Shell Beach Inn

We stayed 2 nights. Quaint older hotel, nicely decorated smaller rooms but equiped with everything necessary. We could hear the freeway noise but I believe it will be that way for all the hotels on Shell Beach Road because it parallels the freeway. The manager couple is very conscienscious and helpful. The neon sign is unique. This hotel is for sale. I hope they keep it as it is. Just right and decent price.

Worth it! Great price, nice people, great location! Super close to beach, tide pools, caves, etc. We found it looking for a place to go after our other hotel was a nightmare. Love it!!! Would recommend.

We prefer to stay at motels when travelling the US and try to stay at family run places whenever possible. And let me tell you, this place is truly a gem! It feels like you are staying at a friend’s guest house rather than a motel room (just check out the pictures!). The decoration, the pictures, the curtains, the bedding, the lights… — there is so much LOVE put into the details, it makes you feel extra-​special. Even the toilet paper gets an artistic touch! The owner was very friendly and helpful, you can tell they love what they do. The price was also reasonable! And for friends of old neon signs: this one is pretty cool. I will definitely come back here again!

Mom and pop place, tastefully updated, cute, safe, nice pool, plenty of parking. My daughter and I had a lovely long weekend visit. Highly recommend. Close to everything and very helpful information upon check-​in. Super quiet too!

This was our first time at this location as let me say it was awesome !!! Very friendly couple that runs it or owns it… property is very cute and kept up nice… rooms are adorable. We will definitely be back !!! Thanks guys. =)

In the world of Pismo Beach, Shell Beach Inn was a wonderful experience. This is located just down the street from my favorite bar and now new favorite breakfast spot, Zorros.
Owner is so sweet. He made us feel welcome and not at all strange. The room is comfortable. A little dated, but hey you’re in a sleepy beach town. This isn’t San Francisco. Enjoy the location and the places to eat within walking distance. Lastly the price is competitive.

Second time staying here with the boyfriend. We love coming here! pismo is our favorite weekend getaway. This motel is so cute, reasonable with prices, and the owner is so welcoming. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to crash and relax. The beach is just a block away. :)

I stayed here for a week while I was visiting my family. I was staying a whole week, and didn’t want to pay $ 100/​night just for me. This place had great reviews, so I thought I’d give them a shot. Ed and his wife are so welcoming. I stayed in the cozy corner, which is a little cheaper than their other rooms since it’s just meant for one. It is cozy, but it’s all I needed for the week. The room is kept impeccably clean, and as long as you’re just looking for a safe, clean, friendly place to stay you’ll be set here. They do allow dogs, too. And are located just a few blocks up from the beach access, where you can check out some natural caves, tidepools and even see the occasional seal. The Dinosaur Cave park is also right there, and there’s a nice little path along the coastline that makes for really nice walk. I went on a walk every day. The location couldn’t be more perfect for the price. And they’re just a short walk from a few great restaurants and a market/​liquor store. I went to Zorro’s more than once. So glad I found this place.

Our go-​to place in Pismo for 15 years. Reasonably priced & a block from the beach. Management is very welcoming and they accept dogs. A vintage feel with very small rooms, but everything is spotless. Summer or winter, this is a great stop!

This hotel is amazing! My bf and I originally planned to stay at the Palomar Inn down the street, but due to a hostile, unwelcoming receptionist that would not book us in because she couldn’t find the reservation we made over the phone with her, we headed to this hotel! Talk about a blessing in disguise!!! Upon arrival, we were immediately welcomed by Ed. In less than 5 minutes we were booked in and headed to our clean, beach chic room. Ed made the whole process extremely easy and welcoming. Ed even gave us a military discount!
The hotel is in waking distance from the beach and many local attractions. Highly recommended.
Thank you Ed for the lovely experience!

Good place, especially if you are traveling with dogs. Ed was responsive, friendly & helpful! A little loud from the freeway, but slept fine. A little stuffy, but aired out fine. Close to beach access, park, pizza & coffee shops. Very reasonably priced!

Loved staying here! It’s clean, affordable and quiet, plus Ed fills you in on the area and what there is to do. There is really no reason to pay twice the amount to stay at a chain right up the street. Another plus is that since it’s so small and cozy, you can park right next to your room and not have to lug your suitcases around. Oh, and I love the retro neon sign!

We went back (of course!!) as this is now officially OUR PISMO PLACE to stay! Ed and his usual wonderful self… and we can’t wait to go back next year. Awesome service, friendly clean room and atmosphere. The best hands down!

Good for the money!!! If you are realistic about what you are paying versus what you would pay elsewhere in the shell beach area this place is great!!! The rooms are definitely outdated, but the bed are comfy. The rooms are also really clean, so although the décor is off and a little bit confusing this place is well worth the money. The location is absolutely perfect. There is a pool as well and dinosaurs park is right there. While checking in the front desk attendant was super friendly and helpful. I def recommend this place if you are on a budget!

i am not sure what to share with amazement first!
Ill start with the absolute friendliness of the owners (blows my mind being used to L.A., Orange County and Palm Springs «people») they were so nice, joking, spent 15 – 20 explaining and showing us the good places to eat, where to go, what to see– this after we asked to check in and hour early. I could spend this whole review talking about them and how cool they are– but would like to mention that when we returned from a friends boat (late) they had been waiting to give us a bottle of wine from a local vineyard they had procured for us (let me say it was outstanding wine!) they said they thought we would enjoy the wine, so thoughtful I was floored with disbelief– in a good way!
Location: Is awesome good spot quiet neighbourhood, so close to shell beach maybe 1 ½ city blocks, great views. You do hear some road noise in the morning during the weekdays, but otherwise minimal, much less than the higher priced places that are right on the main drag! Safe neighbouhood, friendly people. You can walk to about 4 restaurants in about 5 – 10 minutes, liquor store and deli a few minutes away.
Ooooh and a nice clean warm pool that is open late, your own parking spot right in front of your room or very close (ours was right at our door)
Rooms: classic 50’s style layout updated a little bit– nice bed, new paint, clean bathroom (with a window Wow!), cable dvd/​tv, desk, fan and a heater
Ed & Daisy are awesome. Stay here!!!

What a gem! Decided to plan a weekend getaway with the girlfriend and was looking for a decently affordable place near the beach. It was really straight forward and simple making the reservation on the website. When we got there, the owner was super friendly and fast in checking us in.
The lot houses 7 rooms, 7 parking spots and has a swimming pool to the side. The room itself was pretty neat, old school vintage décor with a TV, free Wi-​Fi, standard amenities and a HEATER in the bathroom. It was cold when we went so that was definitely a plus. What really makes this place great is that it’s literally 5 minutes away from the most breath taking sunset view you could imagine. I believe that area was called Turtle Cliffs, something like that. It’s also 2 blocks away from the best breakfast place in the Pismo Beach area, Zorro’s!
I think I impressed my gf with this one. Would highly recommend.

I loved this place so much. From the hospitality and general niceness of the couple who owns it (they answered all of our questions) to the way we booked same day at a phenomenal price. Swimming pool and everything!
Staying here was like having our own little studio apartment for the night. It was like having a little artist’s retreat. Maybe it was because we just happened to have nice weather, when Pismo is known for its foggy overcast days, maybe because we were nearing the end of our vacation, but it was the relaxing do-​nothingness days and drawn out, no time frame, languid dinner that made us want more. we walked to the beach and in the evening bought a local bottle of wine and listened to music until we were ready to find a local Italian joint to have dinner. In the morning I got up and wrote while watching the sun rising over the ocean and then we swam. It was rustic bliss!

I was browsing affordable hotels for my birthday weekend. Stumbled upon SBI and saw all the positive reviews. I originally planned on staying in Pismo, but after seeing the reviews and affordable rate, I decided to give SBI a shot.
I was not disappointed. Easily found the place and made my way to the front desk. The owner Ed was extremely helpful and nice. After checking in, we made our way to the room.
The room has a somewhat long, narrow hallway leading up to the main area (long for this inn). After looking around the room a bit I was pleasantly surprised at how clean everything was. The room wasn’t as small as other reviewers had mentioned. It was just right. A true definition of a beach hut. The king size bed was nice and comfy. The shower and bathroom were spotless. Loved the mini fridge and microwave options as well. Its not the Hilton or anything fancy, but for me it does the job at an affordable rate!
As for location, its great! Its right off the 101 freeway, but I didn’t even notice the traffic noise from the room. Its on the main drag of Shell Beach, so its walking distance to many restaurants, bars, shops, etc. Its only about a 5 minute walk to cliffs that over look the ocean. You can also use the stairway down to some nice coves if you wanna get closer to the water. There’s lots of benches for a nice view of the sunset or for lunch by the beach. If Shell Beach isn’t your thing, Pismo is a minute down the road, or Avila to the north.
Overall I had a great experience! Will definitely stay here again! I highly recommend to anyone!

This is such a cute and quaint little inn, and I’m so happy that I found this place during my search for hotels in the Pismo area. The Inn is literally a 5 minute drive to Pismo Beach, and within walking distance of some really good restaurants.
My husband and I came to Pismo to celebrate our anniversary, and we rented the mini-​room at Shell Beach Inn for $ 80/​night. The room is small, but was a good size for the both of us. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was clean and well-​kept. It isn’t anything fancy, but all I care about is cleanliness and hospitality, and they provided both, so I have no complaints. I did notice the little things, such as the Bath & Body works shampoo and conditioner, as well as the crown molding on the ceiling. Its obvious that the owners take pride in their business, and it shows through the maintenance of their Inn. The owners themselves were very friendly and accommodating, and we’ll definitely be staying here again during our next visit to Pismo.

We decided to spent our 2 nights in the area at Shell Beach Inn based on excellent Unilocal reviews and the price. In a nutshell I think we got what we paid for.
The location of this motel is fun. It’s on the main drag in Shell Beach, within walking distance to restaurants, a park, the beach, a liquor store, and more. On the negative side, it’s right across the street from the freeway… and the windows aren’t very thick.
Upon pulling up to the motel we found it to be cute and quaint. The owners were super friendly and we were really looking forward to our stay. The room was very small and in need of a deep cleaning. The baseboards throughout the room were gross, the panels on the bathroom door needed a wipe down, etc. And the room was very small for 2 adults and 2 children. The only thing on the window as blinds, no valance or curtains. The light coming in at night was quite intense for me. I’m glad I was downright exhausted both nights or else it would have been bad!
Unfortunately I don’t think we would stay here again. It’s a shame because the price is great, we like the neighborhood, the owners are great, and the property is really cute. I just look forward to an awesome nights sleep on vacation, a bit of a larger room, and a cleaner room.