American/mexican hospitality simplicity at its best! Here are some of my top things I loved about this place: - across the street from the beach - this place was very simple to access with enough parking and very clean. - restaurants, liquor stores and other gift shops located right up the street. - All the necessities like soap, shampoo and conditioner were provided in the room. - firm and comfortable beds that got my kids to sleep throughout the night - I felt very safe to be in the area Additions that gave more than expected: - soap and sponge to clean dishes - mini refrigerator - Roku TV - little areas to relax - guest laundry (requires quarters) - guest customer service sms I will continue to recommend this place to family and friends read more

See all

Sand Castle Inn & Suites ... this place was okay. Honestly, when going on vacation, you either want a place where you can spend your whole time relaxing in comfort in lavish surroundings, or you want some place where you can just dump your stuff and sleep the few hours in between eating out and seeing the sights. Sand Castle Inn is definitely in the latter category. Our room was small, but not restrictively so. The decor was in a Santa Fe style, with terracotta tiles with a smell that reminded me of my childhood living in a beach town, spending time at friend's pools. And the furnishing was sparse, but still adequate for our needs for a one night stay. As long as you're not looking for a 5-star experience on the cheap, you should be satisfied. As for any negative impressions, any photos you see on their website are likely not going to be what you get in your standard room. About the only thing that matched expectations was our bathroom (which was quite nice). The exterior was a bit lacking, with most furniture suffering from age and exposure and the walls in need of repairs in many spots. And there's no on-site management team, meaning any issues you might have has to be rectified through phone calls and texts; this can be less than ideal if you have any problem greater than missing towels or soap. Still, for the cost, Sand Castle Inn & Suites was about as good as we could have expected. If you go in knowing the limitations and extent of what you are paying for, you probably won't be too disappointed and come away satisfied. read more

The room was newly remodeled and clean. However......: 1. Beach is always closed because of sewage from Tijuana River. I asked before traveling if the beach was closed and the person behind the texting service said it was open and is always open. So our first day there we went to the beach and played in the ocean and on the wet sand. There were no signs on the beach. Beach patrol approached us and said it's been closed for all but a couple days over the last several months. We had to bleach everything and take hot showers. It was a pain. 2. Bed is a 6" foam mattress on top of a very hard cement type surface. 3. There are no on-site managers or team members, so if you need more towels, toilet paper, etc. you have to wait until the cleaning crew comes in the morning. 4. The room had glasses, glass plates, silverware, etc. but no broom, dish towels, or anything needed to really live in the room for a week. When I contacted the texting service for a broom it took several hours to get it and then someone entered our room and took it while we were gone. 5. The shower didn't drain and there was a broken pipe in the ceiling. It was a good thing that a construction crew was onsite remodeling rooms and helped us when we asked, because the texting service never replied to my ask for help. 6. Room had a very strong mold smell. 7. We had a garden suite and the description stated there would be a washer and dryer inside the room; however, when we arrived there was only hookups for a washer and dryer and the texting service said the description just eluded to the guest laundry across from room #3. There was ONE guest washer and dryer. They made my clothes smell bad and the washer's quarter taker got jammed after my first load. 8. The person who answers the phones has likely never been to the property and is far removed from providing onsite help. But, she's nice! 9. There were rusty screws all over the "garden" area. My kids found over 100. I have three small children who kept finding them and we would give them to the construction workers. I'm glad none of my kids got hurt by them. 10. Parking lot is very small and at times there was no room for me to park. 11. The locked us out of our room the second night because they forgot to set up our room code for our entire stay. We were freezing and my little kids had to potty when we got back and it took THREE HOURS for them to reset our door code. It's a good thing the construction crew was there and could let us into our room. All in all, I thought they would extend to us a credit to come back or offer to refund a night or two for the troubles. But, they didn't. The location was easy to get to and I felt safe there. But, I'm not sure I'll go back. read more

Sand Castle Inn & Suites - Shower wouldn't drain - Hotels Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Cute & clean boutique motel. Only stayed 1 night & it was comfortable enough for what we needed. Includes tiny kitchenette with some plates and a tiny closet. Restroom is clean and they provided shampoo, conditioner, body wash but no body lotion. No motel manager on site but accessible via phone so you'll need to call in at time of check-in. The town was pretty slow for memorial day weekend. Beach is not clean and beware of contamination advisories. We ended up biking around the area. Lots of businesses are going out of business due to the ongoing water contamination. So sad. Just a few miles from Coronado beach which is really nice. We are sushi lovers and we found the best sushi spot I chula vista ranch area, called Casa Nori. Yum, we highly recommend! read more

See all

Im so very happy I found this little gem. I have always liked Imperial Beach, but most rooms for a weekend are out of my wheelhouse for just doing a staycation. I live in National City, but if my girl and I want to have some cocktails, we will never drive, This place is clean, centrally located, and the mgr. Is the coolest dude i have ever met. I checked the room in advance, and it was small but perfect. Microwave and referigerator, all very clean. We can wander the entire length of Imperial Beach on foot. read more

Sand Castle Inn & Suites - View from our front door. - Hotels Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

This was my experience with the Sand Castle Inn and Suites: Arrived at 6:20PM on Friday October 13th, 2023. We check into the Sand Castle Inn and "Suites". It's across from the ocean in Imperial beach where homeless people are setting out their sleeping bags in the park across the street for the night. We are charged $10/day parking when the website says complimentary onsite parking. We get to our room, 214, which is grimy, and the bathroom baseboards show that their partial renovation is hiding nasty grime underneath. The doors and windows aren't sealed very well, and we don't feel comfortable with our 2 young children. We walk across the beach to check it out. As we walk past the homeless crowd and onto the beach, we are greeted by a warning sign, telling us to not go into the water as bacteria levels are unsafe for humans. Unfortunately I am a human, so it would be unsafe for me and my family to go to the beach. Fantastic. This all happens within 20 minutes, so we go online to see what is happening in the Imperial Beach oceanfront. This is what we discovered: "The Imperial Beach shoreline has been closed since December 28, 2022. The main stretch of Imperial Beach has been closed every day of 2023 according to Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre. According to the San Diego Coastkeeper, bacteria levels in the water exceed health standards. The Imperial Beach Pier also failed to meet water quality standards in a sample taken on September 26, 2023." Apparently a sewage pipe in Tijuana (a few minutes away) leaked thousands of gallons of sewage into the ocean, making it unsafe to go into. Of course, the Sand Castle Inn and Suites advertises "Pristine Beaches" on their website. We go back into the lobby, and ask to check out and get a refund, but they tell us that we booked a "flexible rate", which has a 3 day cancellation policy. As if I was supposed to know that the waters were polluted with sewage? The front desk attendant, Celicia, tells me that we won't be charged for the second day. I call expedia, which tells me the refund is up to the management of Sand Castle Inn. So I call the Main phone number for the Inn and had to leave a message as there was no answer. Then I called the "after hours" phone number listed on the lobby door, as the attendant has now left at this point. Again, no answer, so I leave a message. I send a message on their website explaining the situation. I also send an email to the email address listed on the website. Crickets. We find another hotel in Mission Beach for the next 2 days. I call the Sand Castle Inn in the morning, Keno answers and said they got my message and that they would give me a refund of half the amount. I said no, I want a full refund, and he said he would have the manager call me. The manager never called. I receive an email from Epedia telling me they are only refunding me $100. I called on Monday October 16th, Celicia answers the phone and said that the manager was "busy" and not able to take my call. She would have her call me back tomorrow. Such crap. $420 for the room and parking, and they only refund me $100 for not staying at their hotel due to unsafe water? It's just their policy. The beach is apparently not on their property line. Do yourself a favor, and don't ever go to Imperial beach. read more

Sand Castle Inn & Suites - Beach is unsafe, it is contaminated from a sewage pipe in Tijuana just miles away. - Hotels Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

The motel was built in the 60's and very little has been done since then. A few new foam mattresses but the floors were filthy, holes in the bathroom door where a mirror that was prided off. The garbage was piled up in front of my unit along with the laundry facilities. The walls are so thin you can hear someone cough in the other room. The only redeeming quality is the location across from the beach; however the water is so polluted as it is posted by the state NOT to stick a toe in the water for fear of death or severe illness. The contactless registration took several phone calls and you will repeat your information several times which gets very aggravating. Please take your family north and stay away from Imperial Beach. I have to assume the glowing reviews are all fakes. read more

This is an unmanaged, dilapidated motel - if I didn't get bed bugs I will be shocked! Here are just a few of the highlights: (I promise there are others) - Clumps of tangled long black hair in the "clean" towels. - Smoking is not permitted at the hotel but our room was thick with the deep odor of skunky cheap weed (from the room next door). When I asked the night staff about this they said: cigarettes are prohibited but weed is fine. - One of our two rooms had no functional light whatsoever. Pitch dark. - Bring ear plugs. You can hear every neighbor, the ranting homeless across the street and people in the courtyard until very late at night. - There isn't a trash bin in the two bedroom room. But there was plenty of trash around the property. - Our tv didn't work which we don't care about but it was painfully obvious when we saw the remote lacked a battery cover and the batteries were gone. - Do they really clean this place? Doubtful. Windows had stains of spit or white stuff. Walls were stained. Overall this is a $70 room for people who want to get drunk, high and stay up all night. TJ apparently moved north a couple miles. UPDATE: I intended to give my kids and I a break from the stress they'd endured due to Covid; we eagerly anticipated a quiet stay in a quiet little town. Instead, we literally could not sleep at this hotel. We tried, but the neighbor below us had a drunken karaoke party in their room all night. The front desk is NOT staffed after about 10pm. You can't even call them after 10. Nothing. So any unruly guests are left to do whatever they please with no adult supervision. Scream. Karaoke. Slam walls. Throw trash around. At 645am, a team of construction workers began their chaotic, noisy, fast-paced job of building structures behind this dilapidated motel. Enjoy your 4 hours of sleep! Sadly, this was the worst hotel I've stayed at in the last approx 200 hotel stays around the globe. CAVEAT: There was *one* stark contrast to the aforementioned understated but much deserved criticism: the front desk employee Cheyenne. She embodied graceful, attentive and genuinely kind customer service. Unfortunately, she wasn't working once the wheels started to fall off our stay. read more

See all

Doesn't deserve the one star but here it goes ! Be careful of this shady motel , save your money , from the unethical clerks they have at the front desk ! My son had his scooter charging there and the shady clerk at the front desk decided to keep it -and act like it got stolen ! How dare you do that to a 16 year old , you should be ashamed at a place of business , way to hold sand castle inn , to a higher standard ! Police report made but definitely will let every family /friend to not stay there due to fact you don't need to be worried about the shady people on the street lurking around you need to watch the ones renting a motel to you , very sad place of business , unethical immorally wrong of a motel manager to handle her employees , great job Dot$&@! This will be posted every time till my son can earn enough money working on the weekend to buy another scooter read more

Nice, eclectic, clean. I checked in here for a midweek get away. The staff was some of the nicest I have dealt with in a while. They allowed me to check in well before the normal time and answered all of my questions professionally and politely. The room was clean and cool despite having no A/C. The vintage tile floor made it feel like I'd stepped back to a more chill time in IB history. Highly recommend! I will be back! read more

Small room, but AwEsOME location! Right across from the center beach town. I could watch the sunset from my door, window and comfy seats right outside my door. It was 1/2 the price as the fancy place across the street, but this place has travelers class. It's got a comfy bed, glass door, Big window, nice seating outside door. It's next to all the good bats/restaurants. Room may be small and lower quality, but they outdid themselves with windows, bed, views and just a great feeling. I am very happy with what I get for the price! read more

Not even worth a star but no choice.First off the person at the front desk that took our reservation apparently put us down for one night instead of two .I get a phone call at 11:30 while we were at a restaurant ,it was the hotel telling us we have 30 minutes to get out With no more vacancies,pretty much put us out on out with no where to stay.ended up just going home .Front desk worker would not do a thing for us,was super rude and unprofessional about the whole situation.floors were dirty ,stove wasn't hooked up yet and a note on the top saying sorry for the inconvenience.it would been nice if that was mentioned ahead of time .Blinds didn't cover the entire window..no air conditioning,furniture was pretty ragged.just an all bad experience.would not recommend wasting your time and money on this place read more

Rates took high for this motel. $390-$400 a night? Last year it was around $189. Marriott across the street and Hampton Inn cheaper. Location is great, rooms okay...but not worth the price of a 5 star hotel. read more

I will start with the good stuff first : The mattress was very comfy The water stayed hot and nice Nice little eating nook The view and beach access was excellent Park close by , ocean close by But ....... it wasn't very clean ! I don't know of our sheets were even washed as I seen hairs in them ! I felt like it wasn't cleaned good at all ! The bed is the most important thing to clean and I was super iffy about it had two blankets of my own I used because I was very concerned of how dirty the sheets looked . They place is old which give a good vibe but can also use a little updating . If the sheets were clean I'd stay again ! read more

If I had known, I wouldn't have stayed here! 1) No one ever answered the phone for customer service at night when I actually needed help. 2) They said, text us for assistance, well there was no response until the morning 3) Either there was no AC or it was broken as it was warm and humid which made the strong bleach smell from cleaning crew worse in the room 4) I looked forward to some downtime and watch TV, well it didn't even turn on so no TV for me 5) The toilet paper roll holder had obviously been put back as a mickey mouse job because it fell off everytime, very annoying 6) They put 2 shampoo bottles and no conditioner or body soap 7) There was no parking as it is very limited and cramped so I had to park around the corner on the street and walk with my bags 8) HUGE CUSTOMER SERVICE ERRORS AND UNPROFESSIONALISM where THEY CALLED ME to apologize for all the wrong, offered me a refund and a future stay discount and then they called me back again saying it was an error with wrong room number and charged me!! I WILL NEVER STAY HERE AGAIN, I WOULD RATHER SLEEP IN MY CAR! 9) The phone number they emailed you for reservation confirmation/customer service is wrong, so I had to Google and find the right number. 10) It seems that the customer service calls may be rerouted to the Phillipines 11) I don't think I have ever written a review with so many negatives. read more

Room 213. Freezing cold room. No heat. TV doesn't work. Stairs unsafe. People next door loud all night. Vacation ruined for this old couple read more

Sand Castle Inn accepted a reservation from on which I paid for through Booking.com. When I arrived at the property 30 minutes later I was told by the little girl working there were no rooms available and basically I was out of luck. CA law states that they were required to find me an alternative room in another simulate quality hotel , which she never even attempted to do. She was extremely unapologetic, unwilling to contact the manager, unable to process a refund- she essentially was useless. I called Booking.com and was told property would issue a refund due to THEIR error. This has yet to happen, the manager Dottie is just as useless and cannot be bothered to come to the phone or even have the courtesy to return a call. Do not stay there under any circumstances if you don't want to potentially be ripped off read more

I stayed in this hotel while working temp in San Diego for about a month in May/April. I would say this is a hidden gem and a very cute boutique hotel! I loved that there are only 13 rooms and it has the cutest patio that stays lit at night for comfort and safety (very aesthetic as well!). ALL of the staff are extremely accommodating and friendly. I think this would be the perfect stay for a solo traveler like myself, a couple or some friends. It could be a good fit for families as well, but it may be a bit louder then a family would want (traffic noise, multiple guests in one room and upstairs movement is fairly loud). I would not change much about this cute hotel. It is an older building, so you will hear movement from upstairs, if you are on the first floor. If you are a light sleeper, I would advise to stay on the second floor to take care of that. My room, and most, if not all, have a cute little kitchen that is stocked, so you can make any type of food! The unit was very clean and newly furnished! My bathroom was brand new and it was so cute and clean! Great tub for baths and relaxing. The location is amazing because it is right across the street from the ocean and a park. There are several, very nice bars and restaurants right on the same street too. The hotel has its own parking lot, as well as parking on the side streets. I would say this is a great selection for a short or long term stay for anyone looking to see Imperial Beach or surrounding areas! It is also pet friendly, with lots of areas to walk your doggies for potty. Special thanks to Dotti, the manager, for constant, exceptional customer service. And thanks to her amazing staff Kevin, Alba, Lily, Zahraa, Kino and Steven for all the hospitality and thoughtfulness during my long term stay! It really helped to have a solid, friendly staff during the stressful move I was making. read more

My husband, kids, and I stayed for 3 days, two nights, and absolutely loved it! We got the deluxe double which was beautiful! I forgot to check for a bath tub to bathe my kids and luckily, it has one. We parked right in front of our room ($5 per night), and there's plenty to do within walking distance. There's a playground right across the street, the pier is a few minutes away, walking distance. We decided to stay there because the beach is right across the street, and we could see it from our room. We're 100% sure we'll be back. read more

Sand Castle Inn & Suites - The beach is right across the street! - Hotels Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

I read a bunch of negative reviews of this hotel/motel but decided to give it a chance anyway, and I'm glad I did. The room, albeit small, was very comfortable. Most importantly, the pillows and beds were ABOVE average. The location is amazing, and they supplied enough FREE coffee to keep us happy. There was also a small gazebo just outside the room which I used multiple mornings to read, smoke a cigarette (since we were in a non smoking room), and drink the aforementioned Java. I found it very peaceful. The hotel offers surfboard rentals, and notably, there is a small beach park with a basketball court across the street which closes at 10pm, so whatever limited noise you might hear, is quelled by the evening. The two women who worked the front desk were great, and the fact that they close the office at 6pm is no big deal, as long as you make any room requests prior to that time. Keyless room entry is a big PLUS as well. All in all this was a VERY positive experience in what is now, one of my new fave towns (Imperial Beach) and this hotel is situated in the perfect spot! read more

See all

Location location location! My husband, father-in-law and I stayed at your hotel in January by a recommendation from a friend that's only driven by the hotel. I'm so glad we took her recommendation because we had such a lovely experience! We spoke with each staff on different occasions and each of them were so warm, friendly and eager to help with anything/everything. We were extremely impressed (and SO grateful) for the reasonable price, although we understand they had construction going on and it was off-season). My husband I are hoping to come back sometime this summer. I promise that anytime we plan on visiting the area, Sandcastle Inn will be our first choice! I should also add that immediately across the street is an outside gym (bodyweight exercise stations) and the beach is right behind that. There are several restaurants in walking distance. You could really just park and enjoy your vacation without leaving the area. If you so wish, downtown was a 10-15 min drive. read more

THIS PLACE SUCKS! Dirty rooms, stove in our room had a sign on it saying it was out of service, stinks, walls are paper thin, and the staff is super unprofessional. If you're looking for a nice place to relax, look elsewhere. They take great pictures and make it seem appealing but you'll be disappointed. read more

Well, sad to say this was NOTHING what we expected.! It is clean but it is more like an upgraded motel. Very disappointing because the pictures are nothing like the actual place, deceiving and the I would not cook in the kitchen.... this may be for some but not for me! read more

This is only one of about 3 hotels in Imperial Beach and it's only one of two by the water so it's expensive beyond it's value as a result. The room was really small and had not a single chair or a table. There was a small refrigerator with a microwave on top of it. One of the night stands was being used for the coffee service making it unusable for a nightstand. Plus, you had to pay for parking (for a motel?). The overhead light did not work and we were told it had been broken by a previous occupant (but not yet fixed?). When we got there the floor was dirty with sand and dust. The hot/cold in the bathroom sink was connected backwards (hot on right instead of the standard left side). The outlet in the bathroom did not work. Apparently there was not sufficient capacity for the hot water because the shower never got more than tepid. The closet door was almost impossible to open because it stuck on the floor. When I mentioned these problems to gentleman at the front desk he nodded and said they would look at them but he never took a single note on the problems. Pretty much not interested is what I got from that. I would have given this a one star rating expect it has a good location across from a small park and the beach - it's only redeeming feature. read more

I spent Christmas and the following day here this last year. Kino at the front desk was extremely helpful, caring and considerate. Alba, my housekeeper was very thorough, kind and ready to help in any way possible. Steven, doing maintenance was busy keeping everything in working order. Indra at the front desk was also helpful and very understanding and attentive when my smoke alarm went off from my cooking....lol. Very nice atmosphere, nice beach walk and fun places to visit within walking distance. I would highly recommend this location to anyone. Nice staff. read more

Excellent hotel! I highly recommend staying here while visiting Imperial Beach or nearby areas. This company has far surpassed my expectations for an affordable nights stay! Room was clean, well stocked and very cute. Staff was polite, helpful, friendly and accommodating. You will not be disappointed when you book a night here! Must see for yourself! Charming, upbeat and airy environment. Very good experience! read more

Clean, convenient, and safe. Easy check in/out process. Couldn't ask for a better location

Had a great time! Perfect location , close to all the brewery's and the beach ! Everything was clean and the staff was super friendly . Def will be back , it was a great experience ! read more

Unfortunately our stay was very disappointing. Not only was there excessive noise pollution from the outdoors, which we were forced to deal with due to no AC, but the front desk was very disappointing. They were very difficult to get a hold of when needed and their voicemail box was full, causing further frustration. They over booked their very limited parking lot, which you have to pay to park in to begin with. To top it all off, we informed the front desk upon check in that our stay would likely be cut short due to the deployment of my significant other, and the nature of the departure dates are often changing by the day. We specified that our check out date would be two days earlier than when we booked it and they would not reimburse us for the entirety of the nights that we did not stay. Very disappointing. Would not recommend. read more

The only reason you would ever choose to stay here is because of the prime location. The place was FILTHY, toilet clogged, sink wouldn't run properly, and walls incredibly thin so you can hear EVERYONE. Staff also was unprofessional and charged us extra just for requiring extra towels. read more

Just a lovely place right across from the beach. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Our rooms were beautifully decorated and very clean. We enjoyed the out door area to sit and have the kids play. This is our new favorite place! It's a fantastic price too! read more

Updated, clean, and fun! The bed is especially comfortable, the room well appointed and clean, and the 'across the street from the beach' location is fun! This is an updated motor lodge where you can park in front of your room. There are good restaurants within walking distance. The Inn is on the main Imperial Beach roadway so there is road noise that diminishes about 9 pm. Across the street is 'The Dunes Park' which has an outdoor adult gym in addition to a kids playground and opens directly to the beach and ocean. read more

Do not stay here. The walls are paper thin and you can hear everything your neighbors are doing all day and night. Sounded like a damn brothel next door. read more

This is exactly what I came to San Diego for. A stone's throw from the beach, nice shops with good food, friendly and attentive staff. I am currently sitting very comfortably in our apartment style hotel room that has a most comfortable bed. It's quiet at night, and the place is clean. We will definitely be booking again if we are in the area. read more

We LOVED staying here! After reading previous reviews, we were skeptical. I almost canceled our reservation and booked an Airbnb. SO glad we kept this reservation. Such a cute spot! We booked 3 rooms and they had us all next to each other. The rooms were clean, the kitchen had everything we needed to cook, they supply a Keurig with enough k-cups, they're pet friendly, they have a laundry on-site, they have a cute little hut for us smokers, a large separate grassy area with benches and chairs to sit and relax on, they have ceiling fans in the rooms and supply an extra fan (they have no A/C, but that beach air keeps you cool), and the hotel staff was nothing but helpful! Lily helped us when we got there. She got everyone checked in, made sure we had everything we needed, and assisted us our entire stay. She was very polite, helpful and professional! I was hesitant to write a review (we want to keep this place a secret), but the hotel, its location, and its staff made our stay amazing and I had to share our experience! read more