Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa

Location was beautiful and service was top notch

I was disappointed with some aspects of my stay, particularly the customer service on July 21. That morning, the male employee with curly hair working at the bar was noticeably passive-aggressive toward guests. A gentleman politely let him know that the coffee had run out. He said that as soon as the woman he was assisting was finished, he would help us. A few of us were very understanding and waited patiently. As more guests began to arrive for coffee, he loudly said to the woman he was helping, “I’m going to refill the coffee before a riot starts.” (We were all still patiently waiting). While changing out the containers—a task that took only about two minutes because the fresh coffee was already waiting at the counter—he said out loud, “I’m just changing out this FREE coffee.” After he finished, he again said, “Here’s your FREE coffee.” We all thanked him once it was refilled, but his repeated comments made it seem as though he was irritated and resentful about performing a routine part of his job. The remarks came across as unprofessional and left several of us feeling uncomfortable. Additionally, referring to it as “free coffee” was frustrating, since guests are paying a resort fee that helps cover these amenities. Also on July 21, a blonde woman working in the gift shop was not friendly, even though we were making purchases there. She seemed irritated that children were with us. This is a family-friendly hotel, so it should be expected that kids will be around. I do not expect employees to be overly cheerful, but passive-aggressive behavior is unnecessary. We are paying customers, and this is part of their job. There is no reason to be irritated with guests. Overall, I expect staff at a resort of this caliber to provide courteous, professional service. While these incidents did not ruin my stay, they detracted from the experience and are worth bringing to your attention.

Cape Rey is located in a great area for biking, walking and beach access. The hotel itself is beautiful and the staff was very friendly. I had accidentally booked the wrong dates on my reservation by one day and the front desk staff was able to switch my reservation quickly and without an issue. The restuarant onsite was top notch. The Tuna was some of the best my husband ever had for dinner and the breakfast was delicious.