Stanlunds Inn & Suites — Hotel in San Diego Country Estates

We haven’t even checked out of our two-night stay here yet but I can tell you we really enjoyed our experience here. I will admit we don’t normally stay in motel style lodging, but the Stanlunds Inn and Suites really exceeded our expectations. There are a LOT of things to like about this place. First of all, it may seem - to some - to be a little “dated” (that’s the word I think I saw in a few reviews), but it’s very well maintained and VERY clean. That’s a very important aspect, for the owners to keep this place up so well is a huge benefit. We’ve stayed in properties we’ve paid a lot more money for, which have not been as well taken care of as the Stanlunds. Here are a few of the highlights for us:

Bathroom — clean and comfortable. Not huge but enough space to do what you need to do, enough room to hang two towels (hook plus bars), nice modern sink fixture, GREAT water pressure in the sink and shower, plenty of hot water, and space for your personal items.

Bedroom - very comfortable king bed, tables on both sides, at least one outlet near the bedside table to plug in your electronic devices.

Space - we stayed in one of the suites (room 16 in our case), and this room was more spacious than I would’ve even expected. First of all, sometimes you get a room with a king bed but virtually no space to walk around that room because the bed takes up so much space. Not the case here - plenty of space in the bedroom. Separate kitchenette, hallway to the bathroom, large closet with plenty of space and more than enough hangers, as well as a full size dresser with plenty of drawers. There’s even a back patio with a table and chairs and a cement bench. Very pleasant back there. And there’s a small round table next to the dresser so you can eat there. And there’s a little alcove with a wall-mounted tissue box, an additional mirror, and an additional dresser. I found I used that space more than I would’ve thought.

Landscaping - nice flowers adorning the walkways around the rooms. Nice swimming pool area as well.

Amenities and convenience - the WiFi, while it seemed decent but by no means blazing fast for our electronics, worked extremely well for my Roku. Television worked well, and has satellite. I was very pleasantly surprised that we were able to watch television (if we wanted to, but didn’t watch much because, come on, there’s plenty to do in Borrego Springs. The kitchenette was great! A two-burner element, practically full size refrigerator, microwave, even a toaster, as well as plates, cups, glasses, paper towels, dish drain, silverware, really everything you’d need in a kitchen while traveling. Heating and cooling worked VERY well, and not noisy at all. Close to town, nice views.

Finally, the vibe, the intangibles. Great vibe. Laid back and pleasant. Great value (you could pay a lot more and receive a lot less elsewhere). And the couple who manage this place are just lovely helpful friendly people whom I enjoy giving my business to and who well deserve the business they get because they obviously care about this place and work hard to keep it up so well. I mean, even before we arrived, I knew we’d enjoy our stay because of the communication prior to the arrival, they asked when we plan to arrive, they were extremely easy to work with, and as I mentioned, a very pleasant couple once you meet them in person.

I would definitely stay here again in Borrego Springs and I recommend this place highly. Had...

Our room is huge for the price, $140. Feels like a small apartment with high sloping ceiling and bathroom NOT facing into the sleeping area. Kitchen is more than adequate with full size fridge with small freezer unit for ice cream and ice cubes, a good sized microwave, coffee maker and a few but essential utensils (knife, spatulas, corkscrew!), plates and glasses and dish detergent. Outside the kitchen door is your own rudimentary patio with table and chairs and grill. You can easily save money by using groceries instead of dining out every meal, plus the continental breakfast is quite adequate --boiled eggs, yogurt, cereal, apples, bannanas, orang juice. Also bread and frozen waffles to put into toaster if you like that sort of thing, and low budget "pastries".

Maintenance may have improved since earlier reviews. Looks recently painted. We found everything to be very clean and in perfect working order with lots of hot water in the shower, effective radiator and working wifi. Very quiet and peaceful. Great mattress on a giant bed with nice art deco styling.

Some tips: if I were staying longer I would bring a humidifier. The dry radiator heat on top of being in the desert means VERY dry air. Definitely bring slippers or flip flops so as to not put bare feet on the ancient carpet. Bring your own coffee to brew if you really want a good cup of coffee. Bring an extension cord if you like to lie in bed with your smart phone charging as outlets are limited.

In sum, this is a great no frills bargain, fairly priced. Althogh I normally like to stay under $100 for a place to sleep, I would definitely consider...

Just book it! You’re going to love it here- I simply cannot put into words how grateful I am for the hospitality I felt throughout my stay at Stanlunds. It was my first time traveling outside of any major city in Southern California so I had no idea what to expect. Borrego was absolutely breathtaking. You’re engulfed by the beauty of the mountains and with Stanlunds being centrally located, the view in the morning with your coffee will be one you won’t forget. I felt right at home and was welcomed with open arms as soon as I stepped foot into the office during check in. Since I was traveling solo for a wedding, I booked the standard king room. It was spotless, a full fridge and freezer, microwave and all your necessities! My bed and pillows were super comfy and just what I needed. Both nights I fell asleep instantly. I ventured out to view Galleta Meadows which Standlunds is on the same road where you can view these spectacular metal sculptures. One of the highlights of my trip was learning that the town goes dark around 9 which means you get to experience the night sky in its entirety. I can’t wait to be back, bring along some family and friends and make a weeklong trip of it. Also to see the mountains with...