Hampton Inn Carlsbad-North San Diego County

This three-story Hampton Inn has a vibrant lobby with designer-quality furniture in brown leather and bright colors like aqua and silver. Two-tone, wood laminate floors are partially covered by lovely rugs in busy patterns. Lots of natural light and comfy furniture make the spacious lobby an inviting place to relax, despite relatively low ceilings. The outdoor patio around the pool entices guests to spend time outdoors, with lush landscaping and comfy wicker sofas. Expect to see a mix of business travelers and tourists at this quiet and friendly hotel, including families visiting nearby Legoland. 

The Hampton Inn shares a parking lot with the Homewood Suites, adjacent to the McClellan-Palomar Airport, a busy regional airport surrounded by business parks. Business travelers passing through the airport might not need their own transportation, but tourists will need a car to get to most attractions and restaurants other than a couple of fast food outlets (Chipotle and Panera Bread) within about a five-minute walk. Legoland, Sea Life Aquarium, Carlsbad Premium Outlets, and the Flower Fields of Carlsbad are all about 10 minutes away by car. Moonlight Beach State Park and the San Diego Botanical Garden are roughly 15 minutes away. San Diego International Airport and John Wayne Airport are around an hour in the car. 

Anyone who has stayed in a Hampton Inn will find these clean and comfortable rooms to be familiar. Lots of natural light from generously-sized windows and the light earth tones color palette combine to make the rooms bright and cheerful. Walls and carpet are light beige, and duvets are bright white. The matching wood headboards and desks have a rich amber finish. Floral theme photos in soft colors and silver and dark brown drapes in horizontal stripes are nice touches in otherwise minimalist rooms. The rooms (Kings and Double Queens) offer ample space for comfort, but the Double Queens only have office chairs and small benches for seating, while King units add upholstered chairs. Standard amenities include microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. 

Bathrooms are comfortably sized, with roomy, wood and black granite vanities and handsome tan tiling framing the walk-in showers (in Kings) or shower/tub combos (in Double Queens). Some rooms feature views of the nearby airport, but they also tend to hear more ambient noise. 

This hotel offers the amenities that make Hampton Inns a popular choice among many travelers. The highlight is its free breakfast buffet that includes eggs, potatoes, and other hot dishes. To-go breakfast bags are available on weekdays for guests without time for a sit-down meal. Free coffee and ice water are available all day in the lobby. The Suite Shop sells sundries, snacks, wine, and frozen entrees. The outdoor pool has an adjacent whirlpool as part of a nice patio with comfy wicker furniture including sofas and covered tables. The fitness center is small, with three modern Precor cardio machines and free weights. The business center has two computers and a printer, and on-site meeting space can host up to 40 people. Valet dry cleaning and laundry services are available, along with coin-operated communal laundry machines. On-site parking and Wi-Fi are both free.