Hotel Occidental

Found this hotel on one of the popular travel Web sites after deciding to drive down to SD for the annual Celebrate Dance Festival in Balboa Park. My friend and I were looking for something affordable and convenient, and the Hotel Occidental fit the bill. I'd found and stayed in a similar "European styled" hotel about a year ago and had a great experience there, so I was hoping that this one would not disappoint. These types of hotels usually have smaller rooms with separate toilet and shower facilities which allows them to offer lower rates. We paid just under $200 for two nights for two twin beds plus a kitchenette (dishes, fridge and a microwave) and an in-room toilet, with extras like free wireless access, a combo TV/DVD, a basket of useful goodies (bottled water, microwave popcorn, instant coffee, tea, etc) a stack of fresh towels and plenty of room to put away our clothes for the weekend in an open shelf-closet combo. Many of the furnishings were minimalist Ikea-styled modular, but mostly comfortable. This room was a bit more sterile than others I've stayed in, in that there was no wall art or other touches of "home," but seeing as we didn't spend a heck of a lot of time in the room but for sleeping, I was OK with that. They also made up for that lack of hominess in the room by creating a welcoming atmosphere in the common areas - fresh fruit and a tempting candy bowl were kept full in the lobby, and at night, guests came "home" to a dimly lit lobby accentuated by candlelight - truly a nice touch. The hotel also offered a complementary breakfast which was mostly fresh and included juice, coffee and an assortment of danish and breakfast rolls. Between that and the small kitchenette, we saved a bunch of money on eating out. Also, though small, the shower facilities were quite clean and well maintained. The only cons I have to note is parking - the hotel has a tiny, gated lot that can fit about four cars. However, we were lucky to find non-metered spaces on the street while there, and parking at meters is free on Sundays. Also, the neighborhood is a bit sketchy at night. Still we safely walked down 'G" street to the Gaslamp district and took a cab back. There's a liquor store on an adjacent corner that attracts the usual clientele for that type of establishment, along with a "lounge" next door. However, those elements didn't freak us out as much as the presence of HUGE "water bugs" boldly walking along the street but no where near or in our living quarters, thankfully! All in all a nice stay especially for a quick weekend getaway!