WMR

Anyone know anything about this hotel? Great rates, and sounds good, but not sure about the location (Balboa Park). Any thoughts/insights appreciated.

Joe

Don't know the property, but most areas near Balboa park are quite decent and centrally located. If it's near Golden Hill area (south of park) AVOID IT!

The Hillcrest/North Park areas are chock full of great restaurants, neat shops, etc. plus you are only 10 minutes from beach, 20 minutes from LaJolla, 2 minutes from zoo, 25 minutes from Wild Animal park, ...

I assumed you going for vacation.

Paul

I think this is the hotel on University Avenue in the North Park area. If so, the location is not the best. North Park is primarily a residential area that will not appeal to everyone. If this is the hotel I am thinking of, it was remodeled a few years ago and should be clean and comfortable.

WMR

The address is 525 Spruce, id'd as "1/2 block off 6th Avenue overlooking Balboa Park in Banker's Hill neighborhood"

Paul

Yes, now I know which one it is but I can't help you with information on what it is like. I can tell you that it is not where most of the tourists tend to stay. Balboa Park is a park and like any other park it can have its share to transients. Bankers Hill is an upscale residential area that is nice. If you want to play it safe, stay downtown in a recommended hotel, the Old Town Area or Mission Valley. All of which are close to the area you are thinking of.

George

ALARM BELLS!!!!! I had hoped that I would never hear that name again. I rented it in advance last year, through an agency, and it sounded great. When I drove up, I realized that there was something wrong. From the outside, it looks terrible. The small, cluttered lobby had some local riffraff hanging around and eyeing my family and me, the rooms were 1920's vintage, and the clerk insisted that I SIGN a credit card bill for several days in ADVANCE -- which is a reprehensible business practice. I immediately left and then had to scramble to find other accommodations during high season, which cost a lot and lost me a lot of time. NEVER STAY THERE.

Wilf

I agree with George. I once saw it advertised but when I contacted the AAA for information, nobody in the San Diego office had ever heard of it, even though it was built in the 1920s!