131 Kern St, Salinas, California, United States | (888) 989-6591
Modern, well-maintained budget hotel
Clean and functional rooms with comfortable beds, mini-fridges, and microwaves
Located along US 101, a 35-minute drive from Monterey
Outdoor pool with sundeck and loungers
Free continental breakfast plus make-your-own waffles station
Coin-operated laundry on-site
Free Wi-Fi
In a non-descriptive neighborhood right next to the freeway
Some guests say rooms are noisy because of traffic
Guests of the Super 8 Salinas say that this budget hotel is surprisingly clean, modern, and well-maintained. The 70-room property sits right against Highway US 101, making it very convenient for travelers, but less convenient for light sleepers who can hear the traffic from their rooms. Guest rooms are functional and modern with comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and microwaves. A standard continental breakfast comes free with a stay, and the hotel has an outdoor pool, which is nice except that it faces a busy road and a Motel 6. For another budget hotel two and a half miles up the road, and just slightly farther from the highway, try the Laurel Inn and Conference Center.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A clean, well-maintained budget hotel with a pleasant lobby
Super 8 Salinas has a Mediterranean-inspired exterior with light yellow and burnt-red stucco walls, a kidney shaped pool, and a manicured lawn which all look somewhat out of place sitting right along the highway in a nondescript Salinas neighborhood. Sandwiched between a frequently trafficked main road and a freeway divider, the Super 8 shares the street with a restaurant, gas station, pawn shop, and other budget hotels. The lobby is pleasant and modern, if not generic, with beige tiled floors, neutral walls, and dark wood accents. It has a basic reception desk on one side and a breakfast area on the other, with a few tables and an L-shaped counter where the food is laid out.
Location
Along highway US 101, a five-minute drive to National Steinbeck Center and 35 minutes to Monterey
Designed mainly for travelers coming in off US 101, the Super 8 Salinas is often a stop on the way to somewhere else, but it’s also only a five-minute drive from downtown Salinas, where guests will find the National Steinbeck Center and The Steinbeck House as well the Salinas Amtrak stop. Thrifty tourists who want to visit Monterey, a 35-minute drive away, also find themselves at this Super 8 to avoid staying at pricier Monterey hotels.
Rooms
Clean and contemporary with microwaves, mini-fridges, and flat-screen TVs
Rooms at the Super 8 Salinas are clean and surprisingly contemporary, with plaid carpeting and purple-and-green coverlets that some guests say is mismatched and others say is modern. Black-and-white photographs feature pictures of San Francisco cable cars and large redwood trees, offering a slight air of contrived cosmopolitan sophistication. Armchairs, small desks, and flat-screen TVs with plenty of channels are also in all rooms. Bathrooms are small with combination shower/tubs, though the sinks and mirrors sit outside of the bathrooms and share space with coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-fridges, and hairdryers. Some guests complain about the noise in the rooms, which comes from the freeway on one side of the hotel and a busy street along with a cast of local characters sometimes wandering the parking lot on the other.
Features
Outdoor pool, free breakfast, and free Wi-Fi
The hotel offers room service and has a coin-operated laundry and dryer. While the outdoor pool overlooks a Motel 6 and a busy road, it’s clean and well-maintained and has lounge and patio chairs. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi and free breakfast, which is the standard continental breakfast of a budget hotel with options such as cereal, coffee, and make-your-own waffle.
