Has anyone ever stayed at the Golden West Hotel in San Diego? -

How was it? I m visiting and I need a place to stay.

Dodgy. And more expensive than it really looks. You ll end up eating out on every meal since there is no kitchenette. The long term stayers buy their own microwave or hot plate and cause black out nearly every night right around 8-9:30 PM when they cook dinner (they have wiring issues there. The place was built in 1912 or so and is a historic building). The rooms haven t got any tv (if you buy your own you can get some good cable channels, tho. There s a big flat screen in the lobby that s almost always tuned to some action movie), or refrigerator or Wifi access. You have to pay $5 to activate the room phone to call out. The pay phones in the lobby are in claustrophobic booths you can hardly squeeze into (much less closing the door). No ice machine, tho some soda/coffee/candy vending machines in lobby area. No on-site laundry room either. There s a laundromat next door that s just as dodgy and costs at least $2.50 for a load. There s one elevator... with capacity for 3 skinny people. Most definitely for someone claustrophobic. The small rooms that go for $150/wk are really small. Just enough room for a twin bed, a sink, a chair, and a small dresser and that s it. You can sit on the bed and touch the dresser on the other side of the wall with your foot. No toilet in your room. Have to use communal toilet and bathroom/shower at the end of the hall.The large rooms that go for $190/wk are bigger and come with own bathroom. The only perk is the once a week maid service (to clean the room and give you fresh towels). Oh, and they have serious bug problem. Cockroaches everywhere along with bed bugs. The staff are nice, but they ve got some dodgy residents there, too. Bottom line: I wouldn t recommend it if you can find other place. If you ll be here for a week or more, try the Baltic Inn, Island Inn, J Street Inn (all three own by http://www.affordablehousingsd.com/balti�� ). They cost more on paper (around $165/wk), but they are clean, have on-site laundry, free Wifi access, cable tv, refrigerator, microwave, and much less dodgy residents. You ll end up paying less since you can cook in the room and keep stuff in fridge.If you plan on staying a month or longer, Arlington Hotel at 7th and G ( (619) 231-2385) is not bad, also.