Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carpinteria by IHG — Hotel in Carpinteria

As my title reads, this HI Express checks just about all my boxes. We were assigned 209 after requesting a room away from US101 freeway noise. It does face Carpinteria Ave but that is still much quieter than the busy freeway. There was a connecting door to room 211 but fortunately only had a neighbor one night so not a problem for us. (Suggest you request a room without a connecting door for more quiet.)||||Front desk staff very cordial as was breakfast staff. Housekeeping was offered daily (if requested) and they were superb. ||||There is a small partition that separates the sleeping area from the living area (couch and coffee table). One midsized TV on a swivel with many channels (DirectTV). Mini frig, microwave, and Keurig-type coffee maker are all standard. Coffee setup includes cardboard cups and powdered creamers, although liquid creamer are at the coffee station in the lobby open 24 hours. ||||Bathroom includes tub/shower, good water pressure, and standard bulk Dove shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap dispensers. Dove lotion and liquid soap (also bulk, on wall dispensers) by the sink along with hair dryer and ample towels. I travel with my own night lights as room can be dark at night. Bathroom also had makeup remover which could be handy if you come home with beach tar.||||Beds are comfortable with good pillows. Plenty of electrical outlets for recharging. Heating/Air Conditioning unit offers "constant fan" option for good air flow and windows can be opened, too.||||Breakfast had plenty of food, replenished frequently, with cereals, fresh fruit, juices (watered down a bit), yogurt, eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. HI Express is known for its warm cinnamon rolls which were delicious. ||||One very minor complaint: room felt a little dark and could use more lighting, especially in the bathroom. A magnifying mirror would also have been appreciated. Also the bathtub drained slowly during showering, typical for a beach town where visitors bring home lots of sand to clog the drains. ||||Price is higher than most other Carpinteria hotels but competitive relative to comparable mid-level Santa Barbra properties. Nearest restaurants are at Casitas Pass Rd shopping area but the hotel has a small convenience store which sells items you can cook...

I really wanted to like this place more, however, there are definitely some drawbacks, which need to be pointed out. First, the curb appeal is definitely there at this place! The landscaping, grounds and general vibe is one of a lush, green, cozy beach lodge. For a holiday inn express, the aesthetics "look" great! Unfortunately, the property is VERY dog friendly! I recognize this might be an appeal for dog owners, but if you're trying to get a quiet night sleep, it definitely is not. As someone else mentioned, we had a loud "yippy" dog staying right next to us. Fortunately, he didn't make any noise during the night, or I would have asked to change rooms. I was woken up, however, at 0700 in the morning by the dog and the couple arguing next door. Again, not super early, so chalked it up to dodging a bullet on this one, but definitely not the way you wanna be jolted out of bed on a leisurely weekend morning. I would say at least half the guests I saw on property had dogs, walking dogs, etc... They slapped a sign on the breakfast room door saying "no pets allowed" so the place has obviously been so over-run in the past with pet owners even bringing their dogs to breakfast! We also don't have any allergies, but I can imagine if you do, this is not the place you wanna stay. The second issue is the six-lane freeway noise! It is directly off the side of the hotel and there is no insolation either. You are literally closer to the freeway than you are to some other rooms in the hotel at any given time. On one hand, it kinda acts as "white noise" at night, so I still was able to sleep, after a sleeping pill, but to others it might be bothersome. The building is certainly not soundproof. I've stayed at other places right off busy roads in Los Angeles, Seoul, Las Vegas, etc... and didn't have noise issues. Certainly doesn't feel tranquil when you're trying to enjoy the pool or sauna or sit outside...

I liked it so much I booked two more weeks (10 more nights)

Moved over here because I know IHG would provide a better experience. Staff here is great and friendly. Slept great and the room was quiet. Very easy to relax in the nice big chair. One suggestion - the even number rooms would probably be just a little more quiet, no complaints about noise, it was fine.

I had a K-cup brewer in my room to give me that morning jolt. Shampoo and bathroom "stuff" were plentiful.

Pro;s: Quiet, close to everything. Hey, they have an electric car charger for those who can use it (I can't). Staff very knowledgeable. Nice home feel ... actually exceeded my expectations! My experience here was similar to other higher end brands - stay here and save. Pool looked inviting - but not in January

The breakfast was plentiful, great flavors, excellent choices, fresh fruit. Clean and up to date. My room "worked well" in terms of flow and all that.

I liked that the pillow cases are labeled "Soft" and "Firm", that is a nice touch.

There is a large table off the lobby that you can use as a "public" conference room if you need to sit with a group of people to talk over the day.

Con's: None really, Here are some "nits" - I did as requested and hung up my towels expecting to use them again ... they gave me new ones anyway. That seems to happen no matter where I stay... sigh. The place could use some more parking, but it is adequate.

Another minor nit -- The cheese omelets tasted fine, but their appearance was "assembly line" (Maybe a little fresh salsa available would help with that appearance).

Hey! If that is all I have to complain about, then we call that success - I am giving you five stars. You bet I am gong to stay here again and recommend it to my fellow...