Hotel Zindel

We were impressed by our stay. The hotel is absolutely clean, and was well renovated at some point in a timeless classic style. Room and bathroom were spacious. This is a wonderful walking neighborhood, with the touristy comforts of Little Italy, there are some really cool authentic shops as well as the lively restaurants. The hotel has a great little courtyard with outdoor fireplaces which is a welcoming buffer from the street before entering, as you can get yourself together away from the street. The one tip is there is scant street parking and the hotel has no lot; lots of street cleaning WED & THU surrounding the hotel so can't leave overnight. It's right underneath the entrance to the I-5, and the streets are all one way. If you come from one side and miss parking you are forced onto the freeway. Once you get the hang of that, it's great to be so close to the freeway and the noise is really minimal, it seems well sound-proofed and we were on the street side.

The no contact check in worked well. Beautiful out door set up and bright and pleasant entry hall. Good boutique style hotel feeling. A nice cafe setting rec room with a pool table and coffee tea complement is a plus.

Quiet and clean private room with bath. Conveniently situated in Little Italy. No elevator, so be prepared to carry you own luggage up the stairs. Check in was very easy with online setup.

I loved the check in process. Door codes given instead of speaking to front desk. One of the codes did not work, easily remedied by a quick phone call. I was worried about the shared bathroom situation. Our room did have its own bathroom. No curtains in bathroom. We did park at a parking lot about a block away. Only inconvenient due to maximum time is 10 hours. I did screenshot the code so we did not have to walk back at 3 am just to pay again. All in all I would definitely recommend and stay again. Very close to dining and the water. Perfect little getaway for us.

The hotel itself is very nice. Some rooms have shared bathrooms while others have their own bathrooms. I stayed in the 2 bedroom which had 2 full private baths. The entrance for the room is a little strange since it’s in the side of the hotel almost feels like a small walkway/alleyway. It was all self check in and remote, but the number they say to reach out in is very quick to respond to any questions. Now to the room itself, right when you enter there is a small doorway then to the right is the first room which has a twin bed and bath. Everything was clean and they provided shampoo, body wash and conditioner. Plus towels. Another factor to note is only the town room has a door. The room with the king bed does not have a door at all except in the bathroom. Also the living room which has a couch and tv is in the larger room. Also the mini fridge is in there. Since it’s on the bottom floor you can hear all the noise from the floor above. It’s not too bad but you can definitely hear it. The room doesn’t let any natural light in so you don’t really know what time it is or how the weather is outside. I didn’t mind it cause to sleep it definitely helped having it completely dark in there. The stay was nice , not your typical hotel but still enjoyed it. Also the walk to all the shops & food is only a couple mins since it’s right by little Italy. Also for Parking there is none but I used spot hero ( it’s an app) and found parking nearby for fairly cheap in a parking garage.

I had an amazing stay at this hotel! From the moment I checked in, the staff was incredibly welcoming, professional, and attentive. The room was spotless, spacious, and beautifully maintained, with super comfortable bedding that made it easy to relax. The only con was that it was hard to find parking. The hotel does not provide parking.

Cute hotel not far away from things to do. Modern furniture, great a/c, and a very comfortable bed. The kitchen was a plus. We had fun playing games in the game room downstairs before we went out for the evening. It was stocked with coffee and water. My only complaint was that the towels were not great (they were a little rough) and extra counter space in the bathroom would have been nice. The staff was great and response time to texts were immediate. Very friendly and helpful. It was perfect for our stay and we would stay there again.

Room was great- bedding was high quality and comfortable. Walk in shower, spacious bathroom was great. Towels were low quality- small, rough and quantity was low. Nice amenities with water, lots of coffee available, outdoor space, wine and chocolate. Parking was not available and it makes it difficult to recommend unless you don’t mind the hassle of finding parking. Next to on ramp to the interstate so it can get noisy.

Lacking parking. Not handicap accessible.

Nobody to check you in so they r strict on that 4pm check in and 10am check out. Lovely. Clean. Easy. Price was fair. No parking.

It has a nice look inside and out. The surrounding area is really nice and little Italy is so cool. The biggest downside is in the shared bathroom, the shower was not draining. The water was up to my ankles. So then I question even though the bathroom looks clean, why was this not fixed or was it not noticed. Luckily, another bathroom down the hall was a lot better. Ample coffee around too but I'm unsure how often they change the water in it.

Did not realize that our room came with a shared bathroom and the bathroom floor did not appear clean! The room was clean, though small and came with a fridge and coffee maker. No tea bags provided.

Shared bathrooms not very clean. Noisy.

I found two cockroaches in my room

Overall: Amazing for a hostel. It's just okay for a "hotel." This is one of those Top Chef moments where a chef gets too creative, names something that everyone knows, something else more fancy, and creates misaligned expectations. So no matter how great that thing is, it's not what the consumer is expecting, creating confusion or worse... disappointment. It's not a hotel in the traditional definition; it's a hostel featuring private rooms and a few shared bathrooms amongst you and your closest 40 friends. The good: *It's a 5-star hostel that's well thought out *It has excellent design and feels retro, but also fresh and new *lots of nice touches and extras, especially in the common areas, such as free designer coffee and usable communal spaces *The beds are super comfortable and they managed to get king-sized beds in small rooms without making it feel impossibly small. The bad: *The bathroom floors are really gross, which is the last thing you want when you're sharing with others, though I think it's just stained tiles; they looked grossly dirty. * There are no desks for working in the rooms, other than a long row in the common areas upstairs, which creates a lot of extra noise if people are working or talking on their phones in the halls. *It is loud when people are in the hallways or common areas. Overall, I would recommend it. If you like the hostel experience, then you will LOVE it here.

The sanitation is very bad. On our first day, there were stains on the quilt and we obviously didn't change our sweaters. There were only two bath towels for four of us and there was hair in the water tank of the coffee machine. The hotel is next to the road and it is very noisy. We had to ask to change rooms. When we moved to the new room, a terrible scene happened. The bathroom sink was full of dirt, which was very disgusting. The sanitation of this hotel is very bad. This hotel has no staff after 8pm and any questions you have have to get in after 9am.

You get what you pay for here. The room itself was fine, totally standard for the average hotel. The shared bathroom floor was very disgusting. Obviously, wear flip-flops while using these shared spaces, but it was unappealing. The safe in my room did not work and I asked the front desk lady for help. She asked, "Well do you really need the safe?" She said she would look for the key and knock on my door. 5 min later I got a text that she could not find the key and that I should trust my belongings are safe in my room. Overall, the hotel got the job done and was adequate for its price point.

Great location with restaurants a short walk away. Personal AI concierge, very helpful and responsive. There is no human present at the property. The property felt very secured with double and triple code required entrances. The decor is contemporary and of good taste. The only disappointment for me was the level of FLOORS cleaninness … in spite of all the positives the floors scream of needing serious attention. The fountain at the entrance is nice and yet sitting in that area I just kept looking at the dirty corners and floor stains. The shared bathroom also has floors that should be throughly scrubbed and bleached.

The room, bathroom, and common areas were clean and very nice. Staff was friendly throughout our stay. We were unaware about the communal bathroom situation, which was a disappointment. Otherwise, we enjoyed our stay.

At first, I liked the property; however, after spending a few days there, I noticed several flaws. The room had a rust-like, musty smell, and I had to turn on the air conditioning and open the windows just to clean the air. The fixtures in the washroom needed attention. For example, the shower drain was clogged and wouldn’t drain properly, causing water to accumulate and dirty the shower floor. Additionally, the sink fixtures had a yellow rust stain that looked like it had not been cleaned for a while. Lastly, the toilet paper holder was not nailed in the wall properly which made it fall off multiple times. The sofa bed was not very comfortable—the mattress was quite thin, and I think sleeping on the sofa itself would have been better. Furthermore, there weren’t enough blankets or towels for the number of guests, so I had to ask the front desk for more. On a positive note, I really appreciated the beautiful decor inside the hotel, especially in the common areas, which were well-equipped. The hotel staff was very nice and offered delicious drinks on our first day. Overall, it was a great stay for the price, but I probably wouldn’t choose to stay again.

Clean property and cool amenities. As much as we enjoyed the location and easy walk to Little Italy, the noise from the street and people slamming doors all night using the shared bathrooms, I doubt we stay again.

For the most part, this hotel was a good choice. We were disappointed that the photos on the website DID NOT depict the actual amenities. We expected large common areas as depicted on the website. Unfortunately, those images are taken with a wide angle lens and the areas are not even a 10th the size that you think they are. The room we had was okay, it was very noisy (against the 5 freeway), too bright for quality sleep (even with the curtains closed), and the shower (ugh!) NO WATER PRESSURE!! Of all things, this is a must. The positive piece of this stay was the venue we were visiting was only 4 blocks away. We probably will not stay here again.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would happily return! The building has been beautifully remodeled while retaining its older charm, though some noise from the road and other guests can travel—luckily, the white noise machine provided was very effective. The bed was a standout feature, easily the most comfortable we've ever experienced. Starting the morning with a latte from the Keurig coffee machine in the common area was a delightful touch. It's important to know that there is no on-site parking, and we recommend booking a room with a private bath for maximum comfort. Our only suggestion for improvement would be better towels. The rooms was clean and nicely furnished and the surrounding area was safe and walkable to Little Italy and more. Overall, a pleasant and memorable experience!

Very convenient location in Little Italy, with tons of things to do within walking distance. Like anything in the area there is traffic and airport noise. Didn’t bother me, but they do provide ear plugs if needed. Very easy electronic checkin. Small room, but clean and affordable. May not work for everyone, but perfect for my needs.

Lost internet for the majority of my stay. Was a work trip so that was difficult

Hotel Zindel is two blocks west of India Street – the Heart of Little Italy & a 10 minute drive from the airport. It's on the corner of a busy street & under the airport flight path. Ear plugs were provided, & I had no issues w/ noise. Check in was “okay.” You need 3 codes to access your room.There is no parking lot.The hotel is quaint and historical. There is a game room downstairs w/ a kitche, ice & extra coffee supplies. The “Queen Classic” room is about 13’ x 13’ & might feel cramped for two adults.There is no place to sit other than the bed. The bed was wonderful! The mattress felt like memory foam & was comfortable w/ extra pillows.Came w/ own private bathroom, but not all rooms do & share w/ other rooms.Use caution when booking.The bathroom is roomy w/ a tiny sink. There are no shelves or any place to put hygiene items. No drawers or storage space.I had to put everything on one nightstand. If you use a blowdryer & need a mirror, bring an extension cord. There are no outlets in the bathroom and no other mirrors.There is a fridge, Keurig w/supplies (no creamer) & a small safe. I pushed my suitcases against the door at night bc there is no inside lock, which made me uncomfortable. Nice Samsung TV, ceiling fan & portable AC/heater w/ remote. Comes w/ blow dryer, iron, & white noise maker. The room didn’t smell & the linens were clean. I didn’t really hear anyone other than some movement in the room above mine, but nothing crazy. My overall experience was 3 out of 5 stars.

Everything is not bad but lack of detail, which actually is okay for the price . The biggest part I don’t like about is that window is facing wall. It is depressing and actual rooms window looks nothing like the photos on here .

I have stayed here twice. It is a cute building and set up, very aesthetically pleasing. Unfortunately there were a lot of obvious shortcuts in the renovation, which led to an interrupted stay. Staff/management weren’t responsive to messages either stay for basic things like the WiFi being down which meant no remote working and no tv, until they needed something and then interrupted my workday multiple times. It had a lot of potential, maybe I’ll try again after they get a better handle on it but it seems more like an overpriced hostel.

I had an amazing stay at this hotel! From the moment I checked in, the staff was incredibly welcoming, professional, and attentive. The room was spotless, spacious, and beautifully maintained, with super comfortable bedding that made it easy to relax. The only con was that it was hard to find parking. The hotel does not provide parking.

Room was great- bedding was high quality and comfortable. Walk in shower, spacious bathroom was great. Towels were low quality- small, rough and quantity was low. Nice amenities with water, lots of coffee available, outdoor space, wine and chocolate. Parking was not available and it makes it difficult to recommend unless you don’t mind the hassle of finding parking. Next to on ramp to the interstate so it can get noisy.

The staff were very responsive

This hotel was okay. It's clean and located near lots of attractions. We chose it because it had a relatively affordable suite w/a small 'extra' room for our teen. As for the hang-ups, we'll start w/parking. It was an absolute nightmare every night. We understand it's not the hotel's fault per se, and we're not so privileged as to expect front door availability in a downtown area, but holy crap, every night was stressful, driving around for 15-30 minutes just hoping to see a car somewhere within a five block radius pull out. Other items: we never received turndown service (7 nights), the convenience of Air B/B-style check-in/out and lack of front desk people left a bit to be desired, they do provide coffee and snacks in the morning though. Most notable: $200+ in hidden fees charged after paying in advance (and no, we didn't pay per view, there's no bar in the rooms, etc.).

The quiet hours were not abided by in this property. The room next to us was up partying until 5am. Walls are paper thin. With no staff on property there is no accountability to the rules. And no one to call. The moment it turned 10am our codes for the doors stopped working and I got locked out, trying to bring the bags to our car. When I called the number provided no one answered. Luckily my partner was still inside. I tried to call the number provided many times with no response. Rooms were clean and spacious. Very walkable to many bars and restaurants. Street parking was fairly easy.

Hard to put a number on this review. Stayed here for 1 night as we were stopping over in San Diego before flying onwards. The negative - we were provided two door codes when arriving, since the hotel is unstaffed in the evening. The front door code worked fine, the room code did not. We were unable to get a response from the property via the provided email and phone number. Thankfully hotels.com support did manage to get a response from them and after ~30 minutes we were able to access the room via a new code. The positives - everything else! Convenient location for Little Italy. Huge room for the price/location, and pretty comfortable. Great social areas and selection of tea/coffee and breakfast snacks. If we hadn't had issues when checking-in, would be a 5* review.

The communication provided prior to check-in made my arrival and check in super easy. I was greeted upon arrival and offered a glass of wine. The room was clean, spacious and very comfortable. Located right in the heart of little Italy being spoilt for choice when it comes to good food, it was also super easy to get around without a car.

Good location. The electronic passcodes did not work. Couldn’t get into the hotel after leaving had to knock on the door to be let in by a tenant. No staff and not responsive when calling for assistance. Will not repeat.

Great value for money. Very good location. Jeff, the concierge was wonderful

Seamless self check-in, friendly staff, & affordable rooms (with no drop-off in quality whatsoever) are some of the reasons I’ll be back to this property again. They send you instructions on checking in the day you check in & it was incredibly easy to do so as well as check out.

A nightmare trying to gain entry. As, no code was received, and after travelling for the best part of 17 hours, this was the last thing that I needed. Especially as it was getting dark. After spending about 15 minutes on the phone trying various methods of obtaining a code, I was eventually let in, and found a lady at a desk who said she was waiting for me. I was then able to provide her with my details. Self service check in, is not a good idea. Another negative, is that one needs three separate codes. One to access the court yard, another to enter the building, and a third to gain access to ones room. Please, please, simplify things. Furthermore, a colleague had an even worse experience than me, in obtaining access.

This place is very misleadingly advertised as a hotel, but in reality, it’s more like a hostel—and not a great one at that. There’s no parking, and the nearby options they recommend are ridiculously expensive. Upon arrival, we didn’t get the entry codes and had to chase someone down just to access our room. When we finally got a response, the codes were wrong, and it took us about 45 minutes to even get inside. The “virtual” front desk was unresponsive and extremely difficult to deal with. On top of that, they tacked on about $100 in hidden fees after we booked. Some rooms don’t even have private bathrooms—you’re expected to use a shared, communal one, which was never disclosed beforehand. The shower had no door, the bathroom window had no curtain, and there’s no elevator—so prepare to haul your luggage up multiple sets of stairs. The “amenities” they charge you for are basically useless. To make it worse, the fridge had employee meals in it with handwritten notes saying “Don’t Touch.” Not exactly a welcoming touch. The walls are paper thin, so you’ll hear everything going on in the rooms around you. Between the lack of communication, surprise fees, misleading marketing, and uncomfortable setup, this was a really frustrating stay. I would not recommend it to anyone expecting an actual hotel experience.

It was a good spot close to little Italy and waterfront park which we attended for a festival.

Very clean and quiet. Staff was helpful and friendly. Only a short walk to get to all the restaurants so it's perfect for an evening walk to go get some dinner. About 15 minute walk to get to the harbor. Will definitely be staying again in the future

Adorable boutique hotel super close to Little Italy. Also a quick drive to the airport, zoo, Balboa Park and more.

Very convenient location in Little Italy, with tons of things to do within walking distance. Like anything in the area there is traffic and airport noise. Didn’t bother me, but they do provide ear plugs if needed. Very easy electronic checkin. Small room, but clean and affordable. May not work for everyone, but perfect for my needs.

Easy check in. Good communication. Great location. Close to lots of restaurants and bars, and can drive to most attractions within 10 minutes. Nice hotel. Older building that has been completely renovated. Highly recommend it.

Hotel Zindel is two blocks west of India Street – the Heart of Little Italy & a 10 minute drive from the airport. It's on the corner of a busy street & under the airport flight path. Ear plugs were provided, & I had no issues w/ noise. Check in was “okay.” You need 3 codes to access your room.There is no parking lot.The hotel is quaint and historical. There is a game room downstairs w/ a kitche, ice & extra coffee supplies. The “Queen Classic” room is about 13’ x 13’ & might feel cramped for two adults.There is no place to sit other than the bed. The bed was wonderful! The mattress felt like memory foam & was comfortable w/ extra pillows.Came w/ own private bathroom, but not all rooms do & share w/ other rooms.Use caution when booking.The bathroom is roomy w/ a tiny sink. There are no shelves or any place to put hygiene items. No drawers or storage space.I had to put everything on one nightstand. If you use a blowdryer & need a mirror, bring an extension cord. There are no outlets in the bathroom and no other mirrors.There is a fridge, Keurig w/supplies (no creamer) & a small safe. I pushed my suitcases against the door at night bc there is no inside lock, which made me uncomfortable. Nice Samsung TV, ceiling fan & portable AC/heater w/ remote. Comes w/ blow dryer, iron, & white noise maker. The room didn’t smell & the linens were clean. I didn’t really hear anyone other than some movement in the room above mine, but nothing crazy. My overall experience was 3 out of 5 stars.

Great location

Hotel Zindel does the trick! GREAT location, with super comfortable beds and convenient check-in/out, this is a great option for just passing through or staying a few days.

My AC was out, they upgraded me to a different room immediately. Great! Location is perfect for a more relaxing San Diego Experience with little Italy dining options and the harbor right down the road.

Was able to walk to all restaurants and bars

This hotel was extremely clean, nice and comfortable! Super easy to check in. Please keep in mind, it’s not your typical hotel where you are greeted by a hotel worker. They send you your codes. Coffee and a little lounge area are available. They even have a pool table available to use. There isn’t any elevator so be aware of having to use stairs (wasn’t an issue for us). I loved our stay, and definitely will be coming back! Thank you!

The no contact check in worked well. Beautiful out door set up and bright and pleasant entry hall. Good boutique style hotel feeling. A nice cafe setting rec room with a pool table and coffee tea complement is a plus.

The communication provided prior to check-in made my arrival and check in super easy. I was greeted upon arrival and offered a glass of wine. The room was clean, spacious and very comfortable. Located right in the heart of little Italy being spoilt for choice when it comes to good food, it was also super easy to get around without a car.

We have stayed at this location three times before and it was always wonderful this time. There was absolutely no one available for us when we arrived. We had to call to get our security code to be let into the building. There is no one on the premises except for cleaning staff in the morning at certain times if you can catch them The snack breakfast that is supposed to be there every morning was there two of the three days and very limited from the other times we stayed at Hotel Zindel we needed clean towels. We requested them early in the morning by going through the hotline phone number and we did not get them when we arrive late that night we were given the code to get into the room next to us that was unoccupied to take their towels. The ceiling fan in the bathroom was opened not covered and very shabby looking. There was a cut out neck on the vanity and the toilet paper holder was also looking like it was never finished. . The ceiling fan in the bathroom was opened not covered and very shabby looking. There was an cut out neck on the vanity and the toilet paper holder was also looking like it was never finished. I have no idea how the TV worked. It looked like you could only get TV from 30 years ago nothing local.

Really good value. Rooms well equipped. Lots of extras such as beverages, books, pool table etc

It was easy to reach staff via text, so contactless check-in/stay was convenient. Bathroom floor could have been less dusty/dirty, but that was understandable considering it was a shared bathroom and therefore multiple people were walking in/out and using it. Overall, nice room and stay!

I was very surprised with the quality and the price, I got a deal on Expedia and only paid $50 for one night. It was beautiful, quiet, and it was nice once you turned on the A/C and huge fan above the bed, the private bathroom was clean with modern but classic look to it and was very beautiful all around. Outside the room there was the main entrance with their waterfall and off to the side a lounge area with complimentary snacks a coffee station ready to go for those that need to get out early and fast like me for flights. I would definitely recommend this to anyone traveling or just wanting to adventure while visiting San Diego. Its also great for those with social anxiety because everything is self serve and done through text. 10/10 recommended and will return.

Cute hotel not far away from things to do. Modern furniture, great a/c, and a very comfortable bed. The kitchen was a plus. We had fun playing games in the game room downstairs before we went out for the evening. It was stocked with coffee and water. My only complaint was that the towels were not great (they were a little rough) and extra counter space in the bathroom would have been nice. The staff was great and response time to texts were immediate. Very friendly and helpful. It was perfect for our stay and we would stay there again.

Room was great- bedding was high quality and comfortable. Walk in shower, spacious bathroom was great. Towels were low quality- small, rough and quantity was low. Nice amenities with water, lots of coffee available, outdoor space, wine and chocolate. Parking was not available and it makes it difficult to recommend unless you don’t mind the hassle of finding parking. Next to on ramp to the interstate so it can get noisy.

The code to get in our room didn’t work! Thank goodness a nice man just happened to be getting towels for the people next door. He had a key and let us in. He was able to fix it and we got a new code! The sink in our bathroom was very tiny and there was no place to plug anything in, like a curling iron. It was very helpful that the man also told us about the basement where we could get ice. The basement area added an nice extra touch with actual glasses, bottled water and snacks!