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Carlsbad is a coastal city that is about 35 miles north of San Diego Airport. I didn’t have any plans to visit the area, but my husband asked if I wanted to join him on his work trip since the hotel was dog-friendly. 

Anytime there is an opportunity to tag along on a trip where it’s dog-friendly, I’m in. The only thing I knew about Carlsbad was their famous Flower Fields which are acres of flowers during the Spring months of March through early May. I was pretty excited to visit an area that I didn’t know much about.

FIRST IMPRESSION

As we got closer to the entrance of the hotel, I noticed that our hotel was located next to a road called Legoland Drive. We were staying right next to Legoland, so that was a pleasant surprise. 

There were a few other resorts located on the same road so we had to pay close attention to the signs for directions to the correct hotel entrance. When we pulled up to the hotel, we were kindly greeted by the valet staff who were super helpful and friendly.

The hotel lobby is bright and airy with a view of the pool in the distance. It definitely had resort vibes. We arrived around 1 PM and luckily our room was already cleaned (check-in is 4 PM). 

PARKING

We were initially going to self-park our car but decided to valet since the parking lot was located a bit far from the hotel. The property had plenty of parking on the premise, but self-parking was located across the street from the property. All of the parking space around the resort was reserved for valet parking.

It was strange to see our vehicle parked in front of our room, yet we couldn’t get to it since the valet had our car key. It seems a bit silly, but luckily the valet attendants were always super quick and we never waited more than 5 minutes for our car. 

THE ROOM

We were in room 1250 which was located on the second floor right next to the elevator. I usually worry about being next to the elevator since the foot traffic can be loud, but it was surprisingly quiet throughout our stay. We occasionally heard kids running in the hallway (in the mornings), but nothing too crazy. 

We booked a two King Bedroom with a balcony. The balcony area was pretty tight, but we took advantage of the space and spent time out here quite often. The beds were super comfy and I loved the thick comforters they provided. Typically hotel comforters are on the thin side, but not this one.

A nightstand was placed in between the two beds and we each had our own outlets and USB ports. The bed’s headboard had a built-in reading light, which was convenient when turning off the lights at night.

The large flat-screen TV had plenty of channels and underneath the TV console was a hidden mini refrigerator. Next to the TV was a desk area with a built-in exterior outlet and USB ports. There was also a mini Starbucks coffee and tea station and two bottles of complimentary water. 

A large closet next to the TV console was equipped with plenty of hangers, a digital safe, and an iron and ironing board. If you need laundry service, they provide this as well.

I really appreciated the entryway as it was thoughtfully designed for guests who have pets. I don’t think it was intentional, but the built-in cubby was a great spot to put the dog’s leashes and collars. 

The bathroom was roomy, but the shower space was unusual. The shower head was so low that you had to squat down so that your head wouldn’t touch it. It was unusable for us as we were too tall for it, so we used the handheld showerhead instead. Thank goodness there was an alternative. 

The toiletries provided were very basic with just a bottle of lotion and a bar of soap. It would have been nice to have some Q-tips and cotton balls. The blow dryer was a fairly old model, which could use an upgrade. 

The large and bright illuminated mirror is always much appreciated, since I prefer a brightly lit bathroom. The vanity had plenty of space to place both our toiletries and plenty of towels were provided every day. 

PET-FRIENDLINESS

When I was scrolling through the resort’s website, they advertised complimentary amenities like The Westin Heavenly Dog Bed and welcome kit, but we did not receive any of these upon check-in. It was a little disappointing since I always look forward to pet-friendly hotels that offer perks like this.

The next day when I was in the lobby, I asked about the complimentary amenities and the hotel receptionist went to the back of their office and came back with two bandanas and dog waste bags. It was appreciated, but the rest of the advertised things like the Westin Heavenly Dog Bed or welcome kit with local pet information was nonexistent. 

A pet relief area was available right outside our room, so that was super convenient whenever I had to take the pups out for a walk. There was a dog waste station and a back road with gorgeous views of Carlsbad, so I looked forward to our morning walks. 

Dogs under 80 pounds are allowed with a non-refundable pet fee of $25 per day (maximum of $150 USD per stay). Prior to booking the room, I had to call and confirm that two dogs were allowed (per room) since I couldn’t locate this information on their website.

A few weeks later when I was finally ready to reserve the room, I wanted to double-check their pet policy, and this time I was told that only one dog was allowed. I was getting conflicting information, so I called the next day and was told two dogs were permitted. They definitely need to inform the staff of their pet policy information.

FEATURED ON-SITE AMENITIES

I really loved the atmosphere of the outdoor seating space next to the pool and preferred sitting out there over the balcony in my bedroom. One morning, I purchased a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin from the mini cafe (located in the lobby) and sat outside with the pups.

The in-house cafe brewed Starbucks coffee and there were some bakery items as well as snacks and souvenirs for sale. The barista was super friendly and recommended a variety of coffee options. 

A fitness center was also available and located next to the pool area. I was surprised at how large and bright the fitness room was. A lot of times, fitness rooms are dark and small, but this one had great views of the pool and was fully equipped with exercise bikes, free weights, weight machines, elliptical machines, and more. They even offer Peloton classes and lend New Balance gear for a small fee of $5. 

The outdoor pool looked amazing, but since I had the pups with me, we weren’t able to enjoy the water. I did notice that the pool area had a towel station and complimentary disposable swim diapers. I’m sure attention to detail like this is much appreciated by guests with small children. 

LOCATION

As mentioned earlier, we were situated right next to Legoland so I did notice a lot of families staying here. There is an upscale on-site restaurant, but we walked next door to the Sheraton and dined at 7 Mile Kitchen, which was a more casual atmosphere. The patio was dog-friendly, and our hotel even provided free gelato tickets to this restaurant. 

I was starving by the time we sat down, so I completely forgot to take photos of our farm-to-table entrees. The SoCal atmosphere was lovely and I enjoyed my meal and so did my husband.

On another night, we took a short 5-minute drive to the Windmill Food Hall. I was craving Asian cuisine and the hip food hall had a variety of options. It’s a family-friendly spot that also serves craft cocktails and has a pet-friendly terrace as well. I settled on Vietnamese food from District 1 Pho and ordered the chicken Phó. I also purchased a delicious cinnamon roll from the Coffee Corner.

The Carlsbad Premium Outlets are also located just a short distance away from the resort. If you don’t have a car, the hotel provides free shuttles to and from the outlets. On our last day after checking out, we stopped by the outlet on our way home. We walked into several stores and they were all very dog-friendly. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The pups and I had a comfortable stay here. The rooms were spacious and the beds were super comfy. It made me happy to see that the hotel staff were always excited to see my two pups. They definitely received a lot of attention and love. The location is especially convenient for families that are visiting nearby attractions. 

The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa
5480 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad, California 92008 (MAP)
Phone: (760) 827-2800

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