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Sands by The Sea

2.0 star property
Beach location and 2 outdoor pools

Choose dates to view prices

Travelers find oceanfront relaxation at Sands by The Sea, with views complementing spa treatments and massages. The Cavalier Coastal Kitchen serves cooked-to-order breakfasts, and free in-room WiFi keeps everyone connected. Two outdoor pools and attentive staff await.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Gym

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Standard Room, 1 King Bed

Standard Room, 1 King Bed | Desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(95 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Connecting rooms available
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds | Desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(82 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Connecting rooms available
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

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About the neighborhood

Map
9355 Hearst Dr, San Simeon, CA, 93452

What's nearby

  • Cambria State Marine Park - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • San Simeon State Park - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Moonstone Beach - 4 min drive - 4.1 miles
  • Moonstone Beach Park - 4 min drive - 4.3 miles
  • Hearst Castle - 25 min drive - 8.8 miles

Getting around

  • San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Cambria Coffee Roasting Company - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Main Street Grill - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Linn's Bakery & Eatery - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪JJ's Pizza - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill - ‬5 min drive

About this property

Sands by The Sea

Motel by the ocean
Consider a stay at Sands by The Sea and take advantage of a gym, a business center, and a full-service spa. Treat yourself to a sports massage or other spa services. The on-site restaurant, Cavalier Coastal Kitchen, features a beachfront location. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • 2 outdoor pools
  • Free self parking
  • Cooked-to-order breakfast (surcharge), a vending machine, and a front-desk safe
  • Free newspapers, coffee/tea in the lobby, and smoke-free premises
  • Guest reviews speak highly of the helpful staff and location
Room features
All guestrooms at Sands by The Sea have amenities such as free WiFi. Guest reviews highly rate the clean rooms at the property.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Heating and ceiling fans
  • Bathrooms with shower/tub combinations and free toiletries
  • LCD TVs with premium channels
  • Refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee/tea makers

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The Morgan San Simeon - Cambria by Hearst Castle
  • Pool
  • Breakfast included
  • Pet friendly
  • Parking included
8.4 out of 10, Very Good, 1,246 reviews
$82 nightly
The price is $92
Dec 17 - Dec 18
Total with taxes and fees
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Daily cooked-to-order breakfast available 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM for a fee: USD 5 to 30 for adults and USD 5 to 30 for children
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

  • Cavalier Coastal Kitchen

Things to do

  • 2 outdoor pools
  • Full-service spa
  • Gym

Family friendly

  • 2 outdoor pools
  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (on request)

Business services

  • Business center

Outdoors

  • Direct access to the beach

Full-service spa

  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Hot stone massages
  • Prenatal massages
  • Spa open daily
  • Sports massages
  • Swedish massages

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Braille/raised signage
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 2 floors
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • LCD TV with premium cable/satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Free local calls
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out fee: USD 150

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open Friday - Sunday (1:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
The check-in location differs from the property location; go to: [9415 Hearst Drive, San Simeon, California 93452]
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets stay free
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
1 total pets

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: approximately USD 5 to 30 for adults, and USD 5 to 30 for children
  • Late check-out fee: USD 150

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation

Property is also known as

Sands Sea Condo San Simeon
Sands Sea San Simeon
Sands By The Sea Hotel San Simeon
Sands Hotel San Simeon
Sands Motel San Simeon
Sands Sea Motel San Simeon
Sands Sea Motel
Sands Sea
Sands by The Sea Motel
Sands by The Sea San Simeon
Sands by The Sea Motel San Simeon

Frequently asked questions

Does Sands by The Sea have a pool?

Yes, this property has 2 outdoor pools.

How much does it cost to stay at Sands by The Sea?

As of Dec 10, 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Sands by The Sea on Jan 5, 2026 start from $83.38, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is Sands by The Sea pet-friendly?

Yes, this motel allows pets (limit 1 total).

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Sands by The Sea?

Check-in start time: 4 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at Sands by The Sea?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM. Late check-out is available for USD 150.

Where is Sands by The Sea located?

Offering direct access to the beach, this San Simeon motel is within a 10-minute walk of Cambria State Marine Park and San Simeon State Park. San Simeon Nature Preserve and William Randolph Hearst State Park are also within 3 mi (5 km).

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Sands by The Sea Reviews

Reviews

8.2

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 464 out of 1000 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 283 out of 1000 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 145 out of 1000 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 58 out of 1000 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 50 out of 1000 reviews

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

willow

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful staff wonderful room Love it
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeff

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We love this place!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

CISKA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is outdated room but clean. Area closed to the beach. Quiet & nice beach.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

KENNETH

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Check in very simple, staff made eveything very easy
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I love the shampoo and body wash
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

willow

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I absolutely love the staff. Roxy is my favorite front desk clerk. But she's more than a desk clerk. She goes out of her way beyond and above the call of measure to help the guests. She really makes you feel at home when you walk in. And that's truly a gift.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was friendly and helped us out after we left an item in our room after leaving. Would definitely stay again on our next trip.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

6/10 Okay

Bianca

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Great location, super friendly staff, but inside feels like a sleezy motel 6 with stained carpets and mild and rust and dirt everywhere. Very very dirty
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

4/10 Poor

Alex

Disliked: Amenities
The room was very dated. The heater made clicking noise all night. I would not stay there again.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Colleen at front was so helpful. Thank you.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

6/10 Okay

Gunhilde

The best part are the fire pits by the ocean
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Alison

Great location!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Crystal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
The hotel is clean and safe. Staff was very friendly. Breaks was not included but tgere is a restaurant next door. Room was old and needed updating. Bed was comfy but no ac and wall ac unit was rusty.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hassaan

Gd for a stop over, hope you enjoy sitting around fire pit as they have them at night going on by the beach.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jorge

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The location is amazing!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Han Na

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Prt friendly
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

JUN RYAN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The best staff!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I stayed at the property with my daughter and grandson and it was great to be able to walk to the beach, use the heated pool and enjoy s’mores by the fire. We had an excellent time and felt safe/ the staff person who checked us in was nice and very informative.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

andres

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location and amenities and great price.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rush

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent restaurant nearby
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location, clean, easy beach access
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Julia

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Make sure when you book it is with the hotel by the beach cause the picture is deceiving
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Robert

The room was nice. The view was great.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

lawrence

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful stay no complaints
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff at check in made me feel welcomed, they were attentive to my questions, professional, coupled with that home town hospitality. Made me feel like a regular although it was my first visit. Made an impression on me.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025