Carmel Garden Inn — Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Review of Carmel Garden Inn (September 2025 – Fuchsia Mini-Suite) We stayed in the Fuchsia mini-suite, which sounded wonderful on paper: private patio, king bed with “deluxe linens,” wood-burning fireplace, kitchenette, and a “newly remodeled” bathroom. Unfortunately, the reality was very different.

The good: • The patio space was nice. • The room itself was large, with a convenient little sitting area in the kitchenette.

The bad: • Maintenance is clearly being neglected. It feels like the rooms are just rented out without proper upkeep, yet the rates charged are very high. • The “newly remodeled” bathroom was already showing mold in the shower. The wash basin had been broken and was simply glued back together — unacceptable for a place at this price point. • The so-called “deluxe linens” were shocking — our bed sheets were full of holes. • The bath towels were so old that the stitching along the edges was completely frayed. • The patio looked tired and in need of repairs and fresh paint. Most of the plants on the patio were very sad-looking and clearly in need of care and attention. • The inn invites guests to “join us for a glass of wine and light snack in the lobby between 3–5 pm.” We went at 4:00 pm and found nothing set out. After asking the very helpful young man on duty, he offered us a glass of red and white wine — but explained there was no cheese or salami left, only grapes. This was on a Saturday, when the inn was fully booked. Very strange to extend the invitation but not provide what’s promised. To make it worse, the wine tasted so poor we couldn’t drink it.

The bigger issue: On their homepage they highlight all their awards — six-time winners of the “Best Inn/B&B” award from The Carmel Pine Cone most recently in 2024 and recipients of the Traveller’s Choice award,. But honestly, if they want to keep earning awards like these, they really need to do something about the state of the property. Right now, it simply doesn’t live up to the reputation they’re advertising.

Bottom line: This place could be charming, but the lack of care, upkeep, and attention to detail makes it feel run-down and overpriced. At these rates, guests should expect far better than moldy bathrooms, hole-ridden sheets, worn-out towels, tired-looking patios, and...

A cute little set of cottages just outside of the main downtown area of Carmel. Friendly staff, nice size rooms and very walkable to all of the downtown restaurants or to the strand. We chose the Fuschia Mini Suite room because of the advertised "new Monterey Mattress king bed with deluxe linens." The room also has a fireplace, small kitchenette, and a built in TV with Roku. Unfortunately I didn't sleep well as the king bed was too hard for my liking, but to be fair I am picky about my beds. No air conditioning but it wasn't needed in October as the evening temperatures dropped into the 50s. Front and rear windows open for good ventilation.

WiFi here was very slow and we ended up using our phone hotspots rather than the Inn WiFi. The Inn provides free access to Hulu or you can sign into other services using your own credentials. The TV spent considerable time buffering, rendering the shows unwatchable. We aren't big TV watchers so this didn't really impact our stay much but it is something to be aware of.

A free small breakfast is available in the main office in the mornings along with coffee. The coffee was surprisingly good. A cute place and overall a good stay ... if I could find a different room with a softer mattress I...

Would I recommend this inn and would I stay again - absolutely! Having said that here are the things I loved most: the charm of the setting, landscape, and coziness of the rooms (we stayed in Lavender), the close proximity to the beach and business district, the cleanliness, and the gracious and accommodating staff. The room is spacious and the patio is lovely. Our dog was very happy there! Because a review should serve as a source of accurate and informed reporting for both innkeeper and guests here is what I observed that could be improved upon: the shower faucet was not attached firmly to wall and came away whenever it was turned on, the “kitchen” could be improved with tall glasses and some utensils as well as a sponge or cloth and cleanser for cleaning surfaces. Including luggage racks would also be helpful. While the room was extremely clean, it could use some updating of furnishings and repair of wood details on the patio. These are minor details but worth noting since this property is so lovely. We loved our stay, were comfortable, and very cozy. I would prefer this to any sterile and contemporary hotel or inn, and certainly this inn reflects the aesthetic and magic of...