Surf Motel At Gualala

I really wish that the lady that works at this motel was nicer. The room is in a beautiful location but customer service definitely needs work. Found a couple critters in my room, and when i told the front desk, she basically said she couldn’t do anything about it. Our card was also overcharged without my consent. the only reason i knew she charged us AGAIN is because i checked the bank statement. This is no way to run a business! I would not recommend this place!
BE CAREFUL if you stay here of random charges made to your card

Nice people, nice breakfast. Rooms are small and very clean and the bluffs trail is right there. Only minor complaint is that the bed was very soft, but this is a quiet place to stay with affordable rates and good service.

Pretty nice for a motel. Breakfast was ok. Small room but very neat and clean.

Stayed here over this past weekend with my bf and yorkie for 2 nights.
We needed a place that was dog friendly near the wedding we were attending.
My bf always seem to book things last minute… so surf motel was our only option.
We arrived late and our room key was left outside of the check in office. Everything closes early in Gualala. Nothing is open after 9pm which was a problem for us at night looking for something to eat. The vending machines only took coins. No frills type of motel. Stayed here only because it was dog friendly.

We have stayed here before when visiting family in town. The price is good for peak season, room was clean & loved the new flooring. We checked in very late, 1:30am. We’d been on the road for 12 hours & wanted a drink & cold water to relax. The area where the ice machine was located was locked!!! Very frustrating. A sign on the door listed times of 8 am to 8 pm to access ice & vending machines… seriously! The next morning we discovered the ice machine didn’t work anyway, and we had to get little baggies of ice from the front desk, WHEN they are open. The kerig machine worked once for me, had to exchange it for a different one. Room had a small fridge & micro, located IN THE BATHROOM, unsanitary. The bathroom fan didn’t work. The tv didn’t work as the motel was switching cable companies. We were there from Wednesday to Sunday with no tv. If you go to the lobby you have to catch them open as they close every day for two hours. We did talk to the check in gal who was nice but also informed us we had the worst room (thank you!) The lobby was very dusty & that’s where they serve the free breakfast. The sausage gravy was not good at all, but the eggs were.
I kindly expressed that I’d like to write a positive review for the motel, what could they do to make things right for us. On a $ 700 bill we got a refund of $ 66. I DOUBT WE WILL STAY THERE AGAIN

Stayed here one night on the way up to Oregon. Love the clean wood~like floors. We got a double queen room which had a full kitchen and keurig coffee machine.
The good: free wifi, decent breakfast, super clean great views friendly staff
What could be better: no bath tub in our room only a shower & no real quick beach access but overall its a great place especially in comparison to other places we stayed at ranging in the same price on the way up to Oregon.
I’d stay here again for sure.

Stayed here for one night, July 3^rd, for a quickie mini get away. We had a single room: queen bed, small table and chairs, tv on top of a highboy chest, nightstands and faux fire place. The bathroom was a very nice size. Closet was located in the bathroom and the microwave and small fridge were inside the closet, which I found rather odd. Our bed was definitely NOT a feather top bed. Also, bring your ear plugs if you’re a light sleeper, as I am, unless you want to hear your neighbor snoring. :-/
All in all, the room was VERY clean and I appreciated the wood-​like floor, as opposed to the icky, sticky motel carpet you would get anywhere else. Also, the breakfast was FABULOUS! Sausage, scrambled eggs, homemade scones and muffins… yes Homemade! They were delicious. Full size yogurt, OJ, coffee… Pretty great breakfast for what you pay for.
There is a patio for guests to sit and enjoy the view. Also, a firepit area (which, unfortunately is now not allowed because of the drought and dry areas :-() with nice patio furniture to relax.
The view is very serene. This evening was pretty foggy, so not much of a clear view, and my husband and I took a nice stroll down the bluff path. I like the fact that this motel butts right up to the pathway. Watch out for bats, by the way.
I would definitely stay here again. It’s the perfect little spot to catch some shut eye when you’re on the road.

I’m trying hard to like this place. For $ 143+, the breakfast was good (hot food, including waffles and scrambled eggs). The room was very small, though the furniture was good quality, and the room clean. But that is pretty pricey for a night in a motel.
The couple who owns the place bent over backwards to make a mediocre place good. The breakfast makes up for very small rooms, but I might have had a $ 15 breakfast elsewhere, to as much effect. The rooms all face the parking lot, and the only view of the ocean is in a common space near the parking lot. Single-​pane windows and poorly-​insulated doors let people and traffic noise into the room. Though there were new fixtures and clean (gloss) paint everywhere, there were little chinks in the armor, like a gap in the wall near the toilet.
It’s surprising that the original builders didn’t orient the place to the ocean, but that seems to be a theme in Gualala. A slightly cheaper motel might simply expect that you spend the night, maybe have a bite to eat (or have a simple cup of coffee), and move on. If I double the price of a tiny room, and provide a few minutes of ocean view with very decent scrambled eggs, I’m not sure that adds up to double the price.
You’re on vacation, so it’s not a problem for you. I’m there on business, and this is the better motel in town (and all cost the same), so I’m not particularly happy with the price for a simple place to sleep.
NOTE: not really a problem, but the TV/​cable directions verged on an English translation of a Japanese manual. Quite funny, actually, but you’d do better to simply figure out the system by yourself, rather than follow the bad and ungrammatical directions (neatly laminated, with channel listings that only vaguely correspond to the actual available channels).

It’s adorable and the breakfast is SO GOOD! The concierge guy makes it himself and he is an awesome cook.
The concierge was also really nice and helpful. Like, above and beyond with the good attitude.
The view is great, plus you can take a nice walk on the bluff.
The only drawback is that the bathroom stuff is a little old so the water pressure and the faucets are pretty weird and not great.
But everything else is a win!

We had a fun stay last weekend. This little inn is right in the center of the tiny town of Gualala so super convenient to the grocery store and the pizza place, Mexican restaurant and BBQ pit. The room was pretty darn small but with such a gorgeous location, we didn’t spend much time in the room. There’s a bunch of patio seating that is cozy and with great views. Plus, the breakfast! Yummmmm.

This is a great cozy intimate hotel off of the 101! The staff is all very friendly. the rooms are a little small and the bed is to hard for me, but it’s just a place to sleep right? they have hardwood floors in the room along with a sweet fireplace. The views here are amazing, however the closest beach access is about 2 miles away. not something I want to do on a cold windy night. they serve comp breakfast and u can sit outside in the patio overlooking the ocean and watch the whales. will definitely stay here again.

This motel is one of most coziest motel that I have ever stayed in! Soft pillows and beds, which helps me sleep soundly. The hosts of Surf Motel, Mike and Heather are the warmest and very professional. They were very accommodating to our needs. They made great suggestions for where to eat, especially today, they told me how Surf Market cooks up tri-​tip, ribs and more outside, delicious bbq lunch! I would definitely suggest this place for kitchenette, views, friendly atmosphere and wonderful breakfast in the mornings! My son, Tommy enjoyed the waffles each morning!
In addition, I am able to bring my two dogs, Cheyenne and Julie. Thank you, Mike and Heather for the enjoyable conversations! I will be back!

Lots of bang for your budget buck. Ocean view, friendly service, clean and decent rooms. What more could you ask for?

The hotel is conveniently located, had gorgeous ocean views and a wonderful breakfast. The rooms were small but cozy and clean. The beds were ok, not the most comfortable nights sleep though. We really enjoyed watching the sunset from their lounge chairs. It is extremely relaxing and that is what we were looking for.

We stayed here on a recent drive up the coast.
We loved this little motel. These were the most comfortable beds I ever remember sleeping in at a hotel. I loved the fact that you get 4 pillows per bed.
Friendly staff and great views of the ocean sunset.

Pleasantly surprised. Had to stop late after a long night of driving. Expected worse. Loved the location and the staff was amazing.
Room was very clean and I was surprised with the sweet touches with a proper comforter and little ambiance (fake but cute) fireplace. Fun bar across the street with good food. Could hear the surf from the room when we cracked the window specifically for the reason.
The view was amazing we almost stayed an extra day but had somewhere to be. My dog was welcome there and the room didn’t smell like pets (no carpet) he seemed comfortable. The mattress was extremely comfortable. The breakfast was a nice surprise, it was very good!

Best motel for the price on the beach side of Hwy 1. Best views of the Pacific Ocean, from a bluff overlooking the Gualala River outlet. I read it was one of the first motel built up here on the shore, so it’s not all new and shiny, but it has been upgraded and is well cared for. Our room was cozy (small) and the bed was comfortable, perfect for one night on the shore. The complimentary breakfast was freshly prepared and tasted great. Heather in the front office is wonderful. She likes people, is good at her job, gives helpful advice, and makes a great breakfast.

The people are warm and inviting.
View is phenomenal. Seating area in King Room is delightful! I’ll upload a picture.
Fireplace is actually an electric heater that looks like a fire stove. That’s the only reason not to give five stars.
Everything is peaceful, the sound of the surf delightful, price is reasonable.
Bed is amazingly comfortable. Man did we sleep!
Breakfast is outstanding. Eggs, sausage, biscuits (I had to skip the sausage gravy, danggit) and other home made baked goods. Fantastic!
We are planning on returning next January.

My husband and I just returned from a spur of the moment trip to our favorite place, Gualala. We stayed here and we were very happy with the place. The room was very clean and nice and had a beautiful view and we slept with the windows open so we could listen to the ocean all night. Very good price for the place and especially the views. We will for sure stay here again.

Cute little motel and walking distance to a market and a restaurant. All the little amenities that you would expect and breakfast in the morning.
There is a little patio with a great view of the ocean. There is no beach access. They allow dogs for an extra $ 10.
Make sure to bring a jacket!