Scandia Motel — Hotel in Carlsbad

Greeted at window by creepy young Indian guy (a young couple with 2 small children live on property and run this place). I didn't have time to search for a hotel, decided on this place spur of the moment because of the location fairly close to Carlsbad Beach and near the Carlsbad downtown area (don't let the location lure you in, it is worth the drive and seeking parking to find a better hotel). ||||I was exhausted from a recent move, my first thought was to take a warm shower. I got into the shower, which was great for the first 3 minutes, then the pipes began singing... and I was hit by this horrid stench which began shooting out the shower nozzel. I was covered with what appeared to be sewage water, backed up putrid plumbing which covered me from head to toe. I had been shampooing my hair, so this caught me between the shampoo and the conditioner -- leaving me to have to rinse off with this horrid putrid water. I tried to rationalize that this didn't happen, but after taking the shower, I opened the door to the bathroom and was hit with this horrid stench which had engulfed the bathroom. No, this was NOT a figment of my imagination... I had indeed been COVERED with sewage plumbing stench.||||I got sick with what appeared to be the flu so bad that I literally couldn't move out for 2 weeks. I stayed there TWO SOLID WEEKS. Three days of that two weeks, I had a similar plumbing experience in the bathroom.||||I stayed in Room 113, which has a raised step up to the doorway. The walls had been patched up so much that they looked like a patchwork quilt. DECADES, Maybe even a CENTURY of plumbing issues were hidden beneath the cracks in the walls that they had tried to patch up.||||I was walking my dog around that property and noticed that the small garden smoking seating area smelled exactly like the plumbing/sewage issues which had spewed all over me in the shower. So, not only was this possibly sewage stench, but smelled like pesticides - like Round Up pesticide.||||Their room key system is the credit card type thing where it clocks out. Day after day, I was having to go back to the office window to get the key updated and the wifi code/password. The young Indian guy was so rude that he would toss the key at the window box. Incredibly RUDE... the type of rude that makes you want to take on a much more stringent immigration policy in the USA.||||Every day after 11am, the maid would come to the door. She was nice. I asked them specifically to clean the room two days when I was leaving for the afternoon. Both times, the room was left uncleaned.||||I travel quite a lot, this is THE WORST motel/hotel experience that I have EVER HAD.||Don't STAY HERE. There are far better places to stay. Even Motel 6 is much better!||The young couple's attitude was pathetic. If you are not good with people and don't like to be in a "service" type industry, then for heaven's sake -- don't work at or own a hotel/motel.||||The maids were nice and friendly. ||The young couple running the front desk were really horrid. They have obviously never read Dale Carnegie's book "How to Win Friends and Influence People".||||If you are stuck here and this is your last available hotel room in the area, make sure that you have a gym membership for a warm shower, nightly. Don't risk the shower plumbing nightmare. When those pipes start singing, you better get out...

Dear SCANDIA (or SCAM-DIA) Motel Owners I HAVE GIVEN YOU AND YOUR TERRIBLE MOTEL THE WORST RATING POSSIBLE AND AM TRYING TO WARN THE WORLD TO NEVER EVER STAY AT THIS MOTEL. Perhaps this motel described as a Mom and Pop motel that people return to again and again was safe in the past, but it is an unsafe and scary place to stay in the present. Especially do not agree to rent the rooms located in the 2-story structure on the road. I was scared out of my wits two times in the middle of the night by people trying to enter my room. When I phoned to complain the first time, the owner reassured me it was simply a mistake made by a customer who had just checked in. The owner didn't answer the phone when it happened a second time so I got my phone and my purse and walked to the office to ask to be moved to a different room. When I got there, another customer was also complaining about people trying to break into his room. The owner rudely told both of us we were lying as a ploy to get our money back. He refused to move me to another room, saying they were full. He did get his wife to accompany me back to my room. She and I checked it thoroughly inside and out to make sure no one was inside and that all windows and doors were locked. The door did have a bolt lock and the usual motel safety lock. I also piled desks and chairs up against the door and figured out how to double secure the windows with the legs of a chair. This is NOT a way to enjoy a safe and secure night in a motel. From reading through all the reviews, my theory is that the former Mom and Pop owners appear to have retired and sold the motel to new motel owners who have never owned a motel before, are very anxious about their own financial situation and are running this motel into the ground quite quickly with some of their money-grubbing decisions that lead to unpleasant experiences for their customers. One google review says the owners now rent these street-side rooms to the City of Carlsbad during the off season as an emergency housing shelter. I think these rooms may now have a reputation in the homeless community as a place it is possible to break into to sleep indoors. Such a sad situation. The terribly rude responses these new owners are reported to be making to customers and that you can read them making to these increasingly negative reviews are another indication that these people do not know how to run a motel, do not know anything about customer service or the priority of providing SAFE and RESPECTFUL accommodation for travellers. I hope they will sell this motel quickly and that the new owners...

I booked a room there because I had stayed there a few years ago. At that time, I thought it was in a good location and although not luxury, basic and clean. I had a horrible experience this time! I got there at 3:30, and while checking in, I asked for a "quiet" room. The manager (or whoever he was) did not greet me with ANY words, not acknowledge my request. He asked for my credit card, which I gave him. I told him I prepaid and asked how much he was charging me. He answered $100. I think this guy would be fine with NEVER speaking or looking at you, so bad sign #1. I then went o see where my room was and it was in the middle of the single level row with other guests hanging around outside. I went back and asked if I could have one of the end rooms (with 1 room attached, instead of 2) and he said there were none. I listed 5 such room #s. He never looked at me, but simply grabbed the room card and remote out of my hand, turned around and went through the door behind him. After a minute, he did not return, so I left. I called the booking company, Super.com to explain that I wanted a refund because I paid in full and would NOT be staying there now due to the Manager grabbing the room card and remote from my hands. She said she would need to call him to ask what happened first. I said "What if he lies?" SHe said she would call me back, but never did. I will be disputing this charge (and the $100 from the hotel for incidentials) with my Bank. This unscrupulous Hotel Manager needs to have his license revoked. He should NOT be allowed to operate this hotel! He took my money and now I'm left fighting for it to be returned!!! Extremely unprofessional and rude! Choose another low budget hotel option!

The owner's reply is false!!!! HE TOOK THE ROOM CARD AND REMOTE, ENTEREDTHE DOOR BEHIND THE DESK, AND LEFT ME STANDING THERE! I COULD NOT STAY IN THE ROOM I PAID FOR BECAUSE HE TOOK THE ROOM CARD AWAY WHEN I SAID I WOULD POST A REVIEW!!! BEWARE OF THIS UNSCRUPULOUS LIAR!!!! I WILL BE FILING A POLICE REPORT AS WELL AS CONTESTING...