn’t have a smart TV.

2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
L
Lawrence • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

Room was great, but it smelled like mildew and ozium

Cons:

The smell of the room

2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
A
Alex Efkan • solo_traveller • us
3
I don't recommend this photo because of the check-in experience
Pros:

Location

Cons:

They had the room is available and they made me wait one and how far on the lobby, but I knew they had a sixth available room because they offered me $20 early check-in, we are paying 24 hours and get exactly 24 hours. We still have to pay extra money. That's very annoying.

And check out this 11am, I understand they need a time for cleaning, but in that not the customer problem that's a hotel problem.

Specially, when you have a clean room, you're asking extra money to go customer, otherwise you make them miserable in the lobby. That's not a good customer service.

2026-10-07 • via Nuitee
D
Dixie • solo_traveller • ie
6
2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
B
Britney • solo_traveller • us
6
Pros:

The location was perfect. The room was spacious for my family. The shampoo and conditioner smelled amazing. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable.

Cons:

Upon walking into the room there was a pungent odor. It smelled very old. The curtains did not close all the way. There was a huge gap under the front door, I could put my hand under the door and touch the cement. In the lobby area for breakfast all the milk was spoiled.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
T
Theresa • solo_traveller • us
6
Pros:

Staff is amazing,but unfortunately we had to change rooms the second night do to a fly problem. I actually got woken up because I swallowed a fly. The staff was great in getting us into another room the next day. Bed was very comfortable great location.

Cons:

The couch super uncomfortable & the room had a musty smell.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee