Name: Hotel Carmel Santa Monica
Address: 201 Broadway, Santa Monica, California, United States of America, Santa Monica, California, US
Price range: $169–$294 per night
Rating: 7.6

What guests think

Hotel Carmel Santa Monica draws consistent praise for its central, walkable location near the pier and promenade and for friendly, accommodating staff, while repeated critiques focus on the building’s age, dated areas, and significant street and bar noise at night.

Rooms are generally clean but small and basic, with thin walls, limited in-room amenities (often no fridge or microwave), and occasional A/C, water pressure, or TV issues. Facilities are minimal: valet parking is convenient but costly, and the single elevator can be small, slow, or out of service; there is no on-site restaurant or bar, though several guests note discounts at nearby cafes. Expect a simple base with welcoming service if you can tolerate noise.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Amenities are basic: valet parking is convenient but often considered expensive, and the single elevator is small, slow, and occasionally out of service. Some guests also noted active renovations during stays.

Related guest reviews

6

Steve

Oct 2, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

One slow, small elevator for a 4 story building. AC by the bed blowing directly on me. Employees were all very nice.

4

Carol

Sep 22, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

I didn’t like the surprise fees in my stay. I ended up paying more than I thought. Hotel is very outdated. Elevator was out of order. Location was what made the experience better.

10

Sandra

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The valet parking was a bit expensive but extremely convenient. This hotel is about location it’s 2 blocks from the pier and very close to the mall, what else could you want, it’s not the Hilton but has its own charming appeal. I like the rooms on the west side and the front desk and we do kind to accommodate me.

10

Eliot

Nov 13, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I usually stay here. It is an older property but very well maintained and always clean. It is quiet and I sleep well. They are renovating room by room. No refrigerator, no microwave. Close to Ocean Ave, the pier, 3rd street promenade. TV reception was intermittent this go round but that is not that important to me. More economical than the higher end places and comfortable. Secure parking.

2

Matthew

Sep 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This really was terrible. Hotel is undergoing renovation. Elevator out of service.I had international guests and 4th floor with no elevator. Contruction work generated oil fumes in the rooms that caused chest, eye and mouth irritations. I am not one to complain but this really was terrible and not acceptable.

8

Ryan

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Property was nice and the staff friendly. Parking is a nightmare in the area and the poor valet was swamped but did a great job.

8

Susan

Sep 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was built in 1926, but it has been nicely renovated. The staff is very friendly. The room temperature was less than ideal, but that was on operator error so we got that worked out for the second night. There’s a lot of street noise that carries upstairs as well as our neighbors with their screaming kids. There is old-fashioned wiring that goes through the closet to different parts of the room that leaves one wondering if it’s up to code. Valet parking is convenient, but it is $35 a night as well as a hefty tourism tax that you have to pay when you check in. Otherwise it was convenient to the beach and to shopping and dining. I would recommend this place and would probably visit again.

8

John

May 8, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The property was fine, however they do not tell you they charge 38.50 a night to park your car. This would have been very helpful. Rooms are very small, I would not recommend this place for larger people. We barely fit in the shower.

6

Goran

Jan 3, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

You have to pay a staying fee $20 and parking $40 per day, plus room. That is a lot.

8

Justin

Nov 1, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Parking garage located next door

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Many guests describe the rooms as clean or spotless, but common areas like hallways and stairs can feel musty or look dirty. A few reports mention maintenance lapses and isolated pest concerns.

Related guest reviews

8

Celisse

Nov 18, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is a bit older, which you can't tell until you get into the facilities. It looks like they are remodeling and the rooms are well maintained, but the halls and lobby need to be refreshed. The carpet in the halls looked like it needed to be vacuumed or replaced. The restroom (toilet and sink) in the room were older but the room and bed seemed refreshed; however, it still doesn't look like the pictures. I needed an early check-in and the woman at the front desk was so polite and accommodating. She was able to get me a freshly cleaned room so I could get ready before my event in town. The staff were very friendly! It was very centrally located to the pier and 3rd Street Promenade.

4

Annaliza

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I would give the staff 5 /5 but the place need a lot of renovation. Entrance, Lobby, stairs, carpet, people (guests) 0/5. The room I would give it 3/5. Bedsheets 1/5. My husband got bit already by bedbugs on the 2-3 hours that we stayed. And since this hotel was build since 1948 i believed, my husband start coughing, since he has Pulmonary problem. We asked for extra sheets, we are given old yellowish sheets with blood in it that is supposed to be white sheets. The great this is the staff are very considerate to give us a refund of our stay and cancelled. Ended up going home. We were supposed to go to a wedding the following day but end up going home. As my children got scared as well on how the hotel look like. And on the way down of the hotel. My children saw 2 naked men came out of one room and went across the other room. Inspire of bad experience of the hotel. I do give the staff 5/5

8

Nicola

Sep 27, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I really want to love this place. The interior of the room was clean and I really liked the decor and the space in the room was comfortable. The bed and pillows were comfortable. The AC never got below 75 in the room though, and was often hotter, which made it pretty stuffy. The location was fabulous. I walked 2 blocks to the pier to watch the sunset both nights. I enjoyed walking the beach. It was a very walkable area. The housekeeping staff was really friendly. Front desk service was nice at check in, the rest of the time it was ok but not overly attentive. The carpets on the stairs and hallways appeared dirty. Overall, the location made it with the stay.

10

alice

Nov 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Spotless

8

SERGIO FELIPE

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 10 nights

Awesome place to stay. It’s old and the hallways are quite dirty, but the staff is super nice, the location is ideal, and it’s perfect for a value stay in Santa Monica!

8

Sophia

Oct 21, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

I don’t know the frequency of the cleaning service, I saw the cleaning lady, but my room was not clean during my stay. The room had a good size, good beds. I think the sheets were a little smelly. The staff were pretty friendly

6

Victoria

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel is an old building, so a few quirks like the shower didn't work well, sheets didn't fit the bed, not a great mattress, and it was extremely noisy. The staff was great, and the location can't be beat.

2

Deangelo

Aug 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We left within 10 minutes of entering our room and booked another hotel. Sure, the location is great -close to the beach and shops, but at what cost? The lobby had fruit flies and gnats, and the room was humid, sticky, dirty, and outdated. We felt so unclean we couldn’t imagine spending the night.

6

Andrew

Jun 23, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Staff are very nice and helpful. Building is pretty old, carpet old and smelly. Room is clean. Location is convenient to shops, beaches, lots of choice restaurants.

10

Eric

Apr 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This was our fourth or fifth stay at Carmel Hotel. Great location, close to LAX, friendly staff. While building is older, rooms have been recently renovated and updated. Would definitely stay again.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are small and dated but functional; noise from streets, nearby bars, and thin walls/ceilings is a recurring issue. Many rooms lack a fridge or microwave, and some guests note loud or inconsistent A/C and variable water pressure or TV service.

Related guest reviews

10

Mark

Jul 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really nice place near the Line 4 bus stop and Santa Monica Pier. There's accessibility to all kinds of things from this spot, something I truly appreciate when I book my stays. Everything worked well in the room, but the highlight was the bed. Great mattress/sheets/pillows. Staff was friendly and helpful.

6

Matt

Jul 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Looks great online but dated interior. Great location and price for nightlife… which was a negative in our case since it’s noisy and inconvenient for a family passing through with late arrival and early departure during a roadtrip.

6

Derrick

Oct 26, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Room was small. The floor creaked when you walked and would make the dresser handles shake everytime you walk by. Bathroom and shower very tiny.

6

Elizabeth

Jun 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location, friendly staff. Bed wasn’t the most comfortable ( also made a lot of noise just repositioning). Direct Tv kept going out. It served its purpose for being close to beach and a place to lay your head down at night.

6

Jeléna

Jun 19, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location was fantastic, the hotel was clean, and the staff were very friendly. We stayed in a room with a window facing the inner courtyard. Unfortunately, there was a bigger machine outside – likely for the A/C – that ran through the night. With the window closed, it was already quite loud, and we ended up sleeping with earplugs. With the window open, it was really too noisy to sleep at all.

8

Pamela

Jul 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff was incredibly wonderful, and helpful, and caring. I don’t think the establishment was worth the money we spent. The room was small and looked like a motel. The AC was loud.

6

Timothy

Jul 9, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very old rooms. No microwave. No fridge. No bathroom vent fans. A lot of noise. Location great to other attractions.

8

Robert

Sep 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really enjoyed our stay, although lift was broken and we were on the 3rd floor and hotel decor a little tired in front laces. The location to explore Santa Monica was great, staff very friendly and rooms well equipped and big. Big issue was no a/c and not able to open window because of noise.

8

Julia

May 30, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Overall, a very cute, unique old school hotel. I loved the vibe & the people were nice. They just need to add a few extras like a mini fridge, microwave, & darkening curtains. The air conditioning unit was also extremely loud.

6

Vincent

Aug 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel in itself is very nice. But it’s next to a bar, back alley side and loud music was played until 2 am, then patrons stood outside talking loudly for over an hour. There was a bit of quiet after that but think that the staff came out and stood there chatting for a while. Then people at 6 am were having loud conversations, oblivious to anyone sleeping around. So although I enjoyed the hotel and the room (small but cozy) I probably won’t return because of the outside noise, unfortunately. Unless I’m guaranteed a room on the other side, which is a gamble when booking with Expedia. One more thing: I was supposed to get a king bed and there’s no way it was a king, or it was a tiny king… but that didn’t bother me much in the end, I was alone and didn’t sleep much lol.

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Service

Service is generally friendly, helpful, and responsive, with staff often accommodating special requests and resolving issues quickly. A few reviews report indifferent or rude interactions at the front desk.

Related guest reviews

10

Meghan

Dec 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are very cute, beds are comfortable. Fantastic customer service.

8

Deborah

Jan 31, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The front desk lady was not helpful. We almost had to find another place due to parking and she was like ok, cancel. She could care less. Had no idea where we should park. Thankfully the valet was able yo help us. I would not recommend staying here because of her alone.

10

Hana

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Clean rooms and staff super friendly- all the girls were nice and explained us how to use the metro - gave us the tap cards!!! I’ll be definitely back!

10

Caleb

Aug 12, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great quality and the staff were very kind. We had a special request and they made it happen. Very close to the beach. Will be back.

10

Katherine

Dec 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff was fantastic. Very kind and helpful. It is in a great location.

10

Dawn

Jun 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

After a long day out in the sun, we were greeted by friendly smiles. We had a large group and multiple rooms, the desk staff was so kind! We parked our cars with the hotel as well, and our valet was superior. We had to get things out of the car a couple of times, it was no problem. The staff went over and above to help us have a great experience. Thank you, Hotel Carmel!

10

Lauren

Jun 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Cute, older, but well-kept hotel in the heart of Santa Monica. Walk to beach, restaurants, entertainment. Very clean. Rose at reception is a sweetheart. Would definitely stay there again.

10

Brandi

Sep 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff was amazing!

10

donna

Jun 18, 2024

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Stayed 3 nights

Staff was wonderful. Efficient, knowledgeable and so friendly. Cannot beat the location. I ended up leaving some of my luggage on the sidewalk on departure and the bellman saw my name and knew I left it behind! He safely stored it.

6

jasmeet

Oct 15, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

One of the girl on reception was very rude. I just enter the hotel and i was not aware about the check in time as i was just asking when i will get it and what will be check out time, she answered me very rudely and was not at all interested in listening she was simply annoyed. i could not get her name or get any manager but that was simply rude when i am being polite and just asking my timings. The person helping on parking was sweet and she helped a lot every time

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Outstanding walkable location near the beach, pier, Third Street Promenade, and transit, with dining and shopping steps away. The lively area contributes to late-night street and bar noise.

Related guest reviews

10

Andrew

Aug 13, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Super convenient location, close to the beach and the 3rd street promenade. Hotel was clean, room enough for 5 in the 2 room suite, seemed to be recently painted and new floors. I was pleasantly surprised and happy with the choice. Very reasonably priced

10

Nancy

Aug 6, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location, so close to the Santa Monica pier, restaurants, shops, etc. So convenient to access from the subway….literally steps away!

8

H

Jun 25, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Great location, very cheap valet parking and fees, yes the hotel is a little dated and our room was above a bar so noisey at night but for what is cost you can’t complain!

10

Charles

Aug 25, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Located in the heart of downtown Santa Monica, the Hotel Carmel is conveniently situated to the Santa Monica Pier, the beach, shopping and dining. The Hotel Carmel is clean, simple and reasonably priced. If you are looking for a good budget minded Hotel we highly recommend the Hotel Carmel.

10

Vladimir

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very close to Santa Monica Pier as well as 3rd Street Prominade. Excellent price, too.

10

John

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Close to the beach and shops, would stay again!

10

Daniel

Nov 19, 2024

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Stayed 2 nights

Excellent location. Close to everything and so much to see and do. The entire staff was friendly and helpful. We are already planning on booking again the next time we are in the area.

8

Kim

Jun 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a very cute hotel in an EXCELLENT location just a block from the beach, the pier, restaurants etc. It is the city so if you need quiet at night, this might not be the place for you. Use earplugs and should be ok. Great breakfast place right next door.

8

Christine

Aug 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great Location!

10

Franko

Dec 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

No on-site restaurant or bar; several guests mention discount vouchers for nearby breakfast spots. Plenty of cafes and restaurants are within a short walk.

Related guest reviews

6

Herenia

Aug 5, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Hotel is clean, shower worked great, check-in was easy. They have a breakfast/lunch/dinner place right next to the hotel that has good breakfast food. We wanted to go for dinner, but they close at 3:00 p.m.?? You get a discount if you show your hotel key. There is no fridge or microwave in the rooms, and if you want ice, you have to get it from the front desk. The beds in the room we had were extremely noisy and not comfortable, but we did see them putting new mattresses in some of the rooms. They say they have sound proof rooms but you could hear lots of noise from outside the room and outside the hotel. Overall, it was ok.

10

Nancy

Feb 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Restaurant close by

10

Yuriko

Jun 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We had a lovely one-night stay that left us feeling quite content. The staff was incredibly friendly, making us feel welcomed from the moment we arrived. It was great to find the pier just a short walk away, allowing us to enjoy some beautiful time by the water. Plus, the nearby restaurant, which offers a nice discount to guests for breakfast, surprised us with its delicious food. Overall, it was a delightful experience!

8

Jenifer

Nov 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The description says it has 2 bars, it does not. There was no fridge in the room, which is a bummer. The staff was excellent and beyond. The location is superb.

10

Donna

Jan 9, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent location, central to town beach and pier. Room clean but cold, we had to use heating, friendly staff. No bar or restaurant.

8

Kim

Jun 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a very cute hotel in an EXCELLENT location just a block from the beach, the pier, restaurants etc. It is the city so if you need quiet at night, this might not be the place for you. Use earplugs and should be ok. Great breakfast place right next door.

10

Richard

Jan 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel is located in the heart of downtown Santa Monica, so you can easily walk to the most popular places in Santa Monica. That's great, since driving and finding parking in downtown Santa Monica is sometimes not fun. The hotel is in an older building, but it has been well updated, and the accommodations are great, especially the comfortable beds. The staff is extremely friendly and proactive. In exchange for the great location, you have a few trade-offs. There's no free breakfast, though a couple of very good places right nearby will give a 15% discount on breakfast if you show your room card. Also, as the hotel is right downtown, you may be able to hear buses as they start running early in the morning and the occasional rabble rouser making some noise late at night. Personally, I'd stay here again. They really go out of their way to take care of their guests, and you can't beat the location.

8

Chris

Feb 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Smaller rooms with not so great bedding. Everything is clean and working great. TV is small and a bit older. There’s no room service or restaurant but everything is pretty close by but none open late. I was staying here because I was working in the area.

6

Carolyn

Feb 24, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

This hotel has been somewhat updated. Although the bathrooms have not, the bathroom fan is horribly loud, the air conditioner is horribly loud, and there is excessive nightlife in the area to the point of the staff of a security guard on the weekend in the lobby with 2x4” barricading the front door. One of the restaurants that they are still handing out discount vouchers for is completely closed. The other restaurant is more of a bar/lounge than a restaurant and it’s only open in the evenings. So they attached restaurants are useless. Elevators are very slow in the morning and the staff is not very helpful with any questions we had. They seemed more interested in talking to Mike themselves or whatever they were doing on their cell phones.

8

Sarah

Jun 10, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean little 3 star hotel in great location. Hotel itself is a little dated but staff is friendly and location very convenient to walk to pier, beach and restaurants. They provide a coupon for breakfast three doors down which is nice. Street park not great. Valet only offered. Watch out for the “resort” fee even though there’s no pool and a tiny common area. But overall good value for the area compared to prices of other hotels nearby.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$163
February	$171
March	$178
April	$173
May	$173
June	$235
July	$194
August	$193
September	$193
October	$188
November	$174
December	$169

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $216	2 $241	3
4 $187	5 $186	6 $170	7 $170	8 $218	9 $236	10
11 $169	12 $172	13 $169	14 $171	15 $187	16 $179	17
18 $171	19 $170	20 $170	21 $171	22 $169	23 $190	24
25 $170	26 $171	27 $171	28 $170	29 $171	30 $196	31 $195

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20 $210	21 $213	22 $216	23 $216	24 $216	25 $234	26 $294
27 $214	28 $221	29 $218	30 $216

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Room, 1 Queen Bed

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

Guest reviews

Good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Hotel Carmel Santa Monica

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Prices for upcoming dates