Cardiff by the Sea Lodge Inn

My husband and I chose to stay at this hotel for our honeymoon, not knowing anything about San Diego or its outlaying areas and were very impressed. We chose a less expensive room but were generously upgraded when we arrived, being allowed to choose from a variety of rooms. We chose to stay in the Country French room. I loved how I could sit in the tub and see the fire (which was daily stocked with wood) , it was just the relaxation that I needed after the stresses of wedding planning! The staff was friendly and even went to extent of having the places that we wanted to visit mapped out for us when we came down to breakfast the next day. If you are looking for a place that is sterile and uniform, this is not the place for you, but if you are looking for a place where you can let your hair down and just enjoy yourself, I would recommend checking this lodge out. My husband and I would definitely return!

First, the room itself, the Country French, requires some immediate repair. The wallpaper is peeling from several places in the wall and torn in others. The room seems to have suffered some smoke damage that has not been completely addressed, and the blue sofa at the foot of the bed is worn and bleached from the sun. It should be recovered or replaced. In its current condition, we would never consider putting it in a guest room in our home, and certainly it is not fit for paying guests. A couple of the throw pillows on the bed are also unsightly with soil. We were told by the owner's son at the desk that the condition of the room could be explained by the amount of use the room receives. We doubt that wallpaper receives much wear from your patronage, and there is never a good excuse for dirt.

Besides, the overall tiredness of the room, the property itself also requires some maintenance. For instance, the banister leading to the roof suffers from dry rot, and the shabby and shredded plastic covering to prevent it from getting worse only adds to the overall unpleasantness.

We were also very disappointed by the noisiness of the room. The website advertises an "ocean view," which is true, but the Country French room also faces a parking lot which seems to support the local bar, appropriately named "Shanty's." The patrons of "Shanty's" make their presence known with screaming, obscenities, and general rowdiness from 12:00 am to 2:00 am when the bar closes. The noise was so pronounced that we could hear the details of entire cell phone conversations from the parking lot in the middle of the night. Because of these issues, we slept poorly and became more aggravated every night.

Finally, we were very disappointed with the shabby breakfast provided by the inn. We have stayed in number of bed and breakfast inns up and down the coast, and in every case, the breakfasts have been fresh, elegant, and appetizing. At this inn, however, the breakfast constituted a handful of hastily cut cold donuts, a tiny fruit salad, and some very unsavory-looking boiled eggs. Needless to say, the breakfast was neither fresh, nor elegant, nor appetizing.