Find the Cheap Cardiff-by-the-Sea Hotels

Tired…tired…tired… the hotel is really tired. It is a shame, because it has great character. A lot of your experience will depend on the room you are assigned. We were first given the “Lattice” room. 104. It is dark, feels closed in and the tub did not drain well. The bathroom smelled of sewer. The gentleman who checked us in on our arrival date was slow and cranky. The following day we asked to move to a different room. The staff that day (especially Andrew) was very nice and for an extra 30.00 they moved us to the Country French room. 106. What a difference! Although the bathroom still had a slight sewer smell, the room had better light and even a little bit of an ocean view. It is unfortunate that whoever owns the hotel is not maintaining it or keeping it up to date. The rates are reasonable for the location but, as they say, “you get what you pay for.” I read in other reviews that the hotel was being renovated, but I saw no signs of it. Old wallpaper, old carpet, old fixtures, old… just old. Upstairs deck is nice for sunset though. And having parking was a real benefit! If I need a cheaper place to stay near the ocean I would go back, but I would be very specific about which room I reserved. Lots of stairs to negotiate for the upper level rooms, just FYI.

Really good hotel! Not in the city; it's out away from San Diego. It's about 1/2 hour to 45 min to drive to parts of San Diego. There is parking at the hotel, but they charge for parking???? The only way to get to this hotel (for most) is by driving a car and parking it there. They seem to be taking advantage of customers to charge for the parking. Hotel was clean and had breakfast. Safe location.

It's centrally located, the room is clean and has everything you need. The bed is comfortable even if the room is a bit small. Service is nice. Parking spaces are sufficient. There is also a small, sweet breakfast package to go.

My wife and I wanted to get away for a few days and stay close to the beach. We chose the Moonlight Beach Motel based on the reviews. PROS: Excellent location!!! Within a few minutes walk of Moonlight Beach, probably one of the nicest beach areas on the North San Diego Coast. Also within easy walking distance of many shops and restaurants, as well as the train station. We actually took a day trip by the Coaster to Old Town San Diego. Our room was recently renovated, very spacious and clean. It actually had two king beds, a first for me, and they were comfortable. We were on the 2nd floor and had a nice partial view of the ocean and beach from our balcony. The shower had nice pressure and hot water. The TV was new and the WiFi worked fine. There is a small fridge inside one of the dressers. It was very quiet while we were there. There are BBQ grills outside facing the beach that we didn't use. There is plenty of parking. CONS: The outside of the motel is average looking, not a big deal. The office is very small and located within the property. They provide coffee and packaged Danishes but no continental breakfast, also not a big deal. We were told that there is no early check-in, and emailed as well. We did arrive two hours early and did double check this policy, and the front desk clerk confirmed. If the room is ready, I don't know why one can't check in early. Though the rooms were newly renovated, they seemed unfinished. Our bathroom did not have baseboards or a shelf in the shower for shampoo, soap, and other accessories. There was no shelf in the closet. There was an iron and board, but no hairdryer. My understanding is that there is no ice machine or laundry room, though that did not matter to us. Housekeeping was an issue. We stayed two nights. After our first night, we left in the morning and did not return until about 3 pm. The room had not been cleaned. About 20 minutes later there was a knock on the door and it was the housekeeper. She asked us if we needed anything. I said more towels and to have the bathroom cleaned. We could make our own bed. She took away the old towels and provided new ones, and that was it. A quick inspection revealed that she had not cleaned the sink or toilet, or emptied the trash. I wonder what she would have done if we were not in the room. I had read a review that said some of the housekeepers did a great job and others tried to get away with the bare minimum. We experienced the latter. We did enjoy our trip to Encinitas and our stay at the Moonlight Beach Motel. The location can't be beat and the price, at least for this time of year, was reasonable. Expect clean, spacious, no-frills accommodations and if your room is on the 2nd or 3rd floor enjoy the ocean views. Should we decide to return to Encinitas for a vacation we would stay here again.

For the price and location along with having decent amenities this hotel was a good deal and I had no complaints. Ample parking below the building, very close to the beach, nice coffee shops and yoga studio, and easy access from the main road . Beds were comfortable enough and the room was clean. It’s not a five star hotel , but for a business trip it for the bill just fine

The place was nice, we were surprised at the outside hallways, but I guess that’s just a Southern California thing. The room was large, clean and of course a comfortable Marriott mattress. The coffee maker, microwave and mini fridge were appreciated. They just got their liquor license and we spent some time with bartender Chrissy out in the little Bistro. She made me a delicious Old Fashioned then we spent time at the fireplace talked to a couple from Toronto. Don’t miss Bangkok Bay Thai restaurant right next door, it’s the real deal, get a reservation.

The surrounding environment is better, quieter, facilities, cleanliness, etc. are in line with the needs. Struggling from Legoland

My wife and I stayed at the Winners Circle Resort in August 2024. The resort is well-maintained, close to the beach, and conveniently located near many restaurants and shops. It's also about 20–30 minutes from downtown San Diego. The accommodations were spacious, with a TV and appliances, and the staff I interacted with were great—except for my check-in experience. When I checked in, I was informed that I would have to check out and then check in again four days into my week-long stay. No reason was provided then, so I emailed the resort manager, who responded promptly. However, the explanation still made no sense. It felt like a complete waste of time and was an inconvenience, as I had to wait in line again to check in four days into my stay. If this was simply an administrative issue, I don't understand why my room keys couldn't have been programmed for the entire duration of my stay. Additionally, my handwritten parking pass could have been issued with an expiration date matching the end of my stay. I don't work in the hospitality industry, so maybe I'm missing something, but while this wasn't a major inconvenience, it affected my overall experience and left a negative first impression. First impressions matter, and this one set the tone for my stay at the resort.