Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carlsbad Beach by IHG

Hotels
•
Holiday Inn Express
7.6 (563 reviews)
751 Raintree Drive , Carlsbad , US
+1 760-448-4747

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Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

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

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent location near Legoland, beaches and dining
Enjoyable pool and hot tub area; kids liked it
Included breakfast praised by multiple guests
Affordable, comfortable and generally safe for families
Cons:
Cleanliness problems: mold, odors, dirty rooms and inconsistent housekeeping
Service/check-in issues and occasional unhelpful staff; unresolved refund complaints
Dated room furnishings and bathroom issues; TV/technology problems
Unexpected fees/parking charges and slow/noisy elevators

Categories

Cleanliness
5.5
Multiple guests reported dirty rooms, mold in showers, unpleasant odors, and inconsistent housekeeping (not daily despite requests); one review called out black carpeting and overall poor room cleanliness.
Service
6.5
Mixed: some staff were described as welcoming and helpful, but several guests reported poor check-in handling, unhelpful or curt kitchen/front-desk interactions, billing/checkout issues, and unresolved refund problems.
Location
9
Consistently praised for proximity to Legoland, beaches and nearby dining; many guests highlighted convenience and easy access to local attractions.
Room Quality
6
Several complaints about dated furniture and bathrooms needing upgrades, TV/Netflix reliability issues and unpleasant smells; one guest appreciated the pull-out sofa for family separation.
Amenities
8
Pool and hot tub were frequently enjoyed and breakfast is included; negatives include slow/noisy elevators, limited hot-item variety some days, parking charges and older coffee machines.
Value for Money
8.5
Many guests described the hotel as affordable, comfortable and safe, though unexpected fees (secret parking charge) and at-check-in upsells lowered perceived value for some.
Food and Beverage
7.8
Breakfast was often noted as a positive (varied some days, good coffee), but other reviews mentioned powdered eggs, limited hot options on some mornings and a better coffee machine was requested.
Overall Experience
9.5
Overall stays skew positive thanks to location, pool/hot tub and included breakfast; however, recurring cleanliness and service issues tempered some experiences. Many guests still reported they would return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:08

Property Description

Ocean Views and Outdoor Pool:
Enjoy stunning ocean views and take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carlsbad State Beach. The perfect backdrop for a relaxing vacation.

Hot Breakfast Buffet and Free Wi-Fi:
Start your day right with a hot breakfast buffet served daily and stay connected with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Convenience and comfort at your fingertips.

Fitness Center and Business Services:
Stay active at the on-site fitness center and take advantage of the business center for all your work needs. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carlsbad State Beach caters to both leisure and business travelers.

Experience the perfect blend of comfort and convenience at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carlsbad State Beach. Book now for an unforgettable stay by the beach!

Important information:

Upon check-in photo identification and credit card is required. All special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.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: 42.86
Public Area
  • Ramp: No
  • Entrance Door Width: 82
  • Entrance Leveled: Yes
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: No
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: No
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: No
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: Yes
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: No
  • Elevator Visual Signs: No
Show all accessibility features

Guest Reviews

7.6
Based on 563 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.5
Service: 6.5
Location: 9
Room Quality: 6
Amenities: 8
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 7.8
Overall Experience: 9.5
M
Meiwen • extended_group • us
7
Ok
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Furniture and bathroom need to be up graded
Kitchen staffs need to be more helpful and kind to the customers, also to be more flexible according to the circumstances

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
V
Velazquez • solo_traveller • us
10
We stayed for legoland but still spent a good time at the hotel swimming pool/hot tub area. Everything is easy acces
Pros:

we usually stay here when we travel for legoland. love how close everything is from beaches, food places. my kids loved the swimming pool & hot tub! Everyone that stays here is pretty welcoming. Included breakfast is great!

Cons:

hard to say, there was really nothing wrong for us. we loved it and cant wait to go back soon!

2026-10-24 • via Nuitee
D
Danielle • solo_traveller • us
5
Irritating
Pros:

Clean, Good Location

Cons:

The staff didn’t properly check me in. On the 2nd day my room was cancelled, and another family was given keys to my room. I had to prove who I was, and was made to feel like I was the one who did something wrong. I had prepaid for 2 nights, and had working keys…clearly I had checked in.

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
J
Jazmin • extended_group • us
10
It was a good distance from legoland we did not have to go far or worry about arriving late.
Pros:

the window opened just slightly and there were plenty of options for the kids for breakfast. The pull out sofa was amazing to be able to have a place for the children to be separate from us moms.

Cons:

Upon arrival the staff didnt confirm if the same card on file was to be used. He didnt confirm if any discounts were applied when i asked and charged me before i saw the complete pricing. Typically, there is an agreement you sign so that both parties are aware of the charges and fees and none of this was given to me. The interaction I had was so small and the guy barely acknowledged me or said anything. I understand it was midnight, we were all tired. I had just finished driving for 3.5 hours after a work day, so I know I was not in a mindset to make sure everything was squared away and I had no energy to think or demand for the paperwork. However, this is his job to make sure it all is done correctly.

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
P
Pamela • family_with_children • us
10
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
Y
Yvette • family_with_children • us
6
Pros:

Breakfast was great.

Cons:

TV was bad. Called about it, someone came to "fix" it, and it worked, but my Netflix would pause on and off on its own. Once tv is turned off, can't get it to turn back on.

2026-10-18 • via Nuitee
O
Oscar • family_with_children • us
6
2026-10-16 • via Nuitee
G
Gregory • family_with_children • us
3
Dirty room, black carpeting, secret parking charge adding $45 to our booking
Pros:

The breakfast was powdered eggs and only fair quality. The reviews made it sound like it would be special, but only on one day did they have biscuits and watery runny gravy, the other mornings it was just powdered scrambled eggs and pretty decent fried potatoes.

Cons:

A better coffee machine with some choices, real eggs instead of powdered ones, and more selection of hot items.

2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
L
Lawrence • couple • us
10
2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
J
Jodi • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
J
Jason • extended_group • us
5
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
B
Bendolph • couple • us
9
Very well
Pros:

The staff and the cleanliness

Cons:

The location

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
R
rivera • family_with_children • mx
9
Satisfactoria
Pros:

Bueno

Cons:

Estuvo bien

2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
M
Montero Roldán • family_with_children • mx
9
MUY BUENA ESTANCIA.
Pros:

EL HOTEL ES MUY COMODO Y ESTA MUY BIEN UBICADO. EL DESAYUNO ES VARIADO Y LA CALIDAD DE SU CAFE ES FANTASTICA.

Cons:

LOS ELEVADORES SON LENTOS Y RUIDOSOS. EL SERVICIO DE LIMPIEZA A LAS HABITACIONES NO LO HACEN DIARIO A PESAR DE SOLICITARLO.

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
N
Narayan • couple • us
8
okay stay
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
R
Riah Shepherd • family_with_children • us
8
Recommended
Pros:

Affordable, comfortable and safe. We didn’t expect that it will be a good stay for a small hotel. Thank you Days Inn!

Cons:

Nothing

2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
T
Terri • solo_traveller • us
8
2026-08-14 • via Nuitee
L
Lee • family_with_children • us
1
Horrible
Pros:

Upon arrival I noticed the bathroom were moldy specially the shower the bed had a horrible smell my husband immediately when to the front desk the clerk just said oh the room you want is $100 DLL more at this point it wasn’t about the money it was just how uncomfortable we were so we grabbed our stuff and checked out writhing 1 hour and my money has not been refunded still.

Cons:

The smell how dirty the room was.

2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
J
jazmin • family_with_children • us
10
Pros:

All went well!

Cons:

Curtains didn't close all the way so the sun came in earlier than my alarm.

2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
M
Marcus • solo_traveller • us
8
2026-08-08 • via Nuitee