Name: Surfer Beach Hotel
Address: 711 Pacific Beach Drive, San Diego, 92109, US

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2026

Ivan

Great little place, helpful staff, amazing location in the beach, litterally.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2026

Charissa

.

4/10

Poor

22 Jul 2026

Newton

My stay at the Surfer beach hotel was not as expected. The staff was great & friendly. But the room we booked was not was as expected. The ac didn’t work well, the sink drain was plugged and the room was a little outdated for the price. What was a great amenity was that the beach was right next to the hotel.

6/10

Pleasant

20 Jul 2026

Paul

The room was outdated even though we got the “updated” room on the 3rd floor. We were there 3 nights and there was no room service for towels or emptying trash while we were there. But the view was awesome. We slept with the door open and could see and hear the ocean. Just a few steps around the hotel and we were on the beach. Fantastic location which trumps the mediocre room. It was clean though!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jul 2026

James

Very underwhelming for the cost. The only thing this place has going for it is the location. Mattresses are caved in and need updating. The TVs are also small old with less than basic cable(maybe 20 channels).

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jul 2026

Victoria

Room was ok. Bed & pillows were comfortable. This is a pet friendly hotel, so pet hair was found on the floor. I get it, I have pets, however it was everywhere as if the floors were not swept for the next guest. No iron, ironing board or blow dryer in the room. You have to request for it, or take your own; there is enough storage space, and the microwave and mini fridge is convenient to have when staying for several days.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Matthew

My go to place to stay in SD. Can’t be beat.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2026

Lorena

Love this place so much it’s so beautiful and conveniently close to the shore and so kid friendly I honestly would not stay anywhere else

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jul 2026

Lisa

Our bathroom sink never drained, and the ac unit sounded like a 737 taking off but the hotel is convienent for the beach and having little kids. The staff has been amazing, for the money they def need to upgrade the ac’s

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jul 2026

Michael

Can’t beat the location. Literally on the beach. Rooms are nice and the pool is temperature controlled so even if you don’t want to be on the beach, can still swim. Views are perfect

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

18 Jul 2026

Nilesh

Location is great, hotel is a bit dated and needs some tlc and lacked some cleanliness.

Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2026

Melissa

The hotel is just adequate. No frills, very sparse furnishing. The sheets and towels are clean. The view and location are phenomenal but the parking is a MESS! It’s expensive and the parking spots are ridiculously small, very uncomfortable situation. I realize the third party company is greedy, trying to fit as many spots as possible in a tiny space. However, with the price point of this hotel, it’s unacceptable that this is what the property makes available to their guests. As well, it would be nice to have beach chairs and umbrellas available for guests.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

lorena

Very clean, close to the beach, comfortable beds, close to the restaurants and bars, very nice staff.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2026

Tami

X

Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

Maria

We stayed 3 nights. The first night, we had an incident at the parking lot with a drunk man. The staff was prompt to assisting us and made an extraordinary effort to make our stay pleasant. Teresa, the operations manager, offered us a beautiful suite at no extra charge. My husband suffers from ALS and it is difficult for him to walk or displace himself in the wheelchair as he depends on a device to help him breathe. With this said, what Teresa did without even knowing it, was to give my husband the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful view from the comfort of the suite. I like to thank all the staff for all that they did for us but specially for my hubby. THANK YOU Teresa! Angel at the welcome desk was also very helpful, funny, and friendly.Blessings are coming your way.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2026

Jessica

Hot/cold are backwards in the shower. Had to have maintenance come up the first day because the shower was clogged and backing up. The “front desk” button on the room phone calls another room, not the front desk.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

12 Jul 2026

Alex

Security around the property is an issue.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Jul 2026

Todd

Great location!

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

08 Jul 2026

Anita

I’m really shocked at how high the reviews were. And it was really expensive for what it was.

Here’s what’s great: right on the beach and walkable to a bunch of spots. The staff was very sweet. And helpful.

Everything else not great:

- it’s a old motel with a paint job. The walls are paper thin, our door was ground floor facing parking lot (ie not feeling safe for most solo female travelers). We could hear our neighbors upstairs LOUDLY.

- the floors were sandy. The door was beaten in.

- the shower was an old 70s shower in every way.

- there are no real “amenities” to speak of. Usually when a place is “kitschy “ they try to make up for it with high quality bedroom sheets/bedding/dedor and bath stuff. Nope.

- the AC was a huge portable unit in the corner with a massive pipe coming out of it. It was SO loud. We could hear all the neighbors machines going on and off all night.

So not good for business travelers, not good for solo female travelers, not good for people expecting more from at 8+ hotel. Also paid close to $300. Seriously may have been jipped. Would have all made sense if the rating was a 6-7 and the room was $125.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

08 Jul 2026

September

Location is everything! The surfer has been there for ages, they need to use some of the money to upgrade the rooms. You can’t tell me they’re not making money handover fist there the TV never worked had to ask fresh towels every day. But you can’t beat the view.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2026

Daniel

place was great. had a perfect room next to the gate that lead straight to the beach.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2026

Ariane

Staff were phenomenal!

However, the room needs help, shower, needs to be updated— it smelled moldy and looked dirty and that’s because it’s outdated I believe. Walls are dirty. Stayed because of the holiday weekend & beach was accessible.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

05 Jul 2026

Tinsley

Looks nothing like the pictures. Counters in room were sticky. Only a portable a/c units in the room. Coffee pot dirty. Zero amenities in rooms. Towels leave white fuzz all over you and do not absorb any water. Staff is not helpful nor do they smile. Only plus is that it is on the beach.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2026

lindsey

Amazing place to stay right on the beach!!!

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2026

Gabriel

Housekeeping is done on a daily basis. Only done when the guests check out. Staff was nice and friendly. Beach view was good (center view) and environment was mostly quiet. Aic conditioning was good. Limited towels, internet connection was not great. Per staff, the structure causes very limited access, even when using their wifi. Balcony was a decent size.

Self

8/10

Excellent

05 Jul 2026

Alex

👍

4/10

Poor

05 Jul 2026

Maria

Great location

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2026

BRYNN

Beautiful location! Amazing staff. My dream vacation. Would return and again and again

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

03 Jul 2026

Nicole Renee

All is good it just needs more shelf space and a table w chairs to eat would be nice! The

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2026

Mayra Cortes

Great ocean view from room.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

01 Jul 2026

Kirsten

We liked that the hotel was on the beach! Beds were comfy but they were full size beds. Small rooms, not enough hand towels or bathing towels. Four people to a room and we were supplied with three towels. Sink smelt like sewage. My hotel view was over the roof where the air conditioner sat.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

01 Jul 2026

Leanna

Upon arrival wasnt impressed with the property but location was great. They definitely take advantage of that. Parking was 75.00 no security. (Homeless and not safe) arrived in hotel, ac unit is a small bulky home unit, bed spread was dirty. Sandy floor. No hair dryer. Room wasnt cleaned and had to get my own TP and towels. I called numerous times to front desk with no answer. Had to walk 4 flights of stairs down becase elevator was so slow. I asked the clerk why our room wasnt cleaned and requested my needs and he said that i had to request a room cleaning. What hotel that costs close to 400 a night has this policy?
Dont stay here!!!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Terry

Always love The Surfer

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2026

Magy

you're basically paying for the location at this property. The hotel itself is old and our room was fine but the bathroom was tiny and the floor was saggy. Shower was small as well. The pool area was basic and around it was pretty junky. But being steps to the beach and cool shops, eateries was amazing. Parking was expensive for just being a basic lot. We had Angel check us in and he was amazing so props to him!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Frankie

My birthday weekend!

Amazing staff!
I arrived super early and was able to check my bag. When I returned from exploring, my room was ready early!
My room was clean, spacious and quiet!
I had lunch at the attached restaurant, World’s Famous.
Everything was awesome and I would definitely stay here again!
Thank you!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2026

Cartay

Beach view

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jun 2026

Betsy

There was no hair dryer or tissues in the room, and there wasn't a full set of towels. Location is noisy , which may be inevitable as it's right on the beach. Associated restaurant was good.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2026

Heather

Great place to stay. Simple, clean, friendly staff and right on the beach!

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jun 2026

Robert

It’s alright. Close to the beach. Rooms fairly clean. Staff and parking not so great.

6/10

Pleasant

25 Jun 2026

Gregory

The hotel was in a crowded area. The parking is horrible. The hotel is a little out dated. The beds were not the sizes they claimed. Two queen beds were actually two full size beds. The room key just stopped working. The staff were nice and took care of it. Last thing, the A/C was a little noisy.

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Jun 2026

Rhonda

Staff was great, room was clean, view was terrible. The room was next to the laundry and across from the elevator. The view from the room balcony was a staircase to another suite and the rooftop maintenance equipment. Given all that I would stay there again and just ask for a different room.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

24 Jun 2026

Ellen

Location is exceptional cleanliness not so great Daily parking fees high. No hair dryers in the room Hallways leading to room never vacuumed. Bathrooms shower tiny

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2026

Laurie

We love this property - especially being right on the boardwalk and falling asleep to the oven sounds.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jun 2026

Leila

I like the access to the beach. The rooms definitely needed cleaning and upkeep. Walls, refrigerator, and baseboards were dirty. Stairwell and elevator in dire need of cleaning.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jun 2026

Leila

I like the access to the beach. The rooms definitely needed cleaning and upkeep. Walls, refrigerator, and baseboards were dirty. Stairwell and elevator in dire need of cleaning. Beds were clean & comfortable.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

LaVinda

Location was amazing, staff was amazing

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jun 2026

Diana

I love this hotel. I will choose this every time I visit. I’ve never had a bad experience.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2026

Greg

Great beach view. Wonderful staff. My dog had the best time. We will stay here again next year!

Pet

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Nicholas

Great stay, right on the beach for a reasonable rate. I had a nice ocean view after they were nice enough to upgrade me for my birthday. Very nice staff!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Frank

Ali and hunter we amazing made our stay very comfortable

Self

8/10

Excellent

18 Jun 2026

Jared

Awesome older beach front hotel. Room was clean enough in the needed areas. Floors were not spotless but it didn’t effect our feelings of the place will definitely return!!

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jun 2026

Terry

I just always stay here. I feel safe and I am on the water and next to Woody’s.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jun 2026

Elanca

It was quiet and relaxing. Everything was within walking distance. I’d highly recommend staying here and I plan on staying again very soon.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Venessa

Alex at the front desk was amazing at our check-in! He hooked us up with a great room with a view of the ocean, gave us a free dessert VIP card for the restaurant attached to the hotel, and had a great rapport. The room was clean and was close to the boardwalk. Great stay!

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

16 Jun 2026

Mark

Everything smelled, no /c or heat, very limited T.V. stations, parking terrible & expensive,

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jun 2026

Rachelle

The room was clean, which was the most important thing to me other than the proximity to the beach. However, the parking was a nightmare. We planned to hang out at the beach after checkout and just assumed we could pay to stay parked there. There was not even an option to pay for it, even though the parking lot was essentially empty. The front desk was pretty rude about it as well. It just seems like there should be an option to pay for additional time in the parking lot, if there is space for it.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2026

Ibrahim

Great location by the beach and very friendly staff

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

Donald

Enjoyed the stay, great access to the beach!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Juliette

The location was the best! You could walk out and the beach was right there. The walk to shops and restaurants was excellent. Very close to the grocery too.
Our room wasn’t the cleanest and the AC wasn’t that cold. No hair dryer on the whole property so bring your own!
We had a great stay and would stay here again for the beach location. I would say a 3 star hotel is about right in the rating!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Charles

Location is awesome. So nice to be able to walk right out to the beach and coffee shops, restaurants. The pool was refreshing. Would stay again.

8/10

Excellent

14 Jun 2026

Marina

Ocean view room was wonderful. The sound of the ocean was great. There was a little problem with the parking. I received a ticket, but then it was cleared. The hotel has 3rd party handling the parking. Everything was great. Would do it again, next year.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

13 Jun 2026

Shaun

The hotel key doesn't work very well takes me 2 or 3 swipes to get the door unlocked. Also, not sure if it's the beach location but the wifi was slow. The location was great, the bed was comfy and the little ac unit work really well.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2026

Jill

Our room was clean and comfortable. We looked out on the pool from the 1st floor and could open our sliding door to sit outside.

The proximity to the beach, the restaurant next door (World Famous), and the ease of walking to restaurants and bar on the beachfront were top reasons we loved it.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Jun 2026

AMY

G

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2026

Teri

We just love this place and have stayed here several times. It has a retro feel that fits right in with the vibe at Pacific Beach. Great location right on the beach, nicest staff ever and amazing views. The remodeled rooms are nice and clean. A few tips: Don't bring a car if you don't need one - parking is expensive and Lyft is cheaper. We were able to borrow a few beach chairs and an umbrella from a bin near the pool full of left behind items. One suggestion to the management - put a broom and dustpan in each room. It's a small investment and things get sandy at the beach! Highly recommend this place.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2026

Tanya

Staff. Beach view

Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2026

Sienna

Loved the stay and would definitely stay again!

Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Jun 2026

Robin L

Location is great. Hotel is a bit run down but the room was clean and beds pretty comfortable. The staff were awesome! Rafa and Angel, specifically.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Juan B

I love that the property is located right on the beach, around lots of little shops ,good food and entertainment.
The room was great, but what made everything Exceptional was the service.Rafa and his team were awesome , very helpful. Knowledgeable of the area and totally made us feel welcome. Looking forward to a return visit.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Ashley

One of my favorite places to stay! Restaurants in the area are amazing and the ocean view can’t be topped.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2026

Aleta

Great place to stay.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Jesus

Efficiently clean, next to the beach. Pet fees, parking fees in lot area.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2026

Sondra

Always a nice stay

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

debra

I like the laid back attitude.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2026

Daniel S

We Love Surfer Beach! We have been staying here for over 20 years and love the staff- the old school vibe, clean comfortable rooms and amazing beachfront location on Pacific beach!
Always a great stay!!☀️🐬

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Laura

Great place!

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

lance

Everything was clean and nice! Staff were helpful and views were fantastic!

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

Amber

Me and my daughter just stayed for a week. Ocean view room was perfect, staff was great, amazing location. I highly recommend

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Emma Anne

Room was great for what we needed. Very loud on the east facing side due to Flamingo Deck Restaurant music until about midnight. Staff were great, room was clean, beach front property you can’t beat in price. Would stay again!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2026

Richard James

Great area to be at on the beach. There were some great breakfast spots right next to the hotel which was a huge plus.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 May 2026

Jonathan

The staff is absolutely amazing and so friendly. The hotel is nice and I’d stay there again. The reason for 4-stars? I paid for an oceanfront room with a full ocean view but the room actually has 1/2 the ocean cut off due to how the hotel was built. So it’s only a partial ocean view and I think they need to change that room description to match something more accurate.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 May 2026

MONICA

The view was great.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2026

Cody

Tenth stay there great experience as always

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Sean

The staff are great. The beach view is amazing and the location is walkable and safe.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Adrian

Highly recommend!

4/10

Poor

24 May 2026

David

Disappointing beach option. Biggest pro is the location. They’ve leaned on that fact instead of providing exceptional service and comfort. Can walk to everything. But, parking in their own lot is expensive. Some remodeled rooms but not the showers. Workers make you jump through hoops for extra towels. You must specifically request to have your room cleaned or they just don’t do it. 1 small ice machine for entire property. They charge a premium for a lacking stay

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

21 May 2026

Anthony

A/c in the room barely came on, and when it did it was every 30 mins. Room floor was dirty along the baseboards. Old hotel but right in the beach. Parking cost 180.00 for 4 night at the hotel.

Business

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

Robert

The property was old but I like the location and it was clean. There wasnt a microwave in the room just in the common area.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

20 May 2026

Catherine

The location and the staff were great. The bathroom was not clean, there was some sort of spatter on the walls. Then we were out of hot water for two days with no explanation and barely an apology.

6/10

Pleasant

19 May 2026

Caroline

Clean Room - Great Location, staff friendly

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Karen

The front desk staff was amazing at check-in. The guys were helpful, friendly and fun. The check out staff was just as helpful, offered to keep my bags while I spent the day seeing some sites before flying home.

Self

8/10

Excellent

18 May 2026

Adam

Overall the place is nice. The location is great. The price is a great value.

I would prefer to spend more and go somewhere the rooms are not updated with the cheapest finishes at home depot. They cut costs by doing turn down and housekeeping by request. No Iron, ironing board, or blow dryer in the room unless you request it.

If you are looking for a cheap room on the beach, this is a great place. It’s pretty clean and maintained decent, It’s value hotel, you are getting a lot for what you pay especially considering the location.

It’s just not for me.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2026

Kailee

Just wrapped up the best stay at Surfer Beach Hotel 🌊

The location honestly could not be better. You’re literally steps from Pacific Beach with the ocean right outside your door. Having both Woody’s Breakfast and Burgers and World Famous right out front made the trip even better.

One of the biggest surprises was how affordable it was for being this close to the beach and in the middle of everything. But what really made the stay stand out was the staff. Every single person we interacted with was genuinely kind, welcoming, and helpful the entire visit.

If you want a laid-back beach stay with an unbeatable location without spending a fortune, this is such a good spot. ☀️🌴

Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2026

Stephanie

I’ve stayed there twice, and each time it keeps getting better and better. Staff is so friendly and welcoming. The location is perfect.

Self

8/10

Excellent

17 May 2026

Kat

Hotel location was awesome and the staff was super helpful.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2026

Joshua

The renovations in the hotel were an amazing surprise. The room looked great and the view of the ocean was unmatched!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2026

Stephanie

This was a wonderful location, Staff was so Wonderful, Hunter was really nice and helpful. We just wish the pool was open

Friends

8/10

Excellent

13 May 2026

Spencer

Only thing I’ll say is the pool was closed which is a bummer

Self

8/10

Excellent

11 May 2026

Breana

Overall the stay was very nice. That staff was beyond kind and they even gave us a free room upgrade with a n ocean view. My only concern was there was a very dirty shower head and there was a very light yellow stain on the sheets. I didn’t see it until morning as it was dark when we checked in. Other than that there were no issues and I really enjoyed my stay.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

11 May 2026

William

Staff was friendly and courteous. Ocean view was amazing! Little spendy for the quality of the room. Hot water was more warm than hot. Overall nice place to stay and will probably stay again.

Partner