4444 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, California, United States | (888) 399-9863
A 10-minute walk from Old Town San Diego
Rooms have flat-screen TVs with DVD players and premium channels
Heated swimming pool with lounge chairs and parasols
Free buffet breakfast plus on-site parking
Some
rooms have self-catering facilities
Free Wi-Fi throuhgout
On a busy highway
Unattractive industrial surroundings
Old Town Inn is a motel-like, Spanish-style budget property that's been run by the same family for three generations, since the 1940s. Its most obvious drawback is its unattractive industrial surroundings and highway setting -- however Old Town San Diego and its Transit Center are just 10 minutes away on foot. Rooms are unremarkable, but the inn has a few perks: notably free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking plus a DVD library. There's also a swimming pool.
Scene
Family-run Spanish-style motel with mid-20th-century heritage
The Old Town Inn dates back to 1945 when the Pacific Highway had a long line of motels to accommodate travelers en route between Los Angeles and Mexico. While the scene has since changed dramatically, the family-run hotel still manages to cling on to some of its original mid-century charm. The property consists of an older section with a more modern extension, both of which are built in the old Spanish Colonial style and set in grounds dotted with plenty of palm trees, tropical shrubbery, and clusters of colorful flowers. The inn is most popular with tourists on a budget who want to be near San Diego's Old Town.
Location
In an industrial area separated from Old Town by Pacific Highway
While the hotel is not actually in the Old Town as the name might lead guests to believe, it is close by, a 10-minute walk from the hotel across the busy Pacific Highway. The immediate surroundings are mainly industrial and consist primarily of warehouses and body shops. The colossal Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command building sits opposite. The Old Town Transit Center, which provides public transport connections throughout the city and beyond, is a 10-minute walk away. Downtown San Diego takes just seven minutes by car without traffic, while the San Diego International Airport takes 10 minutes to reach.
Rooms
Spacious but generic rooms with flat-screen TVs and DVD players, plus a suite with a whirlpool tub
The hotel has 73 rooms split between the original and newer sections of the property. The older rooms are only accessible via a sidewalk running by the busy Pacific Highway. Most rooms are spacious and have generic decor and furnishings, while amenities include free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs with HBO and DVD players -- there is a free movie library at reception. Some rooms also provide simple self-catering facilities for longer-term stays and one suite includes a whirlpool tub. Despite its proximity to the busy highway the noise isn't too bad, however some traffic sounds are inevitable in road-side rooms.
Features
Buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, and a DVD library, all free of charge
The hotel prides itself on providing lots of free services and extras, and all guests get a free buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi, on-site parking, and use of DVDs. There is also a pleasant terrace with a heated swimming pool lined with lounge chairs and parasols, next to which is a barbecue grill that guests are welcome to use. The inn also offers coin-operated laundry facilities.