I stayed here for two nights with my 4 and 6 year olds. We were drawn in by the playset. Checked in and the desk person gave us a discount because it was slow. The room was about what I had expected: smelly, dingy, stained, threadbare, and worn. I wonder if I stayed in the same room as a previous reviewer because my room also had the smoke detector ripped off the wall. Either the management hadn't fixed it in a few years or it's a problem in more than room, though I didn't notice until the second night. The door lack a latch or chain, so you have to take your chances with the door lock and the dead bolt. I positioned a chair in front of the door, directly under the knob to slow down any intruder. Although, I never felt unsafe. The housekeeping staff were very nice.
If you can stomach the appearance, the pool and play ground are very convenient. Otherwise, keep driving to the Holiday Inn Express at the north end of town.
I also took the kids to Beach Park, which is a great little beach on the Pecos River with lifeguards (more than 1). There is also a small paddle boat tour, pontoon boat ride, and peddle boats, all right there. That was a lot of fun.
- Stagecoach Hotel Carlsbad
