Les Artistes Inn

We wanted a quick getaway with our dog to escape the heat. This place is super eclectic and cute. It’s got Boho charm. Rooms are decorated in a southwestern theme. Lovely place. Owners offer fresh fruit and coffee. Easy walk to downtown and beach. Will most certainly return.

Don’t expect anything like a Marriott, but this older property is full of charm at every corner. There are little fountains, statues, plants, orchids at every corner. Room furniture is a bit older but has everything you need. A nice corner for 2 with Ocean view for breakfast on the upper level. Or if you prefer you can take your morning coffee in front of a wood fireplace. The folks taking care of the Inn are very nice. More of a family atmosphere. Mattress in my room was good. A few minor inconveniences: No thermostat to set the temperature (there is AC and heater), blinds were not blocking the light and you can hear steps on the wooden floor above. Location is fantastic: walk to the bottom of the street for gorgeous views. One block up or down and you can cross the railroad to go down to the beach and walk in 10min to the center of Del Mar beach. I am used to higher standing hotels, but this was a refreshing different experience. I would happily come back with my girl friend, she would love it more than classic chain hotels. Somehow there seems to be a positive relaxing energy around that makes for a resting night of sleep even if you get woken up early. A good value overall.

I’m a business traveler and I rarely write negative reviews, but my recent stay here for my Mom's 71st Birthday was deeply disappointing. I used to recommend this place to everyone for its charm (have stayed 5+ times over the years), but now it’s filthy, unsafe, and run in a way that makes guests feel spied on. The room was filthy, missing blankets, and poorly maintained. The female innkeeper insisted we leave all windows wide open (even in a ground-floor unit) instead of using the AC, claiming it was “bad for you,” and seemed to be monitoring whether the AC was on (ewwww creep factor). When I said this made me feel unsafe, I was told to leave. She even barged into my room ( to show me how to open the windows "properly") and then slammed the door in my face before kicking us out. They have a giant sign out front calling out that valuables left in car are not their responsibility... but you want valuables in my room to be basically left in the open... ok. Packed up and spent our last night down in Coronoado (yay Glorietta Inn to the rescue) What was once a cute, reliable spot has gone completely downhill — creepy, unprofessional, and unsafe. I would not recommend it to anyone.