Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa
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2 Reviews for Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa
20
22
'10, '11
1 family found this helpful
"A vacation destination that Lego-loving kids and adults of all ages can enjoy"
Instead of being happy to return home from our latest trip, my 2-year old son was actually disappointed when we stepped up onto our porch and he couldn’t open the front door with a swipe of daddy’s library card. We had spent the last two nights at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa (just 30 minutes north of San Diego Airport) on our visit to Legoland and he had grown a bit too accustomed to the 5-star treatment we’d received during our stay. Sorry, no welcome plate of fruits and cookies upon our arrival home.
My son is already fairly well-traveled since we try to take advantage of the fact that we’re not yet tied to school schedules, taking at least 2-3 short trips a year. Making sure he’s well rested while traveling has been critical to lowering my own blood pressure level and often leads to a more enjoyable trip. Though it gets a bit more expensive, I take extra effort to try to find accommodations that allow my son a peaceful place to nap and go to bed earlier – namely a separate room. The Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa caters to families as well as business professionals, so they have a number of suites with separate bedrooms as well as adjoining rooms for larger families or those who just need some extra space.
This hotel exceeded my expectations in its exceptional service and had excellent accommodations. Just built in early 2008, the rooms at this Sheraton seemed immaculately clean to the point where I almost didn’t mind my son rolling around the carpet after his shower. We were fortunate enough to receive a complimentary stay in a very generously-sized suite (over 900 sq.ft.) which had very kid-friendly furniture and decorations (predominately rounded edges on coffee-tables, end tables, and an unbreakable large vase that my son insisted upon rolling around the room). Our suite also featured an empty mini-fridge which was promptly filed with milk/cheese/fruit, an iPod-dock alarm clock that came in handy for those relaxing kid-friendly tunes from home when you need them to calm down in bed, and ample space for just running around. A rubber mat would hve been nice to prevent little ones from slipping in in the shower/tub, but you can’t have it all (or maybe they do - I just didn’t see one in the room). Upon request, the hotel staff will bring you additional goodies to help child-proof their rooms, including guard rails for the beds, cribs, pack and plays, and outlet covers.
Outdoor amenities included a large family-friendly pool and hot tub, stocked with floaties, beach balls, and towels, as well as a ping pong table and grassy area for other games. These are available 24 hours a day, perfect for an early swim for the young ones or for the post-outing activities for the older kids. If our stay was longer, we may have made use of other amenities such as the indoor gym, a round of golf at the Crossings at Carlsbad, or indulged in a massage at the Ocean Pearl Spa. The hotel also offered free WIFI and access to a number of computers in the lobby (4) and in the Club Lounge (1). The free printing service came in handy for printing out directions to nearby attractions and our boarding passes for the flight back home.
The selection of on-site restaurants is very limited, with Twenty20 Grill & Wine Bar being the only option for meals outside of the Club Lounge and room service. Although it claims to be family-friendly (with high chairs, booster seats, and a kids menu available), Twenty20 is a very nice and high-end restaurant – exactly the type of place we try to steer clear of with a rambunctious 2-year old in tow. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fabulous place for fine dining and I can’t say enough about the chef and the service there. Seeing their menu of Coastal Californian cuisine would make your mouth water and we dined there on our first evening, enjoying delicious food, a beautiful atmosphere, artfully presented dishes, and appreciating their great story (over 80% of what they serve is organic and sourced within 50 miles). Unless your kid(s) is better-behaved than mine (i.e. able to keep their utensils and food within a 1 foot radius), it’s not my top choice of restaurants for a relaxing family meal. Luckily, there are many other options just about a 5 minute drive away, so we ended up eating at Ruby’s Diner on our second night there. Although my son appreciated the fancy décor, views of the ocean from Twenty20, and their incredible desserts (and to his credit, he did sit relatively still in a high chair for over an hour), he’d choose the model trains, planes, and cars at Ruby’s over fine dining and cloth napkins any day.
The Club Lounge I mentioned earlier is something I’d suggest if you’re looking to stay at this Sheraton. Upgrading to Club Level costs an additional $20-$40/night, but gives you access to a buffet breakfast and afternoon/evening snacks. Although the food selection is nothing to write home about (your typical pastries, fruits, bagels, cereals, eggs, yogurt, and assorted beverages), the convenience of dropping in for a quick meal or stocking up on snacks (and whole milk!) for the little guy was definitely worth it for me. I never had to load him up in the car for a run to the market to pick up food supplies, though I believe there are options for that nearby as well.
I read a number of other reviews before deciding on staying at the Sheraton Carlsbad, and many of them mentioned the horrors of dealing with their thin walls and sounds that travel from neighboring rooms all through the night. Our experience was actually quite pleasant and we had no trouble with outside sounds, though our room was on the third (top) floor and we did book our visit from Monday through Wednesday – off-peak days from the masses who descend upon Legoland on weekends. The deciding factor for booking a stay at this hotel over others, though, was the special access to Legoland at the rear of the park, reserved just for Sheraton guests. What some claim to be a 5 minute walk from the hotel took us anywhere from 10-15 minutes (2-year olds, as you may know, tend to take their time with some things), and although it was a bit of a hike, the ability to take a break from the park to stroll back to the room for a nap was well worth it. Note that park hours are from 10:00am to 5:00pm, but the rear gate back to the hotel closes at 5:30pm sharp. If you’re late, you may have to walk all the way back to the front of the park and find another, much less convenient way back to the hotel.
For families with older kids who are looking for a longer vacation, the Sheraton is also offering a personalized program for kids and teens (ages 6-17) through a partnership with ClubXcite, featuring a number of activities such as theme park visits, water sports, biking, hiking, climbing, etc. Visit www.exciteway.com for more details.
The outstanding service level of the staff was one of the highlights of our stay, making our experience there much more memorable. We were always greeted with smiles and my son made a half-dozen new best friends over the course of two days. From the parking attendants and front desk staff to the housekeepers, everyone we encountered was friendly, courteous and went out of their way to accommodate requests (yes, even the front desk staff at 1:00am when I strolled my grouchy/teething son out for a middle-of-the-night walk and asked for additional bedding options).
The bottom line is that I would definitely recommend the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa for families interested in visiting Legoland and/or the new Sea Life Aquarium. Kids of all ages would enjoy their stay here, though kids 2 and up (and at least 34 inches tall) would have much more to enjoy at Legoland. It is not the cheapest option available (they will charge an additional $24/night on top of your bill – a service fee of $12 that includes WIFI and 24 hour access to amenities, and a $12 parking charge), but the excellent service, top notch facilities, and convenient location are worth a small premium. Not to mention their ridiculously comfortable beds. They often offer great deals on their regular rooms, including packages that offer free tickets to Legoland and the aquarium, so be sure to check their website for promotions (www.sheratoncarlsbad.com). Although we had a wonderful stay in one of their suites, the price points they list are much higher than what I would normally find affordable – I’ll be looking into their special packages on regular and adjoining rooms, (yes, with their promotions, 2 rooms here can still be substantially cheaper than one of their nice suites) for our stay here next year, not forgetting the Club Level upgrades to have access to meals and snacks for the kids.
This review is based on a complimentary stay at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA. I received no other compensation besides the hotel stay and dinner at Twenty20 Grill and Bar and the hotel did not express any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
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1 family found this helpful
"Loved this Sheraton!"
Brand new Sheraton right on the Legoland property! You have your own private entrance which is really convenient! The hotel is very clean and it is a great family atmosphere. I particularly liked the pool area and hot tub. Highly recommend this as a great addition to your Legoland adventure.
Location.
This hotel is located close to the airport. Attractions in the
neighborhood include Sealife Aquarium and Legoland California.
Another nearby attraction is Flower Fields of Carlsbad.
Features.
Dining options at Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa include a
restaurant and a bar/lounge. Room service is available during
limited hours. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, a
sauna, a fitness facility, a steam room, and tennis courts. The
property's full service health spa has body treatments,
massage/treatment rooms, facials, and beauty services. This 4.0
star property has a business center and offers meeting rooms for
small groups, limo/town car service, and audio visual equipment.
Wireless Internet access is available in public areas. This
Carlsbad property has 25,000 square feet of event space consisting
of banquet facilities, conference rooms, a ballroom, and exhibit
space. Wedding services, tour/ticket assistance, and translation
services are available. Additional property amenities include a
coffee shop/café, valet parking, and a concierge desk.
Guestrooms.
There are 250 guestrooms at Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa.
Balconies offer pool or water views. Furnishings include desks and
ergonomic chairs. Beds come with premium bedding. Bathrooms feature
shower/tub combinations, designer toiletries, complimentary
toiletries, and hair dryers. Wireless and wired high speed Internet
access is available for a surcharge; guestrooms also offer phones,
free local calls, and voice mail. 32 inch LCD televisions have
premium cable channels, first run movies, and free movie channels.
Air conditioned rooms also include coffee/tea makers, blackout
drapes/curtains, electronic check out, and electronic/magnetic
keys. Guests may request a turndown service, extra towels/bedding,
and wake up calls. Housekeeping is available. Cribs (infant beds)
and rollaway beds are available on request. Guestrooms are all non
smoking.
Check-In: 4 PM
Check-Out: 11 AM
Number of Rooms: 250
Number of Suites: 0
Handicap Accessibility: yes
Pets: yes
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Fitness Facility
Services:
In house Restaurant
In house Bar
Room Service
Child Care
High Speed Internet
Children's Equipment
Full size cribs
High chair
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