My recent experience at this motel room 119. This room should be redesigned. The Armoire is way too large, has broken door and missing latch/ handle, has no interior light/ very dark. Two oversized chairs in front of the window face inward and are too bulky to reposition to enjoy the ocean view you just paid extra to see, and limits access to the hidden refrigerator. The underpowered microwave is in a foreign language; I had to ask how to use it. TV controls are a mess. Bathroom tub/shower too slippery for me to use ( I tried and almost fell) and no grab bars of any kind. Very dangerous. This room is just too small. I did not enjoy this room at all. I think the owner should spend a few nights in this room. I've had much nicer rooms for half the cost. The staff is very nice. read more

Surf Motel is our favorite place to stay on the coast It's cozy, the view is spectacular, the price is super reasonable and most importantly Jade is the greatest hostess you can ask for! read more

I have traveled across this beautiful United States of ours for many years and I have never stayed at a hotel that the reception area was closed from 12-3. Hospitality is not what this owner is about. It is about her rules and regulations. The rooms are clean yet small. The grounds look out on to the a river and ocean. Wonderful. Gualala is a cute town. Nice people. read more

Wonderful motel to stay at and get off the grid, relax, and enjoy the small town atmosphere. Pet friendly, Real Friendly! Right on the bluff too. Clean and quiet. We booked directly through Jade in the office. A good old fashioned phone call and within seconds you feel like old friends. We would give it 6 Stars if Yelp would let us. read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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Nice hotel with beautiful ocean views. Outside has a good size seating area to enjoy a drink and watch the sunset. Room was a bit smaller than I thought but for the price you can't complain. I nice walk just outside and lots of food options near by. read more

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The location is good. We did not feel welcome here. The owner lives on the property and I felt watched the entire time. The room had a huge window facing a large for everyone use patio which was also the walkway for 5 other rooms. We couldn't leave the curtains open otherwise we would be stared at. FYI: The hot water for the showers seems to be on a timer set for 7am. We needed to leave early and the water was freezing. I would not stay here again. read more

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of a short getaway to the California North Coast, specifically Gualala north to Fort Bragg. We decided to stay in Gualala and we choose the Surf Motel. It turned out to be the right choice for us. We reserved a room with an ocean view. Upon arrive we met the manager, a cheerful friendly person. We were looking for pet friendly accommodations and the Surf Motel was spot on with the added benefit that the manager is also a pet lover. Her furry friend is named Roxie. Our room had the requested ocean view but the first night of our stay there was a vibrating sound coming through the wall - lasted for several hours. The next morning I told the manager about it and she immediately offered us another room. That room had a great view of the surf and the mouth of the Gualala River. In the evening we could walk a few steps beyond our room and watch great sunsets. At bedtime the sound of the surf rolling on shore lulled us to sleep. Also the manager was great at pointing out local spots of interest as well as local restaurants. She told us where her favorite swimming spot was on the river - not as private as it used to be but still okay. Because the Surf Motel no longer provides breakfast, she suggested Trinks Café for morning coffee, scones or breakfast. Don't overlook the Surf Market with its friendly staff, a great deli counter and on weekends the BBQ wagon in the parking lot. If there is a special occasion consider St. Orres. I would definitely stay at the "Surf" again and if room 120 is available that's the one I would take. read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - Surf Motel room 120 - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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We stayed in room 121 which was on the lower level facing the ocean. There was a big window with a gorgeous view of the ocean. We were told that this was the room the owner stayed in when onsite and was dubbed "the man cave". There was a couch and two chairs in the area by the window so we could watch the ocean and/or the mounted television. The rest of the room was pretty cramped with two queen beds that you have to side step around to get to the bathroom. Nothing was modern but it's all about the view right! This room was right next to the bbq, firepit area that also had a good amount of chairs facing the ocean. You need to bring your own charcoal and wood if you want to use either and if it's too windy you can't use the firepit. We used the grill one night to cook dinner and had the area all to our selves. There is a short path that runs behind all of the hotels on the ocean side of the strip which makes walking to get coffee in the morning, or walking the dog easy. Very dog friendly hotel! We would definitely return. read more

Lovely place to stay, and Jade went above and beyond to accommodate us, even though we rolled in after closing. Bed was super comfy and the views were spectacular! read more

Lovely little motel with five star customer service! Jade was amazing! She found us one of the last rooms available for a very spontaneous weekend get away and even found us an upgrade to a fantastic king suite. The room was spacious with a breathtaking view of the Gualala trail. It was also very nicely appointed with a comfortable sitting area, AC unit and a real refrigerator. Most importantly, Jade made us feel like we were family. She welcomed us the minute we arrived and gave our rescue pup all kinds of love and a treat. It was such a wonderful surprise to meet someone like her and feel like we found a home away from home. What a cool little place this is-- I hope it never changes. We truly appreciate the dog friendly policy. Thank you Jade, we hope to be back to see you again soon! read more

The room was very small, but the view makes up for that! Beautiful from your bed. Minus one star because the bathroom door doesn't close all the way, so you can hear everything lol. Don't get this room if your not married and completely comfortable with whatever is going on in the bathroom. I would love to stay here again. read more

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Great motel in a cute little North Coast town. Our room was clean and well-stocked with everything we needed. The manager, Jade, was very friendly and gave us great recommendations for dining and treks along the coast. Nice fire ring and with plenty of chairs around the patio. And, they are dog friendly. read more

What a surprise this place is! Large clean room with a kitchen, right on the bluff in a great location in town. I would highly recommend! Oh and super helpful and friendly staff. read more

What a hidden gem! We booked a last-minute trip and found this place to exceed our expectations. Customer service: We booked through a third party (book DIRECTLY if possible) so when we booked, didn't have a lot of room options. After we checked in and went to our room, the woman saw our gang (toddler and dog) and immediately ran out and upgraded us to a bigger room, with a kitchen area. THANK YOU, and so unexpected and very welcomed. :) Location: Amazing. Right along a lovely trail, and walking distance to the market and a bunch of places to eat. The hotel has two patios so we were able to eat outside and enjoy the food and scenery. Clean: All the bedding, room, and bathroom were clean. Blackout curtains and double-pane windows worked well. Noise: We had neighbors, but no issues with noise/couldn't hear anything. EV Charger: YAY! This was the first time we took a "long trip" with our EV, and it was so convenient to charge our vehicle while we were staying here. Would come back again, thank YOU Surf Inn! read more

I was very surprised by this cute little inn. I was in town for a little wedding In a small town. The staff was friendly and very accommodating. The beds were great. I slept so well. Great view over looking the water. On nights it's not to windy there is also a nice little fire pit and out door furniture you can enjoy that over looks the water. Was able to take a nice walk along the edge looking at the view directly to a cute little cafe to have my morning coffee. We would have driven but was advised by the manager of the little walk that took you straight there. We were so glad we walked. Ever looking for a quiet little get away I would recommend the stay. Just be warned that the town does close at 8 except the restaurant . Very lovely would visit again for sure. read more

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Adorable, excellent location, wonderful service. Super-clean during COVID-19 (the place smelled a little like bleach, which was reassuring) and I could just tell it had been painstakingly cleaned. This is a must-stay if you visit. Even their cute little "bag of breakfast" was delicious! Walking distance from everything. read more

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Clean but dated hotel, great view, no breakfast at all in October of 2023. Nice fire pit and chairs. Place could use updating, starting to look threadbare. Lots of places to eat within walking distance. read more

What a splendid place to stay. The people that work there are wonderful especially Jade and Dani. The location is heaven, you could hear the ocean from your room and have a great view of the water. It is located right at the point where the Gualala river goes into the ocean. They have barbecues and places to sit outside and relax. I will definitely Return and stay again. There is a grocery store right across the street and one half a walk away on the same side of the street. It is a very quaint area and I recommend it read more

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I would give it 3 stars if it wasn't for the blatant dishonesty on their website about the "Full Hot Breakfast". What you get is a brown paper bag when you check in, containing Yoplait yogurt and 2 boiled eggs and some cookies. Not even some fruit. The lady at reception said they can't edit the breakfast description on the website without taking the whole site down (which is, of course, complete hogwash). I booked my room expecting that breakfast. Really wasn't amused to be handed the brown paper bag, and then be lied to on top of that. And I would give it only 3 stars because of the underwhelming room they provide. I understand why a motel in Gualala needs to charge the prices they do. But if you're going to charge me $149 for a basic motel room, the least you can do is make an attempt to give me some value for the money. Things I was really taken aback at (in no particular order): -- no wine glasses? really? -- no real glasses at all, only paper cups? -- closet, fridge and microwave in the bathroom? truly bizarre room design -- every time the fridge switched on, it made a REALLY loud sound while it was running; not sure if it was the fridge being so loud or the sound reverberating in that closet space, but if my bathroom door had been open it would have woken me up every time it kicked on at night, and I'm a very deep sleeper. -- the table is way too tiny, and most of it is taken up by the coffeemaker and supplies. You do get a Keurig coffee maker, the bed is quite nice and the Bluff Trail walk is outstanding. (But you can access the Bluff Trail without saying here.) read more

My wife and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on October 6th. We decided to drive up the coast for the week. We drove to Gualala and decided to stop for the day. We had no reservations, but they had a couple of rooms available. Since it was our anniversary, we decided to get room 119 which has a view of the ocean and beach. The room was small, but the view was worth the extra cost. We opened our window and enjoyed the sound of the waves breaking on the beach. We had a problem with using the remote control for the TV. I called the clerk. She immediately came to our room and showed me how to use it. With COVID-19, I'm okay with the bagged breakfast of yogurt and hard boiled eggs. Will definitely come back. read more

I disagree wholeheartedly with Mr. Ray. I am not sure he is reviewing the correct motel. My wife and I took the coastal, scenic route as we moved from Seattle, Washington to Monterey, California. We stayed in more than a handful of hotels, so saw a lot of goods and bads. We travelled with our little doodle toodle, Luna poodle. She is our schnoodle! We love her more than pasta noodles! Anyways I will get back on track, off my doghter tangent. The point I make in this respect is that even though Luna thinks she is human, she is not. She is a dog and it can be challenging to find vacancies that are pet friendly. As we sipped some coffee at Headlands Coffee in Fort Bragg (about 58 miles north along the coast, great spot, review to follow...maybe), we scrambled to find a place to stay for the evening. I called several inns, but no room at them (holy family and baby JC, we kind of know how y'all feel)My wife showed me Surf Motel and we called immediately. Karen put us at ease over the phone, offering a pet friendly room at about 2/3 to 3/4 of the nightly rate of most other inns in the area. The cherry on top was a minimal $10 pet fee, holy smokes! The kitchenette was almost a normal size kitchen, stocked with everything we needed to cook up some surf and turf! She even advised us to drive safely, which is very important on the California Highway 1, lots of twists turns and cliff hangers. We arrived a couple hours before the sun set and Karen again went "above and beyond the call of duty" with her customer service and friendliness and genuine care for her customers, showing us the kindness of a family! She explained in detail the restaurants, grocery stores, and recreation opportunities in close proximity. She ensured millennials like myself and my wife did not make any mistakes on the WiFi network and password either, most importantly. Alright this is getting a little long. Thanks for reading to this point and beyond. Stay here if you can! The breakfast is all homemade, lots of pastries "leave your diet at home don't bring it on vacation" according to Karen. They were delicious! They had healthy options fresh fruit and yogurt as well, Belgian waffle maker too! The views were phenomenal with a short and sweet section of the bluff trail on site and a fire pit with plenty of chairs for stares at the peaceful, but powerful Pacific Ocean. Views of Gualala Regional Park the sand bar, Gualala River. We saw sea lions basking early Sunday morning. Everything in town is an easy and safe walk as well. God bless the Surf Motel! Thank you for the amazing stay! Best place we stayed of five total! read more

I have never even heard of Gualala until my work sent me here for a training. I wish I had more time here and want to go back on my with my family. I didn't come here expecting a four star hotel and if you plan to find that here in Gualala then you are going to be out of luck. We wanted to find a family owned motel that gave us the quick experience of a quite ocean town. I jacked up the reservations and they helped me fix it with no stress. The rooms were small but had everything I needed and it exactly what I was expecting. Most importantly the bed was amazing. When you stepped out of my door you could see and smell the ocean. This entire place had a community feel to it and I had an extremely memorable experience here with my coworkers. read more

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This place is simply incredible. Six of us stayed here in four different rooms and we all loved it. Karen and Larry made us all feel like their personal guests at their home. They are warm and welcoming and truly care about their guests and their experience. Karen is quite gifted in the cooking and baking department. Her lemon bars are to die for. Breakfast is also included in the price of the room. And when I say breakfast I don't mean a continental breakfast. The selection included waffles, biscuits and gravy, sasage, cereal, fruit, eggs, oatmeal and a variety of freshly baked pastries. All homemade all delicious. There are also several areas with tables and chairs and firepits where guests can hang out and enjoy the ocean view. All the guests were very friendly and it was nice to get to know them. If you are looking for a dog friendly place this is it! All dogs are welcome and treated like guests as well. And with the beach right there it is perfect. I had the room with two double beds with an ocean view. It was clean and comfortable with a table and chairs to sit and look at the ocean. Overall I highly recommend this place and will definitely stay here again. Just amazing. read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - View from our room. Double bed ocean view room. - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

Nice and clean Dated but owner is nice. Price does not match what you get but it is the beach. We arrived after dark and left early so cannot comment on the beach. read more

Friendly, good location, clean. Dog friendly. No surprises here and they were super nice. Had a list of restaurants in and near to Gualala that were open (with their hours, phone and address). Had a nice time by the outdoor fireplace. Walking distance to 2 markets for grocery shopping (the whole town is walkable). Quiet. Good Wi-Fi connection, ice machine, breakfast in a bag (due to Covid). All good. read more

Nice stay at the Surf Inn. Rooms were clean and modern. At check-in, owner was having her grandson check us in. Austin, who's attempting to obtain his Eagle Scout badge, was very attentive and did a fine job. Continued his duties the next morning preparing a delicious breakfast. The area and motel are great, with super market right next door and the bluffs trail behind motel. read more

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Just fair. Tiny room, tiny bed covered in plastic against bedbugs I suppose (andagood idea if that's why). Seems like everything done to control costs rather than to deliver a nice experience. read more

Excellent stay, the bagged breakfast was fine (there's plenty of other breakfast options in town so this served as our hiking fuel for the morning after!) owner was extremely pleasant, and there is a market just steps away from the motel. The walls are a little thin so just hope you don't get loud neighbors staying up all night. Best part was the tranquil sound of waves crashing and seagulls in the early morning. There was also a cute farmers market with all sorts of artisans there on Saturday morning. People in town are very chill and nice to talk to, so all in all, would stop back here! read more

Comfortable Motel in a convenient location. But not an expensive by any stretch of the imagination. This is a old school Motel. You park outside of your room. Rooms are reasonably comfortable with a big fluffy bed. Interior of the room is a bit dated. But it's functional. Free Wi-Fi. Cable TV is DirecTV which makes for a very complicated remote control. Unable to control the TV with the remote, despite instructions. read more

Karen and Larry are lovely hosts. They manage the hotel with a down-home, personal style. They treat you like you are friends that they haven't seen in years. The rooms are pretty small at about 120 square feet. Comfortable rooms, but paper thin walls. Very out of date bathrooms (but I overheard the manager saying that the owner plans to update the bathrooms). The positive: 1. Nice, home cooked breakfast with eggs, breakfast meats, buiscuits, gravy, waffles, cereals, fruit and coffee/tea 2. Sweet hosts/managers- Karen & Larry 3. Dog friendly 4. Fire pit 5. On the ocean side of road with nice lookout area at end of hotel 6. Nicely appointed rooms and comfy bed 7. In town - walk to anything 8. Microwave and fridge and kruig coffee maker The not so positive: 1. Very thin walls (I could hear everything my neighbors were saying at a low volume and even a phone next door that was on vibrate!) 2. Very out of date and ugly bathroom. I didn't dare take a shower. 3. A very strange night employee guy dressed in black with long hair who was creepy and smoked at the end of the hotel by the bluff. 4. Karen seems way overworked and stressed. That can make people feel slightly uneasy and I felt bad for her. 5. Tiny rooms read more

Lovely spot to rest your bones- excellent place to enjoy a seat and stellar view of the beach and roaring surf! The home cooked breakfast by Karen is the bomb- eggs, waffles, juice, sausage, biscuits, fruit, small pastries & goods- cute front and back patio to enjoy meals/beverages on. Is it the Biltmore? No it's not, outdated furnishings and small room for me BUT hot water galore, comfy bed and quiet from 9 pm on. Both Larry & Karen are hospitable and charming. Can't wait to return! read more

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Quaint and well manicured property overlooking the ocean. Entire town is walking distance. Lovely. read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - Fire pit, ocean and coffee is always a good combination - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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Cute little motel and walking distance to a market and a restaurant. All the little amenities that you would expect and breakfast in the morning. There is a little patio with a great view of the ocean. There is no beach access. They allow dogs for an extra $10. Make sure to bring a jacket! read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

We stayed here on a recent drive up the coast. We loved this little motel. These were the most comfortable beds I ever remember sleeping in at a hotel. I loved the fact that you get 4 pillows per bed. Friendly staff and great views of the ocean sunset. read more

Stayed here one night on the way up to Oregon. Love the clean wood~like floors. We got a double queen room which had a full kitchen and keurig coffee machine. The good: free wifi, decent breakfast, super clean great views friendly staff What could be better: no bath tub in our room only a shower & no real quick beach access but overall its a great place especially in comparison to other places we stayed at ranging in the same price on the way up to Oregon. I'd stay here again for sure. read more

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This was a great place to escape for the weekend. The managers were nice, cute married couple. Our room over looked the ocean and the soothing sounds of the ocean is what put us to sleep each night. It has a close proximity to kayaking, pizza, Mexican food, and few other local eateries. The price was adequate to the accommodations. read more

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The people are warm and inviting. View is phenomenal. Seating area in King Room is delightful! I'll upload a picture. Fireplace is actually an electric heater that looks like a fire stove. That's the only reason not to give five stars. Everything is peaceful, the sound of the surf delightful, price is reasonable. Bed is amazingly comfortable. Man did we sleep! Breakfast is outstanding. Eggs, sausage, biscuits (I had to skip the sausage gravy, danggit) and other home made baked goods. Fantastic! We are planning on returning next January. read more

Surf Motel At Gualala - From our bed, the view is awesome while resting in comfort - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

Great stay at the Surf Motel in Gualala. Room was small but impeccably clean and the bed was very comfortable. Location can't be beat - in town, beautiful views of Gualala Point. Nice porch and another seating area with a fire pit for guests, although it was too windy when we were there. Friendly staff and a good grab 'n go breakfast read more

Had a pleasant stay at the Surf Inn: - Convenient parking - Nice design - Lovely backdrop - Strong shower water pressure - Easy check-in & check-out - Good complementary breakfast ... And, the owners are wonderfully friendly read more

Lovely rooms (though bathrooms could use some updating) and fantastic amenities. You can't beat the location. Also an AMAZING and attentive owners who make the most amazing breakfasts for their guests. We had a lovely stay and enjoyed sitting around the fire pit in the mornings and evenings. read more