We had such a lovely time at the Kings Inn San Diego and genuinely enjoyed our five-night stay. The Amigo Spot bartender made a fantastic margarita, and the omelettes at the Waffle Spot were delicious! My only restaurant suggestion would be to add a gluten-free bread option.

I especially want to recognize Ryan, who was by far our favorite staff member. He was incredibly friendly, helpful, patient, professional, and genuinely seemed to care about the guests. Ryan deserves a raise! Employees like him are exactly what make people want to return.

Unfortunately, our experience with three other front-desk employees was completely different. Their attitudes were consistently negative and unwelcoming. One gentleman was particularly rude when I asked for help getting my large stroller down the stairs. I was carrying my infant, my 9 year old was with me, and he told me he couldn’t leave his post because he’d get in trouble. I completely understand that employees have responsibilities and may not be able to leave the desk, but there was absolutely no reason to speak to me the way he did.

The two other front-desk employees were frequently on their phones and also had very unpleasant attitudes. Their behavior was so consistently negative that I actually started taking another route through the hotel just to avoid interacting with them.

That’s a serious problem for a hotel. Guests should feel welcomed, not like they’re inconveniencing the people working the front desk.

I really hope management takes this feedback seriously and reviews these employees’ interactions with guests. A few employees shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow the many great employees who are creating a wonderful experience.

One final shout-out: there was a very sweet woman at checkout at 11 AM on 9/30. I unfortunately didn’t catch her name, but she was lovely and I wish we’d encountered her earlier during our stay!

Despite the front desk issues, we had a wonderful overall stay and would absolutely consider coming back. Please give Ryan a raise. He was fantastic! ❤️

This place was fabulous! The room was clean and quiet, the staff was super nice, and the pool was fantastic – big, deep, clean, and pretty, with a hot tub nearby. This place has a retro, motor lodge vibe, and I mean that in the best possible way. Also the onsite breakfast place, the Waffle Spot, was as good as everyone says it is. The retro decor was awesome, the server was nice, and the food was delish. I would love to come back and do it all over again!

This is an older motel, but it’s exceptionally well maintained. Every front desk staff member we interacted with was friendly and welcoming. A special shoutout to Vebs, who kindly accommodated our request to switch rooms. Location was mostly quiet, with an occasionally loud engine here and there.

Housekeeping was excellent. They didn’t just replace the towels, but also swept the floors and made the beds every day. Their attention to detail definitely earned our tips.

A few things to know before you book: parking is $15 per night, and if you’d like a microwave in your room, it’s an additional $5 per night. Otherwise, there is a communal microwave located near the ice machines by the pool.

I agree with other reviews that the bathroom is quite small. My husband and I are both on the shorter side, and even we found the layout around the door and toilet a little awkward. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, though.

Our kids absolutely loved the pool and hot tub. They also had a blast playing with the pool toys that previous guests had left behind.

Overall, we had a great stay and would definitely stay here again!