Name: Hostel on 3rd
Address: 542 3rd avenue, San Diego, California, United States of America, San Diego, Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District, US
Price range: US$66–US$79 per night
Rating: 8.5

What guests think

Reviews of Hostel on 3rd describe a budget, dorm-style stay in a central, walkable area, with basic facilities, mixed staff interactions, frequent cleanliness concerns, and recurring issues around parking, check-in rules, and deposits.

Some guests appreciated the affordable price, respectful vibe, and occasionally helpful or accommodating staff. Multiple reviews report poor hygiene, stained or uncomfortable mattresses, odors, and even bed bugs, alongside dated rooms and maintenance problems like broken fans or fixtures. Policies and service feel inconsistent to several reviewers, with limited amenities, no on-site parking, late check-in windows, and deposit return complaints. Expect a no-frills hostel suited to short, budget stays if you can accept variable service and cleanliness.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities are basic, with a simple lobby and shared kitchen; several reviews note no on-site parking and reliance on nearby street or paid options.

Related guest reviews

10

Cynthia

1 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Good location. I liked the kitchen and refrigerator.

8

Jordan

6 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location and great staff! Otherwise its your typical budget hostel experience. One thing I noticed, they skimp on the community soap. Soap for washing dishes and bathroom soap for hand washing have a lot of water added. Probably not sanitary. Probably violating some health code. I’m sure they have issues with patrons abusing the soap for personal bathing, but skimping is not the solution.

2

Gilda

9 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The energy was horrible the staff was not understanding of situation. They no parking you have to pay in the street. Do not waste your time and money!!!!!!

2

Haleen

18 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Couldn’t find parking, didn’t even check in because the parking was ridiculous. I spent 45 mins trying to find parking outside of hotel, called and was told to park outside in street even though there was no parking. DO NOT RECOMMEND HOTEL AT ALL. WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME. O NOT STAY HERE!!!!!

4

Linda

11 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The owner does the bare minimum with the building and it's really not a comfortable or a welcoming feeling. He's not taking care of the bedding, the fixtures in the bathroom aren't cleaned by staff. The Kitchen isn't pleasant. He not a pleasant man to talk too 😞. There's no elevator, you have to enter through another door outside and walk upstairs on a dirty carpet. So it's not handicapped accessible 😞. Plus the check in hours start at 4 pm and end at midnight. I have to be honest because I travel and have enjoyed other Hostels because the atmosphere was joyful 😊.

10

Teresa

28 May 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great vive!! Loved walk-in shower room. Reception area delightful. Had ventilation issues; ceiling fan in room seemed to be broken for long time; window had raggedy 1/5th vintage screen, toilet handle broken (unreplaced). Upon removing fitted sheet, mattress was disgusting with stains; Make sure you get a receipt for Deposit!!

6

Mark

17 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

From the lobby/community area it seemed pretty nice. Unfortunately, the age requirement (18) was not transparent on Expedia when I booked a room for my 16yr old daughter and myself, so we were unable to stay. I am STILL hoping for a Refund...

4

Jocelyne

12 May 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

During the weekend it's great but the week day brought the crazy's and the homeless. They do not have parking like it states however there is parking near by; free on the weekends and late night, pay for limited spot and pay attention to signs for street sweeping. Which will have you moving your car early mornings 3 times a week. It's boring, there was no excitement, and yet I hardly got any rest.

8

Ricardo

17 Jun 2023

·

Nice spot with the basics. Hostel staff was nice and friendly and offered help with CBX input and information.Basics include bed (shared with 3 other guests), Breakfast in the morning, walk-in shower/sink/toilet, and nice lobby. Location is a really quick uber drive to CBX, if planning to take TJ International airport. It is a good and nice simple place for a quick stop. Will use again in the future.

4

Azhar

6 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor sanitation. Little to no amenities. No breakfast.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is a recurring complaint: reports of odors, dust, grime, stained mattresses, and even bed bugs in multiple reviews. A few guests noted clean bathrooms or overall cleanliness, but most feedback trends negative.

Related guest reviews

6

murshida

30 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not so clean

4

Deann

5 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 11 nights

The room smell strong of vagrants. The linens which was supposed to be clean smell like vagrants. The dirty sheets stayed on the bed after people left. Fresh air cannot come into the room so it was do stuffy. And the people at the desk downstairs were not nice.

2

Juliana

27 Aug 2022

·

Stayed 7 nights

bed bugs, smells terrible, is horrible, dont stay here

8

Imani

25 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The hostel was older but maintained. The bathrooms were clean and the staff was very friendly.

2

Pascal

24 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Horrible, very dirty

4

Linda

11 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The owner does the bare minimum with the building and it's really not a comfortable or a welcoming feeling. He's not taking care of the bedding, the fixtures in the bathroom aren't cleaned by staff. The Kitchen isn't pleasant. He not a pleasant man to talk too 😞. There's no elevator, you have to enter through another door outside and walk upstairs on a dirty carpet. So it's not handicapped accessible 😞. Plus the check in hours start at 4 pm and end at midnight. I have to be honest because I travel and have enjoyed other Hostels because the atmosphere was joyful 😊.

10

Teresa

28 May 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great vive!! Loved walk-in shower room. Reception area delightful. Had ventilation issues; ceiling fan in room seemed to be broken for long time; window had raggedy 1/5th vintage screen, toilet handle broken (unreplaced). Upon removing fitted sheet, mattress was disgusting with stains; Make sure you get a receipt for Deposit!!

4

Sylvia

19 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff & guests are friendly and keep to themselves. It’s a walkable location for shopping and nightlife too. However, the unsanitary conditions were too much. While I understand that this is an old property, that’s not an excuse for the general uncleanliness. There were layers of dust everywhere, completely stained mattresses, and pillows with holes too. This is a communal living space, practicing frugality, and that’s ok. It’s not ok to have a stack of filthy oven mitts in the kitchen though. I went into the bathroom and someone had sprayed disinfectant but didn’t bother to wipe it up with a clean cloth. They launder the sheets, but you also have to mop, dust, repair water damaged walls, clean the windows, and remove blackened carpet on the stairs too. Nobody deserves to sleep in filth no matter how cheap the room is.

2

robert

12 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

BED BUGS EVERYWHERE!!!! AND THE SHEETS SMELLED LIKE SOMEONE HAD PEED ON THEM 30 TIMES OVER!!! ***DO NOT STAY HERE***

4

Azhar

6 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor sanitation. Little to no amenities. No breakfast.

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Rooms

Rooms are dated and hostel-simple, with bunk setups and varying comfort; some mention small spaces, poor ventilation, and worn mattresses or fixtures.

Related guest reviews

10

myren

30 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

great place to if your just looking for a place to crash while your staying in Gaslamp walking around or going to the bars

10

Marconi

21 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Comfortable

6

Johnny Andrés Velandia

3 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

The location is perfect, I think is better put the private toilet for every room.

8

Imani

25 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The hostel was older but maintained. The bathrooms were clean and the staff was very friendly.

10

Ward

15 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

If you ever stayed in a hostel before, this one seemed to be about middle of the road. The location is fantastic for attending conferences at the convention center, and Street it's on is very quiet and safe, so the best of the both worlds.

2

Marsha

29 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

The room was small as a jail cell, the furniture looked scary to sit on, the mattress was terrible you felt every spring! They water down the liquid soap in bathrooms and in kitchen. The room felt like a sauna! I will NEVER stay there again

10

Teresa

28 May 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great vive!! Loved walk-in shower room. Reception area delightful. Had ventilation issues; ceiling fan in room seemed to be broken for long time; window had raggedy 1/5th vintage screen, toilet handle broken (unreplaced). Upon removing fitted sheet, mattress was disgusting with stains; Make sure you get a receipt for Deposit!!

8

Lisa

21 May 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

It was decent nice bunk mates and staff was helpful.

8

Ricardo

17 Jun 2023

·

Nice spot with the basics. Hostel staff was nice and friendly and offered help with CBX input and information.Basics include bed (shared with 3 other guests), Breakfast in the morning, walk-in shower/sink/toilet, and nice lobby. Location is a really quick uber drive to CBX, if planning to take TJ International airport. It is a good and nice simple place for a quick stop. Will use again in the future.

8

Jorge

12 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It’s a hostel so stuff is old, if you’re good with that, this place is great for the price.

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Service

Service feedback is mixed: several guests praise friendly, accommodating staff, while others report rude interactions, check-in problems, strict or unclear policies, and deposit or ID issues.

Related guest reviews

2

Daniel

15 May 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor customer service. I will never be booking with them again.

2

Judith

24 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

They wouldn't let me check in. Nothing made sense. All paid for, reserved and just turned away! Said to go back to Expedia for refund. Terrible experience.

10

Michael

26 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

James- the manager and staff were all very nice and really helpful accommodating & professional. Be sure to check out by 11am otherwise you can lose your $20 deposit

2

Alejandro

6 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Horrible customer service

8

Ian

17 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Susie was great to deal with and very accommodating to our requests. The vibe at the place was tame but also the other guests were respectful and helpful. Great location and walkable to everything.

2

Woolly Junior

2 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

They made me wait more 1 hour to check In. The guy told me he had to wait for his boss to know which room were available. Besides, If you check out before 8am, forget your deposit. They open at 8am and nobody will be there to give you those 20 dollars back. I had a flight to take a 5 am. Nobody was a the front desk. I just dropped the keys and left.

10

Victor

24 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

I had to book this last minute trip and I booked it so fast that I didn't realize I added an extra person to my stay when I didn't need it. Chris and James were so thoughtful and offered to give me an extra night too stay for my mistake. I was amazed, their kindness and thoughtfulness is very much appreciated. I'll come back for sure. The staff is kind and welcoming.

2

Jamal

26 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Front desk attendant was indirect & rude with their service...

8

Lisa

21 May 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

It was decent nice bunk mates and staff was helpful.

10

Elizabeth

3 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great Customer Service

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Location

Location is central and walkable to downtown and the convention center, which many guests value. A few note a visible homeless presence and street-parking hassles nearby.

Related guest reviews

10

myren

30 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

great place to if your just looking for a place to crash while your staying in Gaslamp walking around or going to the bars

10

Brian

3 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Perfect location.

10

Kevin

27 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Very convenient!

6

Natalie G

10 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Close to downtown

10

Ward

15 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

If you ever stayed in a hostel before, this one seemed to be about middle of the road. The location is fantastic for attending conferences at the convention center, and Street it's on is very quiet and safe, so the best of the both worlds.

8

Ian

17 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Susie was great to deal with and very accommodating to our requests. The vibe at the place was tame but also the other guests were respectful and helpful. Great location and walkable to everything.

2

Michael

28 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

I could not park in a safe area. There were homeless people and shady looking characters wandering around looking into parked car windows. So I left and did not check in. I would like a refund.

4

Jocelyne

12 May 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

During the weekend it's great but the week day brought the crazy's and the homeless. They do not have parking like it states however there is parking near by; free on the weekends and late night, pay for limited spot and pay attention to signs for street sweeping. Which will have you moving your car early mornings 3 times a week. It's boring, there was no excitement, and yet I hardly got any rest.

8

Ricardo

17 Jun 2023

·

Nice spot with the basics. Hostel staff was nice and friendly and offered help with CBX input and information.Basics include bed (shared with 3 other guests), Breakfast in the morning, walk-in shower/sink/toilet, and nice lobby. Location is a really quick uber drive to CBX, if planning to take TJ International airport. It is a good and nice simple place for a quick stop. Will use again in the future.

10

Brahim

22 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Good location..clean place ...manager help full

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Dining

Not enough information in reviews.

Related guest reviews

8

Ricardo

17 Jun 2023

·

Nice spot with the basics. Hostel staff was nice and friendly and offered help with CBX input and information.Basics include bed (shared with 3 other guests), Breakfast in the morning, walk-in shower/sink/toilet, and nice lobby. Location is a really quick uber drive to CBX, if planning to take TJ International airport. It is a good and nice simple place for a quick stop. Will use again in the future.

4

Azhar

6 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor sanitation. Little to no amenities. No breakfast.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	US$74
February	US$70
March	US$63
April	US$59
May	US$61
June	US$60
July	US$65
August	US$80
September	US$31
October	US$38
November	US$45
December	US$62

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15 $66	16 $70	17 $75	18 $70	19 $69
20 $69	21 $71	22 $71	23 $75	24 $76	25 $70	26 $70
27 $70	28 $76	29 $75	30 $75

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $70	2 $76	3 $70
4 $75	5 $70	6 $76	7 $74	8 $75	9 $76	10 $76
11 $79	12 $77	13 $77	14 $77	15 $77	16 $77	17 $76
18 $77	19 $77	20 $78	21 $76	22 $77	23 $77	24 $76
25 $77	26 $77	27 $76	28 $77	29 $77	30 $77	31 $76

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Twin Standard

Bed in Dormitory Female Room

Bed in Dormitory Standard

Bed in Dormitory Capacity 4

Guest reviews

Very good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about Hostel on 3rd

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Prices for upcoming dates