We really enjoyed staying at Castle Inn. Clean, directly across the street to a boardwalk entrance and the beach. We stayed for 5 days...Monday thru Friday (July 8-12). I had checked the other hotels along the beach, but they were all booked up (or way above our budget). Castle Inn was not, and I saw a couple of people ride up and get a room with no reservation at all. I like that it's a small hotel.....we were right next to the continental breakfast and pool, but you'd be close no matter what room you were in. Pool area was nice, and never got full. For the most part, we were alone out there. Pool was clean and heated, and the hot tub was nice and hot! Nice view of the ocean too! The room itself was clean and adequate. Nothing fancy, but worth the price (approx. $160/night with taxes with AAA). There was a musty/wet smell in the room which was easily remedied by taking a trip to Main Street (just about 3 minutes away) and stopping at their local market (Cookie Crock) and purchasing a Plug-In. Problem solved! The only other complaint I have is the lack of space and countertop in the bathroom. I found the blow dryer in the bedroom dresser (as there was absolutely no place to set it down in the bathroom). The shower was nice and clean, but very, very, small. You hardly have any room to move in there at all. Also, no place in the shower to place your shampoo, conditioner, razor, etc. You have to put it all on the floor of the shower. There's not even a ledge above the shower door. But besides that bit of discomfort....it was a nice stay. The continental breakfast consisted of a variety of little fresh pastries, a variety of cold cereals, a couple of hot cereals, bananas, oranges, apples, hard boiled eggs, yogurts (and granola), hot chocolate, a variety of hot teas, coffee, decaf and orange juice. They also have a microwave you can use (during the hours 7:30am-10am), so you can always pick something up from the Cookie Crock and keep it in your little fridge until morning, then heat it up. Good to know: *no channel guide on the TV * you can find the access code to free Wifi in the hotel room booklet * there are NO fast food places anywhere nearby (closest is in Morro Bay) * one of the plug outlets in the room didn't work (we were in room 29) I would definitely stay here again. The front desk ladies were very, very helpful and nice. I will post a bunch of pics, so hopefully it will help. read more

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First thing I want to say is if people don't know what a continental breakfast means, they shouldn't complain about it. Hard boiled eggs, assorted pastries, cold cereal, juice, milk and coffee. That is it, and if you expect anything more you're insane. So yes this place has a good continental breakfast. The woman who helped us check in was really nice and was very professional. We were told that if we we're arriving after 8:00 p.m. to go to the Blue Dolphin inn but we got there around 8:30 and we were checked in just fine, so that was a nice surprise. Our room was nice. We were told to we would have a full ocean view room so we thought we would get the first room directly facing the ocean. Now we are glad we didn't get that room because it has a nice view of trees instead of the ocean. Our room actually had a pretty good view of the ocean so that was cool. The room was a nice size and I actually liked the turquoise carpet. The bed was big but kind of stiff. The bathroom has a tiled shower which I wasn't a fan of because I almost slipped. Refrigerator in the closet was a cool touch. We sat on the red chairs with a bunch of other people and watched the sun set. Someone complained about the chairs facing the street. Yeah but it also faces the ocean. I was very pleased with the place so thank you Castle Inn. read more

The room was clean and appeared to have been recently updated. Bathroom is small, without counter space,however. The price is a good value considering the great location. The lawn / pool area were nicely maintained, and the Adirondack chairs on the lawn, facing the ocean are a nice touch. We ate at the continental breakfast in the morning. They offered hard-boiled eggs, cold cereal, yogurt, pastries (tiny), fruit, juice and coffee among other choices. While the Castle Inn does not offer some of the amenities that other nearby hotels have, this seems to be reflected in the price. I would stay here again. read more

PROS: (1) Location (across the street from the ocean and minutes from downtown) (2) Friendly and helpful clerk (3) Pet friendly (but there's a $25 per night pet fee) (4) Tidy, utilitarian, and comfortable room (5) Free breakfast and WiFi (6) Reasonable price ($144 per night) CONS: (1) No bathtub (just a shower) (2) No DVD player (3) No hot food for breakfast (continental only) (4) Thin walls / poor sound insulation read more

Bless this hotel for being a budget-friendly gem on Moonstone Beach! There are absolutely no shortage of hotels on Moonstone Beach to choose from, and of course being right across the street from the ocean, prices are going to be high. But I was pleasantly surprised to do my research and find the Castle Inn, a family-friendly motel style hotel on the beach that offers ocean views and at least for Presidents Day weekend was only a little over $100 a night. I paid for the full oceanview room, and was a bit disappointed. Anywhere else it would have been a partial oceanview room, but it was the best they had and again, the price couldn't be beat. Could we open our curtains and see the ocean? Absolutely. So I'll take what I can get. The décor inside the room was fine, nothing fancy, and the bed was a bit stiff but good size. Widescreen TV worked great though, and we could even see the ocean out the bathroom window. Ladies be warned though - this is not a girl friendly bathroom. If you're like me and your toiletries and prettifyings require their own suitcase, you will also find the counterspace woefully inadequate. I just lived out the bag I brought everything in. Keep in mind that you aren't paying for luxury, you're paying for the nearby ocean and a place to rest at night. And breakfast, don't forget about breakfast! I found the continental breakfast offerings to be stellar - delicious Peerless coffee with all the fixings, juice, pastries, hard boiled eggs, milk & cereal. It was a good spread and a definite easy way to save money and start the day off simply. Very appreciated! If you're in the market for a luxurious beachfront hotel, look elsewhere - but if you just need a cozy and friendly place to hang your hat, make Castle Inn your stop. And do what we did - end your evening with a bottle of wine from one of the many nearby wineries and grab a seat in The Red Chairs out front, and enjoy a beautiful sunset. I can hardly wait to come back! read more

Beachy casual and well within budget, the Castle Inn by the Sea is a great spot to stop when on a family road trip. Located right across the street from Moonstone Beach, Castle Inn is one of the less expensive and most flexible places in Cambria. Kids are allowed. There isn't a two-night minimum. Service is friendly and the rooms, while simple, are beachy and clean. Little touches like a daily posting of the high and low tides (just so you can determine when to look in the tidal pools), restaurant recommendations, and lawn chairs to allow you to sit out in the evening and view the stars make you feel right at home. Walk across the street, and you find yourself on the wooden boardwalk that leads you directly to the sea. Head left or right on the boardwalk to meander along the stretch of beach. Do pack your wind breaker. This walk can be windy. Sure, we could have spent more on a room. We could have stayed in a place with a spa and other such amenities. However, why do that when there is so much to explore in and round Cambria. Save the fuss, be low key, and relax at the Castle Inn. read more

We had a good stay here. The room was clean and quiet. We saw a young couple with two screaming kids go into the room right next to us and we were so worried but we couldn't hear them at all. The staff was very friendly and seemed to want to make our stay nice. Everything was close and it was a nice area to walk. Just cross the street to a wooden pathway to the beach or along the street. The price was an issue that remained perplexing. We started out reserving our room for $169 but when then it turned out to be $269??? I really think it was a mistake in the reservation process but it was a bit disappointing. It was a bit pricey for an older motel in my opinion. The breakfast room... you might want to go elsewhere if you want a good breakfast! The room was cramped and awkward serving sad baked goods, some cereals and oatmeal. I had a bowl of oatmeal, which tasted fine, but it was hardly exciting! I'd probably go back if I can secure the 2 nights for 1 deal or a cheaper rate. And I'd plan to go into town for a nice breakfast! read more

You can't beat this place for the price. We spent a night here as we made our way up the coast. We arrived just before sunset so we were able to sit on the red adirondack chairs with a glass of wine (we planned ahead and brought that ourselves, the hotel did not offer any alcohol) to enjoy a perfect view of the sunset over the ocean. Just across the street was the entrance to a boardwalk/walking path along the shore. You could walk right down to the tide pools when it was low tide and explore the rocks and possibly even spot some seals lounging around. The bed was big and comfortable and the room and bathroom were very clean. The lady working the front desk even made sure we had an ocean view from our room. The breakfast was also great... pretty standard but not lacking. Oh and you can hear the waves crashing from your room at night if you leave a window cracked...amazing. read more

Excellent value Clean comfortable No frills Continental breakfast you could just skip Room 2 is the room with the unobstructed ocean view not over the parking lot We will stay here again read more

My gf and I were considering some other places to stay a night in Cambria, but after one phone call with the Castle Inn, we made the decision to book a room there. The friendly service, along with the reassurance that we would get a room on the 2nd floor with a good view of the beach, won us over. Upon entering our room, everything looked well kept. The place had modern windows and a flat-screen tv. The bathroom was really neat and was stocked with a plentiful assortment of towels. Although we didn't use them, the closet stored an iron and ironing board, and a spare blanket. The mini fridge, which was also in the closet, was tiny but useful nonethless. The beds could have been less firm. Above all else, it was such a pleasure to have a view of the Pacific. I would definitely consider staying here again on future vacations and will even recommend the Castle Inn. read more

The room is clean and nice and there is an ocean view but the furniture should be arranged the opposite way that it is. There's really nowhere to be comfortable and look at the view. If they would put the bed on the opposite wall from where it is you could lay on your bed and look at the ocean. Instead they have the TV on that wall. There is a chair next to it and I sat down on it thinking well at least I could see it from here but I sunk down so far that it was out of my view LOL. You can sit at the little table under the window and look but I wouldn't consider that to be very relaxing. So may I suggest Castle Inn, that at least for room six you switch the bed with the TV so that people can lay on their bed and enjoy the view? read more

In an attempt to avoid the rain (motorcycle road trip) we had to find a room fast in the San Simeon area. Found The Castle Inn on Trivago. It turned out to be one of our best motel experiences this trip. The room was clean, remodeled, and quiet. The staff were all very friendly, helpful, and welcoming, They have chairs out on the lawn to watch the ocean...but most of our ocean view enjoyment was from our room. It seems that all second story rooms have the great view. The continental breakfast offered hard boiled eggs and oatmeal...which fit my eating plan well. They also had the normal rolls, juice, and toast. We will stay again at the Castle Inn the next time we are in the San Simeon area. It was a great little motel. read more

Pros: - Check-in with lady named Dawn went well. Courteous lady. - Room comes w/a fridge (but strangely hidden in the closet) - Stay comes with morning breakfast of a variety of pastries, boiled eggs, OJ, coffee, & cereal (between 7:30am to 10am). You can even take the food over to your room to enjoy it there. - Cable tv provided & channels change quickly - 2nd floor rooms comes with a great view of the ocean - Walking distance to a scenic area where you can see seals & a walking trail where you'll see lots of ground squirrels & a few bunnies. Cons: - Temperature of shower water is not consistent. - Sink water at hot can get burning hot. - Heater (near the door to come into the room) works but doesn't have any labels or instructions of how to use it. The sound barrier between mine & my neighbors room was soso... I could still their tv through the wall. - Almost got jipped from my cookies i was supposed to get for purchasing my 2nd LivingSocial voucher. read more

Great place for the money. Clean room, comfy bed, right on the water. Don't expect the Four Seasons, your paying under $150 a night. Well worth the money read more

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This place is very clean and reasonably priced. The entrance to the boardwalk is right across the street and the view from our window was good. We were able to watch the sunset. I wish we had a private patio to sit and enjoy the view like other hotels on moonstone but for the price this place was perfect. The property has red Adirondack chairs on site facing the ocean. So pretty and relaxing! A dog friendly property that provided dog treats, a comfy dog bed, water and food bowls plus a poop bag. read more

For a little motel by the beach, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expected old run down rooms and was amazed when I got a nice looking room that looked slightly new. It did have an musty smell when you walked into the rooms, but that is to be expected when you stay by the beach. The carpet does need to be replaced but the rooms were warm and the bathrooms were nice and clean. They have a small frig in the closet (weird, I know, but I brought my dog with me and I appreciated that they put the frig somewhere that the dogs couldn't get to it!). They are dog friendly. It was $25 a night and they had beds and bowls out for each of my dogs. It was so cute! They also have a spot on site for the dogs to go do their business. Their wi fi is shotty, but you can get the wi fi from the Otter Inn next door. :) They also have a continental breakfast that included coffee, juice and milk. A variety of cereals, hard boiled eggs and pastries. Very nice. Overall, I would definitely stay here again. read more

I should start by saying that things didn't go smoothly at check in, but the way that Kayla resolved the issues goes so far above and beyond that I had to write a review to thank her on as many sites as possible. We booked last minute and were just looking for something inexpensive and something with a hot tub. When we arrived, Kayla informed me that the hot tub was down for maintenance. Since it was the reason we booked, she kindly offered to cancel at no charge-already kind. My phone had no service so she called Booking.com for me and waited on hold who knows how long for me. Then, while she waited, she searched for other properties nearby! Nothing was available for a comparable price and we were pooped, so after she waited to cancel booking for us, we decided to stay after all that. Then. She gave us the best room and reduced the price! Kayla, thank you!!! read more

Lady at check in was professional, nice & informative. No complaints. Walking into hotel room was surprising. I like to look at the hotel website for pictures to know what to expect. They show a different room, one with a white bread spread and a blue throw. The room theme appears to be a sea theme from the bedside lights to the wall art. Perhaps there are different room themes. Please put up various pictures if you have multiple themed rooms. Its a little misleading. All the rooms I saw open upstairs by ours had the same outdated decor. See pictures. This is my biggest gripe and you will live. The room was clean visually. Very neat and doable. There is a mildew/ocean smell when you walk in. Got down on the rug to stretch and was grossed out. Small clean bathroom. Basic is the word. Romantic no. Comfortable no. Bed sucked. Heater on the wall by door. Old clunky but it works. Didn't use pool or hot tub but the staff was there everyday to clean it. Continental breakfast just ok. Variety cereals, fruit, danishes, muffins, coffee & tea. If its a special occasion and you want a more elegant room look for a higher priced sister hotel if theirs. Good price for what you get. read more

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Not bad. On our way up the coast we stopped here for a clean bed and a shower. The room was tiny but the bed was comfy and the shower was warm. The shower lacked a place to put anything except one bar of soap so I kept dropping everything and almost fell once. The guy at the front is only three until 9 so don't try to check in later than that. He was nice but when we got a better rate on their website as a deal he got weird. He saw our rate and in jest called my hubby a MF er... My husbands down so he just laughed. It was like the guy in Road Trip was checking you in. It was a great experience overall. A clean bed across from the ocean, a shower and a little entertainment. The coffee in the morning is from the roasting house in town.. Fabulous! read more

Overall I was pleased with our experience here. The Castle Inn is a little old-fashioned, and not necessarily in a charming way. The rooms are pretty simple, and yes, you get a real key to your room, so be careful with it! But, everything was clean and comfortable, if a little expensive. The free wifi worked all right. I was initially very concerned when we went into our room and there was an overwhelming smell of mildew. We were concerned about whether we would be able to stay in the room and went back to the front desk, where very quickly we were given a new, clean room. The location is fantastic and we had a great time checking out seals right across the street at the beach. However, we may try out other hotels in the area. read more

O.k....free wifi, great, across from beach, excellent, cleanliness, on point, Beds though....terrible!! Woke up hurting! It has been remodeled inside and out but someone forgot to order new beds. Besides that everything else was good. Including the short walk to the Moonstone Bar & Grill. read more

Castle Inn - Ocean view. - Hotels Near Me - Cambria, California

Love this place! Great location! Close to everything and the grounds are beautiful and dog friendly! read more

Castle Inn - Hotels Near Me - Cambria, California

Had a great two night stay at the Castle Inn. We had previously stayed at their other property The Sand Pebbles Inn which is a great small, fancier Inn. The Castle Inn has many similar amenities a nice continental breakfast, clean rooms with good beds. This hotel is basically a slightly more upscale motel. The pool is beautiful and has a great view of the beach. There are Adirondack chairs and a Cornhole game to play while watching the sunset. This is a perfect and economical stop on a family vacation. If your looking for a more romantic getaway you may want to try the Sand Pebbles Inn or one of the other hotels on Moonstone Beach. But, our family will be staying at the castle inn again for sure. read more

Castle Inn - View from pool area. - Hotels Near Me - Cambria, California

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Beautiful, beautiful views of the Pacific. The ocean is right across the street. The room had two queen beds and was very spacious. I enjoyed my stay here. read more

Great location, clean rooms, nice bed. Friendly service aswel. Enough parkingspace and a pool for the summer. Nice breakfast in a seperate building. Would book again! read more

Wonderful. Great value. Clean rooms. No extra crap. Great location. Breakfast was just so-so, but that's not really a complaint. I'll stay here again without a second thought. read more

Castle Inn was a lovely find on Moonstone Beach, and great value for the money. For the price of a moderate hotel room, I got a nice spacious room & comfortable bed, and everything was clean & neat as a pin. The bathroom, while small, was spotless, which counts a lot for me. Breakfast had no hot food but a nice selection of fresh pastries (no Danish-in-a-wrapper here) as well as cereals, milk, juice and coffee. Another plus, breakfast was available until 10 am. Sometimes you just want a leisurely morning. All this, on the beach in Cambria! I expected any hotel that's across the street from the ocean to go for quite a bit more. Go for a walk along the beach, or take the stairway right across from the hotel and explore the tidepools. Later, sit in the Adirondack chairs with your favorite beverage in hand. Enjoy the sunset. At the end of the day, the eternal sound of the Pacific waves can carry you off to sweet sleep. read more

All.of the staff were extremely helpful and personable. I throughly enjoyed staying here qith my husbamd for an evening over the fourth of july weekend. Lots.to do and see near by and a beautiful.ocean view out the window. The price was more than reasonable for the room and other amenities provided (free continental breakfast, parking, etc..). They even let me use their front desk phone exchange to register the new credit card I had mail to is there at the hotel since ours had to be canceled do to fraudulent charges. Even the spa and pool were a nice way to relax after the walking around cambria and hearst castle. Thanks for the great time. . read more

For two hundred bucks a night, it's nothing to brag about. The "ocean view" rooms face parallel to the ocean, and you are too far away to see anything except a scrap of blue. True, you can walk right across the street to the ocean and have a GREAT walk along the boardwalk or down on the sands. And there are a couple of very good eateries within walking distance. But that's true of every single place along the same long road. Rooms and linens are clean, but the entire motel is old and clearly worn and tired. No bugs or mold or anything cruddy though. The "breakfast room" was just okay-coffee and sad baked stuff. Don't expect any kind of real breakfast. Walls are thin, but my neighbors were (fortunately) quiet most of the time. Overall, it's okay, but I wouldn't stay there again -- there are tons of nicer places all along the roadway, for not much more. read more

We love this spot, great value and good views. Access to the beach is wonderful.

Wow I was pushing to come here with my boyfriend for our anniversary and I have never been treated with such disrespect from anyone in customer service like this. We came back from dinner at Linn's around 9:45pm and were sitting on the bed when we heard a loud bang on our wall from our neighbor room 26 (we were room 27) not sure if that was intentional but 1 minute after that our phone rang and it was the cambria inn operator. Judging by her voice and attitude she was probably in her young 20s. She told my boyfriend we had a noise complain and to turn our tv down. Funny thing, Our tv was NOT ON. My boyfriend tried to tell her our tv was not on and to suggest moving to another room to prevent any problems next door but before he could even ask her she had hung up mid sentence. I was shocked and called back because I was scared to even turn the tv on after that threatening call and wanted to speak to someone about what to do. After all I am on vacation not a boarding school! Unfortunately for me SHE picked up and said "your from 27 aren't you?" And then she speed yelled at me with no breath I barely got a word in but was glad I had some how stopped her from talking over me to let her know she provided very irate customer service that's when she hung on me. All we wanted to know was 1. Was she sure she got the right room? 2. Can we at least turn the tv on or will our neighbors kick our ass? 3. If the answer to 2. Is no then can we at least change rooms to avoid any trouble? I am so disappointed that we had no one to talk to but a unprofessional power trip girl who should not be working in customer service. Now I understand the random bad reviews I see from Yelpers when everyone else gives 4 stars and they give 1. It all boils down to Customer Service! Ps it also smells like mildew in the rooms read more

Great Place, location and price. Across from the Ocean, you can't go wrong. A great place to stay close to everything.

Breakfast and Free Wifi are the only things this place has going for it. I suppose the view would have it's charm if it wasn't foggy. The people above us started getting ready while we were trying sleeping in. They weren't being overly obnoxious - just getting ready to leave but they sounded as if they were in the same room as us. The bed is very uncomfortable and the heater is a joke. I may as well have stayed at the motel 6 just up the road in san simeon for 1/3 the price. read more

Excellent location! You hear the ocean from the front and traffic noise of highway 1 from the bathroom window. We stayed in room 14, upstairs. Request upstairs. $206.08 via Hotels.com one night stay 9/19-20. Prime location, 1 min from the ocean on Moonstone Dr. Beautiful beach with colorful little pebbles. read more

I am giving this 4 stars because for an older family-run motel, this is a really nice place. It was directly across the street from the ocean and was very quaint. Staff were polite and helpful, recommending dining options. Room was extremely clean. They brought muffins to our room in the morning. We even watched the seals play in the ocean from the boardwalk across the street! For $150 on a Saturday night, this was a great place! read more

This is a perfect place to stay for a weekend getaway. It's quiet, affordable, has great a view, a nice pool and jacuzzi. The harbor seals are a few yards away you can get very close to them and even pick up the starfish along the rocks. The man and lady at the front desk are very nice and accommodating. We've stayed here and at other joints and for some reason we keep coming back. It's quiet so if you're into making noise and partying late stay at the Cambria Pines we stayed there and it's better fit for that environment. read more

We had a great trip to Cambria using the Castle Inn. We've stayed at more expensive places along that Moonstone Beach strip and this was as nice as any of them, nicer than most. Our room was clean, light, airy, with a very comfortable bed and wonderful tangerine-smelling soap in the bathroom. None of the musty smell you often get in ocean hotels. This trip in particular was to celebrate my birthday. Reading that some people experienced noise on the first floor, I requested a second-floor ocean-view room and received it even though we had gotten our room at an incredibly good price via a discount site....and the desk sent up a cute little wrapped box of candies and a birthday card as well. The room was, indeed, perfectly quiet. We sat on the Adirondack chairs overlooking the ocean on the front law, drinking the wine we'd brought. We also took a five-mile hike from the main elephant-seal beach up past Piedras Blancas--lots of wildflowers, and elephant seals on every beach along the way--and took advantage of the hot tub at the motel that night. afterward. Very clean, perfect temp. The breakfast was quite nice...bagels, muffins, cereal, real oatmeal, not the instant garbage, yogurt, fruit, hard-boiled eggs and good coffee. Nice to eat breakfast out on the Adirondack chairs, too. All of the staff were helpful. This is a terrific find for the price, and I'll definitely stay there on my next trip to Cambria. read more

This review would be 5 stars if it were an $80 hotel. I'm giving it 2 stars at $240 (and feel I'm being generous). Plusses: spotless; comfortable; across the street from boardwalk along the ocean and from tidepools. Cons: Given the price (and we paid $240 for a 2-Queen room, because I couldn't find anything else with 24-hour notice), you get ONLY a clean, comfortable room. The pool is miniature: good for floating only or kicking-around only. "Continental breakfast" for my husband and me and two children consisted of 2 styrofoam cups of coffee, 2 styrofoam cups of apple juice, 2 small scones & 2 miniature muffins on napkins (no plates). That was It! My husband even had to ask for milk. There is no place to sit other than your room. The Adirondak chairs are facing a somewhat busy road. I have no idea what the other hotels/motels charge, but Moonstone Beach Dr. is (upscale) motel road, so if you can find any other place on the road that has a better price, you're probably doing fine. Definitely, if you're coming in late (after 9PM) call them ahead of time and let them know! The proprietors go to bed early. Robin's in "downtown" Cambria is a pretty restaurant with good vegetarian food. read more

Friendly front desk staff, nice location, and flat screen t.v. in the room. The exterior was well-kept. However, the rooms needed updating and the beds were VERY uncomfortable. Delivered continental breakfast included a small muffin, coffee, and apple juice....not much bang for your buck. The hotel had a lot of families with children staying there. We knew this because the walls were thin. It was okay to stay at once, but we will look into other places the next time we stay in Moonstone Beach. read more

Great value with an excellenct continental breakfast (go right at 730am or you might have to wait until they restock it). The views can't be beat. You are a close walking distance to the shore and downtown Cambria. read more