Sands by the Sea — Hotel in Cambria

Terrible!!! They promised a view, swimming pool, hot tub, free breakfast. What we got was, a small room that smelled like mold, facing the freeway. Paper thin walls with people fighting one night next door, and partying till 4am the next. Both times when we called to the front desk to complain about the noise they just responded "ok" amd did nothing. The 2 nights we were there without loud neighbors, there was a creeking water pipe loud enough to wake my wife and I up every 20 minutes or so. They told us there is no water pipe by our room and they did nothing. Because they promised us an ocean view, we were pretty disappointed to be staring at the freeway. We asked about this on check in. Their response was we don't have any ocean views. Their response to saying they have a hot tub when they don't was that there is a hot tub about a 5 minute walk away that the other hotel lets their guests use. We went there, it was disgustingly dirty. Their "indoor pool" was about 15' x 10' and in a tiny room thats barely bigger than the pool, with no windows except one creepy little window that they watch you trough from the checkin counter. The pool was cloudy, green, and dirty enough we didn't get in. Parking was so bad most nights that we had to park on the street because there were no parking spots left and people were double parking. After all this, at checkout we were pretty upset and severely sleep deprived on what was supposed to be a big romantic getaway for us. It was not romantic or relaxing for us. This place ruined our vacation badly enoigh we decided to go home 2 days early. When talking to them on the phone from the room, they promosed to refund tree nights out of four we wound up staying, which made us feel a little better. 15 minutes later we get to the desk to finish checking out and they said they would now only refund 1 night and would still charge the tax for that night. This was even the same person we talked to earlier. Her explanation was that it was costing them too much to refund 3 nights, so she changed her mind. They gave is a receipt showing the petty refund and then charged it anyway. She said "oops", and said they would refund it back to the card. They never did, we had to deal with our banks fraud department over the next 2 weeks to get it back. Unless you don't like sleep, enjoy being lied to, and you consider one stale grocery store muffin as a free breakfast, don't stay here. They will ruin your trip. They are next level terrible, and they lie to you. They earned 0 stars but I have to give 1 in order to...

I am writing to express my deep disappointment with a recent experience at Sands by the Sea, which took place on June 29th. This trip was meant to be a meaningful one—I had planned a special visit to San Simeon with my elderly parents, possibly their last trip together. My father is seriously ill and wheelchair-bound, so every detail mattered.||||I reserved three rooms at Sands by the Sea, hoping to create a peaceful and memorable moment for my family. However, upon arrival, I found the rooms (131 and 132) in extremely poor condition—by far the most unpleasant accommodations I have encountered. As someone who travels frequently around the world, I have never experienced anything quite like it. I was shocked and saddened, especially given the emotional significance of this trip.||||Thankfully, Roxie at the reception was kind, understanding, and professional. She acknowledged the condition of the rooms and agreed that the property was not being properly maintained. She kindly offered to upgrade us to rooms at The Cavalier Hotel (rooms 153 and 156), which I appreciated very much. Her customer service was outstanding, and I am truly grateful for her support during a stressful moment.||||Unfortunately, during the transfer of our belongings between rooms, I accidentally left behind a white Tommy Hilfiger jacket—new and a special gift, valued at approximately $160. I realized it quickly and reported it to the front desk. I spoke to the manager, who promised to follow up with the housekeeping staff and get back to me. However, I received no updates. I followed up the next day and again before we left, only to be told the jacket was not found. I am absolutely certain I left it in the room.||||The way this situation was handled was not only frustrating—it was deeply disappointing. The manager I spoke with was not only unhelpful but also rude and dismissive, which added to the stress of an already emotional trip. This lack of empathy and accountability is unacceptable, especially in a hospitality setting.||||While I did encounter some very kind members of the staff, the condition of the rooms, the missing jacket, and the attitude of the manager left me with deep regret about choosing this property. The location is beautiful and the experience could have been so different had it been met with better management and attention to detail.||||I hope you will take this feedback seriously. I’m sharing it not only in disappointment, but in the hope that future guests—especially those traveling with elderly or vulnerable family members—will have a...

My wife and I enjoyed our stay here. Many things were good and charming. Only a few things were quirky or wonky. Gather round if you would hear our tale.||First, the title of my review refers to the fact that Sands by the Sea is the older section of the Cavalier next door. Same management, same amenities, same scenic seaside location, same restaurant, same front desk. Just cheaper, older, and ever so slightly less convenient.||The motel style room that we got was ok. Comfortable, ok cleanliness, and well appointed with the standard amenities. TV, refrigerator, coffee maker, bathtub, etc. The furniture was scratched and worn. The beds were comfy.||We found the room a bit noisy, from neighbours upstairs and next door, and the traffic from Highway 1. It seemed to be a popular biker stop. Also, for the first 24 hours, we did not have WIFI although I reported the outage 3 times. We ended up walking over to Cavalier for WIFI access. There is a guest laundry but we found it a bit treacherous to access (since the most direct path past the indoor pool was closed). There was an ice machine, but it was not functional. Also, when we arrived, the front office for Sands by the Sea was closed, with a sign re-directing us to the Cavalier office next door. ||The property is spacious and beautiful! I can see why guests return here. It literally sits at the edge of the coast, and a park like area make it a resort. Firepits are lit at night. There are sports courts and playgrounds. Whimsical giant chess and checkers. Lounge chairs. Big seabirds constantly circle overhead. There are two nice swimming pools! The Cavalier coffee shop serves good food with good service. ||I think the location is perfect for access to local attractions while still providing an isolated resort like atmosphere. We felt that we got a decent bargain because we essentially got everything Cavalier guests got at a...