Overpriced trough the roof. Cheap rooms with chinese dekor. Rather unpleasant staff and breakfast. Oh, breakfast... The croissants were simply old -- very dry and unedible. Juice smelled like chemisistry lab, coffee tasted like burnt rubber. The only food that was sort of warm was a toast you had to wait 5 minutes for. Not something you'd expect from $400/night. Will never stay again and recommend even to an enemy. read more

I loved staying at the Tradewinds Carmel. My boyfriend and I came down to Carmel to visit Refuge (an amazing spa) and were looking for a place to stay on Saturday night. The first thing I'll say, is that when booking the Tradewinds on a third party site you really don't get an idea of the uniqueness of their property. The hotel is a lush oasis full of ferns, the rooms themselves are wonderful and the cherry on the top is their attention to detail. From the Orchid given to us upon arrival, the chocolate covered strawberries in the room, to the kimonos in the closet, we felt well taken care of. The amenities are also worth mentioning, our room had a jacuzzi tub, fridge, fireplace, and a comfy king sized bed (we stayed in the Deluxe King Room). The location is perfect, walking distance to everything in downtown Carmel, including the beach. Judging by the looks of some of the other, more expensive, properties we saw while in Carmel, The Tradewinds is a hidden gem and the perfect place to stay during a romantic getaway. read more

Loved this hotel! Front desk reception was warm and friendly. We arrived before the check-in time so we left our car parked (parking was included in our room rate) at the hotel and walked downtown to do some wine tasting. By the time we came back our room was ready and a bellboy helped us with our bags to our room. He pointed out what was where and how everything worked. The room was beautiful. There was a small water fountain right inside of our door and chocolate covered strawberries on our bed. We had a fireplace and jacuzzi tub. Perfect for a romantic night away. Although it was a little pricey it's what you'd expect in Carmel and I'd say it was totally worth it! read more

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My husband and I stYed here on our weekend getaway. Our first time in Carmel and we loved it. Very friendly staff. Emerson was a super awesome host. He chatted with us while we were sitting by the firepit. He was a great sport because my husband can talk nonstop. We will definitely be back and next time we will bring our dogs! read more

One of the best hotels I've ever stayed at in Carmel! Gorgeous tranquil grounds, streams and waterfalls. Fountain in the room! Over sized tub. Plush confidant beds. Fantastic friendly staff! Breakfast in the morning and custom Kimonos! This place has it all if you want to relax. Located in the hub of everything Carmel but on a quiet street where it's easy to get a great nights sleep. I'll be back! read more

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Our favorite place to stay in Carmel. Recently renovated, the interior design is luxurious and comfortable at the same time. Our room had a tinkling table fountain, a gas fireplace, a mini-fridge, free wireless Internet, and a soaking tub. Pricey, rooms usually run around $325 + $25 (dog fee) per night. The hotel staff is extremely friendly. The small lobby usually has a plate of cookies waiting for you and Sweetie the cat likes to sniff your pooch and lay about on one of the lounge chairs. Your room greets you with chocolate-covered strawberries, bedroom slippers, and kimono-style robes. Your stay also includes a continental breakfast each morning served in the breakfast room, but you can bring your dishes upstairs to your room if you wish. Downsides: The location is a little far from the beach but who cares when that just means more wandering through the quaint downtown. The shower is really narrow -- the water sort of pins you to the back of the wall but it gets the job done. Parking is a little tight near the lobby. Our new car actually got hit by someone backing up but he was nice enough to leave a note and paid for all the damages. I suggest either parking on the street or in the back parking lot where the spaces are roomier. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives here. The Tradewinds Carmel remains firmly at the top of my favorite places to stay in Carmel. read more

Lovely hotel!! My husband, our doggie and I enjoyed staying at this hotel very much. This is a prefect place for a weekend get-a-away. They provide complimentary breakfast and they will bring it to you room if you have a pet with you. Such a pet-friendly place. It's a little pricy, but you may get discount from: http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/index.cfm/carmel_hotels_inns.htm read more

We stayed here for our honeymoon and loved it. It's in a quiet part of Carmel, but easily walkable. The bed was comfy (I need some of those sheets!), the staff was efficient and polite. We left for about 2 hours in the late morning and came back to our room clean and tidy. Our room had a fountain and a fireplace which made it very romantic and cozy. There is no AC (apparently none of the hotels in Carmel have AC) which would be fine, but we stayed over a very hot week and could have used AC. The fan provided was helpful though. We would love to come back. read more

Amazing luxury hotel and it's pet friendly! You are personally escorted to your room, presented w/ an orchid and a table w/ chocolate covered strawberries. They even hand write your name on cards to welcome you. Nice Aveda bath products and the complimentary breakfast was excellent; the pastries were delicious.They don't provide the usual robes but rather kimono style robes which added a cute touch. It's only a short walk from shops and restaurants. I don't think I saw one child there. So it was very quiet, calm and romantic! We also stayed on the top floor so we had no issues w/ noise and neighbors stomping around as other yelpers have experienced. The rooms don't have AC but since you're in Carmel, the nice ocean breeze is sufficient. I would definitely stay here again even if my 4-legged son wasn't coming along. read more

I kind of hate to go 3-stars on this instead of 4...but that's what I left feeling. They tried really really hard to make this a luxury place, and they did a great job with what they had to work with, without completely gutting it from the ground up. Nice central courtyard area with a firepit and creek running through it and a lot of nice touches in the rooms Problem is this is obviously an old "motor hotel" that's been fixed up. Pros - Very high quality beds/linens, lots of feng-shui-y type waterfall and asian-inspired art, fireplace in the rooms, nice robes, complimentary snacks, and the proprietors are incredibly nice and helpful. My disappointments were pretty broad, but nothing glaring. The garden in the "Garden View" room is the row of bushes separating the street from my window. Our 6AM alarm clock was the people getting up and going to the bathroom above us. Not that one heads to Carmel on a romantic vacation to watch TV, but its time to upgrade that department, after a long day of gallery hopping it would have been nice to see Sandra Bullock clearly in all her glory in "The Proposal" Jacuzzi bathtub would be pretty hard-pressed to fit even your smaller than average couple. The continental breakfast was as promised, but pretty low-end. I'd bet if we had an upstairs room with a breeze blowing through my window and no creaking and flushing going on above us, I'd be giving this 4-stars because it really is a cute place, cool people, (relatively) close to town...but I left feeling a bit "jipped" for what we paid. read more

We love Carmel and decided to drive up the day after Christmas and stay one evening. Overall experience was OK. The hotel is about a 10 minute walk from downtown Carmel and 20 minutes to the ocean. That was fine with us. Staff was nice, including Sweetie, the hotel cat. Morning breakfast was fair. Limited choices, but lots of good pastries. Room was clean with a welcoming fireplace. Now, for the night's stay. Do not stay in Rm. 14. It is on the second level with a floor (rooms) above you. There is a linen/cleaning supplies room right next door (unmarked, and looked like another guest room). You could hear every footstep (floor literally creaked) of the people in the room above....and they walked back and forth from 10-midnight and again at 5:30 a.m. Sounded like they were in the room with us....honestly. The ladies cleaning rooms were in and out of the service room next to us starting at 7:00 AM....and they would leave the door open...we could hear everything. We travel enough to appreciate good accommodations and advertised serenity. The accommodations were good, but you need to ask for a room with no one above (I'm guessing that would be about half of the 28 rooms). For the price we paid--$350.00, we deserved, at least, a warning or the chance to upgrade. We received neither, and by the time we heard the walkers above us, it was too late to complain. My final thought....I don't like the runaround. When I informed the staff about the noise above and the noise of the service room next to us, I received a very surprised look and was told that they had never had a complaint...c'mon, I just read another review and the person mentioned her room (a different room) was noisy from footsteps heard above. I know not much can be done about older construction, etc. But I expect to be given a warning/choice when we check in....and we were there early and could not check in because the rooms were not ready. One added comment. I specifically asked when I called to make the reservation for a room that was not noisy or next to concession machines, stairs, service rooms, etc. Guess they didn't make notes on the request. read more

Yet again a wonderful stay @ The Tradewinds in Carmel !!! We decided to celebrate my 51st Bday in Carmel. So we packed up the car grabbed "Brody" our golden retriever and headed to the Tradewinds . This is the absolute best pet friendly hotel in Carmel . Might I add they were in Architectual Digest 2004 issue and since then they have only gotten better . The room appointments are organic/contemporary . Great continental breakfast . Best raisin toast on the planet . The price is fantastic . Nice walk to the beach ( a few blocks ) . Might wanna drive though . Had a great time !!! High 5 to the Tradewinds !! Brody gives this one a " high paw " too !!!! read more

Loved the zen-like decor inside and out. The place is breath-taking just to stroll around at night with the sound of water fountains and lit patios. Inside, the room was CLEAN (and being the germaphobe I am, this hotel room passed my inspection). We were also greeted with orchids, chocolate covered strawberries and a table of other complimentary goodies. It is really quiet and secluded (thus being a little difficult to find if we didn't have GPS in our car)...perfect for a romantic getaway. read more

Tradewinds Resort in Carmel-by-the-Sea didn't have our reservation for Wednesday. They thought we were checking in the next day. They still had the room they were going to give us anyway. You and I went over the room description VERY carefully and we were both certain that the room had wood-beamed ceilings. For the $325 rate, you don't get that room. I showed them the description you gave me, and they just said sorry, that's a mistake, you must have booked online, you should have called us. We got room 5. They had a very indifferent attitude. Room had a musty odor, like a cabin that hasn't been opened for a while. Carpet needs a good cleaning and the duvet cover on the bed had a nice sized hole in it. So we bought a scented candle in town and fixed the odor. The room has a very odd configuration of lights, and these worked when they wanted to. The place has on old cat that roams around, which normally would be charming, but the cat has no inhibitions and will climb on you at check-in. My fiance doesn't love cats. The fireplace in the room is gas powered so you should not expect to cozy up to it for warmth, though it does create a warm glow when the lights are down. The place is a motel gussied up with some bamboo and fountains. Noisy guests above stomping around doesn't help. read more

This is one of those cases where the pictures do not do the views justice. This is a sleeper but great hotel we would stay at again My husband and I stayed for our anniversary. Room was beautiful with fireplace and balcony Nice people too. Close to Casanova restaurant which we really enjoyed as an eating /wine experience Altogether perfect choice read more

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We booked the Tradewinds at a significant discount (almost 50%) to the normally stated rate. The details of luxury were wonderful--chocolate covered strawberries, complimentary snacks and water, a beautifully decorated room with an incredibly comfortable bed, Aveda products (housekeeping!) and first-class personal service. The only reason this hotel doesn't get 4 stars is that it is very obviously a converted motel or condominium consortium; I could very clearly hear the footsteps of the people above me as they stomped in revelry to the New Orleans Saints-Philadelphia Eagles playoff game. (They were Philly fans, so they eventually stomped in anger, not joy). I'd have a hard time paying "full price" for this hotel, but given the apparent lack of moderately priced, nice hotels in the area, it's a good alternative. Very close to the city and even beach, and Carmel is a great town. read more

Towards the end of my honeymoon in August 2009, my wife and I were very much looking forward to coming back to Carmel and end our adventure in style. We had found the Tradewinds place, which many folks seem to like on Yelp, and thought we'd take a chance. Nice website, decent reception when we called them up, and it was a good deal relative to similarly situated places in and around the Carmel Valley. However, our stay (originally scheduled for 3 nights but in the end for only 1 night) was a disaster. The good first - the courtyard is very attractive and well taken care of. Quite unique combo of interesting architecture. The staff were all friendly, with the exception of the gentleman who showed us to our room who was professional and helpful but kind of terse. Needless to say, I really can't complain about the staff; they tried their best to accommodate us and they deserve kudos for that. Lastly, the view from the balcony was very pretty. The bad (everything else). First, the room was over $300+ a night and yet had the amenities of a motel room. The bathroom was barely lit; the "fireplace" was turned on and off via a rather ugly egg timer next to it that rather loudly clicked away like..."an egg timer." Kind of kills the mood. The heat in the unit was broken so the room was exceptionally hot and opening the door to the courtyard meant having to listen to all of the delightful yet loud noises coming from the aforementioned unique space. Also, something was seriously wrong with the plumbing or pipes in the room because every 5 minutes throughout the night there was a whinning and loud thumping that would go on for 10-15 minutes. Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep and got up at 5am, went online, and desperately looked for somewhere else we could stay. I was an unhappy camper. I am giving the place 2 stars because despite my miserable experience, despite that I will never recommend that anyone go there, the staff with some effort and prompting did the right thing and reimbursed me for my night's stay. We ended up finding a beautiful room elsewhere that was perfect and as such the end of our honeymoon was not ruined. Still, as much as I was looking forward to Tradewinds, as much as they advertised it to be this amazing place, we had a horrendous time, and I will never go back. Whether you will experience what we experienced is a different matter and others have seemed to have positive experiences. read more

Recently stayed here this past weekend (last minute) and this is a hotel that I will definitely be returning to. Susan and Pamela were GREAT hosts :) at the front reception/check-in desk. I paid for a double queen room and was upgraded to a king room (with a fire place :) They also provide services of having a massuse come to your room. I tried this for the very first time for my boyfriend, and let me just say, he ENJOYED every bit of it. Pamela was VERY knowledgable with referring restaurants in the Carmel area. I highly recommend Little Naploi, if you love Italian food :) The food was soooo authentic and the staff very friendly. The room was nice. We did not hear any noise from guests, and we stayed on the first floor, and that was something that I had read from previous guests on Yelp. The decor was beautiful. I truly enjoyed the lights at night and the fire pit :) Just a beautiful stay overall. If I could change one thing, it would be the bed. The bed was hard, not very comfortable. Maybe that's because of the theme that the hotel gives off. It was CLEAN, the room was VERY clean. The bath tub was also very relaxing!!!!! The jets in the tub, were so relaxing that I did not want to get out! Having breakfast delivered to our room was also another treat :) If you're going on a last minute romantic getaway just to get away, I HIGHLY recommend staying here. You'll enjoy it!!!! read more

We would definitely stay at the Tradewinds again, it was quite snazzy for a motor inn. The rooms were well-maintained and attractively decorated. They won some architectural design awards--pretty nice transformation of a non-descript motor lodge into an Asian-themed boutiquey place. They serve breakfast by the manager's office around 8 AM. It was a good spread of continental breakfast-type items. I like how they had framed some of the brochures and news articles about the Tradewinds from their early days...a nice touch. The lobby doesn't open until 8 AM so if you are like me and are up and about at 5 AM and need a place to hang out, you're out of luck. I went outside into the courtyard with the firepit. It was a little cold even in July so next time i will bring some warmer clothes. All in all a very good experience. One note, I wouldn't bring kids to the Tradewinds. No swimming pool. read more

i just realized that this location has been in my 'draft' reviews for over 2 years soooo... *DISCLAIMER* our experience was from October 2008. When planning a nice getaway for my boyfriend and I (and our little dog too!), I decided to choose Carmel since we hadn't been there together and they are a very pet-friendly town with a great off-leash beach for our puppy to enjoy. After MUCH yelp-surfing, I made reservations at Tradewinds Carmel since it seemed right up our alley. What swayed my decision: - Short walking distance to the beach and shops - The calming, zen-like room decor and amenities - Allowed pets! - MODERN (my boyfriend is totally not into the 'quaint' bed-and-breakfast scene) - Impressive website (compared to other hotels in the area) Turn-offs: - Very expensive for a weekend stay but so is everything else in Carmel so "oh well" Since we would be celebrating our one year together we opted for a nice romance package complete with a dual in-room massage :) When we arrived at the Tradewinds it was just as we expected. Parking was easy, check-in was painless, our chocolate covered strawberries were delicious, and the room was fantastically clean. We enjoyed our entire time in Carmel, from the romantic dinners, to frolicking at the beach, to the relaxing window shopping... but (most importantly) our wonderful hotel :) The staff was polite, everything in our room worked perfectly, and breakfast was provided. We especially loved that everything was in easy walking distance while we were still far enough away from the town to feel as though we were at our own private retreat. One minus is that we couldn't enjoy the cool firepits at the hotel because it was raining both nights. bottom line: good location, nice modern decor, and allows pets...BUT, still overly priced. (However, it would still be our top choice when spending the weekend in Carmel.) read more

This is a beautiful hotel in Carmel. It is around 10 mins walk from the city centre which offers a great location The hotel is featured in Conde Nast and rightly so, it is very cozy and the rooms are decorated perfectly. You can tell the attention to detail and effort by the owners to make this place special. The service is very friendly and helpful and definitely deserves 5 stars! Loved this hotel!! read more

i went here to celebrate a 1 year anniversary last year- and it was fantastic. there were chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival, along with matching kimono robes, and a beautiful garden. The service was also wonderful. i'm fairly new to the B&B scene - largely because i don't really fancy victorian gilded rooms... but this place had a nice asian decor, along with a very toasty gas fire place. if you're looking for some private time, and you hate the typical b&b's, then try this place out. read more

Top of the line small luxury hotel in Carmel. PERFECT. in every way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my husband and i celebrated our 1-year anniversary here and enjoyed everything from start to finish. we were personally shown to our room and were presented orchids on arrival. they were beautiful.....also chocolate-covered strawberries, complimentary apricots and pretzels. Everything was done to the highest of quality....all Aveda bath products, magnified mirror (a must at hotels for me to do my makeup!), amazingly comfortable feather-down bed and huge bathroom. WOW! it was seriously PERFECT! the breakfast was complimentary as well and it was wonderful....bagels, fruits, cereal...great amount of food for us to start our day. This was definitely a specialty hotel for couples...not families...it's quiet and romantic and is such a santuary. we had a very special time!!! Can't wait to go back!!! read more

Nice cozy hotel, goo for short stay or weekends. Nice sea view :)

4.5 This was incredibly cozy and relaxing. We went to sleep hearing the ocean waves. Amazing! Posh place but the skimp on some things: We were there in terrible stormy weather - meaning to come on a sunny vacation. There were few people there it seemed , but they didn't offer to upgrade our room. In my experience, other small inns or hotels do this in low season. read more

My dog and I had a fantastic retreat at the Tradewinds. I was greeted by name when I checked in and handed my keys and flowers. The grounds of the hotel were smaller than i expected, but extremely nice, with a fire pit, running water and lush foliage. The room was elegant and comfortable. Chocolate dipped strawberries were waiting in the room, but other amenities included a jetted tub, running water feature, refrigerator, fire place, and large windows (open to let the cool air in, no net for AC). The breakfast pastries, juice, coffee, and lots of fruit. Although it was a moderate breakfast; it hit the spot after my morning run. The hotel is located within walking distance of the central shopping/dining area, which may require a few extra minutes, but there is no car traffic passing by your room during your midday nap (the hotel is located at the end of a street) Hope you and your puppy have a fantastic time!!! read more

My wife and I stayed here for our first getaway in a long time. We absolutely loved it. Great location. Beautiful hotel. And the staff is amazing. I forgot something in my room and they mailed it to me. Talk about above and beyond! read more

Booked a room here and it definitely was not worth the money. They title this location as a luxurious stay but nothing was luxurious about it. The rooms were mediocre, smelled like dirty rags and it was so stuffy. They left strawberries out in the hot room and it did not look appetizing at all, the juice was already coming out of it. The shower has mold on the edges of the walls. The only upside would be the towels, they were clean. The hotel offers breakfast from 8-10. We decided to try it but went in to find a long curly strand of hair on the untouched butter. There are about 4 tables cramped into a tiny space. Skipped breakfast here and went to Lafayette French Kitchen which was delicious with a friendly and welcoming staff. The staff HERE is not very welcoming. Maybe my definition of luxury is different from theirs. We were originally going to book a room at the Hyatt Highland but I wanted to be closer. This I definitely regret! I really had high hopes for this place and this was our first time in Carmel. Hopefully this review will help others not to go through the same experience. read more

This is a nice hotel decent price for the area. Staff is friendly and it was comfortable with real wood burning fireplace. They do NOT ac so you have to open windows at night. That in and of itself was not bad, but it does make it right where you hear everything. Speaking if hearing everything we were on the second floor and every door that opened and seemingly slammed shut sounded like it was shaking the foundation of the hotel. Maybe we were just with heavy footed people but at 730 am it sounded like Godzilla was walking around. read more

Great hotel on a quiet street. Beautiful Asian furnishings. Dog friendly. Perfect for a weekend escape!

I heard of this place from flipping through websites. The first impression I got of the website of the hotel was that it was "luxurious, boutique setting." It was about $280/night. I was impressed with the website but upon reaching the hotel, it was just "okay" from the outside. Maybe it was all the hype from the graphic and hyperpigmentation of the website that made it look nice. This hotel has 28 rooms. We were in room #7 which a partial view of the ocean from patio area. It is Asian/Bali inspired with reccomendations from the "Architectural Digest" in Nov 2004. What I loved: The egyptian linen sheets, the chocolate dipped strawberries, the elemental chill music playing in the room, the zen water flow sound of a fountain, a fresh stem of orchid's upon arrival, the aveda shower products, the flat screen tv with cable channels, free wireless, and snacks/bottle water (dried apricots, pretzels, nuts, and addicting grapefruit sours). Oh I also loved the fake fireplace too. What I didnt like: Small rooms, the jet tube was small to fit two people and the shower stall was small too. Overall, I loved the ambience and the furniture of the room. The breakfast in the Catalin room was fantastic too. Fresh mixed fruits, croissants, bagels, yogart, cottage cheese, raisin bread, coffee/tea/OJ. It's up on 3rd and Mission and the parking spots were limited but we didn't have a problem parking on the streets. read more

At first I was a bit put off by the exterior, but the rooms were great with attention to detail on the finishes and great linens with comfortable beds. Plus, we loved the convenience of a frig in the room . We got a great rate calling in for a same day discount. In walking distance to Vesuvios for a great dinner. read more

We stayed here over Thanksgiving weekend and really enjoyed it! The room was very comfortable and had all of the amenities we were looking for in a room including pet friendly!! Our room looked out over other buildings with a partial ocean view and comfortable deck. It was warm over the weekend so we were happy to have a little cross breeze in the room when the doors were open. The courtyard was beautiful with a running water feature and fire pit. The bed was incredibly comfortable and jetted tub was a plus! Don't waste your time making coffee in the room cause you will be disappointed. Just strap on your shoes and go for a walk! This room is close enough to downtown which makes morning coffee a breeze. Christine and Theresa were wonderful at the front desk and we felt very welcomed! Would definitely stay again! read more

Excellent service, clean beautiful room, fireplace, Zen ambience, walking distance to the beach. My "go to" place to stay in Carmel.

My hubby booked this hotel because of it's feng shui look. First of all. This hotel has a 10 for it's Asian look. We think that they totally hit the spot when it comes purely to the look of the rooms and grounds. After reading other reviews we can't say that we heard the neighbors. We think it's because we didn't have any. We went to Carmel mid December and most of the guests were in the garden view rooms. The sea view room had great view and we really felt like we were in our own little private place. WIFI was reliable in our room. Breakfast was ok, nothing special. They have 5 tables available for breakfast and this wasn't always enough. The staff that was in charge of breakfast kept going back and forth to keep the tables cleaned as they have the breakfast foods, plates etc in another area, outside of the breakfast area. The beds were ok. They have mattress covers on top of the mattresses and ours didn't fit in height. Our pillows kept falling behind the bed and so we decided to put the seating of the chairs in between to keep our pillows from disappearing underneath us at night. All in all this was a good stay, very comfortable hotel. We paid $375,- a night. We thought it was a lot of money (def too much) for a good hotel. That's why we rated 3*. read more

The good: Great staff very friendly and professional gave us pointers on all the best spots, clean room, great location, steps alway from everything The bad: overpriced inn (I get it it's Carmel) but still , walls are a bit thin and no AC so windows have to stay open which can be a bit hard to fall asleep from other noisy guests, beds are a bit old and sag to the side really bad Overall not a bad place, we had a great time and a decent stay here read more

We actually never stayed in the hotel, and judging by our experience with the hotel via phone, it was a blessing in disguise. A few background details: My mom and I were traveling from LA, on the PCH, route 1, eventually to Half Moon Bay. We are from Washington, DC and booked hotels in several cities along our route, ahead of time. So we booked at Tradewinds in Carmel. The hotel looked pretty cool, and "zen-like." The price of the room was steep but we really wanted to treat ourselves on this vacation. It had been raining non-stop during our drive, and apparently it had been raining on the coast for days. The ride was terrifying, with landslides/ mudslides all around us. Not knowing the CA coast very well, this activity was foreign to us. Then, about 12 miles from Carmel, we approach a "Road Closed" sign, ugh. We didn't know what to do, so we talked to some the locals to see what was going on. They told us the road had literally fallen into the ocean, and it would be 225 miles to go another route to get to Carmel-what a nightmare. Dealing with hotel: At that point, it was 6pm, and so we decided that there was no way we were going to drive back down the same treacherous road, and drive 5 more hours just to get to the hotel. So I called Tradewinds to cancel, and explained that we could not physically get to the hotel. I was shocked at the response I received from the employee. First, she says "Didn't you know the road was closed?," (No, we did not know) then "Well, there is another route." (referring to the 225 miles around) and finally, "I don't have the authority to give you a refund. You will have to speak to the manager, so she will call you tomorrow." As a person who is in the service industry, I was shocked at the reaction of this employee. She was unsympathetic, and extremely confrontational, and I could not imagine treating my guests that way. I never received a call back the next day, so I called to follow-up. I was told that the manager had tried to call me, but I had no reception so it went right to my voicemail. Of course she never left a message, not very professional. The manager again, was not there but left instructions just in case I called, as follows: I would not receive a refund, afterall they had "held the room for me", whatever that means. Also, they would offer for me to stay that night (which was the day after the original reservation), or the next night. Final offer. I then explained that we already had reservations for those nights, and we didn't their services then. The employee states that she doesn't have the authority to give me a refund, and the manager will call me tomorrow. Again, I never received a phone call. Again, I called back to follow-up. Finally, I get the manager, Berritt, on the phone, yes! I told her I never received the call I was promised; to that she replies flusteredly "Oh, I think I tried to call," or something along those lines. Really?? This management is a JOKE! Basically, we went back and forth about the same issue of the non-refund for about 20 min. "There was a 7-day cancellation policy, they held the room for me, and afterall they offered me to stay the next night or the night after." Clearly, they were refusing to be the least bit understanding of the situation, and I was being treated with little respect. At this point, I asked for whoever was above her. Berritt stated "That person is not here." Shocking. I said that I would take their name, and call back tomorrow. She says "Well...there is no one above me, I'm the Director of Operations." I was appalled at the lack of professionalism, and at this point they had already withdrawn the $248.00 out of my checking account! This whole experience was totally disturbing, and I can't remember the last time I have dealt with such bad service. Their ungraciousness, unprofessionalism, and unaccomodating methods will prove to hurt their customer relations and reputation, which will be fatal to their "business." Please get it together Tradewinds, and look at the big picture in this tough economy. Happy Ending: My bank fought for me and got my money back. Now, that's good customer service. read more

This was a nice place. The room was very spacious and clean. The location is great. It's in the top of a little hill with a terrific view of the ocean and point lobos. We stayed in the Zen King room, which is the only downstairs room and is a bit cheaper than the others bc it doesn't have a view. But it does have a little balcony, which is nice, though I couldn't figure it how to turn on the light outside. There's a parking spot for each room, which is very convenient bc as you know Carmel has tiny narrow streets and parking can be hard to come by during the weekends. The hotel is also a quick walk to Ocean Ave where all the shops and restaurants are. They serve breakfast, however, we didn't try it bc dogs aren't allowed in the dining room. The only negative experience here was in the morning. There was a woman at the front desk who can out of the office and startled my dog as we were walking through the parking lot back to the room. When my dog barked at her a couple times, she shushed me like an elementary school teacher. I thought that was rude and inappropriate. read more

We have been staying at the Tradewinds for over 45 years and it has maintained its beauty and serenity throughout the years. The renovation that took place years ago added to its lovely atmosphere. The location is perfect and does offer some rooms with an ocean view. Lovely place to stay! read more

The Tradewinds is actually in a very peaceful and quiet neighborhood away from the bustle of restaurants in the downtown district. Plenty of hotels are right in the heart of town, and busy evenings and nights would be loud. The good: 1. Quiet location with easy stroll to town and beaches. What a wonderful area. This hotel is located just right. We could walk south into town or through the beautiful neighborhoods to gaze at the homes and estates. The route along Scenic Road gives you a great route along the beach with lots of access points. 2. Staff! I could not ask for nicer staff. They are very generous with their time and effort. They spoke with another guest about excessive middle of the night noise and we were very grateful. They were more than happy to direct us to restaurants and cafes. Nothing but praise. 3. parking on site (it's tight though). There is not a lot of parking along the street in the neighborhood. We just parked our car and left it there the whole weekend. 4. The Wifi works great. some hotels can have really crappy internet connections. Netflix and Hulu stream just fine. 5. Clean and tidy. Everything was spotless. No funky smells or mildew which can happen in a beach location. Everyone works very hard to keep the facilities well kept. The rest of the story: For my $350 or more per night, I would have preferred a few improvements 1. The bed we had in our room seemed very old. One side sloped dramatically from the center to the edge with a giant ridge in the middle. The pillowtop on the mattress was bunched up and lumpy, did not cover the entire mattress and was not so comfortable. A new basic pillowtop mattress from a discounter would not be so expensive. 2. The shower is about 4 feet tall with a detachable head. i had to hold the shower head the entire time I was in the shower. A simple wall mount at 6 feet or higher would fix this with minimal cost. Perhaps we landed in the ADA room. We should be informed of this when making the reservation if that's the case. 3. No A/C is fine, but the sliding patio door does not have a secure way to prop the door open a few inches during the day while we are out. The room builds up heat and when we get back it's rather stifling, felt like 80+ degrees, for about 30 minutes. outside temps were in the mid 60s. 4. Poor sound insulation. We could clearly hear activities in adjacent rooms, even bathroom noise and quiet puttering around in rooms above us as well as walking up and down on the stairs outside. 5. Breakfast is basically the same stuff as a holiday inn express. Not bad, just not special and not in keeping with the cost or intended atmosphere. If they just had coffee and a bit of toast, did not offer "complementary breakfast" I think it would be more in keeping with the intent of the service level here. Go to one of the several cafes, delis or restaurants in the immediate area for a better breakfast. 6. Lack of wall outlets near anyplace you might work on a laptop. read more