Moonlight Beach Motel

Two blocks from the beach and close to a bunch of eateries. Very clean and well run by nice people. The Internet service left a lot to be desired… but hey you’re close to the beach.

We had made reservations at another place not far from Moonlight Beach Motel, for our anniversary. There was something a bit off about the place (not MBM) so I kept looking. I came across the website for MBM and was so glad I did! I could hardly wait to share it with my husband! We decided to see if they had any rooms available for our dates. Mind you, this was truly a last minute change so we weren’t really expecting it to work. He called and spoke with a lovely woman who surprised us by saying there was a room available (#304)! We couldn’t believe our luck!
When we arrived, we met George & Deborah and their beautiful furry child, Cabo San Lucas, Cabo for short. Being a cat lover and having had to leave my baby behind, George graciously brought Cabo over for me to shower with a bit of attention. Right then and there, I knew we were home.
Room 304 is a one bedroom suite and was quite spacious and spotless, we were very pleased. As others have mentioned, it isn’t fancy, but it is very warm and inviting. They even have a rock by the door so you can prop it open and enjoy the fresh air
There was a small but efficient kitchen with a full-​size refrigerator, a 4 burner stove and the smallest oven I’ve ever seen (adorable and a pleasant surprise), as well as all the utensils, dishes, and pots & pans necessary. The bonus? There was another bed in the living room and it was next to the sliding glass door that lead out to the balcony that featured a table & two chairs where we could watch the sun go down! We were so close to the beach, we could actually HEAR the waves crashing on the shore! Well, we slept there and left the sliding door open all night. Some of the best sleep we’ve had in a long time! Next time, we plan to take advantage of the BBQ’s MBM offers to its visitors. I can almost taste the roasted corn on the cob, portobello mushrooms, golden beets, asparagus & potatoes now!
Moonlight Beach Motel is so close to town that you can park your car and walk everywhere! If you forget something, you can find it waiting for you at Whole Foods, a short walk from MBM. We used to live in Carmel Valley and we fell in love with a wonderful place called the Encinitas Café. It’s homey, the food is fresh and real (no «pressed lunchmeat» in their sandwiches), the waitstaff is friendly and sassy and seem to know most everyone that comes in! Their open faced turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy is to die for! They make fresh biscuits and they melt in your mouth. This is making me hungry so I’ll stop there! Do yourself a favor and stop by for a delicious, homestyle meal.
We fell in love with Moonlight Beach and spent as much time there as possible. Walking on the beach was such a treat and we found a fantastic place to sit and watch the sun go down. I understand that on weekends, booths are set up, the snack bar opens and you can often find some great music to enjoy! We had to leave before all the excitement began, but hope to return to enjoy another day.
We’d like to thank George and Deborah for their kindness and excellent care. They made our first impression of Moonlight Beach Motel a great one and do a fantastic job at taking care of business. They made us feel like old friends, with the conversation starting up where it left off. We hope to see you soon and be sure to give Cabo a good scratch under the chin for me!

Clean rooms, helpful staff, and close to the beach. Very satisfied with my stay here.

My teenage son and I stayed at MBM for the third time in about 5 years this past week. It just gets better each time we go there.
George and Debbie – and the other couple who help manage it (I don’t recall their names!) – are wonderful and helpful. This time we stayed in a 1-​BR room on the third floor. In the past we stayed on the first floor. It was nice to have an ocean view and the breeze.
I’m surprised to read some of the negative reviews about the management. That just has never been our experience over the years. George helped us identify a decent bay cruise tour for an excellent price, and even called a couple of places for us. When I mentioned we were going to Coronado, he handed me a map. He set up the grill for me when I first used it, and told me not to worry about cleaning it; he would do it after I was finished.
I did call earlier in the year to ask about a June reservation and George very politely explained to me that they start accepting summer reservations on a certain date and to call back on that date. When I did, he spent a fair amount of time on the phone with me to ensure that I could get a 1 BR reservation during a two-​week window I had.
The hotel itself is low-​frills, but clean, the beds are comfortable, and the kitchenettes are well-​stocked with utensils, plates, cooking items, etc. We grilled 2 of the 3 nights there. I personally appreciate the quiet atmosphere. There were a few families there with young kids and I’m sure they did, too.
I highly recommend MBM to people on a budget who want to be close to a beach (no need to drive and finding parking) and don’t need room service or luxuries beyond a stocked kitchen, shampoo, and soap. For many of us, this is a gem of a place!

My wife and two boys have been coming to Moonlight Motel for the last few years about four of five, and as usaul it is nothing less then a wonderful experince George is a wonderful host as well as his staff, we will be increasing our stay on our next trip
Thanks again George and to your staff sincerly Chuck Jeannine B. & boys

Stayed in probably the best room they offer — rm. 301 — for a quick getaway from the busy city life. Seems to be a family-​run (owned?) business, so you know they care about their motel.
It’s not a new facility by any means but it’s well-​kept and the service is attentive and personal. It’s the kind of motels I grew up with whenever my family went traveling. Just don’t go in expecting to get your ass wiped for you.
¹⁰⁄₁₀ would do again. Wi-​fi is a bit spotty.
Daniel

Great price for an ocean view! We stayed here this past week and really enjoyed it. The motel and town were very quiet at night and the office staff was great.

I just called and asked for availability and the gentleman said they were booked. I then asked if there were any other recommended hotels near by and he laughed and said «umm… just hit hotels on your phone map app there and you can find something. There is a big event in town.»
Wow… A great example of bad service — in this case with attitude — making for a bad experience.
Maybe I shouldn’t have had high expectations and should have known being that it was a «Motel.»
Going to search for another place on my phone app…

Stopped in to tour Moonlight Beach for future reconnaissance. We did not stay, but we met the people who run it and they are very, very nice. Other reviewers have alluded to some sort of weirdness or strictness; we found them to be justifiably proud of their lovely property and committed to maintaining a quiet atmosphere in which guests do no not behave in ways that detract from other guests. I met them, loved them, plan to be back. I have never met the other reviewers, but I have been in plenty of hotels where inconsiderate or just thoughtless guests do things that – unintentionally – Impact others. If you like peace and quiet in a very personal noncorporate atmosphere with an on-​site proprietor, this is a good match. If you prefer a chain atmosphere, where the loudest guest with the biggest presence in social media gets their way by pressuring minimum wage employees, try the Hilton.

I choose to stay at the Moonlight Beach Motel while speaking at a conference at the Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad. It was the right choice. The ambiance took me back to days gone by, the view of the Pacific was magnificent. The manager went over and above the call of duty to make my stay enjoyable offering suggestions from restaurants to places to walk to giving the history of this surfing town. One interesting note is that during my stay four different people staying at the motel made reservations for a future stay. Impressive. If you are looking for a five star hotel with all of the amenities, this is not for you. If you are looking for a comfortable place to stay in an eclectic almost zen feeling town, this is home. The 70’s resonate and the staff welcoming. One thing is for sure, I am reserving a room for next year.

I’m rating my stay at Moonlight Beach Motel as a 5 star — not due to 5 star elegance but 5 stars for service, comfort, location & friendliness of the staff especially for the price you pay. I traveled alone, I’m 65 yrs. old and had a fabulous time. The room was clean, beds comfortable, view to die for and location could not have been better for going to the beach, downtown, restaurants, etc. I will positively stay again and I’m looking forward to doing so. George, the manager, could not have been more helpful to me.

Friendly owners and an amazing location – I highly recommend this place for a low key getaway.

Initially i was not too thrilled about staying in a motel but when i got there i was quite impressed. the room was on the top floor facing the ocean. It was not just a room it was a mini apartment with a kitchen complete with some plates, cutlery, fridge and a stove. The bathroom seemed like it was new. The bed sheets and towel were clean. It was nice and quite.
Now the bad — The carpet is pretty old and on the border of being called terrible! There is no outlet in the bedroom for charging your phone or using the iron that is given. Also, I put a do not disturb sign on the door and was still asked if I needed room service. It would be great if they put up a sheer curtain in the bedroom so that there is option for the sunlight to come in without completely exposing the whole room.
I would still go back because the owner was super nice and overall experience was great.

We too had a horrifying experience with the manager George. I’m choosing to spare you the details as from the negative reviews below I can already tell that all that will come of that is a lengthy rebuttal from George himself.
Suffice it to say that the hotel is nice enough and is within wonderful proximity to the beach — but you may accidentally break some unknown rule and see a side to the manager that is rather unpleasant.

I am a 50-​year-​old woman and I have stayed at many, many hotels, but I have never had an experience as disturbing as the one I had this past weekend at the Moonlight Beach Motel.
There were eight of us who went down to Del Mar for the weekend to try and win trophies for our show bikes at the Concourse d’Elegance, an international motorcyle auction and show at the Racetrack/​Fairgrounds. The other six booked at hotels just south of Del Mar (and have records to prove it), but my friend and I chose MBM on a personal recommendation.
When we checked in, all was dandy. The manager, George, was kind and thoughtful. The room was simple but very clean and nice. The deck and view were lovely. We went out and walked on the beach, then our friends picked us up to go to dinner at a nearby restaurant (again recommended by my friend). After dinner (one margarita each for 6 of us; two people don’t drink and had nothing), our friends drove us back to MBM (in two cars), and instead of dropping us off, they decided to park on the public street out in front of the hotel so we could walk around Encinitas (the town attached to Moonstone Beach). Many places there were open.
The time was 9:01 p.m., and remember — it’s a Saturday night.
We were K-​turning and getting the cars situated (the hotel is on a hill, so there were parking brake and wheel-​turning considerations), and yes — we were talking to each other during the process. I guarantee you we were not quiet, but we’ve been there less than 5 minutes.
That’s when George comes raging out on the sidewalk and begins yelling at us (and I mean YELLING) about how we were about to hit his BMW, which was an easy car-​length away. For the first few seconds it was all so completely ludicrous and out of nowhere that we thought he was kidding. We laughed along. Then it quickly became obvious that this guy was not only dead serious but very obviously paranoid and completely out of touch with the reality of the moment. His rant continued: We were all drunk, we were having parties in the room, only two people could stay in the room and he was not about to let us get away with having all these people stay at his hotel, how this was not that kind of town, how people like us didn’t belong here, that we could never stay at his hotel again, and how he was actually thinking about kicking us out of his hotel right that minute.
Suddenly it wasn’t funny anymore. It was scary. We had been trying to tell him he had this whole thing wrong, but he was just getting angrier and more aggressive by the second. One of the men in my group (just about as old as I am) got testy and told George he was out of line (okay, his language may have been a bit saltier), and then George said he wanted my friend and I out of his hotel and was thinking about «kicking us out on the street.» After that, we didn’t stick around to see how bad it would get.
Again, the hotel itself is a real gem, and I have no doubt that many people have had wonderful stays there. Debbie, the other manager, was a real joy to deal with. But as for George, be forewarned: you may meet Dr. Jekyll and wind up dealing with Mr. Hyde.

This has been our second summer staying at the Moonlight Beach Motel for a beach vacation. Our family of 4 (two little boys, ages 5 & 7) plan on staying for many more summers in the future! The registration process and check in is personable and friendly, the property is well maintained and clean, and the hotel fits our needs perfectly. I’m giving it a 4.51 stars (which i’ll round up to a 5 for the rating)
On a four or five day vacation, we spend three of those days just going to the beach and the other two visiting attractions like Sea World, Legoland, or Safari Park. I can not say how amazing it is to be able to bring groceries, cook breakfast in our room and then pack lunches in the cooler to take to the beach. The great thing about Moonlight Beach is that there are no stairs down. So we can easily load up the rolly cooler with chairs and umbrellas and boogie boards and walk three blocks and right onto the sand. And on the way back, we can hose off our boards and the sandy kids in the outside shower and then go right into the rooms (also feeling secure to leave our stuff on the front porch of our room to drip dry).
The only reason had to go below a full 5 stars is that the property is on the older side and while the rooms are very clean and in good repair, the age and style of the furniture is a bit basic. (but I am also fully aware that this basic style is also keeping the motel in the price range that lets us stay 5 days instead of 2 at a chic little beachside resort). The maid service was very attentive – and while they won’t wash your breakfast dishes in the sink when you leave in a hurry, they did alway have fresh towels and make the beds with my boys stuffed animals in cute little tableaus. But if there were new bedspreads and more luxe appointments, i’d probably never leave.
While the buildings don’t get a 5 star, the customer service surely gets that and more. One thing that we really like about the north county beaches is that they are less of a party spot and more of a ‘i could see myself living here’ family type of beach. Going with the family we want to feel safe and secure – and not to be kept up at night with noisy neighbors or bar noise at 2 a.m. I know that the managers are keeping the place from stepping over the line: parking is very closely monitored (we left our parking permit off the dash on morning and he called our cell phone to make sure that that was our car as I had registered the wrong license number for the permit), and extra guests are also monitored to make sure that one room rented doesn’t turn into a party for 20. And when it was discovered that I left a sentimental item in our room (it was just an old sun hat, but one I got on my honeymoon), George offered to mail it back to me (and without the crazy price of having FedX come and box it up).
We’re fans and are already planning on our visit next year!

Why would you stay at the over-​priced Best Western across the street when you can support the local Encinitas community and stay at this lovely hotel?!
The Moonlight Beach Motel has all the amenities you need, and maybe a few things you don’t. You won’t find fancy TVs in the room or expensive coffee makers but you wouldn’t need those things when you could be at the beach or grabbing coffee from Lofty Bean in the building across the alley.
It’s reasonably priced, steps from the beach, walking distance to downtown Encinitas, and nearby to food and touristy things to do. If you’re looking for a hotel in Encinitas, or even North County, this is the one to stay at!

I had to write after reading the review below. My son and I travel all over the state for his surf contests, and we always stay with George at the Moonlight Beach Motel, when in the area. He treats us like family, and we love this place, including the cat Cabo. For work, I stay in Marriots, Hilton, ect… I would much rather stay with George at the Moonlight Beach Motel. Feels alot like being back home in Maui.
Bobby Hahn

just stayed there with a group of people from Japan and it was great location. close to everything — beach, fwy, main street… etc.
The owner was super nice and the room was very big with kitchen.
highly recommend to stay if you are in the area.

My husband and I found this little motel on the internet and were attracted to the fact that it had an ocean view and was blocks from the beach for a very reasonable price. When we checked in we were impressed by the size of the room and the fact that it had a complete kitchen stove included and dishes for our use. We stayed two nights and the first morning we found a place a block or so away called Diner 101 for breakfast that was excellent. This room was everything the ad said it was the view was gorgeous the room was comfortable and the location was awesome… We will be back.