Stayed for a two night weekend get away. We were in room 7, which has a nice walk in closet w/shelving for items, rod including hangers, and enough space to store suitcases so as not to keep them in room. Our room was comfortable. Yes, it could use some decorating but the architecture of the room gave it ambience. Bathroom was small, but clean-functional. Bed, very comfortable.The grounds are lovely..bring a bottle of wine and enjoy by the outdoor fireplace. They loaned us glasses & the wine opener. Continental breakfast was enough for a walk on the beach before going into town for late breakfast/early lunch. The staff was very nice. We were even shown other rooms to get a feel of the overall inn. We have stayed in very upscale to never again, and The Colonial was comfortable, basic, easy going and nice. Do note that it does take about 15 minutes to walk into Ocean Ave, the main shopping area ( we didn't mind, both day or night). The beach is two minutes, easy access. We took our wine, sat on a bench, watched the sunset. :)

Stayed here in December 2011. Like that its close to the beach, quiet area away from the bustle of the main part of Carmel and the shops. You can hear the surf at night and have a filtered ocean view from some rooms and some of the common outdoor areas. We always walk to town, its a 10-15 minute stroll. The heat is from the electric fireplace so thats a little funky. Rooms are all different. .

We stayed at the Colonial Terrace in the summer of 2008 and remembered the place fondly as having an excellent location, very close to the beach and within walking distance of the shops and restaurants. The grounds were lovely and well kept and the staff was very helpful and pleasant, the breakfast was very satisfying, and the afternoon cookies were delicious. The room was comfortable, but nothing special, and the price was not outrageous for Carmel. So in the spring of 2011 we decided to stay there once again. Unfortunately, we did not realize that the Inn had changed hands in the interim. The location, of course, was still ideal, the grounds were still very well maintained, the staff was helpful and pleasant, but sadly the breakfast was not nearly what it once was, though the afternoon cookies were as yummy as we remembered. Sadly, the room we stayed in was completely substandard, not just for the price, but for any price! The furnishings were old and worn, the bathroom was functional but tattered and full of mildew, the carpet was badly stained, the blinds did not completely cover the windows, and the heating system was very noisy. We asked the front desk if other rooms might be available, and they showed us 2 others, which didn't look much better than the one we were in, and were in fact, smaller. After staying the first night, we asked to talk to the management, expressed our dissatisfaction, showed them our room, and were graciously given a full refund. We then checked out and into another Inn. I have seen nicer rooms at the Colonial Inn, but none were available for the time we requested. The substandard room in which we stayed in 2011 was #4. And oddly, the first time we stayed there in 2008, we stayed in room #5, just next door, which was clean and pleasant. I guess you just have to be careful which room you pick. I do very much appreciate management's agreement to a refund, and I hope that if not already completely refurbished, all the rooms of this gracious old property will be upgraded soon, in keeping with its history, the lovely exterior and beautiful grounds.

Spent two nights at the Colonial Terrace in January. The weather was great through-out (a great time of year to visit this part of California). The room was large and comfortable. Only downside was that it got cold at night despite an (electric) fireplace in the room. It was set on a timer so kept switching off.

The location and comfortable bed were the two highlights. The Inn is located on a quiet street just off the sea. We could hear the crash of waves from our room (a good thing).

I would certainly go back again and stay there.