Hotel San Carlos

United States , Phoenix Area - AZ
PHOENIX, 202 N Central Ave
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2026

bart

The Hotel San Carlos is like a museum. It has an old timey feel to the place. Yet it is well maintained. I thought the Hotel oozed character. There was no refrigerator, and the air conditioner was on the whole time, that I had no control over. Sometimes it actually was too cold. The internet was sketchy. There was a sign on the elevator Informing guest that there were issues with the internet, particularly on the upper floors. So, you might want to try to get a room on the lower floors. I was on the top floor which was the seventh floor. But I loved the place. For the price it was a great deal. Also, the Hotel San Carlos has suites like the Cary Grant and the Mae West and Marilyn Monroe which are not available from Expedia and Hotels .com etc. etc. Those suites have to be booked directly thru the Hotel San Carlos. I had the opportunity to see The Marilyn Monroe Suite. It was really nice. Many actors stayed at the San Carlos back in that era.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Carrie

Very cool historic hotel in downtown Phoenix which is rumored to be haunted. Nice toiletries in the bathroom too.

Family

4/10

Poor

23 Apr 2026

Douglas

This hotel is old, no cable

2/10

Poor

22 Apr 2026

Darren

There is no reason for anyone to stay here. When we arrived the staff at the desk were not helpful at all when I inquired about parking. All I wanted to know was there a lot she could recommend….the response was “the city of Phoenix has parking”. I asked again if she could recommend a nearby lot then she tells me there is one right behind their building. She seemed annoyed from the beginning.

Our room was dirty. There was a crusty spot on the floor, stains on the bed as well as a lot of hair stuck to the sheets and pillows. The ceiling fan had so much dust on the blades that it was actually formed on both sides. The shower water kept going from warm to scalding hot.

We literally stayed for 2 hours then left and got a room at the Hilton across the street. This place is not “boutique” it’s rundown and not maintained properly.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

21 Apr 2026

Larry

No parking / none to very poor wi-fi / poor water pressure / no restaurants / no fridge in room / no microwave in room.

Good location…

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2026

Gilberto

I really enjoy the old hotels. History

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Veronica

Parking was a lot around the corner no validation by hotel. Parking lot was rundown. Hotel pool was not available as it was under repair.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2026

David

Like stepping into 30's or a European hotel...nothing flashy but a sense of comfort. Front desk very friendly and helpful.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2026

Siyuan

Great

10/10

Exceptional

14 Apr 2026

April

The room was very clean and surprisingly quiet! The manager Tony was happy to tell you the history of the building and even indulged our ghost hunting stories. Over all was a wonderful experience and we will definitely be returning!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Apr 2026

Serenity

Had the pool been open it would’ve been a 5 star stay. Cool old building with lots of history

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2026

Monica

The staff was extremely kind. If you're looking for something fancy, this isn't the place. But, I LOVED it here. I love the history, I love the celebrity stories and the ghost stories. Walking into my room made me feel like I was transported straight back to my grandma's house when I was a kid (very old home, very old furniture, super cozy).

Self

6/10

Pleasant

13 Apr 2026

Nathaniel

Wish beds were better. Did not look like the pictures

Family

4/10

Poor

12 Apr 2026

Priteshkumar

Rooms are very small. It says it’s like ancient but it’s very old and not maintained. Pictures online are kind of deceptive.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

10 Apr 2026

Israel

Parking was available and convenient.

Self

4/10

Poor

09 Apr 2026

Evan

Check in was rude. Mattress was old as the hotel. Trashy area.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

07 Apr 2026

Lisa

My ceiling fan was full of dust. The tub had rust spots near the drain. The staff was super nice and helpful. The hotel is old and needs to be updated.

Family

2/10

Poor

07 Apr 2026

Jennifer

awsome

Self

8/10

Excellent

06 Apr 2026

Linda

The hotel was very clean. The staff is excellent, not many amenities, but lots of charm. It’s also close to pubs and restaurants. We really enjoyed our stay.

Friends

2/10

Poor

06 Apr 2026

Baoli

If you can sleep next to a running truck engine, you can stay in this hotel. I walked into the room and the \"machine\" noise is so loud that I decided to ask if I can transfer to another room. The check-in lady had to apologize to me because she said their central air conditioning system is so old that the same noise is in every room. We barely slept.
In addition, their bathrooms are so small (both ours and our son's rooms) that the small sink blocked one third of the bathroom entry. Also the old school style toilet, and the unstable temperature of the shower water.
We never paid so much (after factor in tax, it's $250 per night) to stay in such a terrible hotel room, and we will never go back again.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Apr 2026

Kirby

Convenient location in downtown. Old hotel, If you're looking for a luxurious hotel with modern amenities,, this is not it. Wifi is horrendous at all times of day. Difficulty to even open emails

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2026

Calvin

Learned after my stay that the Hotel San Carlos is one of the most haunted hotels in the US, lol. We were even put into room 723 which is next to the haunted rooms of 720 and 722. The 7th floor hallways did remind me of Disneyland's Haunted House since this is an older Hotel with a lot of the original decor. I didn't see any ghosts or felt spooked at anytime although my wife kept telling me how odd it was that we never saw another hotel guest. The hotel was centrally located, close to many restaurants and walking distance to the heart of downtown. I would stay here again because of the location but will pay attention more to any paranormal activity, haha.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2026

Cynthia

It’s a good hotel. It’s not fancy but provides the basics, a bed, running shower and a roof. It is small but the room was clean. The WiFi wasnt strong but there is a notice in the room about this. It wasn’t a big deal. I stood there for 2 nights with my 7 year old son. There is no air conditioner but they have central air. You can’t control the temperature in the room. However, we were not hot nor were we cold. We slept good. Overall, the staff were friendly, room is clean and it was what we needed for our stay.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2026

Alejandro

the restaurant wasnt funtional

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

Amanda

Great clean place!

4/10

Poor

03 Apr 2026

Paul

A/C could not be controlled in the room. The bed was the lumpiest I have ever slept on and the pillows were unbearable. The shower was tiny and the water drained so slowly that it would overflow within a few minutes, even though the water pressure was extremely low. The temperature of the water suddenly and repeatedly would become scalding.

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2026

Paul

Everything ok 👍

Self

4/10

Poor

02 Apr 2026

Peter

This establishment lists free WiFi and a restaurant in the lobby as amenities. The WiFi does not function and the restaurant has been closed for some time. There are other places to eat nearby, but without WiFi a guest cannot read a newspaper, verify ticket purchases/sales, find attractions on a map app . . . . I was so disappointed I checked out 17 hours early.

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Apr 2026

Dell

New place the only thing hated was paying for parking smh. I had to park in the garage and 18$ a day smh.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

01 Apr 2026

Lori

It is a historic hotel do rooms and bathrooms are on the small size. I love the historic touches they still have. The room was clean and the staff was great.
They have to parking so you have to park in a parking garage. We used one right around the block.
My only complaint would be the bed was hard. It was like sleeping on a board and the pillows were not much better

8/10

Excellent

01 Apr 2026

Janeen

This is a wonderful place to stay. There is still a faucet over the bathroom sink from 1928 when the hotel was built. This was for the ice cold water available to be refreshed from the desert heat. Do not know when that flow of water ceased to run.
The lobby is exquisite with the original chandeliers.
Our room was small but more than adequate. Two twin beds, a large cabinet for tv, ice bucket, and our own possessions. One caveat. There is a step up into the bathroom and therefore down again for departure.
The drapes and cornice coverings over the heads of the beds are elegant. The drapes afforded complete black out at night.
Coffee, both regular and decaf, was available to be made in the room. There was no microwave or fridge as in more modern choices.
The atmosphere was very quiet. We were well pleased.

Oh, yes. Parking can be a problem. Plenty of indoor garages nearby but the prices, $45 a day, stretched our budget. The front desk attendant gave us information for a public garage just a short two blocks away.

Public transportation, electric trains and busses, are very available and fun to ride. And we laughed to see so many driverless cars carrying “invisible” passengers behind dark windows.

Good food readily available in multiple places across the street and within a block or two.”

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

01 Apr 2026

Bryan

Staff is awesome !

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 Mar 2026

Maria

Yes, but there is no thermostat in the room. It was set at a good temp, but some people might like an extra blanket. For us it was nice and cool with a ceiling fan to supplement.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

Regina

Very clean and good location but you have to park in one of the public parking garages and walk to the hotel

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2026

Manuela

The place has an old fashion vibe. I liked it just know there is no way for you to control the a/c . But other than that everything was fine

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2026

Aaron

Exactly what you would expect for the price and location. Close to everything. Ace Parking like a block away. Room was what you would pay for the price. Staff is very helpful and everything was clean. It is old but perfect if you have realistic expectations.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 Mar 2026

Susan

No extra blankets available.
Hotel is old and walls are thin. Person in the next room woke me up at 5:30 AM by talking loudly on the phone.
At least there was AC and the room was inexpensive. Paid $18.00 to park around the block for the night.
Kind of a dirty area in Pheonix.

Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

Lynn

Nice place to stay. It is a historic property and is well kept. Great location, lots of close by places to eat.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Mar 2026

Heidi

The hotel was definitely not what I was expecting. The pool was closed, and had been for some time. I feel they should update their listing to reflect that. The rooms were also very small. The beds & pillows were unforgivably uncomfortable. Like you have an old hotel but you don't have to keep the original mattresses and pillows. There was a musty, old smell to the building. On top of all of that, we found once we were there that the building is supposedly haunted and a stop on the Haunted tours. This didn't necessarily impact our stay, but it could have been better communicated. This hotel definitely had character, but I feel this listing was a catfish. Stay here for the historic and possibly haunted experience, not because you are thinking it is going to be nice.

Business

8/10

Excellent

30 Mar 2026

Paul

Was a quick night stay. Came in late on a Friday and took a minute to find parking. That said, parking was inexpensive for the night. Old style hotel. Only issue was our room was near the ice machine which was a little loud. Staff was great and affordable place for a night.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Mar 2026

Robin

Room was clean. Air-conditioning was acceptable, room was small. Bathroom was a tight squeeze, but clean and tidy.
Typical in the city environment and able to catch a ride to where you need to go. Staff was nice.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

29 Mar 2026

Paul

Ceiling fan with an inch of dust

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

Larita

I stayed two nights mid week and it was great clean rooms and the front desk staff was great! Thank you Daniel!

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2026

Shelbylin

The pool was nice but has no water in it!!!

6/10

Pleasant

28 Mar 2026

Carlos

Was gloomy and couldn't control the AC

2/10

Poor

27 Mar 2026

OJASWINI

No parking room is okay but not great for money

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Mar 2026

Joshua

It was haunted

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2026

Alex

Hi
Comfortable bed,any ride except shuttle to the airport, restaurants around quite of bit,,pool wasn't working on my stay,nice experience,well kept historic hotel.

Self

4/10

Poor

25 Mar 2026

Danielle

Yes, this place is historic, and unfortunately it shows. Very thin walls, tiny bathroom, strange furniture layout. Location is great if you're doing something right downtown, but for my travel needs, we won't be going back here.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2026

Daniel

Great Location. Great Vibe for an old historic hotel. If that's what you want, then this is the place to stay.

4/10

Poor

24 Mar 2026

Josie

The hotel was in a terrible state. The streets leading up to it smelled of urine. Upon entering the room, we were met with an overwhelming sense of age and neglect. There was no mini fridge or microwave, and the air was filled with a musty mildew smell. The bathroom was incredibly small, and the shower never maintained a consistent water temperature. It was the worst decision I’ve ever made. The TV was also disappointing, with no available channels. It made our trip to Arizona a sad experience.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 Mar 2026

Doug

Everything was old. Not much in the way of amenities. No frills but clean and relatively quiet.

Self

2/10

Poor

23 Mar 2026

Katherine

Poor Wifi, only works in the lobby. Staff at the front desk is terrible, unfriendly, and not helpful. Hotel does not offer parking nor validation for public parking. Worst experience I've had through expedia so far. Do not recommend.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2026

Jade

Very nice, older but classy

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

23 Mar 2026

Anne

Location is unbeatable. However, the historical hotel could do better to upgrade the water pipes. Water pressure in bathrooms is low.

Self

4/10

Poor

22 Mar 2026

Anup

Room has old and dirty carpet, bathroom small, standing shower barely has enough room to turn around even for a 15 year old kid, The hotel Pool has been closed. Parking was additional daily charge. No microwave, broken coffee maker, TV had a few local channels. Overall the hotel feels like it was not updated since the 50's.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

22 Mar 2026

Ryan

Worst place I’ve ever stayed at for the price it was.

4/10

Poor

22 Mar 2026

Ramchandra

Room size very small. Bathrooms terrible. You could hardly move. Water temperature keeps fluctuating from very hot to cold. No place to put soap/shampoo.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Mar 2026

Sean

This hotel has a truly iconic, vintage charm that makes it unique and memorable. You can tell it has a lot of history, which we appreciated. However, it definitely needs some TLC. While keeping the vintage theme is a great idea, the property would really benefit from upgrades and better maintenance.

The front desk experience could also be improved. A more professional dress code and stronger customer service would make a big difference in the overall impression.

Considering how pricey the hotel is, we expected a bit more in terms of quality and amenities. Another inconvenience was the lack of parking options — no dedicated parking lot or valet service available.

With some updates and improvements, this place could truly match its potential.

Partner

4/10

Poor

21 Mar 2026

reyes

Friendly staff property is old small room

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Mar 2026

Dave

It is an older hotel that was built in the 1920's. It's not a modern facility but it is a notch above motels. I liked it.

Business Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2026

Inez

Rooms were clean and quaint

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Mar 2026

Phyllis

The property is a historical landmark, but it has been well maintained. There is some wear and tear, but it's kept very clean and that helps overcome the aging outdated rooms. And the room price is great for the neighborhood. The staff at the front desk was quick, curt, and never tried to be friendly. The parking structure the hotel recommends is awful.The room windows are filthy on the outside.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2026

Nolan

We upgraded to the Spencer Tracy suite from a standard room on the 3rd floor. It was a cool room, but it was disappointing that the windows were so dirty because we wanted to look at the view. We didn't know the pool was under renovation, which was also sad, but it was great to see the view from the patio. The history is incredible. I'm so curious about what's on the roof!!

Partner

4/10

Poor

19 Mar 2026

Adrian

If i had one word to describe it, i would use \"junk\". This is not a 3 star hitel by any stretch of imagination. It's way too old. The sinkwas not draining properly. The hot water would not keep a stable trmperatyre, goong from warm to very hot to almost cold. The only good thing about this hotel is the location. There used to be a restaurant downstairs. Even that relocated.

2/10

Poor

18 Mar 2026

Christina

The photos are so misleading. This hotel is old, outdated, and not in good condition. The area feels very unsafe. Homeless people and shady activity in the surrounding streets. Nearby parking is $30-45 per day. Do not come here.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2026

Ryan

The rooms are a little dated and there is no A/C, or at least not that a guest can turn on. The biggest drawback is the parking situation. They say there is nearby parking in a garage that costs $20/day. But that maybe if you don’t ever take it out and come back. I spent over $50 in parking fees.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2026

christy

I really enjoyed my time here. The staff was very friendly and the room was clean. It was located close to transit. I would stay here again.

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2026

Thomas

Great staff. If you’re just looking for a place to sleep for a couple nights in a great location, this is a very good choice

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2026

James

The last day my air conditioning stopped working and the entire floor I was on smelled like sewage. It was horrible. Staff was great but I wouldn't ever stay there again.

Self

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

David

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the Hotel San Carlos. The room was a little small, particularly the bathroom, however. The hotel is in pretty good shape for its era but could definitely use some modern upgrades and conveniences. I was worried about the state of the air conditioning after reading some other reviews, but ours was adequate thank God. It could definitely of been stronger, but it was cool enough where I was able to sleep. The pool was out of commission due to renovations, apparently, so that was unfortunate because we didn't get to enjoy the heat during our stay. The room was clean so that's always a plus and house keeping was really nice as well as the staff. Overall, for the price and location, we would stay again. It's close to a lot of activities and restaurants!

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2026

Amanda

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

Jacqueline

This is a really interesting historic hotel. You can tell it’s been around for 100 years but that is definitely part of its charm. I found the premises clean and comfortable, and the front desk staff helpful. Be advised that you’re staying in a 100 year old hotel, so don’t go in expecting it to look like a modern hotel. It still has the amenities of a modern hotel, like WiFi, nice toiletries, a well maintained elevator bank, soft and comfy beds, TVs, etc. It’s insanely reasonable price wise and was a very comfortable stay!

6/10

Pleasant

16 Mar 2026

George

Clean room

10/10

Exceptional

15 Mar 2026

Nolan

The place is really nice and historical. There's no ac but the place stayed really cool with all the fans and ventilation. The fitness room is okay, had 3 pull up bars instead of weights. Also, there's plenty of food options nearby both healthy and not as healthy. It's in a great location

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Mar 2026

Martin

This is a 100-year-old hotel and has had very little remodeling in that century. It was significantly less expensive than other properties in the vicinity of the convention center. But as they say you get what you pay for

Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Mar 2026

Susan

Hopeless WIFI. Printed info about neighborhood places to go would be helpful.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2026

Julienne

Very convenient location and staff was wonderful

Self

4/10

Poor

14 Mar 2026

Chasity

The hotel was very antique. But it was cleanliness and the Mexican restaurant downstairs was so good.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2026

Lindsey

Some upgrades need to be made, blow dryer in room over heats, bed was rock hard, windows didn’t open and there was no temperature control in room. Walls are very thin so we could hear the people next door coughing all night. Staff was lovely and location was excellent.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2026

Rajesh

Old hotel and being preserved however cleaning staff and front desk is not that great. With no parking made it tough.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2026

Sylwia

Active night life, bars, restaurants, clubs. It’s if homeless people, it seems to be a common theme throughout the city. Hotel itself is very outdated and whatever repairs were made from silicone around the fixtures, to furniture, or wall t

10/10

Exceptional

12 Mar 2026

Steve

The rooms were clean, even if very old fashioned. The staff very helpful. A lot of restaurants/bars within super easy walking distance. Excellent location. The only downside was the wi-fi connectivity was very poor.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Mar 2026

Michael

Nice stay. THE staff was friendly.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2026

Maria Vereniz

Clean

6/10

Pleasant

09 Mar 2026

Dulce

Small room, tiny bathroom. Bed is uncomfortable. You can hear everything that happens in the adjacent rooms. However, location was great. Walking distance to all of downtown amenities

Family

6/10

Pleasant

09 Mar 2026

Lindsey

The room was clean, beds were very uncomfortable and hard, showers fluctuated temperature drastically to the point of it being in enjoyable, windows didn’t open and no way to change the temperature. Staff at front desk was lovely and friendly.

2/10

Poor

09 Mar 2026

Arden

Homeless everywhere, room was dirty, grounds were unkempt. Flat out scary

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2026

Jeff

It was fun to stay in an old style hotel! The building is 100 years old and very charming!

6/10

Pleasant

07 Mar 2026

karapet

Yes

Friends

8/10

Excellent

07 Mar 2026

Michail

It was an interesting hotel. Overall, a good bang for your buck. It seems to be one of the oldest properties in the area and is a \"historic hotel\". The people were friendly and professional. The hotel and the room were clean. Everything is quite dated and at times, inconvenient (i.e. shower, faucets, furniture, rotary phone etc). The mattress/pillows were not very comfortable. The wifi was too slow / essentially not functional, but nowadays most people can hotspot off their phones and signal is strong in the area. But all in all, for the price, they did provide a clean and functional room.

4/10

Poor

07 Mar 2026

Lauryn

The hotel is in need of a desperate overhaul from the smell to the plumbing. The immediate smell of mildew and dampness makes your face scrunch. I had to buy an air freshener to plug in to the only wall outlet in the room - the bathroom. You can’t control the temperature either - I’m just glad there was no issue with the cool air because all you have is a ceiling fan. For the shower, the shower head was flimsy and just hanging there so you have to stand right up against the wall to get under the water. No matter what you set the temperature to, it will cycle from blisteringly hot to ice cold repeatedly and nonstop through the whole shower which made my shower 3x as long because I had to just stand there outside the water until it cycled back - just to notice the tub doesn’t drain well so you’re up to your knees in water. Would never book here again.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2026

Paul

Yes

4/10

Poor

06 Mar 2026

Angelica

Do not stay here! It is downtown yes but there's alot of mentals/homeless right outside and they were yelling all night and kept us up. The rooms are obviously not the one's on the website and they're so outdated, beds are hard. Staff was horrible ipon check in & offered no advice on parking. She was also very rude. I had to park a block over and walk with my luggage at 345am which is not safe! Stay at a nicer hotel

Family

6/10

Pleasant

06 Mar 2026

nazarene

Rooms are very outdated. Actually the entire hotel needs to be updated. Staff was great and friendly. There are bars, restaurants, and places to shop all within walking distance.

Self

4/10

Poor

05 Mar 2026

Robert

The Wi-Fi did not work. The water mixer in the shower went from hot to cold to hot. The sink had separate handles for hot and cold. The TV did not work and had to be replaced.

My advice is stay elsewhere ! ! !

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2026

Rashawn

Historical hotel. Clean and priced good

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2026

GAD

the staff was vert friendly

Self