Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
This boutique hotel in Pacific Beach has stunning views of the pacific ocean and breathtaking sunsets. Rooms offer refrigerators, free Wi-Fi,50 inch plasma televisions, and are located a few shorts steps away from the sand and surf.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Ocean View
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
711 Pacific Beach Dr, San Diego, CA 92109-5028
Surfer Beach Hotel
1,016 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
My boyfriend and I wanted a staycation to celebrate his return home from a lengthy time away from San Diego. We decided on a beach side hotel to be away from more urban locations so I reserved a room at this hotel, not knowing what to expect.
I work in the hospitality industry and have received hospitality training from brand name hotel chains so I know hospitality.
Our interactions with the hotel staff (Mercedes, Stephanie, Ana, Angelica, Carla, and Tim) were at standard with many upscale hotel brands and delivered a unique beach vibe. They were very knowledgeable about their recommendations of local eatery. I was also impressed with their COVID-19 protocol as they implemented policy to actively protect their housekeeping staff.
The rooms were clean and the $40 upgrade to an ocean view room was absolutely worth it. I recommend you request room 414 as it has a view on either side of it.
The staff continued to deliver excellent service by allowing us a late-check out which allowed a short walk to the bay nearby.
We will be back!
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Date of stay: May 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Angelica_711, Front Office Manager at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Jun 24, 2020
Thanks for the shout out to the staff we strive to provide the best customer service. It feels great to be recognized. We are happy to hear you and your boyfriend had a great staycation. I am sure we'll see you again. Till next time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I was looking for a hotel that was on the beach in San Diego, reason it was for a girls trip and I wanted the convenience of the beach. I looked at so many places between Carlsbad and Coronado for the right hotel; many had a number of disappointing reviews etc, and so I figured as I got closer to leaving for SD I had to book a hotel ASAP.
I picked the Surfer Beach Hotel and I am so happy I did. If you have ever been to Pacific Beach you know that it has a boardwalk and lots of places to eat and drink; well all of them are a 3 star hotel status (well in my eyes) due to wear and tear of being by the ocean. We arrived later (10:30pmish) on a Thursday and they emailed me on Thursday morning to confirm our arrival time (I appreciate this so much as I knew someone would be there). When we arrived the front desk person was so helpful and nice, we got our keys and headed to our double bed Ocean view.
When I opened the door I was in the bathroom (no joke) and then the beds, small room and dated. It's not modern (except the bathroom was upgraded - shower area only) or fancy. I was not sure at that time if I made the right choice, went to bed and woke up to the most beautiful sound of the waves and a view you can't beat. I texted my sister and told her the hotel was quaint to set her expectations. I wasn't sure she would like it; but if we are being honest you barely spend time in the room anyways because there is so much to do. It's in a location where you can walk to food, bars, get surf lessons, shop all of it. If you don't plan on exploring other areas of SD forget renting a car because you don't need it, you can walk to everything including the grocery store (Ralph's - 2 blocks away). I saw tons of gripes about having to pay $30 for parking but when you get there and realize the area the hotel is in you are going to pay for parking no problem.
This is a hotel that you need to request housekeeping, the pool is not heated, and if you are particular about your shower items bring those as well. If you can get over the "aged" look of the hotel you will be fine. The rooms are clean, the bed is comfortable and the view is to die for. If you are paying those $250+ prices for these rooms get the view.
I am going to make this an annual trip each year and stay here particularly; they care about you and your stay.
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Date of stay: September 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ocean view only - those are the rooms that are worth the price.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes D, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Oct 30, 2022
Many thanks, elbrowns1972, for taking the time to leave this review following your recent stay with us! The Surfer is a unique gem of a hotel in the center of all the action Pacific Beach (San Diego) has to offer :). Please com back for more sand, sea and sunshine soon!
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Five stars for the price, overall it’s a great deal - the the staff was excellent, kind and helpful- staff gets an absolute five. We arrived at 3am because of car troubles and the woman who helped us check in was extra understanding (long brown hair, blue eyes, light complexion) We loved the room, the location is wonderful, literally everything is a five EXCEPT I took a quick shower last night and at the very hottest the water was so lukewarm I was almost shivering - so I guess that being my only complaint, I give you guys a 5, but if I were more of a brat I would be so upset about the cold water. I tried again this morning, it was hardly warm at best. But again, the staff was wonderful, we were given a great deal, appreciated late check out very much, so my rating is definitely a 5! Thank you very much 🙏🏼
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes Dudy, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Jan 15, 2021
Our Thank you, carolinel294, for choosing the Surfer Beach Hotel! We keep staff 24hrs/day and truly appreciate you spotlighting of our hard working staff! Our apologies for any discomfort due to the water temperature you experienced; we are actively looking into the issue. The quick beach access with loads of food options does make the Surfer a gem on the sand :)
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Apparently having your towels changed and room cleaned only comes if you text the housekeeping people. No daily cleaning or fresh linens unless you text them. Hair was left in the refrigerator, on the patio furniture, and sink upon arrival.
Stains on towels and bedding. A foul smell came from the closet. The bed is probably 25 years old based on how broken down it was. The patio was filthy and had food on it the minute we arrived.
It only gets a rating of 2 for the view and proximity to the beach. Otherwise, I would give this place a rating of 1. An ocean view comes with a compromise of smelling bacon and burgers from the restaurant below, so you don't really leave your slider open unless you want all your stuff to smell like greasy food.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes D, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Aug 2, 2022
We apologize that you did not enjoy your stay with us. Our location to sand, sea and eats (several close proximity) does bring in the smells that follow. We appreciate you bringing these details to our attention and we will follow up with all staff. Housekeeping would be limited to requests only made with front desk at this time (due to staffing, demand, etc) but we do keep 24hour staff and attempt to reach all guests after check in.
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I really enjoyed staying at this boutique hotel, that is right on the beach. I felt safe and comfortable and that is very important to me. Upon check-in I was warmly greeted by Sam at the front desk. He was friendly and asked if I wanted an upgrade to a higher floor room. This upgrade would have only been $30 per night. I declined and he put me in room #111, which had quick access to the beach and boardwalk.
The hotel lobby has a great selection of coffee and tea 24 hours a day.
The hotel's location can't be beat there are so many restaurants and shopping all in walking distance.
They also have beach chairs that can be used on the beach that are on a first come first served basis.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Angelica_711, Front Office Manager at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Mar 15, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to review us and providing us with your feedback. I personally like ground-level rooms - because of the convenience to the pool and patio area and as you mentioned the beach and boardwalk. The area itself is very safe for those who choose to travel solo. I appreciate the shout out to Sam- he is a great. See you on your next trip to San Diego.
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Let me start by saying that the staff went above and beyond to make our stay extra special. Carla assisted us during check-in and she went above and beyond to answer any questions and make sure our trip was extra special. We love to hang out at the beach and boardwalk and this spot is PERFECT! They have great parking and once you park everything is within walking distance. The beds were comfy and although the rooms may be small you cannot beat the location.
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Date of stay: December 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes D, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Feb 15, 2022
Thank you, tanyamP9698DP, for choosing the Surfer Beach Hotel for your lodging while in Pacific Beach, California! Also, for taking the time to mention by name our front desk agent, Carla. Our front desk staff genuinely enjoys offering the best guest service at check in/ check out while acting as 24hour concierge as well. We are glad to read that you enjoyed the hotel’s 70’s charm with simple rooms and convenient parking (fees do apply which guarantees your space). We look forward to welcoming you back again soon :)
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Jehrich was so AWESOME helping me with getting us the perfect room. All of the people there were amazing, but Jehrich went above and beyond 💖 The room had a wonderful view, and the location is the best on the beach with the World Famous restaurant right here. The happy hour is Wonderful.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes D, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Jun 29, 2022
Thank you, Chris W, for the super 5/ 5 rating! It pleases us to read that Jehrich was your star staff member during your visit 😊 With 24-7 staff available, we do aim to keep our guests happy and returning.
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We had a business trip to San Diego and we drove from Arizona; the weather was so beautiful in Pacific Beach when we arrived around 7 in the evening with an amazing sunset and breeze. We walked in to Surfer Beach and gentleman at the front, helped us find the best room for our needs; he was very polite and professional. We ended up booking the ocean front junior suite. We were placed on the top floor on our first time staying there and were in an awe when we walked in the room and saw the sun and view, it truly made our business trip feel like a vacation. Prices were very reasonable. Amazing staff, room a bit outdated, but we were not looking for something fancy, just somewhere clean. I asked for extra towels and pillows and some ice and were brought to my room lightening quick with a big smile. Thank you Surfer Beach Hotel staff for providing us with a welcoming stay.
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Date of stay: May 2020Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Angelica Fuentes, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Jul 6, 2020
Hi Stevenzone, our main goal here at The Surfer is to ensure all guests feel welcome and I am happy to hear we succeeded. Thank you for the five-star rating and taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future.
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The location of the hotel and view from the room are the highlights of this place. It’s definitely a motel though, not a hotel. The carpets are kind of older and dirty feeling, and the furniture is really worn out. Our room had an absolutely amazing view of the ocean. It looks like all rooms do. And the hotel is steps away from the path along the beach and town, which was perfect. The price was reasonable for such a great location. The customer service was excellent.
I had a hard time deciding what to rate the hotel honestly. If you don’t mind a motel, then it’s not bad, and all the other factors might outweigh the room. I think maybe I’m being a hotel snob! Because I usually like to stay at midrange hotels like Marriott, Kimpton, Autograph or similar that have a nice visual aesthetic throughout. So I just didn’t find the look and feel of this motel very appealing.
FYI-parking is cheaper if you book through the hotel site directly.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Parking cheaper if you book direct. Public parking exists right next to the motel, but there are...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mercedes D, Guest Services / Front Office at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Mar 23, 2022
Thank you so much, sstlouis, for choosing the Surfer Beach Hotel! Our hard-working staff truly appreciates your spotlighting of our excellent guest service 😊 Our hotels proximity to the sea would be our main appeal while also having several great eats and activities nearby. We do keep simpler in room accommodations that other properties but will continue to keep 24hour staff to address any requests or concerns. We would shampoo all room carpets regularly and will look further into these details.
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We had a great room location, 4th floor with a view to the pacific. Quite average i suspect for an oceanfront hotel. The hotel location can't be beat.
The front staff, cleaning and maintenance people, free coffee, are very good to excellent and deserve more stars.
Unfortunately, they are stuck on a deteriorating ship. The room(s) are in need of updating considering the price. While the furniture and bed was comfortable, the pull out's mattress was poor, and the bathroom needs updating.The is very little surface area (small table?) and felt like no where to sit.
The hotel has a pool. Granted you are on the pacific but this was a dead zone the entire time we stayed and whenever I passed. Whereas the neighboring hotel has a fireplace, comfortable non-plastic seating FACING the ocean, guest using it - and just displays more pride in ownership. The elevator is old, small and slow. If you are able, you will be taking the stairs. I feel like this place needs more lobby space. I wonder if they would consider backing out into the pool dead zone?
I felt like this place can't afford financing for a total remodel and is living on a memory of better days as a motor motel.
Nice people in a place peeling and falling apart.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:If you can't handle stairs or slow elevators, go low. If not an issue, go up.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Angelica_711, Front Office Manager at Surfer Beach Hotel
Responded Mar 9, 2020
It's always great to hear our guests opinion. Thank you for highlighting the good and not so good of your recent stay. Overall, sound like you had a great time. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Good afternoon,
You can call anytime after you placed your reservation for any of your request.
We do provide parking pass for who choose to park with us for daily fee. You will get parking charge in 24 hour basis, if you return parking pass after 24 hours than you wont be get charge for it.
Torrey Pines State park is one of amazing hike we do have in San Diego. This hike right along the beach and only 20 minutes drive from Surfer. Easy to moderate hiking.
Potato Chip Rock is another great hike , very popular for locals and tourist, at weekends if you are not early enough you might wait up to 1 hour for photo opportunity. Moderate to strength hike at north east San Diego.
Hello Laur B,
All our standard rooms has portable AC units. If your room is ocean view then you would have cool ocean breeze and fan in your room instead of portable AC unit. Typically in month of June temperature during the day will change any where between 68 to 73 Fahrenheit (20 to 23 degrees Celsius), during the night temperature will be between 60 to 64 Fahrenheit. (16 to 18 °C). Thank you for interest on our hotel.
There are more places to choose from in the San Diego area.
PRICE RANGE
$137 - $224 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
surfer beach san diego, hotel surfer beach, surfer hotel, surfer beach hotel
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan DiegoPacific Beach / Mission Beach
NUMBER OF ROOMS
53
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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Are there any historical sites close to Surfer Beach Hotel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial (3.4 miles), Mormon Battalion Historic Site (4.3 miles), and Presidio Park (4.0 miles).
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
