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Carmel-by-the-Sea · Hotel shortlist

Cheap hotels near the airport in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Talia Ben-Ari

Talia Ben-Ari Turkey, the Gulf and Egypt

Updated 1 September 2026 · 36 Carmel-by-the-Sea hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Carmel-by-the-Sea, out of the 36 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.3 down to 4.1.

Every one comes in under $130 a night, and the one I would book first is $105.

Stage Coach Lodge Monterey

Highest rated of the five

Stage Coach Lodge Monterey

★★★★★4.3 from 647 reviews

Stage Coach Lodge Monterey comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.3 from 647 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property, found under city centre and around $105 a night on the dates we checked.

36 hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea qualified for this list and five made it. Monterey Bay Lodge is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in
  • Step free accesslevel entry and a lift

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. Stage Coach Lodge Monterey1

    Stage Coach Lodge Monterey

    ★★★★★4.3 from 647 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  2. Monterey Bay Lodge2

    Monterey Bay Lodge

    ★★★★★4.2 from 799 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly

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  3. Ramada by Wyndham Monterey3

    Ramada by Wyndham Monterey

    ★★★★★4.1 from 766 reviews

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  4. Pacific Inn4

    Pacific Inn

    ★★★★★4.2 from 639 reviews

    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  5. Padre Oaks Inn5

    Padre Oaks Inn

    ★★★★★4.2 from 385 reviews

    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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How this list was put together

36 Carmel-by-the-Sea hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Talia Ben-Ari

Talia Ben-Ari Turkey, the Gulf and Egypt

Editing runs in intense blocks with real gaps between, and she fills the gaps by going somewhere with no plan. No itinerary, no bookings past the first night.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.