Name: Hampton Inn San Diego-Downtown
Address: 1531 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, California, US
Price range: US$153–US$743 per night
Rating: 7.98

What guests think

Hampton Inn San Diego-Downtown draws praise for its walkable, central location near the waterfront and Little Italy and for generally friendly staff and clean, comfortable rooms, but repeated complaints target elevator outages, train noise, and pricey, tight parking.

Breakfast is included and often described as good, though several guests found it average, cold, or crowded with limited seating. The older building is undergoing renovations, and reviews note inconsistent housekeeping and occasional maintenance or pest issues. Expect a walkable stay with a few operational compromises.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Elevators were frequently out of service during renovations, leaving only one operating and causing long waits. On-site parking costs $40 per night and is often tight or limited; there is also a pool that some guests used.

Related guest reviews

8

Melissa

15 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

It was great except the elevators. Great service

6

Angela

27 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Parking garage doesn’t fit normal size cars and only 1 elevator out of 3 working

6

Carolyn

29 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good breakfast area and food. Terrible time waits for the single elevator. Wrong TV remote so that was frustrating. Close to many restaurants and sites.

6

Lenny

23 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We were there 3 yrs ago and the elevators were old and SLOW. This time they had a full house for the 3 days we were there and finally working on the elevators which actually shut down 1 of 2 elevators, every guest was disgruntled as wait time for elevators were in the 10+ minutes for each ride. They do have stairs but the 5th floor is a climb.

6

Albert

15 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This property needs to be renovated correctly. The room was great and the breakfast awesome but the one elevator available is ridiculous.

10

Bonita

9 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Everything was great except for there was only one elevator available due to the other one bring repaired

4

Danielle

13 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hallway and bedroom carpet smelled horribly. The one elevator was a huge inconvenience.

6

Alicia

25 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Loved being close to trolley station. It made going to and from Petco Park a breeze. We were aware the elevators were going to be under maintenance but didn't know only 1 elevator would be available so be prepared on your day of check out. Parking garage and the spaces were more compact than other garages in area but loved being able to park in a secure garage.

2

Kimberly

15 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Parking fee was too high ($40 a night) especially during the hotel renovation, also water was leaking from the ceiling in the parking garage, it was scarey. Water fell on my hair. Who knows where that water was from. On our first day only one elevator was working and it would literally take like 10 mins to come back down. Fire alarms went off on the first night. Light flickering in the bathroom. Requested towels in the am and they never showed up I had to call back again when we arrived back at the hotel. Not going to stay here anymore.

10

Ronnie E

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our third stay and always excellent. Room ultra clean and comfortable, staff always great. Walking distance to cruise ship dock. Buffet breakfast good with eggs and sausage. Nice pool. Room had frigid but no microwave, however, there is a microwave in the breakfast area available for use. Definitely recommend.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Many guests found rooms clean, but feedback is mixed. Several noted ants, musty odors or stains, and inconsistent or infrequent housekeeping.

Related guest reviews

8

Francis

28 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clean room, front desk staff were great, fantastic location. Hotel is older, only 1 elevator working.

6

Sayuri

19 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Surprising $40 USD a day for parking, with no previous notice, until you check in. No housekeeping in 3 days. There was an empty bottle of water in the room. Front desk staff makes you feel.like you are checking in in a cheap motel. Breakfast was decent.

2

bingliang

18 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

There was blood on the toilet!!! The noise of the train was very loud at night!

2

Carolina

29 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The elevator was not working, and the emergency stairs were confusing. There were not enough places to sit during breakfast. Parking was expensive. There were ants in the rooms.

4

Danielle

13 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hallway and bedroom carpet smelled horribly. The one elevator was a huge inconvenience.

10

David

24 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was spotless and staff very friendly.

10

Joan

31 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

The hotel is very close to the bay. Easy walk thru a cute park to the waterfront. Hotel was clean, staff cleaned room every other day but extra towels and coffee available on request. Bed was comfortable.

6

Thomas

13 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

No stairs that were convenient to and from the lobby. Only one working elevator which was sketchy. Bed sheets had too much plastic. Also there were a few termites in our room.

4

JOEL

18 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Not maintained properly. I had ants in my room and the bed and chair just felt dirty, actually you could see the filth on the chair, side of the bed and the carpet. This place is worth maybe 10% of the over $300 they charge per night. I would not come here again.

6

Efstratia

27 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Out of 3 elevators, only was working. They had a sign that they are renovating them. We stayed 6 nights and the hotel was full every day. You had to wait a long time for an elevator. Our room had a musty odor and the scrambled eggs tasted fake and the sausage was like a hockey puck. Muffins, and other food were good. Tables were being cleaned by guests and the coffee machines were not being replenished. The staff that cleaned the rooms were good. The entire hotel needs a renovation.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are generally comfortable or updated, but train and trolley noise is a recurring issue, and some guests mentioned noisy HVAC and limited soundproofing. Views vary, with some rooms facing the tracks.

Related guest reviews

6

Kelly

26 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Tje hotel works well if you are leaving on a cruise. The design of the property is wrong. It is "u" shaped with the U facing the railway tracks. If and when the train goes by it is very loud. The breakfast was good the room was okay.

8

Sheila

15 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great check-in, room very clean and bed was comfortable. Noisy train behind hotel

6

Lamont

10 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Man, be careful of where they put you in the hotel. Because it’s right next to the trains. It seemed like you were forever hearing the sound of bells and alerts the train was coming. There’s a four hour window where there were no trains, that was midnight to 4-am. So tell them to put you on the side away from the train tracks.

8

Jennifer

14 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel was in a great spot and you could walk everywhere. Only down fall is the train and trolley tracks are behind the hotel and is very noisy

8

Christine

7 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic location! Easy walking distance to Little Italy or the USS Midway and cruise ships. The staff was great and parking was convenient. My only gripe was having a room on the Beech St side (I thought I was avoiding the Fire Station on the other side). It was THE noisiest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. The incessant dinging from the railroad crossing just outside the window only stopped from midnight to 4 am. Also we heard every plane take off from the airport which is very close by. I saw other reviews saying it was a quiet hotel so maybe it was just the Beech St side. Otherwise it was great!

4

Guillermo

4 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The windows in the hotel are very old and do little to block outside noise. Unfortunately, the train tracks next door made it hard to rest — trains ran until around midnight and started again at 6am. I won’t be staying here again unless major improvements are made, especially with soundproofing. If you’re considering this hotel, I strongly recommend checking if they have upgraded rooms with better windows.

4

William

19 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

I was in a room near an intersection and the trolly was coming by ever minute or so. The bells for the crossing gaurd were so loud that I wasn’t able to sleep at all. If you can, get a room facing pacific hwy and not on the east side of the hotel. The room was clean and bed was comfortable, but the trolly noise made it a horrible experience. I will not be staying there again.

8

Lisa

20 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Pros: Room was specious clean and bed was comfy . Bathroom nice size and clean. Typical continental breakfast was nice to have available. Great location easy to walk down to pier and see the ships and visit the Midway aircraft carrier . Cons ; The wall unit for heat / air won’t let you set it to have a constant fan going . Seemed to get warm snd stuffy in there throughout night. But then when it did turn it was pretty noisy and very cold . Temp didn’t stay very consistent throughout our stay. Train track with horn blowing just behind the building but got used to it . Parking $40 a night seems steep but maybe it’s not . All in all stay was pleasant.

4

Jennifer

7 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It needs to be updated. We were next to the train and it was very loud all night.

10

Jean

14 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nicely updated rooms. Friendly staff.

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Service

Staff are often described as friendly and helpful. However, multiple reviews cite slow or understaffed check-in, uneven front-desk attitudes, and a few cases of overbooking or poor communication.

Related guest reviews

4

Kimber

3 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I'd love to give this property a review. Unfortunately, after being dropped off at the hotel after dark, and with a large suitcase, I was informed they had overbooked their rooms, and no longer has a room available for me. The desk manager gave me a piece of paper, and instructed me to walk to the Residence Inn, a couple of blocks away. They had secured a room for me there. I was shocked. He wanted me to walk with my suitcase, in the dark, rainy night, to another hotel. Seeing my hesitation, he offered to make the security guard (who was employed by a security company and who's job was to watch and guard the front of the hotel) walk with me. The guard tried to protest that he could get in trouble, but the manager insisted, So away we went. (I did give the poor security guard a generous tip.) At the end of the day, it wasn't that big of a deal, and certainly the hotel I stayed at was very nice, if a bit farther from the restaurant I had reservations at. I think if he had offered a shuttle to the other hotel, I wouldn't have been as upset, but just telling me to be on my way then when I'm traveling and expecting to finally check in, sit down, and relax was unsettling, at best.

6

Brianna

6 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Starting at check in, I felt that my husband and I were not treated as guests. When asking about guest parking for our visitor for a couple hours, we were first told there was none. When we specified that we are staying in the hotel, they confirmed multiple times “and you’re parked here?” To which we responded yes. They then asked for my room number, last name, and proceeded to tell me there was no parking for my guest. Additionally, there was a pending hold placed on my account without notification or reasoning. When I called to inquire, they said if I didn’t check out with the front desk, the charge wouldn’t be reversed. This doesn’t make sense as I didn’t even have to check in with the front desk. The breakfast was cold and the coffee dispenser was empty at 9am. We paid to stay here and I felt as if we were a nuisance.

10

Jeff

18 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The desk worker went out of his way to make everything perfect. In fact, all parking was used, and he helped us park our car. And ensure our safety when a non occupant was trying to get in the facility.

10

Nicole

26 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel was the perfect place to stay while visiting the Midway! The staff were very helpful — especially Vanessa at the front desk! The elevators were not an issue nor were the city sounds. I would stay here again!

10

David

24 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was spotless and staff very friendly.

8

Andres

6 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very friendly and hard working staff. The elevator wasn’t working properly but the service was immaculate.

10

Tanya

19 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was very nice and great location. You can walk to restaurants, shopping and along the water. Elevators are very old and a little scary but they said they will be updating them soon. Front desk staff was not very friendly or helpful. Checked in online and we saw that our room was ready but still made everyone wait until 4pm to check in. When you asked for any information they would say wait for the app. Not even sure why they had front desk staff if they weren’t going to help guests.

6

Christine

22 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Not enough parking for the check in process. Cars were backed up onto the main street downtown. Only one elevator was working so very long delays getting to and from your room. The front office staff did not smile and were not friendly. The room was great. The breakfast was great. Everything Not enough parking for the check in process. Cars were backed up onto the main street downtown. Only one elevator was working so very long delays getting to and from your room. The front office staff did not smile and we’re not friendly. The room was great. The breakfast was great. Everything was clean aside Come check in and the elevators it was a good stay.

10

Riley

1 Dec 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Amazing staff! Alexia was so nice.

6

Dylan

1 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are nice and clean. Hotel staff is friendly. What I did not like is the 4pm check in. Because it is so late everyone checks in at that time but the n the desk was understaffed with just one person, the line was huge. I also did not like that other hotel guests prominently warned us not to use the elevators because they would get stuck. I’m claustrophobic and the elevator was really hot so we chose to walk the stairs. I feel the staff should have warmed us about it at the checkin.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Central, walkable location by the waterfront, Little Italy, cruise terminal, and transit is widely praised. The setting next to train and trolley lines brings significant noise, and a few guests mentioned homeless activity nearby.

Related guest reviews

8

Karen

11 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our stay was great other than the elevators not working. The property is doing renovations and going up and down with only one elevator that only worked sometimes was quite the inconvenience. However, the hotel is in the perfect location! Walking distance from amazing dining, the beach, ferry to Coronado island, and night life/clubs. I would stay there again.

10

Carol

13 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, clean, nice staff, we loved our stay here.

10

Cindy

21 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Like: 5-6 minute walk from Santa Fe Depot. About a couple of blocks from trolley stop. Lots of restaurants within walking distance. Little Italy was about a 10 minute walk. Staff was very friendly & helpful. Rooms were clean. Love making my own waffle for breakfast. Good assortment of breakfast items. We were a little early arriving (check in is 4:00) but front desk person was able to check us in. Dislike: minor thing - the view from our room was an empty lot

8

Justine

1 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Overall staff and property were nice. A lot of homeless population with needles on ground, which made it hard having children with us. Hotel had good security especially with vehicles. Nothing wrong with Hotel, mostly location of it

10

Amber

11 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location of this hotel is ideal, right in the heart of downtown San Diego and next to its Little Italy. The hotel is across the street from the Maritime Museum and just blocks from the USS Midway Museum. The County Center / Little Italy trolley stop is directly behind the hotel and that is one stop away from a major train depot where other transit is available (Amtrak, etc), making local trips very easy and accessible. We took the Green Line Trolley to/from Petco Park for a baseball game and to the Gaslamp District. The one downside is trains honking throughout the day/evening but that didn't disturb our sleep at all. I was surprised to learn at check-in that there is a $40 per night parking fee in the hotel garage; maybe I missed the fine print in making the reservation. The room was clean and well appointed, though we had a few ants and no nightlight in the bathroom makes nighttime visits jarring for sleepy eyes. I would definitely stay here again, though will consider parking elsewhere if more affordable options are nearby. And I'll bring my own nightlight!

10

TERRY

9 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location close to cruise terminal and nightlife. Clean, quiet, good breakfast spread

10

Kimberly

4 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The location of this hotel is amazing.

8

Barbara W

24 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Nice hotel, right down near the embarcadero. Convenient and comfortable. Fresh breakfast daily and hot drinks always available. Would love to stay here again.

8

Karen

21 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great location within walking distance of Little Italy, the harbor and ferry to Coronado Island and Gaslamp Quarter. Easy access to trolley and freeway to our sporting events and family visits.

8

Zakar

16 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

It is a nice hotel close to see shore naval museum and broad walk. Also it is close to Little Italy section of the city. Only drawback is that there is a train railway behind the hotel and the passing trains can be heard. It also means the light train stop was very close to the hotel. The breakfast was very good too.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Included breakfast gets frequent positive mentions for variety. Others found it average or cold, with peak-time crowding and not enough seating.

Related guest reviews

8

Marcie

7 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Upon arrival, the deak clerk was friendly and accommodating. She shared lots of info about hotel stay and amenities. The room was clean, stocked and temperature was comfortable. One bed was more comfortable than the other. The hot breakfast was good and plentiful. The kids loved the waffles. The pool temperature was comfortable and didn't sting the kids' eyes. Loved the fact we were walking distance to the harbor and a playground. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. The only reason we didn't give 5 stars was because of the renovation on one of the elevators and one of the beds was too firm.

8

Jesus

10 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Stay was great they aee woeking on their elevators so they where a little slow. Othwrwise great location and affordable breakfast included waa great.

8

Ron

23 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed for four days. Nice room overall and close to wharf area attractions downtown. Breakfast was average. Each morning the oatmeal was cold - not even hot.

8

John

2 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very poor breakfast options - substandard in that regard. Otherwise a nice hotel

10

Leo

17 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very close to the Seaport. Very good hot breakfast

10

TERRY

9 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location close to cruise terminal and nightlife. Clean, quiet, good breakfast spread

8

Fernando

17 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent room!! Suit corner bay view and pool view on the other side, huge room !! I will mention a big area to improve is the breakfast, sincerley was terrible, it has been a while that i haven’t stayed at Hampton hotels and i expected be the same but o what a suprise I had, not good at all!! Hyatt and Fairfield are much better with breakfast!!

10

Ronnie E

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Our third stay and always excellent. Room ultra clean and comfortable, staff always great. Walking distance to cruise ship dock. Buffet breakfast good with eggs and sausage. Nice pool. Room had frigid but no microwave, however, there is a microwave in the breakfast area available for use. Definitely recommend.

4

andrea

2 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

toilet didn’t work, trash cans were too small, elevators didn’t work and there was only one and it was packed all the time. I had to take the stairs with my friends that could barely walk, breakfast was bad and even 30 min before it ended they were out of a lot of things and the food was also cold. Really slow service i had to wait in line just to buy a drink for like 10 min, parking garage is way too small and there aren’t enough spots. Staff was really nice though.

10

Anu

1 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location to stay at. The elevators are going through maintenance so that slowed things down as only 7 passengers can go at a time. Breakfast is good but there are not enough tables for seating at rush hour. This could also depend on when you visit.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	US$158
February	US$255
March	US$204
April	US$254
May	US$187
June	US$280
July	US$313
August	US$220
September	US$211
October	US$189
November	US$179
December	US$179

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17 $284	18 $287	19 $337
20 $181	21 $186	22 $260	23 $170	24 $185	25 $270	26 $358
27 $193	28 $153	29 $153	30 $156

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $253	2 $349	3 $460
4 $269	5 $253	6 $155	7 $222	8 $177	9 $336	10 $427
11 $407	12 $743	13 $308	14 $178	15 $190	16 $308	17 $331
18 $291	19 $279	20 $192	21 $213	22 $216	23 $242	24 $235
25 $154	26 $157	27 $155	28 $155	29 $227	30 $332	31 $252

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Room, 1 King Bed (Peloton)

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Accessible

Suite, 1 Bedroom

Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa Bed (Study)

Suite, 1 King Bed, Accessible (Roll-In Shower)

Room, 2 Queen Beds

Room, 1 King Bed

Guest reviews

Good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Hampton Inn San Diego-Downtown

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