PineKnot Motel

SERIOUSLY? Please don't take my word for it, just go there and stay a night, if you dare! If the blood stained sheets (and those were the clean ones) don't scare you, maybe the black and grey streaked towels, that are supposed to be white, will; or the filthy shower stall or the sink that rocks back and forth or the miniature television complete with nailed to the wall rabbit ears and aluminum foil will. My water bottle was taller than the television and all these nasties are backed up with pictures. It is close to the beach though. So pay a visit and spend the night just remember I told you! more

I cannot believe my eyes or ears. RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE. I don't even know where to start. This place is filthy, the service is RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE. The TV has rabbit ears and 3 channels TOPS and there ""Continental breakfast"" is random fruit and cup of noodles on a table OUTSIDE. There's no ice machine or phone or wifi. Did I mention the woman was rude? They don't have a credit card machine and she made a rub of my credit card with a crayon. The people who are staying and or LIVING here are various miscreants and rough looking hoods. I will not even do it the justice of giving it one star! more

I can't understand the glowing reviews. I took them to heart and checked in. I was in shock when I got inside. The room was jammed with a full sized and a twin bed and some broken, mismatched ikea type bookcases. The twin didn't even have a spread on it and looked more like a cot. Neither bed had a washable mattress pad and were made with flimsy sheets placed right on top of the mattress itself. Creepy. The ancient gas wall heater had decomposed and looked dangerous. There was a tiny lcd tv with a built in dvd player atop a non operational mini fridge but as there was no remote it was pretty much useless. TV reception was provided by a set of rabbit ears nailed to the wall near the ceiling. The grey industrial carpeting was absolutely filthy with huge black stains everywhere. It quickly turned my white socks black. I couldn't understand why the owners wouldn't replace it. I mean you can't buy cheaper carpet and for the size of the room it would cost around $50. I was not able to bring myself to get into the tiny shower. There was ""something"" visibly embedded in the green tile that gave it an odd texture. The fact that the toilet paper dispenser was broken and rather than fixing it the housekeeper had just taken to placing the roll on the floor, or that a plunger handle was provided to prop up the broken bathroom window did not boost my confidence. Now I am not pretentious and for $300 a week for a room right on (noisy) Pacific Coast Highway I was prepared for a dive. This, however, was beyond any dive I have ever encountered, and there have been many in 30 years of budget travel. Honestly it was uninhabitable even for me. I was unable to make it through the week and checked out after 2 days. It's a pity really. The place is in an ideal spot and offers such potential. If they would have spent just $500 bucks improving my room this would have been a very different review. If they gave the other 15 rooms the same treatment and cleaned up the trashy courtyard I would probably be raving about the place. more

We just tried to book a couple of weeks at this motel, which has a listing in Craig's List that says ""$250 per week."" But the person we spoke to said they do NOT ACCEPT RESERVATIONS, and that rooms are available only on a daily basis. In other words, after we drive a thousand miles to get there, we have to HOPE that they have a room available!!!!?????????? When asked about the listing, which clearly gives a weekly rate, the answer was ""That's life!"" more

LOVE LOVE LOVE to visit the Pine Knot. We drive up a few times a year and look forward to relaxing by the beach, Big Belly Deli next door, bike paths across the street and GREAT prices! Now a days, most places overcharge for crappy service. Not here, it's a welcoming change to meet some great people and stay in an iconic motel. Highly recommend a great stay!!! more

We have been going every summer, or more, from AZ to the Pine Knot for over 6 years. We've moved to Carlsbad and still pack the bikes and boards and stay at the Pine Knot. Right across the street from the beach, very economical, walking distance from restaurants and shopping. I LOVE the owners! Wonderful people that care about their guests. They are particular on who stays so it has a nice homey feel. Every time we go, we BBQ with all that stay! It's small and very reminiscent of surfing days of past and the place is full of nostalgia. HIGHLY recommend to stay!!!!! more