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About
4.0
#115 of 260 hotels in San Diego
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
La Pensione Hotel immerses guests in the European exuberance and charm of San Diego's Little Italy - a hip neighborhood renowned for lively ambience, modern global restaurants, quaint sidewalk cafés, and trendy boutiques. Our boutique hotel is located in the center of Little Italy and is widely recognized as the neighborhood's architectural icon.
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
Quaint
Boutique
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish, Italian
Location
606 W. Date St., San Diego, CA 92101
La Pensione Hotel
731 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Overall, our experience was good. It is by far the smallest hotel room I've ever stayed in. That's not a huge problem overall, especially given the affordability, but I think they could do better with areas to set items on, especially in the bathroom. Perhaps a shelf or two for toiletries, a towel bar or hook closer to the shower, and a place to set clothing on. I ended up having to put my clothes, towel, and toiletries on the floor or on the toilet (yuck). It was just kind of awkward at times.
The walls are pretty thin, so we heard our neighbors flushing/showering. The hotel was overall fairly quiet, but I can imagine that might change if you had noisy people nearby.
The free coffee and pastry at the next door coffee shop was a nice touch, however, we weren't aware of it until morning #2. It would have been nice to know this on the first morning, as it would have saved us some breakfast $$.
The location was great and the room was clean. Do yourself a favor and grab some bottled water at the nearby Rite-Aid to keep in the mini fridge, if you don't want to drink the tap water. They do offer a 1-liter bottle if you'd like for an extra $3.
It's no Hilton or Marriott (they are way more expensive in SD), but I would stay here again, should I find myself in the area. There are many restaurants close by, and the trolley stop is a quick couple-block walk away.
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Date of stay: March 2020
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.
Fantastic little boutique hotel in the heart of Little Italy!! The room #321 was awesome with a little balcony overlooking the intersection of Date and India streets. Yes, the room was very small but gave it that European feel. The upsides…… Very comfortable bed and bedding. A little firm but that is my preference, so I slept like a baby!! Check in was a breeze! No issues or problems. I asked for a 3rd floor balcony room and was easily accommodated. All of the front desk staff were friendly and helpful!! With the French doors closed the room was extremely peaceful and quiet, even with the party going on in the streets below you. Location! Location! Location!!! Can’t be beat for convenience and walk ability! The complimentary coffee and danish next door was a nice touch. I ubered from the airport and back so the seeming parking issues were of no consequence to me. I walked everywhere for the 4 days I was there. I choose not to do room service when I travel, but you could always get fresh towels and bath accessories just by walking out your door. There always seemed to be a housekeeper within steps and they would give you fresh supplies with a smile!!!
Only a couple of cons that should be noted. Only for your consideration if these things matter to you. There really aren’t any “amenities “ in the room, one might expect. No coffee maker, iron or board. Easily accessible though if needed. Like I said…free latte and pastry downstairs!!! If you are eating take-away in the room, the only place to sit and eat is at the small desk directly under the wall mounted tv. I can see that two people might feel crowded in this room as there is only one chair.
Overall…a really fantastic experience!! I will most definitely stay here again for the overall vibe and feel of the place!! Location! Location! Location!!
10 out of 10!!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
My friend and I stayed at this boutique hotel at the recommendation of my sister who lives in Little Italy. The hotel is perfectly located, the front desk staff was outstanding, the room was lovely and the beds comfortable. Overall, a really great experience. Three recommendations: 1. There needs to be a place to hang wet towels and washcloths if you want people to use them for a couple of days. The one towel bar was not wide enough to hang two towels without folding them. Takes a long time to dry. That was frustrating. The lighting in the bathroom was dim and there was no way to angle the shower head. We would have stayed for seven nights had it not been for that frustration.
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Review collected in partnership with Best Western
Date of stay: February 2020
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.
I had a last minute wedding to attend. Looked everywhere and just couldn’t find anything to my liking. Then I found La Pensione via AAA. I loved it! Super cute. The room was very clean. It’s small but it was perfect for myself. I bring my own bed covers and protector but the beds looked very clean too. Parking is a pain in little Italy so I paid and additional $30/night to park in their garage which has 23 spots. There are about 64 rooms but the parking garage was never full because most folks fly in. So that was a plus. Do not park across the street when checking into the hotel! They charge you $40! I made that huge mistake because I wasn’t sure where I could park. I should have just driven around more to find those meter parking spots lol but oh well. Lesson learned! I read on here about the rooms having thin wall and that you can hear all the plumbing and well Idk I think the place was very quiet. Yea, you’d hear the pipes here and there but it really wasn’t a big deal to me. I slept very well. And the AC is very good too. I plan on returning to SD to visit family and will stay here again. Next time I will get a balcony room (they only have 3 or 4) though because Little Italy is so cute and full of life. You also get a free complimentary coffee and pastry from next door! Very good coffee. So, ya I loved it here. Oh, and there is no room service because of covid but that’s ok with me. I used the same towels to shower and it’s not like I’m messy and dirty. Plus I bring my own sheets and pillow. Anyhow, I’ll be back :)
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
Hubby booked this hotel for my birthday weekend, Brandon was extremely helpful and patient when I called him a few times to ask him about the parking situation. The other FrontDesk agents were friendly and helpful too.
The hotel is a cozy boutique hotel, located in Little Italy, surrounded by the wonderful smells of Italian cuisine. The lobby has a fireplace and a few seats. The room was small, clean and had the necessities needed for an overnight stay. There was a fridge and TV. We loved the rain shower.
We had the option to store our suitcases with them, while finding parking. Honestly, once you’re checked in, you don’t need your car, everything is in walking distance. They have a Saturday Farmer’s Market directly in front of their door, all the way down the street. Totally loved this. The morning coffee was available at the little coffee shop, next to the lobby.
If you have a truck or SUV, you won’t be able to park in this hotel’s garage, it only accommodates compact vehicles, and costs $30 per night. Alternatively, there are lots of other parking places around ranging from $16 and up, if you don’t mind walking to the hotel. There is also meter-parking around the hotel.
Also Gaslamp District was rocking on Friday night, and only a 20 minute walk from hotel, if you don’t mind getting your steps in. There are Uber’s and these little lit-up motorized or non-motorized carts available from the GasLamp. I did like this little gem and will be back.
Thank you Brandon for all the suggestions.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Their parking garage only takes compact cars, it’s $30 a night. There are metered parking in the...
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.
The hotel is well-located for access to restaurants, public transportation, or just walking the waterfront or downtown. Our room had a nice view over the Bay, and we sprung for the paid underground parking to keep our car safe and accessible. Some may find the room size a bit small, the bed comforter too warm, but we are used to that from European travel. Several of the nearby restaurants are quite good, and the vibe along India and Date Streets is lively. We were glad we chose La Pensione.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Shoot for 4th floor, Bay side.
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.
Well located in the heart of Little Italy, this boutique hotel is well appointed.However, the staff barely looked up from there phones when we came in and out and never greeted us. We also had to check-in twice and our room was not ready when we arrived. The room was attractive and the beds were comfortable but between the airplanes overhead and a clanking noise coming from the plumbing above we did not get much sleep.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Make sure the clanking noise from 317 has been taken care of.
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.
We wanted to love this hotel because little Italy is our favorite area in SD. Super fun neighborhood with endless dining options just steps away. European charm is one thing, but the TINY room just wasn’t comfortable. We listened to clanging water pipes during the night and had no WiFi in our room, so we were happy to leave after our 3-night stay. When we asked about WiFi, we were told new routers were being installed the next day. Didn’t happen. Tried the free coffee & pastry one morning, but fell in love with Parakeet across the street where we enjoyed fresh and healthier options with GREAT coffee. Overall, just okay but we’ll probably stay somewhere else next time.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
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.
Chose this hotel mainly due to its location to be close to restaurants and be within walking distance to the waterftont, downtown, etc.
Besides the great location, the hotel wasn’t too noteworthy. The rooms are small and simple with no items you might find elsewhere like tea/coffee. Depending on which room/side of the hotel you are on it can also be pretty noisy- I didn’t have an issue with the outside noise but if you are sensitive then this could be an issue for you. Hotel staff were friendly and helpful
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Parking is available for $30/day
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.
Location was in the heart of Little Italy, surrounded by many restaurants and small shops all within walking distance. The room itself was small in size, but I was traveling solo for a work conference and didn't mind. The rooms had all the amenities you need to have a shower and get some sleep. The beds were comfortable. The property was clean all around and the employees were all friendly. Front desk employees were all friendly and helpful with suggestions when asked. I absolutely loved this hotel, and would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:I used Uber/Lyft to get around outside this area. Its a 10 minute drive to the San Diego...
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.
There are more places to choose from in the San Diego area.
PRICE RANGE
C$238 - C$351 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
la pensione san diego, la pensione hotel san diego
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan DiegoDowntown / Little Italy
NUMBER OF ROOMS
75
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 La Pensione Hotel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Mormon Battalion Historic Site (4.2 km), The Homecoming Statue (1.2 km), and Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House (1.6 km).
