Name: Pelican Inn & Suites
Address: 6316 Moonstone Beach Drive, Cambria, California, United States of America, Cambria, California, US
Price range: US$165–US$379 per night
Rating: 8.18

What guests think

At Pelican Inn & Suites, travellers praise the oceanfront location across from Moonstone Beach and boardwalk, spacious rooms with fireplaces and views, and generally friendly staff, while noting dated furnishings, maintenance issues, inconsistent housekeeping, and occasional noise and Wi‑Fi frustrations.

Facilities receive mixed feedback, with a small or cool pool, hot tub outages, tight parking, no elevators or air conditioning, and occasional construction; guests like the pet‑friendly policy and onsite wine‑tasting room. Ocean views impress, though a few ground‑level patios and window obstructions limit the outlook compared with expectations. Dining is limited on site and breakfast isn’t provided, but popular restaurants are a short walk away. Expect a scenic stay where the location outshines modern amenities.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities draw mixed reactions: the pool is small and sometimes cool, the hot tub is occasionally out of service, parking is tight, and there’s no elevator or air conditioning. Guests appreciate the pet‑friendly policy and onsite wine‑tasting room; no EV chargers.

Related guest reviews

10

Carole

24 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Pelican Inn and Suites is a beautiful hotel across the street from the Pacific Ocean. Our suite was lovely with a fireplace, comfortable king bed, balcony with ocean view, microwave, small fridge and coffee maker. The bathroom had a jetted tub and good water. The suite was spacious. It's an easy walk to Moonstone Bar and Grill and not too far to the town of Cambria on foot. The area is gorgeous right by the beach. Pelican has a pool and a hot tub. This stay the pool was not very heated. Before when we stayed here the pool was nice and warm! A relaxing stay here though with lovely walks on the wooden cliff path.

8

Joanne

10 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room was clean. The layout of the room was different than most hotels. Had 2 sinks- one in the bathroom & one outside the bathroom. I found this to be convenient. Bed was comfortable. Good ventilation in the room. It is a two story building & no elevators.

6

Michael

17 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Needs some updating. It’s a basic older motel. Pool very small. It was fine for one night. It was nice to check in early.

8

Christie

2 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Everything was amazing except the hot tub and pool were in separate locations. Hot tub was in the corner of the parking lot. Kind of weird location.

10

Kristi

26 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Part was under construction - but can't help that. Didn't let us know about the parking and having to move our car. Hot Tub was broken. The rooms were great. Very spacious and clean. Some of the trees blocked the ocean view, but all in all - was a nice place to stay.

8

Tye

11 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Property is beautiful and right next to the ocean which is nice but dont leave your parking spot cause it would be gone in 2 minutes. Internet was spotty, pool was heated which was nice but the hot tub was out of order. The website says jacuzzi tubs but the room Jacuzzis dont work. Literally no way to even turn them on. Fireplace was nice, but outdoor firepits would be a nice addition. All in all, we enjoyed our trip, the beach made up for it, but probably wouldn't come back. Extremely limited dining in proximity to hotel.

10

Stephen

31 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Beautiful view from the balcony. Staff very accommodating and friendly. Loved the onsite wine tasting room.

8

Puja

18 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very comfortable room. Room was clean and spacious. Great location. Right across from Moonstone beach. Very difficult to get through to the front desk at any point in time if you had questions or needed something for the room. No EV parking on-site or close to the property if you’re driving an EV. Somebody at the reservation office told us that there was EV parking in the lot next-door, however, that belonged to another hotel and it was not a public charge station.

10

Jennifer

19 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Perfect location - beautiful view and easy beach access. Pet-friendly!

8

Mary Ann

12 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Beautiful landscaping and exceptional customer service. Super friendly!!! Disappointed that the jacuzzi tub in our room was disabled and the property hot tub was luke warm. Pool was freezing. But we enjoyed our stay overall. Room was so spacious and loved the huge fireplace!

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is inconsistent: many rooms are reported clean, but others cite stained or dirty items, hair or mold in bathrooms, bugs, and outdoor areas or hallways not well maintained. Housekeeping isn’t automatic during short stays and can be missed.

Related guest reviews

10

Anthony

22 May 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Walked into a dirty room at check in. Room changed to suite. Good customer service

6

Monica

28 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Staff was very friendly & kind. Location is awesome. Rooms are attractive. Would benefit from some outdoor seating to enjoy the views. Bathroom had hairs in the shower & the faucets didn’t work well. Mostly pretty clean & well maintained but the floor at the entrance to the building was pretty dirty for the entire 3 days.

6

Anita

24 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very disappointed with the cleanliness of the room, we found trash and food in different areas. Thankfully, I bring Clorox wipes with me to these places.

4

Seth

27 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Location of hotel was great, but the property was very dirty. The room was dirty.

4

Jane

6 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I went to shower and I could not turn on the water. The handle would not move in any way. So, left the hotel without a shower There was blond hair on the floor, coffee/drink splatters on the wall and "dirty" around the bathroom plug in. Very disappointed in the cleanliness. I complained at the front desk when checking out and was promised a call from the manager......which I never received.

6

Alireza

28 May 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

In May 2024, they do not clean the rooms unless you explicitly request it, blaming on the covid policies, the world has nothing to do with the covid time restrictions at the moment. You do not get informed that your room would not be cleaned of course, and when you ask you are checking out tomorrow, riiighht? It is very dog friendly which I liked, but as soon as you sit on the sofa, since they do not clean, your clothes are full of dog hair from prior visitors. We also found left over candy wraps in the bed side drawers. They really need to up their game with cleaning the rooms, otherwise the pool area the landscaping and all look very clean.

4

DAVID

4 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful area, but the room wasn’t clean. Stained sheets hair on he floor in the bathroom and hair under the sheets

10

Daniel

1 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel was clean and the room was comfortable. Staff was friendly and so nice that it's right next to the beach.

10

Jay

12 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Just all around nice and great price. Extremely clean and well kept!

10

Valerie

9 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Helpful staff. Good location on Moonstone across from the beach. Dated carpet. Only source of heat is the fireplace, which was nice. Bathroom was dated. Mold on tile. Comfortable bed. Spacious room. In room fridge.

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Rooms

Rooms are generally spacious with fireplaces, ocean views, and comfortable beds. Decor is dated with recurring maintenance issues (fans, sliders, fixtures), thin walls, slow or unreliable Wi‑Fi, and no A/C; some ground‑floor “ocean view” patios have obstructed views.

Related guest reviews

8

Scott

17 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms were good size with large TV, fireplace, microwave and mini refrigerator. Bed was very comfortable with nice linen. Only drawback was no central heating trying keep the room at comfortable temperature is hard to do with just the fireplace.

8

Michael

18 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location, obviously. Rooms were very nice and included a gas fireplace. Walls were a little thin and the staff doesn’t clean unless you stay 3 or more days.

4

John

30 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 19,355 nights

For the price the hotel was disappointing. Wifi was terrible and there is no cell signal in Cambria. Half the TV channels didn't work either. Ceiling fan wobbled and clicked all night. I'd look for another hotel in the same price range if I could do it again.

10

Liliana

13 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very pleasant, nice spacious rooms with great views of the ocean. Wish they had breakfast options though.

6

Michael

20 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The only reason the overall rating is “ average” is because I had so much difficulty with the hotel’s Wi-Fi during the time I stayed there. My phone cell service is the choice for where I live in the state of Washington, but does not do well down in California. Therefore, I was reliant on the hotel’s Wi-Fi. As I stated, I struggled with it the whole stay!

6

Rosy

19 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

If you get a downstairs room, be prepared for all the upstairs noise.

4

Steve

19 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

WARNING. The "Ocean View King Patio" IS NOT a full ocean view as advertised. The patio area is actually below the level of the road in front of it. But worst the plants in front of the small patio obstruct about 90% of your view. You cannot sit in the patio chairs and see the ocean. For over $330.00 a night, I was expecting a view of the ocean while sitting in the patio and enjoying a glass of wine. But what they didn't say is that you need to be standing up to see the ocean. I have attached photos taken from a seated position in the patio. You tell me if this is a full ocean view. I was such a disappointment and we paid for 3 nights which was well over $1,000 with taxes. I expressed my disappointment and was told I should have requested a 2nd floor ocean room. How about listing it as a partial ocean view or putting in tall bar chairs so people can actually see the ocean while seated.

8

Kathleen

16 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful property and location just across from Moonstone Beach. We had a room with a balcony within sight and sound of the ocean.

6

Renee

4 Dec 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great beach view, and very pet friendly Although the door to the hotel was not soundproof even a little bit and had big gaps so the light and sound traveled. We could hear everything outside our room and above us. My dog is sensitive to noise at night so everytime he heard someone walking he would bark. I think a simple fix of making the door more airtight would be helpful. The bed was decently comfortable but the mattress felt uneven.

8

Micaella

1 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Ocean view from the balcony is great. The property is dated without an AC system. Wouldn’t be able to stay in summers.

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Service

Service is often friendly and accommodating, with several standout front‑desk experiences. However, some guests report difficulty reaching staff, slow or unhelpful responses, reservation or room‑type issues, and occasional brusque interactions.

Related guest reviews

10

Wendy

25 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Starting will checkin, Carmen was so sweet and friendly as well as patient in answering questions. The property was clean, quiet and right across from the ocean. The room was quite large and the patio had a partial ocean view. The room coffee was top quality as well

4

jasenia

3 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room service terrible. I left two messages for help & never any reply. Room needs some up keep. Fireplace was great!

10

john

21 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Sam, who checked us in, was excellent, helpful, and friendly. The facility is superior and I highly recommend this Inn.

10

David

21 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Helpful staff, great location. Parking is a little tight. We’ve stayed here several times and never disappointed. Will definitely return.

10

Lisa

17 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Lovely place with a lovely staff! We only stay here when in Cambria!

6

Winston

11 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I didn’t feel the front desk was friendly! They are so concerned about the 4:00 check in. One of the front desk employees didn’t really make eye contact he was just too busy! The window seat covers were really stained and dirty. I asked the front desk for wine opener or glasses I could purchase. There weren’t any on site nor did they recommend where I might find the items. I walked next door to another hotel of which I was able to purchase glasses and wine opener. I have stayed at this property before the front desk staff were always pleasant and helpful.

10

Susan

1 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Greeted by lovely Carmen who offered an early checkin. She was so friendly and accommodating. And Assistant GM couldn’t have been more accommodating, friendly and generously offered us to contact him for any need we may have. It set such a special note for our wonderful stay. We’ll be back.

8

Carol

17 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Pelican Inn was very well kept and the bed was the best I've slept in for a very long time. It was fluffy yet firm. The sheets and comforter were crisp and clean white. The negative would be how loud the mini refrigerator hummed and the lack of text back from front desk. It took until the next day (original text sent at 140pm) for a vague response as to being asked to upgrade the Internet service. And then another question was not answered at all. They also do not seem fond of answering the phone. Why have texting service offered if the staff ignore it.

6

Kay

3 Oct 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

The front desk is difficult to deal with. They need customer service training. I was vice President of customer service for a major world airline & any employee who was this out of touch with the customer would have been counseled and trained. (I experienced the same lack on two different shifts in response to REALLLY simple info requests.)

2

John

1 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

I reserved a room about a month before my vacation. When I arrived I was told they didn’t have my reservation. the expensive ocean view room I booked was now full. So they gave me a cheap room with a view of the parking lot they had available. They told me to request a full refund from Expedia. Expedia reached out to them several times and the hotel never got back to them to approve the refund. I have also reached out to the hotel and no one has gotten back to me. Beware… this hotel maybe selling expensive rooms and then placing you in cheap rooms.

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Location

Outstanding oceanfront position across from Moonstone Beach and the boardwalk, with easy access to Cambria and nearby sights like Hearst Castle. Guests consistently highlight the views and walkability.

Related guest reviews

10

Julio

6 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean quiet comfortable, steps from the ocean and fast and easy check and out. Also Cambrias Main St is minutes away with boutique shops and dining b will definitely be back

10

Angelica

16 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent location and amazing views

10

Thomas

3 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great facility with easy access to the boardwalk above the beach across the street.

10

Maryedith

19 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Right on the coast road, great beach access and walkable boardwalk. Fall asleep to the sound of the waves! Nice staff and just a short walk to a great restaurant.

8

Marion

2 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location to Cambria, Heart Castle. Very nice for direct access to the beach.

10

Carrie

27 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Directly across the street from walking trail along the ocean. We had an ocean view room and it didn't disappoint! Stuning sunset view right from our balcony. Parking a little bit of a challenge to get infront of our building, but not a real big deal. Overall, I highly recommend this inn.

10

Betzabe

21 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I have stayed there numerous times. They always give me a room upgrade. I love the property and how almost all the units face the beach. The staff is really friendly and helpful. The succulent garden is well kept and beautiful. The parking can get dicey and the furniture in the rooms need to be replaced but other than that its a great value and a great place to stay. Love it.

10

Jennifer

26 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Centrally located. Easy walk to beach and restaurants.

10

Theodore

11 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The location is unbeatable and the value is even better compared to the other options which are more "motel-like".

8

Ralph

22 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location to the ocean and boardwalk

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Dining

On‑site dining is limited and breakfast is not offered, which several guests missed. An onsite wine‑tasting room is popular, and well‑liked restaurants are within walking distance.

Related guest reviews

10

Marla

10 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

The stay at Pelican Inn and Suites was so nice. We were cobtacted earlier in the week and gave us the opportunity to upgrade our room for a small charge. The room was great, sittibg are where we sat and read. Walking distanxe to one of iur favorite restsurants and directly across from the icean. The viewxwas fabulous. We checked in early, very accomodating .

10

Giselle

19 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location across from the beach. Dining options are limited in the area. We thankfully brought a sound machine, you could hear footsteps from floor above early in the morning and late at night. The room was really nice, spacious for my family of 5.

10

Roger

13 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We always have an enjoyable time at pelican Inn. They are always friendly and will help you with whatever you need help with. Clean. The only thing is they do not have a breakfast anymore. I think that is a big drawback. Also, they could hang rods next to the sink for hand towels to be placed instead of having to place them on the countertop.

10

Liliana

13 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very pleasant, nice spacious rooms with great views of the ocean. Wish they had breakfast options though.

10

Jessie

5 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,356 nights

We have stayed in Moonstone Beach before, this was the nicest property so far. Spacious room, walkable to the two largest restaurants, across the street from great shoreline walking paths. Parking was a bit tight, and we had noisy neighbors stomping around above us, but I would definitely return. Note: no breakfast available but they direct you to a sister property nearby. Pretty limited breakfast, so head for the Big Sur Restaurant in San Simeon.

8

Ying

4 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

We are return customer at Pelican Inn. Love their spacious ocean-view room on 2nd floor with big windows and fireplace. Conveniently located between the two restaurants on Moonstone beach: Sea chest and Moonstone Grill, both with excellent dishes.

8

Tye

11 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Property is beautiful and right next to the ocean which is nice but dont leave your parking spot cause it would be gone in 2 minutes. Internet was spotty, pool was heated which was nice but the hot tub was out of order. The website says jacuzzi tubs but the room Jacuzzis dont work. Literally no way to even turn them on. Fireplace was nice, but outdoor firepits would be a nice addition. All in all, we enjoyed our trip, the beach made up for it, but probably wouldn't come back. Extremely limited dining in proximity to hotel.

4

Richard

18 Sept 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good facilities, poor / uncoordinated service. Room service with "associated" restaurant seems like a scam. Ordered from menu left in room, was told items delivered but they were never were. Reported this to front desk, was told there was nothing they could do, but guest had to try and get money back by themselves.

6

David

14 Dec 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good location, friendly staff; enjoyed the wine bar. Room was poorly maintained—peeling paint, broken tiles, and too warm to sleep with no A/C. Ceiling fan was loose and unusable. We paid $85 upgrade, which was not worth it.

8

Barbara

16 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

This was a repeat stay. Clean & comfortable. Across Moonstone Beach. This time no breakfast included. Now a wine tasting room. Only one chair—2 would have been better for us. A bit warm, no air conditioning, ceiling fan but spouse never has been able to tolerate breeze-causing allergies to activate. Pilot light in fireplace may have been warming the room. Internet WiFi worked for one day only despite front desk attempts to help. Had to drive out of area to connect our cell phones fully. PelicanA bit challenging but we survived! Overall, we would recommend this place.

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Month	Average price
January	US$169
February	US$174
March	US$175
April	US$192
May	US$206
June	US$238
July	US$278
August	US$251
September	US$205
October	US$204
November	US$192
December	US$185

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 $174	17 $174	18 $266	19 $334
20 $173	21 $174	22 $175	23 $174	24 $176	25 $379	26 $253
27 $193	28 $176	29 $174	30 $174

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $174	2 $265	3 $336
4 $186	5 $186	6 $187	7 $186	8 $186	9 $276	10 $370
11 $187	12 $186	13 $187	14 $186	15 $187	16 $276	17 $276
18 $186	19 $186	20 $189	21 $186	22 $186	23 $276	24 $276
25 $186	26 $187	27 $167	28 $165	29 $187	30 $263	31 $238

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Suite, Multiple Beds

Traditional Room, 1 King Bed, Mobility Accessible

Suite, 1 King Bed (Partial Ocean View)

Family Suite

Room, 1 King Bed (Partial Ocean View)

Traditional Room, 1 King Bed

Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Ocean View

Suite, 2 Queen Beds (Partial Ocean View)

Suite, 1 King Bed, Mobility Accessible, Ocean View

Suite, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

Room, 1 King Bed, Patio, Ocean View

Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

Guest reviews

Very good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Pelican Inn & Suites

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Prices for upcoming dates