Carmel River Inn & Cottages

3.0 star property

Photo gallery for Carmel River Inn & Cottages

Studio Cottage with Wet Bar
Property grounds
Exterior
Luxury Tent | Bathroom
Luxury Tent | Terrace/patio

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Pet-friendly
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
  • Business services

Explore the area

View map
26600 Oliver Rd, Carmel, CA, 93923
  • Place, Carmel Mission Basilica
    ‪13 min walk‬
  • Place, The Barnyard
    ‪13 min walk‬
  • Place, Carmel Beach
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, Monterey, CA (MRY-Monterey Peninsula)
    ‪12 min drive‬

Room options

Studio Cottage, 1 Queen Bed

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
(16 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 23 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Studio (Cottage with Kitchenette)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(6 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Traditional Hotel Room, 1 King Bed (main building)

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
(30 reviews)
  • River view
  • 19 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Traditional Double Hotel Room, 2 Double Beds (main building)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(25 reviews)
  • River view
  • 19 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Studio Cottage with Wet Bar Two Beds

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(10 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 35 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Studio Cottage with Wet Bar

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(6 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Luxury Tent

  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Deluxe Studio (Cottage with Kitchenette)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Luxury Tent

  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Single Trundle Beds

Similar properties

About the area

Carmel

With a stay at Carmel River Inn & Cottages in Carmel (Mission Fields), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and Carmel Beach. .This motel is 5.9 mi (9.5 km) from Monterey Bay and 6.9 mi (11 km) from Monterey Bay Aquarium.

What's nearby

  • Carmel Mission Basilica - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • The Barnyard - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Sunset Center - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Carmel Plaza - 3 min drive - 4.0 km
  • Carmel Beach - 4 min drive - 2.5 km

Getting around

  • Monterey Station - 19 min drive
  • Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY) - 9 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Company at The Crossroads - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Sea Harvest Fish Market & Restaurants - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Pizza Heaven - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Mission Ranch Restaurant - ‬19 min walk

About this property

Carmel River Inn & Cottages

Carmel River Inn & Cottages offers 56 accommodations, which are accessible via exterior corridors and feature minibars and coffee/tea makers. Rooms open to furnished balconies or patios. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided. Bathrooms include showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Televisions come with cable channels. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided once per stay.

Recreational amenities at the motel include a seasonal outdoor pool.

Children under 18 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Make yourself at home in one of the 56 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Rooms have private furnished balconies or patios. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a seasonal outdoor pool or take in the view from a terrace and a garden. This motel also features complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and a fireplace in the lobby.
Enjoy a meal at Morning Joy or snacks in the motel's coffee shop/cafe.
Featured amenities include a business center, express check-in, and express check-out. Free self parking is available onsite.
Morning Joy - Onsite café.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free uncovered self parking on site
  • RV/bus/lorry parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking and van parking available

Food and drink

  • A coffee shop/cafe

Restaurants on site

  • Morning Joy

Things to do

  • Seasonal outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Seasonal outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (once per stay)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

  • Business centre

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In a nature reserve
  • Picnic area
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 4 accessible parking spaces
  • No lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible van parking

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Built in 1934
  • Fireplace in lobby
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV with cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Minibar
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Access via exterior corridors
  • Heating
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • Phone
  • Window screens

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in available
Express check-in available

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
This property enforces quiet hours from 9:30 PM to 8:00 AM
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk, lockbox

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 125 per pet, per stay
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs and cats only
Food and water bowls and an off-leash area are available

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: USD 125 per pet, per stay
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, and a smoke detector
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
The seasonal pool will be open from May to August
Pool access available from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
Children under 18 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision

Property is also known as

Carmel River
Carmel River Inn
River Inn Carmel
Carmel River Hotel Carmel
Carmel River Inn Motel
Carmel River Inn Carmel
Carmel River Inn Motel Carmel

Carmel River Inn & Cottages Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 571 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 277 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 97 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 43 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 16 out of 1004 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Nella

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Clean room, staff friendly. Easy exit to attraction areas.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

8/10 Good

Anahid

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was clean. I liked how my patio opened to Carmel river. Also crossroads shopping center is less than half a mile which was very convenient.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

4/10 Poor

Sayali

Travelled with family
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Booked a studio cottage (independent cottage) as I was traveling with my pet. The property owner switched our cottage type without informing us and gave us ADA studio cottage which was not petfriendly and had a shared wall with another cottage. At night, we could hear bathroom flush sounds along with creaking noises from the walls. The spring bed was not at all comfortable to sleep. The wall heater didn’t work as expected. Overall not a pleasant experience. I would highly recommend guests to double check your room type while checking in.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Hermelinda Noemi

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
clean room
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

MaryAnn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Quiet, clean, and nicely decorated
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Omar, Pasadena

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Super clean. Very friendly staff. Beautiful cottages. Perfect for families.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary, LYNN

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely spot! Balcony overseeing river, great shower, super clean and comfortable, and just minutes to food, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Point Lobos Reaerve.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026

4/10 Poor

Anita

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
The location, staff and property were nice. However, there were tons of ants in our room. The first night we felt something crawling in our bed. When we lifted the covers there were dead and love ants. We thought it was an isolated time. But the same thing g happened rhe next night and we ended up sharing 1 of 2 beds. We didn’t sleep well at all. Rhe ants were in the bathroom, bed and and main areas. I informed the front desk at check out. While they were aplogeruc they didn’t offer for any reimbursement or credit. The receptors suggested I. All the manager since rhe were not on site
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Carmel River Inn is so charming! Even though it has been renovated and modernized, it still has some of that quaint mid-century aesthetic, making it a unique and historic place to stay. We stayed in the hotel portion, and loved that we had a private balcony facing the Carmel River- very scenic! The proximity to Highway One has pros and cons. There's a little noise during the day, but it's very quiet at night. The hotel is at a nice crossroads, making it easy to access Big Sur as well as Carmel, Monterey and Carmel Valley. The staff was very friendly and helpful as well. We would definitely stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

10/10 Excellent

Tammy

Travelled with family, Travelled with pets
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What a lovely stay.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

Luciana

Travelled with family
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mallika

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Yes
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Keyla Rominna

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Everything was great, the views are really nice. I would’ve liked to have housekeeping at least once in my 3 day stay. Other than that I will be definitely coming back
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tamara

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Delightful place to stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Betty, Sacramento

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall, it was a very good stay and excellent location. We had three nice cottages for our family trip. The rooms were nice, but had different amenities. When I asked, the gentleman said they were all the same, but that wasn't true (bathtub versus shower; carpeted floor versus no carpet; dishwasher versus not, more spacious for game night versus no extra space, fake fire place for heat.versus a heater that never got the whole room warm; stand alone cottage versus 'duplex' with neighbor), etc. No warning of no daily housekeeping before arrival, and no warning on Expedia's advertising that they charge $125 as an additional cleaning fee if you bring a dog. Bed was too soft for us, but our adult kids thought the beds were great. We would return here because of location and the ability to have cottages for ourselves and our adult children.!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Evelyn, Antioch

Travelled with pets, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

stella

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Loved it!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

avi, Sunnyvale

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lillian

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tim, San Francisco

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Shayna

Travelled with pets, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely perfect stay in the upgraded cabin. Insanely quiet but only 8 minutes to downtown and just a few minutes from lovely shopping centers. Staff was so great. Will always come back when we visit Carmel!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anny June

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Adam is great. The cabin is very clean fully stocked and very quite. The rest fo the staff that are auper nice. We called them to light up the fire pit and he was fast! When in Carmel we will definitely stay here. We use to stay in downtown are but this place is a gem!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Thomas

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Comfortable room. Well worn but clean and comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Mayra

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025