The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows

Hotel

The hotel has a cool old school feel with some eclectic decor. The reception staff are friendly.
The luggage cart is small and get me stuck when pushing it into the elevator which only fits 3 people.
My room was small, windy would not close and some weird film on the bathroom floor.
The restaurant…drinks are inconsistent. Had 2 old fashions and each time tasted different. Ordered a burger for lunch and asked for medium and came out medium well. Breakfast was not good either. Ordered the classic egg breakfast and was served powered eggs not real eggs. I expect powdered eggs at a comfort inn for the complementary breakfast, not an “upscale boutique” hotel.
I would not recommend this hotel.

Great pool parties on most weekends with live music. Kids were in abundance once when I was there. Another time not so much.

Great place to stay. I have stayed many times before.
the best in San Diego.

Great place to swim and relax.

This hotel is fantastic. Just the history alone is worth a stay. But besides that the rooms a big and clean. Everyone is so nice. They have a great bar, restaurant and pool.

The entire environment was amazing. The customer service was excellent from beginning to end. The pool area looked liked a hawaian getaway and the rooms were clean, spacious and I love the first old fashion decor.

Simply fantastic! room was comfy, staff helpful, and pool is MAJESTIC! Hotel has a wonderful old school aesthetic, very boutique feel. Will return!

I loved it our place was being remodeled so we were there almost a week and it was conveniently located. Wear masks stay safe.

We loved it, pool pass, great value. Service great except for check in, seemed like we were bothering him. Didn’t give us directions to the pool, restrooms or parking pass. We were on our own. Plus not advertising that we needed to bring our own towels. :)

Crystal at the front desk is quite rude on the phone. No good customer service.

Relaxed atmosphere, classic old school styled. Good drinks and food.

The staff went above and beyond over the weekend making sure everyone have fun BUT being safe and care with the crisis we are all in right now. I’ll definitely be going back to stay with this wonderful hotel.

I love the atmosphere so much that I want to be back again very soon! Plenty of towels in the rooms and poolside! Drinks are reasonably priced and staff is the most AWESOME! ♥️

Great venue to have a wedding. Everything in one building. The vibe is old school Hollywood.

Awesome staff, great food, and Bill was one of the best managers I’ve dealt with in my travels. Highly recommend if you like pool side rooms!

That looks like a very fun place to stay. The pool is just refreshing and a great place for friends to gather.

Had the pleasure of spending a night here while on tour with a band passing through the San Diego area, could not have been more pleased with the stay! The staff was extremely helpful, the rooms very spacious, and the pool area so nice and relaxing! I love staying at unique historic hotels when touring the US and this one is definitely on my list for life. Highly recommended for anyone that is passing through the San Diego area!

We love this hotel. The rooms are dated but the ambience and history make it a must see! The staff was very nice. Loved wandering around the interior and seeing the old Hollywood memorabilia and stories. That pool! What a show stopper.

Friendly staff, and great place to stay. Love the ambiance. I really want to stay there again.

We had a wonderful stay at The Lafayette. The staff was very warm and welcoming. The restaurant/bar was great, and the pool was wonderful! The room had french doors that opened up to the pool patio area. The beds were very comfortable. There was a holiday party happening during our arrival, but the staff was so nice and helped us get to the rooms easily. Would highly recommend!

I am sure it would have been a good experience if we were aware to the type of crowd they catered to. It is not a family friendly establishment and my kids were not able to use the pool the entire time because it was more like MTV spring break with partying young adults. If you are looking for a young hip party spot, then this is the place for you. If you have kids, I recommend looking elsewhere.

Had an amazing breakfast at Hope 46. Alexandra was wonderful and helpful with things to do in San Diego. I highly recommend this place.

Great historical hotel, very hipster! staff is great.

Came for a day and ended up staying for four! Great place to relax and convenient location for exploring the city!

The pool on Sundays! Great for kids and adults.

I love this retro themed hotel and the vibe of the lobby. The pool is huge and the staff is great and accommodating. The cafe is great.

The bar was not quite as attentive as I’m accustomed to (Being from the south in used to SERVICE! ), however the folks were nice and we just decided that the service I distrust is more chill in Cali. The pool area was fun, however the noise didn’t reduce when the pool closes. We were hoping for. A balance of fun and rest, which the noise of laughter and guest chattering ended up interfering with said rest. The room was clean, lobby was so so cute & very vintage! We will visit again, just request a room away from the pool.

Our clients are touring entertainers like Chris Trew, who love seeing a property like this on their itinerary! The staff is super friendly, and the rooms are amazing with lots of room to really unwind after a long day. There is a great restaurant on-site and always plenty of coffee in the lobby. Thank you for taking such great care of us and we look forward to staying with you again soon!

I loved this iconic hotel. Each room quotes a star we love from years past that bring nothing but found memories. It's then a quick drive to all that San Diego has to offer; the Zoo, museums, beaches, and attractions. Great food is also all around. No need to eat at big chains when tiny spots are everywhere. One line to get into is Snooze, a breakfast eatery downtown. And don't forget to check out the local beer scene. Then back to your large room to unwind or go for a swim where Bob Hope himself dived into! Comfy chairs a Bawa it before bed to get I abs wait cocktail before bed. 5

First off, most important, this place is VERY GOOD AND FUN. So much fun. The location is tops, the lobby is charming as hell, and the front desk staff was incredibly kind and sweet and fun (shoutout to the people working Thursday April 18th around 2:30p). The vibe here is whatever you make of it. For y'all looking to just low key chill, they got you. If you're wanting to get wild it feels like they got you too. And we're all here together in this wonderful throwback hotel that feels like the kind of place you just want to live inside of for the rest of your life. Will be back, possibly forever.

Delightful and helpful staff make this 40s themed hotel perfection! The pool was amazing! We loved our stay and were sad to check out! Thanks for a swimmingly great time, Lafayette!

Great location surrounded by fantastic things to do. The hotel itself had an style that seemed focused on younger generation attempted modern upgrades to vintage lodgings. I stayed in one of the two bedroom bungalow units. The AC didn't work very well, but the windows opened and provided great airflow. The bathroom was small and a bit crammed for space. The pool area was very nice and through the weekend had swimmers and sun bathers. However, a little bit of a spring break vibe going even though it's not the season for it. This put me off of even going for a swim, just not my scene, I tanned on a lounge chair and ate at the bar overlooking the pool. Overall the stay was adequate, the bar had good food, location was great.

Fantastic fun Chic little boutique hotel motel. The poolside Cabana which means my doors on the back of the room open and literally the pool was my back porch. This was very cool. I loved the charm and the history of the place I thought the bathroom had been retrofitted one of the best I've ever seen in an older Hotel like this. The papaya toiletries set was a very nice touch that adds a nice feel to the room. They have a food menu available for in room dining. And they're walking distance to several local restaurants bars and entertainment venue.

This historic hotel maintains some of it's charm when Hollywood came to San Diego and stayed at the Lafayette, mostly through memorabilia and namesake room door plates. Beyond that it is a comfortable, quiet hotel in the eclectic North Park neighborhood, thankfully away from the crowded hotel circle. Quaint, not posh. Relatively affordable. Hotel is always clean and in good working order. The pool is one of the best features and about the only thing to do in the hotel outside the room. It's location is terrific. Mission Valley, downtown, Hillcrest, College area, Balboa Park, the Zoo, all within easy travel distance. The hotel does feature a row of townhouses presumably for extended stays. Regular rooms are small to mid size. Secured parking is available. On site full service restaurant, daily breakfast served. Friendly staff.

Historically significant Jewish property dating back to when segregation was a factor, with a pool designed by Tarzan himself! (Johnny Wiesmuller, the original Tarzan. ) PS he was an Olympic champion swimmer as well, I think Bob Hope was the first to sign the guestbook — has been in disrepair in the 1980s but has been restored to better than new and VIOLA! now its the hipsters from LA, beautiful people, and the rooms may be different, small etc but there are many floor plans, including two story townhouses and I haven't seen all of them recently. Really, really cool 1940s ballroom downstairs, and owned by a history buff, so ask any staff member and you will get an earful. Front desk wait and bar staff are all top notch career people. PS when this was built it was the Jewish area, dotted with places of worship and it catered to them, and to movie stars and producers of the day.

The hotel is a little unconventional in the fact that or has a serious party vibe going to it. A section of the rooms open directly to the pool which is super active and full of colorful folks. Part of the hotel is more traditional rooms that don't open on the pool. It can be a little noisy but to the point of being problematic. The room was large and appeared clean. Bathroom was generally good but not much counter space. Shower has good water pressure and temperature. Parking is also available for an additional charge. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

As a long time patron and lover of the Layfayette, it pains me to say how terrible the customer service was during our latest stay, especially when we were so excited to stay in the upper suite. Upon our arrival, the front desk agent was rude and clearly burdened by our presence. My partner arrived an hour prior and was already inside the room. I asked the agent for a second key to the room and at first he flat denied my request. It wasn’t until I persisted and said I would c…all my partner myself to get the key approved that he called himself. The next morning we called down to the front desk to ask about a room service menu because we didn’t have one in our room. We assumed like most places of hospitality, they would hospitably bring one up to the room. They told us we would have to come down and get it ourselves. That required pants so we passed. Eventually we did finally go down to the restaurant and order some brunch to go. We decided to wait in the room and called down to see if they could bring it up. They did not. One final shot at redemption, we had a wardrobe malfunction And called down for a sewing kit. They did actually have one of these! … however again, refused to bring it up and said we would have to come ourselves, wardrobe malfunction and all.

So bad that I had prepaid for two nights, and only stayed for one. It was worth it for me to pay for another hotel where I could actually sleep, and I'm pretty cheap, so you know it was bad. The pool was rented out to a third party, and was so packed that you couldn't use it. The walls are paper thin, the people next door sounded like they were in our room swearing at the top of there lungs at midnight, I requested a change of rooms, and the person behind the desk taking care of other peoples complaints said he was too busy at midnight to care, and he thew a key card at my wife and asked her to go see if that room would be okay. Anything was better than our first room, but this room wasn't much better, it was next to a giant life size chess set on the patio, and kids were playing with them til all hours of the night, it was bad, then you could still hear every noise, every door open, and close. The bed was super uncomfortable, the room was old, the toilet was miniature, like child's size, the bathroom was small, and the next morning shower went from scalding to freezing cold, scalding to freezing cold, so that was fun. I booked here based off pictures, and reviews, and was surprised to see just how bad it was. Maybe people have never actually been to a 4 or 5 star hotel, one that is nice, updated, comfortable, private, and at least quite enough to sleep. Maybe the pool is nice, I wouldn't know it was too crowded to use, with awful electronic music blaring.

This historic hotel maintains some of it's charm when Hollywood came to Sam Diego and stayed at the Lafayette, mostly through memorabilia and namesake room door plates. Beyond that it is a comfortable, quiet hotel in the eclectic North Park neighborhood, thankfully away from the crowded hotel circle. Quaint, not posh. Relatively affordable. Hotel is always clean and in good working order. The pool is one of the best features and about the only thing to do in the hotel outside the room. It's location is terrific. Mission Valley, downtown, Hillcrest, College area, Balboa Park, the Zoo, all within easy travel distance. The hotel does feature a row of townhouses presumably for extended stays. Regular rooms are small to mid size. Secured parking is available. On site full service restaurant, daily breakfast served. Friendly staff.

Funky old hotel with an amazing pool and a great set of bars contained within. The balcony room was super modern for an older hotel… loved the wood floors. Beds/shower/tv were all nice. The twinkle of light from the pool made the whole place have an almost dreamy quality after hours. Would really be nice to know when the hotel would be hosting crazy MTV after parties so we could plan to be elsewhere… especially when they had no pool access despite the fact it was the last warm day of the week. Bummer.

The staff were amazing! Helpful fun and full of historical answers. This gave me a great Gatsby vibe and I loved it here. Rooms were very clean and even smelled delicious once you walk in. Pricing was perfect check groupon for good deals. They may not have breakfast but the complimentary drinks excuse that!

Staff was very kind and helpful. Great ambiance, nice vibe of people. Everyone was social and friendly. Vendors every day were nice to see different things without leaving if you didn't want. Nice size rooms with plenty of parking.

A older Hotel but nice. The rooms were clean uncomfortable. The staff was fabulous… … UNTIL! I was reassured by the young man at the front desk I would get my 12:45 a. M. Wake up call. I stressed to him how important it was. He reassured me don't sweat it not a problem. I drive a Entertainer coach. My schedule and the bands schedule is very tight. They depend on me getting them to the next city ON TIME!. And when I do not get my wake up call that causes a problem!. For god sakes people it's a flipping wake up call!. If you can't get that right then perhaps you should seek a new career path. When I am late getting to my bus because I did not get a wake-up call, I get my ass chewed out!. Get it together! On the upside, the restaurant / bar that is attached to the hotel, The Red Fox, is just a awesome nostalgic place. Pork chops were fabulous.

I had such a lovely time at this hotel for a weekend event. I stayed 3 nights in a bungalow. Upon checking out, I forgot a nice jacket in one of the closets. Hours later I returned to the hotel to retrieve it… no one new had checked into the bungalow but the jacket seems to have completely disappeared. Not a single person at the hotel would help me find answers about my item's whereabouts. I asked if there were reported hotel employee thefts and was told "that's a serious accusation! " Of course it is. But there is literally no other explanation. So this hotel and staff is capable of theft — — beware. Not a single person on front desk or housekeeping would return my calls today. Very disappointing end to an otherwise great weekend. This hotel steals from its guests.

If anyone is looking for great deals on hotels go to HotelRaven. Com Booked a room on there and they had the best rates around… The professionalism of the staff at the front desk for a superb. I was not a guest at this hotel. However I was visiting someone that was a guest. Long story short early in the morning with the guests and I got into a heated argument where I wound up having to leave unexpectedly. Public transportation was not running and I was not I did not have the funds for other means of transportation at that time. On my way out of the hotel I spoke to the gentleman at the front desk on duty and told him of my situation and ask him if it would be okay to wait inside in the lobby out of the way for a couple of hours until public transportation started running again. He's very compassionate understood help me look up public transportation times on the computer and let me sit off in the corner. He even informed a security guard so that I would not be harassed and I appreciated it. Needless to say I was able to contact a friend to pick me up rather quickly until I was out of there in no time. I would gladly visit again.

Very nice hotel. Clean, friendly staff and a wonderful pool. Room size is very good and the bath seemed to be freshly renovated. Plus the location is ideal between North Park, Balboa Park, Downtown (Airport) and a short car ride to the beaches. We really enjoyed staying here for a week.

I can not possibly say enough about this hotel. I absolutely fell in love with this place. The beds are so comfy you don't want to get out of them. The staff is so friendly and accommodating. The hotel bar is AMAZING! Great food, great drinks, the best be tenders! The Lafayette will definitely be the place to stay every visit to California.

God I loved this place so much! If you know me you know I love anything old or vintage so this place was heaven. Add a little old Hollywood glamour and I'm done. Everything was great from the decor, the service, this place is a little gem. If you're ever in the San Diego area and want experience a hotel boasting a feel from years past with modern amenities visit The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club, and Bungalows @thelafayette I promise you'll love it!
This is a downtown area so purchase the daily parking pass. Any questions I had were answered quickly and effectively. The staff was great. Great area in regards to places to eat and grab necessities, Westfield mall was down the street with so many eateries and shopping spots. I didn't stay long but everything I needed was very close as well as an excellent staff from my point of view. Check in was a breeze and very close parking in proximity to my room. Thank you Lafayette. I will be back!

I was looking for an establishment for an event that I am planning for my association. The lady who helped me was very friendly and easily answered my questions.

Really cute place with lots of character which I totally love. There is NO sound control whatsoever so I heard what seemed to be clubbing music all night long as well as the people hanging out on the street outside my window. So pretty hard to sleep on a weekend night and I was here for a conference that I needed to be rested for so it was frustrating. Looks like it was a wedding! Fun! But more soundproofing would be great!

I recommend everything about the Lafayette! The spacious, clean rooms, the top notch customer service, the welcoming attitude and the chill vibe… my favorite place! Every staff person is happy to be doing their job, and after working all day or week it is an amazing place to relax… Great breakfast and drinks! Love Hope 46 :) best music ever…

Do not stay here! Front Desk and Hotel Manager are very professional and nice. Parking is underground and jammed to get her, I think it is $17.00 a day. Rooms are mostly historical, that is code for substandard. Lobby bar and restaurant has good food and drinks. But under staffed. So it ruins the experience. Pool is nice and has good seating. If something is going on poolside… you will hear everything. Lobby is beautiful.

We stayed in one of the bungalows because we were a party of 4 adults. The website advertises these rooms as perfect for large parties or even a great place for wedding parties to get ready. I have to disagree with the description. Our two story bungalow had two bedrooms, one bath, a small kitchen, and an eating area. One room had a king bed and a TV. The second room had a full bed (even though the headboard was a queen size) and no TV. There was a sitting room downstairs with a TV as well. The couch was extremely uncomfortable but at least it forced us to sit with perfect posture. There are no outlets near the couch, beds, or eating area so you cannot use your electronics while they're charging. The walls are very thin. We had a view of a street and a parking lot and could hear anyone talking outside. The bathroom window didn't actually open (it was painted shut) so the very small bathroom would get very steamy during showers. The hotel lobby is lovely. The pool is also nice. We ate at the restaurant and most of us liked our meals. Our door lock had problems but the staff was quick to fix it so we could get into our rooms. Great staff.

We stayed in October 2006 for 3 nights and were pleasantly surprised. Had stayed the days before only in motels. The room we had booked online and paid, which worked smoothly. The room was equipped as usual with two king size beds, in which one can also sleep four when the ceiling question is clarified. The hotel is located on El Cajon Blvd. If you have a room in this direction it is sometimes quite noisy at night. The breakfast was good, actually as we are accustomed to as a central European. The car is safe in the underground garage, internet access was free. A nice pool with Jaquzzi invites you to linger. In the house there is a highly recommended steak house, but not very cheap.

If you're expecting a perfectly manicured but wholly generic hotel experience, this is not the place for you. If you're expecting a unique, old world hotel with lots of character, you've found the right place. I love this hotel. The old wooden floors (yes they creak) … the beatiful chandeliers and decor, and the old times movie when you turn on the TV. Not to mention the quirky steakhouse/bar that is an old English pub. Great experience!

Love this hotel. During the summer I usually come here for the pool. The events they put on like the New Years Party was well done. Me and my friends had a blast. I’ve stayed here a couple of times and it was well worth the money.

The professionalism of the staff at the front desk for a superb. I was not a guest at this hotel. However I was visiting someone that was a guest. Long story short early in the morning with the guests and I got into a heated argument where I wound up having to leave unexpectedly. Public transportation was not running and I was not I did not have the funds for other means of transportation at that time. On my way out of the hotel I spoke to the gentleman at the front desk on duty and told him of my situation and ask him if it would be okay to wait inside in the lobby out of the way for a couple of hours until public transportation started running again. He's very compassionate understood help me look up public transportation times on the computer and let me sit off in the corner. He even informed a security guard so that I would not be harassed and I appreciated it. Needless to say I was able to contact a friend to pick me up rather quickly until I was out of there in no time. I would gladly visit again.

Attended a Christmas party that was hosted in one of their function rooms. The venue was cute, had an outdoor area with heat lamps, a small stage and a dance floor in front of it. The staff moved through the venue so quietly, that I didn't see them at all, empty glasses seemingly vanished and food plates found their own way to the trash.

Annual Christmas party held here this past weekend. I love this place. Beautiful and elegant, all wrapped up in one. Would definitely recommend!

A very nice place to stay. A lot of history and very comfortable rooms. Excellent staff really take great care of their customers. I love this place.

A beautiful place and the first service!

If anyone is looking for a great deal on hotels you can get one at HotelRaven. Com Booked a room on there and they had the best rates around… THE. Best. Staff. EVER! I felt like I was in a 5 staff hotel with the kindest and most accommodating people ever! It's a beautiful historic hotel with updated rooms and amenities! Best of both worlds! Was hotel to the celebrities in years past! I felt like a star this weekend! Beautiful pool and poolside rooms! I just loved this place. And the best location — minutes to everything! I would live here if I could! The bed was so comfy! I can't wait to come back! This is my forever hotel in San Diego!

The. Best. Staff. EVER! I felt like I was in a 5 staff hotel with the kindest and most accommodating people ever! It's a beautiful historic hotel with updated rooms and amenities! Best of both worlds! Was hotel to the celebrities in years past! I felt like a star this weekend! Beautiful pool and poolside rooms! I just loved this place. And the best location — minutes to everything! I would live here if I could! The bed was so comfy! I can't wait to come back! This is my forever hotel in San Diego!

Lovely place. The rooms are clean, the staff is all very nice. It's an older hotel and I found that sometimes things like the water being drawn for a bath downstairs made an awful din upstairs. It was only an issue though when I was trying to sleep and the person in the suite below was drawing a bath, then draining the water, then drawing another bath at 1am. I definitely would recommend the hotel. It is a beautiful place and the pool is amazing.

Incredible Hitel style. Fifties with pool.

Very nice hotel, a little old but very clean and with all the services.

Lovely location. Beautiful building. Reasonable rates. It is, quite truthfully. My favorite hotel in San Diego. Why are you staying at other places? Why do you hate nice things? WHYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!?!? Still, great place.

Very nice hotel, big rooms, bathroom a bit fair but well equipped. I keep a very good memory of this property, ready to go back, parking in basement. Hotel served by bus line to down town.

The pool was great. However the rooms need a face lift. The bathroom and vanities are worn and dated. There are no tables or sitting areas in the room. I would encourage you to find a better location. Sorry, but I must be honest.

If anyone is looking for a great deal on hotels you can check it out on HotelRaven. Com Booked a room on there and they had the best rates around… We came in on a Sunday and left on a Tuesday and really enjoyed our stay. When we rolled in on Sunday there was a pool party going on which made us a little worried, but later in the afternoon it calmed down and it was chill there the rest of our trip. The room was spacious and everything worked as it should. The people at the front desk all had great attitudes and were willing to meet your needs. When you leave a hotel and still remember the front desk workers name (Jesus), for a good reason, that makes us happy customers.

Such a cute atmosphere! Love the old New Orleans style and layout! We didn't get to stay long enough to really rate the staff or check out the resturant, but from the little time we did bad, we will definitely be back! ONLY small complaint — the pool was pretty cold. If they could turn up the heat on that, would have been perfect!

Very nice restaurant with the flair of bygone times. The food and the cocktails are very modern and tasty. Good service.

Very nice historic hotel. Clean and comfortable. Nice bed. Great vibe. Very polite staff.

I found it very good nice rooms, big pics and good service.

Very nice hotel. Very throwback with modern amenities. Loved the bungalows and the pool was awesome. Service was exceptional. Especially the poolside service. Would definitely recommend.

Neat, professional staff. Nice bar and pool area very inviting. Upon entering the hotel, its retro decor was unique in a 'retro' kind of way. A taste of great days gone by, but yet did not have a jaded, run down look as some hotels do. Great for special events and celebrations.

The pooland outdoor area is great… Good food and decently priced drinks. The hotel itself is older but charming and clean, definitely one of my favorite places to recommended to friends and family when visiting. The location is great, just a few minutes from both the 8 and the 163 freeways, and 5 minutes from downtown.

I went here during pride. Everything was set up really well and it was a great time! Drinks were as pricey as expected. 20 bucks to get it was a bit steep. Some friends had a room and it was an amazing place to party. Pool had awesome inflatables to chill in. It was great.

We came in on a Sunday and left on a Tuesday and really enjoyed our stay. When we rolled in on Sunday there was a pool party going on which made us a little worried, but later in the afternoon it calmed down and it was chill there the rest of our trip. The room was spacious and everything worked as it should. The people at the front desk all had great attitudes and were willing to meet your needs. When you leave a hotel and still remember the front desk workers name (Jesus), for a good reason, that makes us happy customers.

This is on my must see list when I have visitors come to town. Drinks by the pool is always a good time. You instantly feel like your on vacation even if you are not. Affordable and classy accommodations in a great part of the city that no one else can offer.

Stayed here based upon a recommendation. Good place for people trying to avoid the same old chain hotels. Staff was always friendly and went out of their way to make our stay better. We found them attentive and proactive with our concerns. The property was clean and well maintained. The pool area was nice but got pretty busy by mid afternoon on the Thursday in June. Cocktails and appetizers were a little pricey from the on-site restaurants and bars, at least to us. Many food options and stores in the neighborhood within walking distance. About 8 blocks to a full service grocery store with a satellite transit store. Many great transit options, including a bus rapid transit line with a stop 1 block away. Wi-Fi was slow. There were a few cracks in the bathroom tiling. Loud noise into the evening Thursday and Friday with events going on in the conservatory and co-located bars. If you are looking for quiet and peace, you may want to think twice, especially on weekends.

Quaint hotel. Lobby area charming and a nice relaxing pool area. The rooms are okay, a bit dated and small. The maid service ignores the "do not disturb" sign. Even removed it and set inside room, which proves they saw it.

This hotel is located about 20min from Balboa Park. The rooms are on the exterior laid out kind of like a motel. There are four parking lots available for $12/night. You can park temporarily in the front to check in then drive to the parking lot or find your own street parking. Keep in mind that street parking is limited to 2hours and metered up until 6pm (if I recall correctly). The service was good at check-in and checkout. Other than that I didn't interact with the staff. They have complimentary coffee in the morning in the lobby until 10am. The room we stayed in was big enough for a family of 5. It was split into two sections where the master bed was in the front and a bunk bed in the back room. The room was basic and kind of old but relatively clean. There were some cracks and holes but nothing too bad for an old hotel. The nice part was that there were two bathrooms. There's a large pool in the middle of the hotel that's very well maintained. Expect kids to play at night and older guests to be swimming laps in the morning.

I went to a party in the clam shell room, it was well run and I had a good time. Bartenders were fast and nice, tray passed apps were delicious and came out quickly. Overall it was a fun party.

I went to an event, well did I spend. A very soft hotel.

I visited to check the place out and see about using the pool. Pool is expensive, but that is understandable — they did offer a deal. Cool looking hotel in a good spot, anyway.

A golden-age jewel on El Cajon Boulevard. I love the 20's decor of this place, the awesome pool area (with rooms that open out right onto it). The rooms are large and clean with comfortable (enough) beds, and the location is great for hitting up some of the local bars and neighborhood eats (Mama's Bakery & Pomegranate for delicious Lebanese or Russian food respectively; Livewire, Gilly's & the Red Fox Room for dive bar action). Also, Finest City Improv is located in the building on Louisiana, I believe — excellent improv comedy on show every week. On the downside, service at the in-hotel bar is pretty slow/the staff DGAF, and the food there has never been more than mediocre to me, so I typically skip it. Still, this lovely hotel has a lot to offer if you're tired of the typical hotel experience.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this hotel is beautifully updated. They retained the historic look and feel to this property, which adds to the charm, however the interior has been refreshed to make it feel inviting. My room was beautiful and the beds and pillows were extremely comfortable (pillow top mattresses)! For future visits, I would definitely choose this over a modern hotel chain.

Absolutely loved our experience here at Lafayette. Great pool, plenty of parking. The individual who checked us in upgraded us to a pool view when we requested that we would like to upgrade (and of course pay for the difference). However as they had plenty of room, he did it free of charge and gave us two complimentary drinks for the bar as well. The rooms themselves are nice. Yes the bathroom is not like most today but it has everything you need and a vanity mirror, desk and chair for the ladies. Plenty of space, clean, friendly, good area near Balboa Park.

Paid $20 to lounge at the pool. Quite a nice pool area and lobby, but the price seemed a bit steep. The restaurant had a solid menu, wasn't overly expensive, and had very friendly staff. I'd recommend this for a day with friends if you're willing to spend a little green.

The concierge upgraded my room to a bungalow just for being nice when asking about the fridge upgrade. It does pay to be nice! I was so amazed at the value, space, and decor of the bungalow. We knew we definitely found a new go-to spot whenever we're staying in the area. All the rooms are very spacious with plenty of area to store things as well. You even get an ironing board set on both floors! We didn't utilize the kitchen except for the fridge. But the flatware was pretty high quality and had a good weight to it (dishware was from Ikea but perfectly fine). It's crazy there's even a flat screen in the dining area too. Just watch out for the water temperature in the bathrooms. It can get pretty hot fast. The bathroom tub was pretty large and the water pressure was good. It's nice that you can also open the bathroom window. We stayed for about $120 a night, which really seems like a steal compared to other hotels I've been to.

We come from a group of 6 and it has been a very pleasing place! I would definitely come back.

Went to the Lafayette Hotel for a corporate holiday party and we're put in the room with the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling. Really cool decor and they added more holiday touches than we expected, so that was awesome. The lighting was a little too strong for a party, so I think that put a little damper on the event. But we had a separate bathroom, the food was great, parking was accessible, and all in all, it was a very nice event. Nice to see the hotel looking cool in the winter too.

I absolutely loved our hotel room! It had a nice view of the hotel heated pool that's gorgeous especially at night. It had a nice flat screen TV and the 3 way mirror I fell in love with doing my makeup! I liked how the room came double locked for security. What was a big win was the retro restaurant which had the best potato slices I've ever had! The staff was amazing! I would have given it a 5 star but it didn't have a fridge or microwave in the room. There is a microwave but at the hotel lobby. I enjoyed seeing the lobby though because of these lovely decorations of umbrella lanterns. In the end, Groupon delivered with this fancy hotel for us at a good price. I'm happy with the location as well because it was very quiet :)

One of my favorite hotels in San Diego! Super cool and fun atmosphere but also family friendly. During the summer they project movies onto a screen/wall and you can watch them from in the pool. The restaurant has really great food with fun names! (The Mac and cheese gnocchi is amazing! )

Friendly place, good food and drink, most helpful staff in town. Try the swim club. Poolside service from the bar and kitchen. Great way to enjoy the water without worrying about the drought or getting sand all over you.

High priced and overrated. Very old building. AC made noise all night. There is no AC in bathroom which made impossible to take a shower without door being open. Bed sheets were wet. Poor selection of TV channels. Will never stay there again.

Prior to getting there, I must have talked to Mimi on several occasions regarding my visit. She is amazing! I was my first time visiting San Diego not to mention it was a Mother's Day treat. Once we got there, we were greeted by awesome front desk staff who were delightful to talk to and seemed to love working there. The hotel has a charm to it that I fell in love with at first glance. The poolside room was clean and refreshing. We had Mimosa's on the balcony and met several new friends just hanging out by the pool. The pool parties were amazing and the young lady (Purple Hair) was very pleasant, cheerful and took great care of us. Loved the piano bar, Kevin was great. Also had a chance to catch a show at the Improve/Comedy Club located at the hotel. We were there for 5 days and were upgraded to a bungalow which was fantastic because my son and I didn't have to share a room. I feel in love with the staff, the other visitors at the hotel and San Diego in general. When I come back — THE LAFAYETTE is where I will stay! YOU SHOULD TOO.

This was the most perfect place to celebrate my 12 anniversary! Amazing service, the presidential suite was phenomenal. Fit for two queens. Ronan completed our reservation for our gorgeous upgrade, and Aimee was our perfect host with having everything I needed to perfect my surprise to my wife for this celebration. Thank you Lafayette for your phenomenal services! The food was divine! Everything we got was cooked to perfection. (Except the poached eggs, too hard).

I stayed here about two months ago. The rooms are fairly nice, though base model rooms vary greatly in quality from unit to unit. Front desk staff and other staff were very nice until probably one of the worst human beings I've ever met took over for the night shift. We were staying with a large group, and people outside our room were being loud (who we wouldn't let in because they were loud) despite this, and appeals to the aforementioned horrid creature holding the title night manager, my room was evicted at 3 AM, leaving us homeless with nowhere to go. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure this hotel is usually awesome, but experience I had personally suggested that their night staff are incredibly impersonal, and to an extent lacking both critical understanding skills and a sense of humanity. Otherwise it's a beautiful hotel with an awesome pool, quality food, and good rooms. Just a really, really terrible human (used loosely) managing the night shift.

This is a great hotel. Beautiful atmosphere and the rooms are spacious. Down side, they don't offer free breakfast, only coffee and tea.

Don't you love when historical and hip go together well? The Lafayette certainly is a fantastically ageless venue only made better with friendly staff, the occasional 88.3fm jazz music and waffle bar! The house blues band also is a win-win.

Hotel new and equipped with all comforts. High quality in the service and facilities of the property. Great parking and laundry.

Well priced trendy hotel near the North Park neighborhood. The rooms are clean and well maintained. Restaurant on site has recently been updated and is a great spot for healthy, traditional Californian food and drinks. The pool is the highlight of the experience as the hotel is built around it. They have DJs on the weekend and it's a great spot to hang out. The main downside to this place is the security who seem to be hounding all guests. It's almost like they're looking for trouble and causing more of a scene on their own. I will go back but be prepared for a weird police-state.

I love the idea and the hotel's commitment to preservation of its vintage history, unfortunately the execution is like a 3.5 to 4. They have a really nice pool and during the summer offer a swim club with poolside concerts and movies. The Mississippi Room is a nice ballroom with a hardwood dance floor and they offer traditional jazz concerts on certain Sundays. The hotel rooms being old have super thin walls and floors and if there is a concert or event going on downstairs expect to hear it through the walls.

Traveling to San Diego with a family of 4, my wife and I loved this hotel. Both of our young children enjoyed it immensely. One word of advice though, if you are traveling with young kiddos requiring naps or that go to bed early, (or just prefer a quieter experience, ) don't stay in the bungalows surrounding the pool. That said, the room in the hotel was wonderful, comfortable and very clean. The restaurant is awesome and the pool is just killer. A huge bonus that this hotel is maybe 10 minutes away from downtown, sea world/mission bay and is maybe a 5 minute drive to balboa park. It is perfectly located for a San Diego visit and we will most certainly be back the next time we make it down.

Nice quiet place too stay.