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500 West
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels
500 West Broadway(between 5th Ave & Columbia St)
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood: Downtown
(619) 231-4092
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 6 am
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
43 reviews for 500 West
Review Highlights
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"Conveniently across from my room were the shared bathrooms." In 7 reviews -
"The staff were very friendly." In 3 reviews -
"...great deal for under a $100 for a room during Comic Con." In 4 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Theodore W.
Boston, MA
4/14/2012
It all depends what you're looking for and how much $$ you have to spend. I wouldn't bring my girlfriend (if I had one, of course) here, but a cheap, comfortable, clean (EDIT: I may have overstepped it a bit with the 'clean' comment) place to stay for a few days? Sure.
I managed to get a private room for $49 in the center of San Diego. It was more of a dorm room than anything, but it met my needs perfectly. It was small (think 10'x10') with a single bed and a little portable closet and a desk. That's it. Simplicity reigns supreme. But the location and the price are unbeatable; it'll work for two days. -
Review from Kathy E.
North Hollywood, CA
2/4/2012
I have 5 stars for the price. My boyfriend and I were able to book this hotel for around $200 for a 4 night stay.
I was looking for a cheap hotel because I needed to attend a conference at the convention center. Unfortunately, I waited until the last minute to book a hotel so all the other hotels were very pricey ($149/night range) or were already fully booked for that weekend.
Luckily, I snagged a deal on http://hotels.com. Once I entered my credit card information and booked the room I looked on yelp. My heart sank immediately. All the negative reviews caught my attention and I scolded myself for being so cheap.
I was incredibly nervous as we drove up to the hotel at midnight. We checked in and the lobby was beautiful and well lit. The person at the front desk was very helpful and had us on our way in no time.
The elevators are noisy, it feels like they will fall at any moment. We were on the sixth floor and my boyfriend gave me terrified looks all the way to the sixth floor. The next day, we were used to the noise from the elevator.
We got our keys out once we got to the sixth floor, opened up our room and were pleasantly surprised. It's no Circus Circus. There are no fluffy white pillows with a fluffy white comforter. The comforter was red, and the pillows were a bit hard. But, we found a solution for that. We brought our own comforters and pillows. We slept soundly through the night.
The next morning, I woke up to take a shower. The bathrooms are dorm style, you insert your key, walk in, and you have a private toilet, sink, mirror, and shower. Lock your door behind you and no one can walk in on you taking a shower or taking care of your business. I took showers both in the evening and in the morning and I never had a problem with someone coming in to my bathroom or having all the showers occupied.
The TV was incredibly small, but I didn't need it.
The coffeeshop on the first floor of the hotel is awesome. Food is decent, and when you're running late to wherever you're going you will find it to be a blessing.
We had a few loud people the Saturday night we stayed there but security came up rapidly to tell them to shut the *&^( up.
Also, they have free apples and coffee! Coffee is yummy!
7-11 is also around the corner. Snacks!
Would recommend this to people on a budget and / or college students who are used to living in a dorm. If you're just coming to your room to sleep, this is your best bet. :) -
Review from Marcial S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2012
The staff are very friendly and down to earth. I felt right at home. The room was very comfortable. It's not a luxury hotel but if you are staying in San Diego for a couple of days then it does its job.
The elevators are bumpy ride but according to one veteran staff member, they have never broken down. The shared bathrooms are not much of a problem as they are mostly empty which mean privacy.
Parking: A hassle. Cheap 9 hour max parking around Office Depot if you are lucky otherwise park behind 500 West for $24 a day or $15 overnight. Take the Orange Line or Blue Line trolley at Santa Fe & America Plaza Station. -
Review from Camille C.
West Hollywood, CA
5/7/2012
If You want to sleep with the coacroaches, shared bathroom with hundreds of people and have a few brown gifts left on the toilet when you enter the bathroom, a closet size room with a rock feeling full size bed for two people, a mini kid half size fan with no ac room, a railroad train tracks soundtract at night while you're sleeping, a false advertised overpriced room for the weekend, bed bugs to crawl on your legs while sleeping, a geriatric aroma smell place.. and too many fine things to list.. well this place is for you!
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Review from Iris-Bianca H.
Orange, CA
8/15/2011
500 West Hotel should be named 500 West Hostel.
Never again, my friends. When I searched for hotels in San Diego, I was expecting to find a hotel. We decided to book this place because we were only going to stay for a night.
Pros
- It is situated fairly close to Gaslamp. It is probably about 5 blocks away.
- Super cheap. If you are on a budget, this is place should suffice. If you are not on a budget, STAY AWAY.
- Free Wi-Fi internet
Cons-
- You could probably fit MAYBE two full beds pressed against each other. The space is small.
- Their "flat screen" was like... 10 inches.. seriously.
- The room was probably the size of a janitors closet.
- Doors slamming left and right. I felt like I was in a college dormitory.
- Pictures are nothing like what they advertised.
Tip:
Parking is free from Saturday 6:00pm and all day Sunday on the streets. If you are coming on the weekend, just remember it is $15 for the parking structure behind the hotel unless you get the meter between those times. -
Review from Ashley-Nicole S.
San Diego, CA
8/14/2011
I had a friend visit from out of town, and she stayed at this hotel. The rate for two nights was decent, however. Bed bugs, unsanitary conditions, the staff at check in when I went with her to check in were quite rude and had NO idea what they were doing, and upon seeing pictures and video of her room earlier today, I was appalled. And THAT is putting it lightly.
She'd been bitten by a bed bug, there was blood on the pillow underneath the pillow case, the room was tiny and not as advertised and even had visible pipes running up one wall, there was no 13 inch tv like advertised. Not only that, it's located on a high traffic street in downtown San Diego, and the trolley runs behind the building, so there is a high noise level.
There were no grates on the window. And in the lobby near the "gym" area where the computers are located, the tiles on the wall are being held together by what looks like masking tape. The bathrooms are also detached and shared, and are likely as unsanitary as the rooms. The building itself also has a rather unsettling odor.
A historic building from the 1920's, yes, but I would recommend staying elsewhere, even if it IS more expensive. I think either the hotel or Expedia falsely advertised to get more people to stay here, but it's fine if you don't mind any of the above or are on a strict budget. -
Review from Gayle S.
Austin, TX
5/14/2011
"Did you book this on line? It's not what I expected!"
Thus spake my elevator mate as I rode up to my room. Honey, did you READ the information available? Please.
The staff were very friendly. I spent the better part of a week in San Diego. First for pleasure (stayed at 500 West), then for business (work's paying: stayed at Old Town Best Western). I found the staff at 500 West to be every bit as professional and curtious as the $150 a night place. It was cold and rainy Sunday and my thin Texas blood was not happy. The heat had been turned off for the season, but they brought a space heater up to my room and I was warm and toasty!
The room was very small, but if you check the cornerstone, you see that it's the Army Navy YMCA built in the 20's. What on EARTH do you expect a servicemen on leave hotel to be like? Get a clue, fer cryin' out loud. if you need lots of room and a big TV and all that, no, this place is not for you. If you're of the opinion that going out of town is an adventure and rooms are where you sleep and drop stuff off, this might be your cup of tea, too.
If I go again, I'll bring a washcloth and a spare towel. I'm a two towel showerer.
Yes, the best Western was 4X the size, but this place definitely served my needs. And there's a 7-11 right behind where you can get a $2 refillable cup of coffee. Do. It.
(oh, and their free wifi kicked Best Western's ASS) -
Review from Maureen M.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 5/18/2011
So I'm amending my review for a few reasons..
1) I made it through the night safely, and stayed a 2nd night. The next night the tourettes person was gone, and someone was burning incense (which does a lot for ambience and masking the smell of urine)
2) The staff is friendly and accommodating. They will even hold your luggage for a few hours after you check out.
If you decide to stay here, just know what you're getting into. You will not be among the typical hostel dwellers- young, international travelers.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/16/2011
OMG, this place is a psychiatric facility.
First of all, let me qualify myself by saying that I am a… Read more »
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Review from Rachel Kathleen A.
Long Beach, CA
3/19/2012
It's funny now that I look back at my experience at 500 West Hotel. My friends and I decided to drive down to San Diego and hit up the clubs at Gaslamp Quarter. I remember the hotel rates were at least $275 and up just for one night and we didnt want to spend that much. my friend ended up finding this place at the very last minute and without doing any reserach on it like i always do ..i told her to book it. I was the first one to arrive at the location. Staff was friendly and check-in was quick and simple, but as soon as I started walking towards my room, everything went downhill from there. The room was a disaster!! it was SMALL, had one twin bed and no bathroom!!! There are only shared bathrooms in the buidling. I regretted not doing any research on it , but I called the front desk immediately and demanded for a refund and they understood my situation so we got our money back right away and ended up staying somewhere else.
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Review from Ming W.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2011
The greatest positive I can give this place is its location. The one year I did stay here was for the 2009 Comic-Con. The staff are friendly and helpful and the attached cafe is great and the price was excellent for the location but everything else was crap.
Cons: The Elevators that would work and then not work. Every time I stepped in the elevator it felt like I was going on the Drop Zone ride.
The sickly green painted walls
The one desktop light that somehow is supposed to light the entire room (and the rooms are pretty small to start with,but it served my purposes)
The vending machines are only on the second floor. -
Review from Kenneth C.
Concord, CA
8/9/2011
"500 West Hotel". Actually, it's not a hotel at all; it's a hostel in a hotel-like building. It gets 1 star from me for having a false name. Unless it has a good reason for calling itself a hotel, I'm leaving my review at 1 star.
Here's what to expect:
Cons:
Detached and shared bathrooms
Loud slamming doors in the middle of the night
Tiny rooms
Tiny TVs (13" computer monitors, actually)
Grungy hallways
Only metered parking or paid parking garage
Pros:
Free wifi
Attached breakfast cafe
Pleasant courtyard
Attached gym, if you're into that
My key wouldn't work and they had me go up and down the elevator with my luggage 3 times to try it before finally sending someone up to check on it and fix the problem. A bit unprofessional.
They didn't tell me how to login to the wifi so I called the front desk. No one picked up. So I had to go down again just to get the password.
In the wing across from me was a butt-naked dude spread eagle on his bed with his window wide open. That was entertaining.
The bathrooms are a little grungy, but not too bad. At least they have locks. Each bathroom has a shower, a toilet, and a sink.
On the second night, people kept slamming doors really loudly around 2-3am in my hallway and waking me up.
Overall, not a great experience, even as far as hostels go. -
Review from Brian F.
Greenwood, IN
4/6/2011
500 West Hotel is actually a "European Style Hostel". I really liked staying here because the staff is very friendly, the rooms are modest and the price is super affordable. They offer a YMCA workout area and have a few computers for guest use. They do not have their own parking, but there is street parking and garages nearby. Very economical for short visits to the city or beaches. They offer private rooms or rooms with 2 single or 1 full size bed. The rooms have a very old feel to them, but they are updated with new wall treatments and furniture. Small flat screen TV and ceiling fan is available in every room. The hotel has a commons on the second floor.
They are situated on the same block as the local light rail station. They are a few blocks walk away from the Gas Lamp district or a short train ride. If you have a car, park in one of the nearby garages and drive across the bridge to Coronado Island to see the beach.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: THIS IS NOT YOUR STANDARD HOTEL. THE BATHROOMS ARE COMMON TO THE WHOLE FLOOR OF ROOMS, DORMITORY-STYLE. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SHARING BATHROOMS, DO NOT STAY HERE. But it's super cheap and great location in the heart of the city!
They have electronic room keys, so you can be ensured safety and privacy in your room.
I recommend the 500 West HOSTEL if you are comfortable sharing bathrooms with 3 dozen other rooms and if you are comfortable in a dormitory style room. I loved it, A+
=) -
Review from Alyssa K.
Wilmington, DE
9/5/2010
We booked this "hotel" on our recent trip to San Diego and decided to read the reviews right before we were checking in. After reading all of the negative reviews about the conditions of the place and the bed bug issue, we were afraid to proceed with our reservation. Even though it is true that this place is more of a hostel than a hotel, I am glad I didn't let previous reviews get to me.
For starters, this place is located only blocks from all the nightlife in the Gaslamp District, and we were within blocks of all the best bars, restaurants and shops on Fifth Avenue. 500 West is gorgeous on the outside and in the lobby, and for $5 you can get access to a full gym.
We thoroughly inspected our room before bringing in any luggage from our car, and I could not find a single bed bug or evidence of an infestation. However, the blanket and carpets are very old and stained so I cannot say it is the cleanest place in the world either. The staff was actually very welcoming, and available on 24 hours a day if you ever have an issue or have to check out super early for a flight like we did.
It felt a lot like a dorm with the small rooms and shared bathrooms, but it was definitely a bargain as far as getting a room that was so close to the downtown nightlife. Other rooms in the same area can be three or four times the price.
One insider tip - parking meters are only checked from 8 AM to 6 PM so if you get there on a Saturday and plan to leave by Sunday - do not spend $15 to park in the garage they recommend - just park for free on the street. -
Review from Keane L.
7/5/2007
Europeans are hip.
That is common knowledge. Though they may scoff at us and ridicule our immense waistlines, we still admire our slim-fitted brethren for their contribution to "cool."
Enter the 500 West Hotel: a Euro-inspired "hybrid hotel" (aka a converted YMCA) with tiny units and shared bathrooms. Sure, it's inconvenient when you have to leave your room just to splash some water on your face, but it's just so damn hip... I mean, this is tapas hip. They'll even constantly remind you of their "shared bathrooms," as tapas restaurants constantly remind you of their "small plates." You know, in case you forgot what you just got yourself into...
But the 500 West is about as cheap as a private room in a hostel, and it's located right across from much pricier hotels. In fact, it's within prime egg-tossing distance from the Westin. Perfect for harassing the lushfolk next door. And avoid the elevator, or at least don't look at the expired permit.
If you're staying here, then you're probably not above frequenting the 7-11 behind the building. After a late night of partying, or drug dealing (depending on which you partake... and it will be one of them if you're the type to stay here), you'll want to hit up ol' 7 for some stale taquitos and greasy hot dogs made from bacon pieces. Who knew you could make a sandwich out of old convenience store sushi and Pop Tarts?
It's this type of creative ingenuity that sets man apart from animal.Listed in: Keane in San Diego! Wow!
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Review from Jamal G.
San Francisco, CA
7/2/2007
There are two lines you need to know and only two lines that will help you understand the 2 star review...
"All guest must sign in at desk" what hotel has a sign in sheet?
"You will have to leave after 28days" might run into someone living there (I did)
See, I'm not picky so it didn't bother me none. So what if I almost fell out of the "so called twin bed" twice... who cares if their "flat screen TV" looks more like a late 90's flat screen monitor. It didn't even bother me that it took 1hr and a 1/2 to get an iron delivered to my room... oh and lets not talk about the showers...
I probably spent a total of 7hrs in this place. For 4 of the hours, I was asleep.
If you expect great service... 500 West is not your place.
If you expect a big ass bed with a 17in screen TV and your OWN bathroom... 500 West is not your place.
2 stars for the price and location.
Oh 5 stars for house keeping... that lady WORKS HER ASS OFF!!! 7 floors all by herself. -
Review from Viola P.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2007
Another situation where even the one star is about 12 too many. This place is gross. I realized last Sunday that I would be getting into San Diego too late & too tired to drive to Miramar from the airport. So at the last minute I booked this thinking, big deal, one night, I'll sleep and be off the next morning. Well, yuck.
Now, see, I'm not opposed to the concept. It's a great idea. Small rooms, shared bathrooms, I get it. But if you do this, you need to do it IMPECCABLY and this is the opposite of impeccable. The carpeting in the hallways is thin and frayed. ALL the walls need fresh paint The elevator is creepy. There's a funny smell in the hallways. The room is barely furnished. There's a lot you can do with a teensy space and none of that was done. It's basically a cell with a twin bed, an Ikea wardrobe (stained and peeling) and a desk. The TV is tiny and the reception was awful. There's no clock in the room! The bedding gave me the heebies - I slept in my clothes. The carpeting and walls are stained. The ceiling fan took ten minutes to figure out.
And those shared bathrooms? Cleaned every ten minutes? No freaking way. Maybe a few times a day. One threadbare towel. No toiletries.
I could go on but you get my point. Negative 500 stars. Stay far, far away. I wish I had just gone to the Denny's and stayed up all night. Or for that matter, for the $60 I spent on the room, taken a cab to Miramar. Yuck. -
Review from Ashley B.
4/11/2010
It seems like a lot of the bad reviews are in 2007 or prior. After that they seemed to have gotten their act together. Fresh paint, no bed bugs. I agree that this should be called a hostel. In fact, I was searching for it in Hostels and couldn't find it. But, honestly people- get over yourselves! You're in a pricey district, near seriously pricey hotels, paying $50 ish per night and you're upset that the room is small and your TV isn''t big enough? My god.
I hope for you that you never go to Asia. This room was almost exactly the same size as our 4 star #1 rated hotel in Tokyo. TV was just slightly smaller, and had almost identical furnishings. In fact, it might have been a little bigger, thinking back on it. The only differences between this and our Tokyo hotel were the design of the building, the lack of amenities, (again think hostel) and the lack of private bathroom. However, this was not one bathroom per floor and you're sharing it actively. They are private for whomever is currently in them. You lock it with your room key and no one else can have any access. I always thought they were clean- though I did wear my sandals since it hadn't been too long since I lived in a dorm.
I didn't feel dirty or unsafe here, though. And as we were using it mostly to sleep, I wasn't too bothered by the plain walls or TV, let alone the IKEA furniture, as I was asleep, and not picking on every last detail of a hotel priced for those who shouldn't care about previously mentioned things.
There's an adjoining restaurant and even a gym you can use during the day. Definitely don't stay here for your honeymoon, but do stay here for a budget option for a fun trip. -
Review from JASMIN O.
San Jose, CA
5/2/2010
No. No. No. aaaaannnnddd NO. Okay my bad for even booking here, I thought the third party website just misspelled HOTEL. Naive little traveler am I. For those who don't know what a hostel is, it's kind of like a college dormroom; single or souble occupancy rooms with multiple bathrooms up and down the hall to share with the other hostel guests.
Walking up, the hostel (hostile MOTEL is my definition of the term) was nice looking and you could see the YMCA gym on the basement level. Parking is complicated, you can park on the streets for a limited amount of time during the day (with coins), but free all night... just make sure you leave before the time expires in the morning! Public transportation, especially the SD Coaster, is a hop skip and jump away.. really convenient. Bagel place across the street is yummy and Horton Plaza is walking distance. So for location, this place rocks.
But going inside? Dated appearance, the staff is not very friendly or helpful, the elevator door opens BEFORE the elevator actually hits the floor, the carpet is dirty in every hallway, and it's just plain creepy looking.
You get what you pay for. -
Review from Jerome W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 7/29/2011
Now I'm staying again, first time back since 2007. The TV in the room is the same, everything is the same except now both elevators are working. There is still a 7-11 around the block. I want to add that the internet works well and is free to residents. I'm giving 4 stars this time because it's even a better value now. In 07 I paid 55/night, and now 4 years later I'm paying $51 for the same room.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/6/2007
This review is current as of July 2007. I gave a three star rating here, not to imply this is a… Read more »
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Review from lowell h.
Minneapolis, MN
10/12/2008
This is a hotel aimed at people who like to travel on the cheap and don't need all the extras(which cost extra, extra!). I had a great time at the 500 Hotel. I wish I could have stayed longer. It was exactly what I was looking for. Small cozy room right in the middle of the action.
Why do people feel they have to complain about something that is stated right up front (Shared bathroom and small rooms)? FYI- You aren't sharing the bathroom with anybody, when you're in it. It is a private locked bathroom. The money I saved($300 over 3 nights) allowed me to eat at some very nice restaurants. The 500 is aimed at people who travel like Europeans. -
Review from RP P.
Hanford, CA
11/5/2010
I made reservations here before I realised that Yelp had hotel reviews, otherwise probably wouldn't have come - especially with the threat of bed bugs!
The good news is that there are no bed bugs, at least in this room, the bathrooms are clean and regularly attended to (and I seem to have one to myself), and I brought my own shampoo and shower gel (what self-respecting person wouldn't??). The front desk leant me a hair dryer (self-respecting but not always organised).
It is a little noisy, being only a skinny block from the trolley route, and the plastic bobbles on the light/ceiling fan need to be secured together with a hair clip to stop them from clinking into each other all night. There's no air conditioning - fine for November, but might be a problem at other times of the year.
The room is by no means as chic as it looks on the website (as per usual with budget to mid-range places).
The biggest problem for me is the lack of reading light and the absence of decent cafes nearby - all the little eateries around hear are as skanky as can be. How do those places not go out of business?! Oh, right, hungry, unsuspecting travelers...
But, with my 3rd night free, I am paying $39/night here (plus tax), which is absurdly cheap. -
Review from Renee B.
Arleta, CA
8/31/2009
If you're running low on cash, need to stay at a place that's not too far off from the Gaslamp District and the train station and you're totally fine with the way hostels are- this place is for you.
I stayed here in July 2009 after winning a last minute eBay auction for Comic-Con passes. My room was for $99, which was relatively dirt cheap compared to all the other hotels near the San Diego Convention Center. This place is about a 10-15 minute walk over there. I know beggars can't be choosers so I'm grateful to have found a room here that weekend on such short notice. But if I ever need to stay in San Diego again, it won't be here.
Maybe I'm just too old for this sh*t. I'm used to staying at places with private bathrooms and air conditioning. The room for a single person is kinda like a prison cot. In this room you get a hard bed, sheets that make you wish you had gloves on to touch, an Ikea style armoire and a little flatscreen TV that looks smaller than my computer screen. Ceiling fan only here, but I got a window that looked out to the street. Conveniently across from my room were the shared bathrooms. They weren't filthy, but the toilet didn't work all the time :( Oh and with the way the elevators squeak so much, it makes you wanna take the stairs.
I'm giving this two stars because the staff was very, very nice and accommodating. Really helpful in giving me and my friend tips on where to go. But again, if I prepare earlier for the next time I need to be in San Diego, I'll be looking for a much nicer hotel than this. -
Review from Keith C.
Weymouth, MA
6/28/2008
OK, it wasn't THAT bad, and they do advertise a lot of their shortcomings (shared bathrooms, dorm-like bedrooms, etc.). However, I believe this place is missing an "s" in its name, as the only thing "Hotel" about it is the cleaning service and getting a fresh towel each day.
Positives: room was clean, had a cable TV, Internet service was cheap, helpful desk workers in the hotel lobby, the location was perfect for me during the marathon weekend (middle of downtown), and you could use the YMCA next door for only $5 a day, although it was closed when I needed it the most (right after the marathon, since they had a jacuzzi).
So why the 2 stars? For one, I expect this same service from a hostel; I expect more from a hotel, even if it's priced at $79. The elevator was in bad need of repair, and the beds were alright but not very comfortable. Was able to get some decent sleep, but if I were to do it again I'd shell out the extra money for a better place, or go to a hostel that markets and prices itself like one. -
Review from Debbie W.
Mesa, AZ
4/18/2011
If you don't mind truckin' down the hall for the bathroom this is a reasonably priced downtown hostel. The rooms - though small with twin beds - were clean with decent bedding. Small fridge in the room. TV teeny LCD. Bathrooms were clean. Slightly musty but you must get that in old buildings near the water.
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Review from Andre E.
Orange County, CA
8/29/2011
Stayed 8/27/11: I wish I could give this place ZERO stars. It is by far the worst place I've ever stayed, and nearly ruined an otherwise great trip to San Diego. First of all the rooms look absolutely nothing like the photos on the website. We had a two person room which measured about 12'x12 in a perfect square shape. It had two small prison style beds, a 9" television sitting on a desk and finally NO A/C but instead a 10" diameter ceiling fan to keep us cool. To add even more character to our room we had a huge bleach stain in the middle of the floor. It is a hostel not a hotel so the bathrooms were down the hall, these were surprisingly clean. The scariest part was the elevator trips. I wondered why I'd seen so many other residents taking the stairs, and the reason became apparent after getting the living daylights scared out of me just riding to the 3rd floor. I will give this place one star for the location, that's about the only thing his place has going for it!
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Review from Jerry M.
7/3/2010
Don't be afraid to stay here, especially If you appreciate simplicity and value. I paid $42 a night, tax included, for a private room for a week.
My room was 8 by 10, clean and freshly painted, and of course old, but with a huge window that opened wide to Broadway.
It's noisy outside (not so much inside). Hearos earplugs are your best friends here. (They will block out almost all sound, including your alarm clock, but not sirens or smoke alarms.)
No problem with the shared bathroom set-up. Bathrooms are cleaned regularly and sparkled, and one is always available.
Employees were friendly and helpful.
The elevators were a little shaky, literally. First one was out of order. Then the other was out of order. I took them, though. I figured if I got stuck, who cares, because the elevator was old and cozy, sort of like my room, so I would have hung out until it got going again.
I felt safe and was safe, although, let's face it, guests here may be less friendly and open to your presence than they would tend to be at the Hotel del Coronado.
There's a boarding house atmosphere and a certain amount of leariness that goes along with that, even though it may not be justified.
Lots of nice amenities: a commercial kitchen, a big screen tv room, an outdoor seating area, a huge lobby, an attached restaurant and YMCA, a coffee kiosk right outside, other eateries, including Starbucks, a half block away.
Even if you can afford 100-200 bucks a night at a regular hotel ... why?
I was happy here for a week. I'm going back. -
Review from Barry C.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2011
While a clean and well taken care of facility; 500 West is far too basic for the room rates charges ; a stiff twin size bed and no tv for $60 a night?? much better rates and location at the cedar st Motel 6
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Review from Jackie W.
Juneau, AK
11/14/2010
So if you know what you are getting in for, this is a great place. A lot of the bad reviews seem to come from people who didn't know the rooms where small and the bathrooms are shared. That being said the room was be enough for me and had everything I needed. Also the bathroom was open every time I needed it. I stayed at the West for 8 days for Comic Con 2010 last July and plan on staying there for 2 weeks this July. You can't beet its location and definitely get a refrigerator in your room, also they had made the wifi free while I was there.
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Review from Cherry D.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 8/1/2010
Had a great time as usual. My room was clean, the staff friendly and helpful. Also you just can't beat this great deal for under a $100 for a room during Comic Con.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/28/2009
This place is pretty nice considering how inexpensive it is as well as centrally located. It's only… Read more »
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Review from Caroline O.
11/22/2007
As long as you know what you're getting into it's the only affordable option downtown. My room and the bathrooms on my floor were clean. The people in the hotel were quiet, but being downtown it was noisy outside, cars, street cleaners, the occasional siren, etc. But seeing as how I wasn't willing to pay $200 to stay downtown for 1 night it was great. Walking distance to Gaslamp.
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Review from Jen H.
Santa Ana, CA
7/16/2009
If you want luxurious and classy, this isn't quite it. But, if you're on a budget, and just want a nice and clean place to sleep, then this is where you should go.
A friend and I went down to San Diego for 4th of July weekend, and we got a nice deal for one night at $79 dollars. It may have been a little more than average, but we also booked it a little under two weeks in advance and it was also a holiday weekend. And other places we looked at were costing 125+ and we weren't willing to spend that much for a place we were only going to stay at for a few hours and overnight.
For parking, you can either park on the street (good luck) or park in the structure for $15 dollars overnight. Not so bad, especially since when I left the gate was open so I just took it as a sign and passed through and got parking for free. The elevator is a bit frightening as it shakes, however, it is an old YMCA building so that explains that. As far as decor, it's okay. Nothing ugly, nothing to rave about.
As for the rooms, they were clean and simple, which is really all you need when you just want a place to sleep. We got a double twin room WITHOUT a view (which I also recommend because I hear it gets loud) and had one towel each waiting for us. There is no air conditioning but there is a ceiling fan and a working window, which is all you need considering San Diego doesn't get that hot (especially since you are so close to the water here). You do have to share bathrooms, but they are private. A good tip is to use the bathrooms as early as you can in the mornings, as that is when they are most clean and refilled with extra towels for you. Another good tip is to bring flip flops that you can dispose of after your visit, you don't want to walk around barefoot at all, especially in the bathrooms, and ESPECIALLY in the shower stalls. They provide you with some shampoo and body wash in the stalls but I prefer to bring my own.
As far as how loud it gets in the hotel, it seems that a lot of young kids stay here so it can get quite loud at times, but nothing too bad.
It is in walking distance to a LOT of restaurants, shops, and nightlife in the gas lamp and downtown district. My friend and I were able to walk to the waterfront, restaurants, and bars in under 15 minutes. Definitely do not recommend driving though, as it is very busy with many pedestrians. As for safety, I walked around at midnight with a girlfriend and felt very safe.
Overall, I would stay here again if I were on a budget and just needed a simple and clean place to stay. -
Review from David L.
Santa Clara, CA
5/27/2009
It would have been more telling if the address had been 500 W. Alleyway.
Ever been attacked by pigeons? Well, they don't attack, but they make a hell of a mess. One word: Screens. Actually, one phrase: Put screens on your windows if you don't have fans or air conditioning.
I go down to San Diego every year for work, and it's always hard to find a room around that time of year. I usually stayed at a Best Western or Days Inn, but they can often be farther from where I need to go.
So I decided to give this hotel a chance, and it was pretty much the only option down town.
When I got to my room, I did not realize how small it was going to be. But I just needed a place to sleep. That's when I noticed it had no air conditioning or fan. To be fair, I guess San Diego is used to only having one hot week out of the summer. I only go to San Diego once a year and apparently this is the one week it's hot, that or hotels need to start preparing for Global Warming.
I notice in the room I have two windows, one at the head of the bed, one to right side, lucky me, corner room. Except I notice I have no screens on my windows.
I don't know when the strange and unsettling notion took hold of me, if before I went to my meeting or at night when settling into bed, but it occurred to me; What would keep pigeons or other birds out of my room.
Either that night or the next, I had trouble sleeping, it was warm, and my windows were open, and as I said, the unease turned into a strange vague phobia. So I went downstairs and walked around a bit, did some work on their computer stations and tried to exhaust myself. Finally, on my way back up to my room, I was in an elevator with a few dutch students visiting the U.S. I asked them if they shared my same unease about pigeons flying in the room. Then the young girl nudged one of the guys with her and said "show him your arm!"
Apparently the night before, just 3 or 4 rooms down from mine, there had been some pigeons in their room and made a heck of a mess and he had some scratch marks.
I guess what I thought was a strange neuroses was actually just good ole' common sense. If you've stayed in a hostel, and don't mind it, give the place a try, they have a beautiful hang out room with a big television. They also have a nice kitchen area, if on a budget, perhaps try your hand at a pigeon dish? -
Review from Robert T.
Champaign, IL
8/18/2011
dirty
rude staff
dirty
only one towel, no wash cloths
no soap
dirty
stinky
gnats in the shower
dirty
rude staff
do not stay here! -
Review from Claire V.
Riverside, CA
5/27/2008
I stayed at a similar place in San Francisco -- shared bathrooms, tiny rooms -- but it was much better decorated, and therefore more enjoyable. I'd bump my rating up to three stars if the rooms looked better. Hang some cheesy art, upgrade the comforters, I'm easy to please. Don't remind me at every turn that I'm in a converted YMCA. That said, this place has a great location and the price is right.
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Review from Kim C.
San Diego, CA
1/10/2009
Since I'm no longer in the wonderful city of San Diego, I've been reminiscing an AWFUL LOT over every little aspect of the 2 1/2 years I was stationed there...this was the beginning of it all. Aug 2006... I was on http://hotels.com and looking for the cheapest price (as well as proximity to the Naval Hospital), so this was it... After a 16-17 hour drive from San Antonio, TX, I finally got to this hotel at like 2 AM and well, the lobby and front view were really nice but when I got to the room, it all went downhill...kinda made me claustrophobic...the comforter felt dirty and filmy, the TV barely worked and only 1 electrical outlet...also it was above the loading dock...the bathrooms were scary dirty...that shit about the restrooms "being cleaned every 10 minutes" is crap...more like every 10 days. And I spent a small fortune using the Columbia Garage too!! I managed to hold out a week in this joint...luckily for me, the Navy reimbursed me for my stay here...lol.
It would be a good choice for those of you who don't need any added frills but it would be better to stay next door at the Westin...it's SLIGHTLY more expensive (about $30 more/night) but you get a whole lot more...no lie. -
Review from alberto p.
Austin, TX
3/24/2010
Not the best hostel or nicest hostel I have ever been to but damn its cheap! I payed 19 bucks for a dorm room. I only had to share with one other guy that slept all day and never said a word to me. That room was tiny! the smallest hostel dorm I have ever been in, barely any room to walk around. The staff was very friendly and the bathrooms where very clean and nice (they have private bathrooms for everyone). It is a good place to go when running low on cash. Also down the street from the gaslamp district
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Review from Ken Y.
Van Nuys, CA
10/25/2010
Bed bugs! Stay away! Stayed in room 301 and woke up in the middle of the night and the room was infested. Brought some of the evidence to the front desk and they did refund the room charge but I ended up having to dispose of all my clothes, bag, and shoes that I had brought, I didn't want to risk bringing them home with me.
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Review from Evelyn B.
Fullerton, CA
10/4/2007
I would give this place ZERO stars if I could. My friends and I stayed here for a weekend over the summer... yeah the place is MUCH smaller than I imagined... I think the room I stayed at on a cruiseline was bigger. As a matter of fact, I'm SURE of it. And I thought that was bad. At least that was liveable. This is not. But even after a great shocking laugh, I could overlook the small room, the "flat screen" the size of a sheet of paper, and the stained walls. WHAT? STAINED WALLS? I should've paid a little more attention to these signs of bad sanitation. Unfortunately, the girls and I only planned on using the room as a place to get ready and sleep for a couple hours. Which we did. Unfortunately, my friends and I were eaten up by BED BUGS. Yes, that's right. Bed bugs. And now I've brought them into my bed because they must've come through my luggage or something. It's a pain in the ass and they're nearly impossible to get rid of. I think I have well over 100 tiny bites all over me and it looks like chicken pox. I repeat -- DON'T STAY HERE.
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Review from Brent G.
San Diego, CA
7/24/2009
This place is a dump. I booked this hotel after calling http://Hotels.com and I had the worst experience ever, so bad that upon checking in, I decided to cancel my reservation and go elsewhere. The staff is a joke. They have 1 person working at the front desk trying to manage phone calls and check people in. The guy who handles the check-in for the night shift is a jerk and I got into an argument with him because of his immaturity and mind-games. I called before coming to ask for the address so I could put it in my navigation and he kept asking me my name and my reservation number. I explained several times I am driving right now and just need the address and he was anything but helpful. I wound up filing a complaint with the hotel and they didn't even do anything about it. They even try charging a $125 security deposit. I highly recommend avoiding this place and spending a little more money at a more credible establishment.
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Review from Christine C.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/13/2007 1 photo
This place is not the best hotel in the world. Don't have high expectations, BUT if you need a place to crash after a night of partying in Gaslamp this is definitely the affordable way to go. The whole in the wall room is only $39 for one night and it is at the heart of San Diego Night Life. There are many negative points: no bathroom in room and the bed is tiny. It has a really nice outside appearance, but as you slowly go deeper in the hotel you will notice its vintage appearance. It is described on the website as a European style hotel, but it feels like your staying at a dorm. After leaving the nightclub, On Broadway (it's only 2 minutes away from the hotel) completely obliterated my boyfriend and I had a biker with a carriage take us back to our hotel at 3am in the morning, which took about 15 minutes. Finding a taxi in San Diego at that hour is ridiculous. My friend's were staying at the Marriott in San Diego, and they waited for an hour for a taxi to take them back to there hotel, We got back to the hotel at around 3:15ish and left at 10am which meant technically we barely stayed in the room. So, this place did the job for us.
