Kings Inn San Diego

I rarely write reviews, but what happened at this hotel was so upsetting that I feel obligated to warn others. I was traveling on a road trip with my 72-year-old mother and my child, and we checked in expecting a simple, uneventful overnight stay. Instead, we had one of the most disturbing customer service experiences I have ever encountered. Shortly after we checked in, my mother stepped outside to move the car closer to our room. Unfortunately, she accidentally left both her phone and the room key inside the room. After parking, she realized she could not remember the room number. Naturally, she went to the front desk to ask for help. My mother politely asked if she could use a phone to call me so I could come meet her and walk her back to the room. She was alone, confused, and simply needed assistance. The front desk employee, Ryan, refused to help her. He did not offer to call the room. He did not offer to help her locate the room. According to my mother, he became irritated that she asked to use a phone. Instead, my 72-year-old mother ended up wandering the property for about 30 minutes trying to find our room. When I eventually found her, she was visibly shaken and nearly in tears. Later, when I asked the front desk employee why he refused to help an elderly guest who clearly needed assistance, he said she had asked to use his personal cell phone and called it a “ridiculous request.” Even if she had asked for a personal phone — what exactly is ridiculous about a confused 72-year-old guest asking for help to a front desk employee? My mother told me very clearly: “I asked for a phone to call my daughter because I was lost.” Even if there was a misunderstanding about what she asked for, basic hospitality would have meant simply calling the room from the front desk or helping her locate where she was staying. Instead, she felt dismissed and unsupported. For our family, the situation raised uncomfortable concerns about how she was treated. My mother is a Latina woman, and the interaction left us feeling deeply unsettled. When we returned to the front desk to leave, Manager Veronica was present. I hoped this would be an opportunity for someone in management to show empathy or at least acknowledge that the situation had been mishandled. Instead, we were met with a defensive response. The explanation again focused on the claim that my mother had asked to use a personal cell phone, and we were told the incident was “on camera.” The tone felt dismissive rather than concerned that an elderly guest had been left wandering alone for an extended period of time. At that point, it became clear that the situation was not going to be taken seriously. We decided to leave the hotel and check into another property. Refusing basic assistance to an elderly guest in the evening — at a hotel where guests rely on staff for help and safety — felt unacceptable to us. Hospitality should mean helping people, especially when they are vulnerable or confused. Instead, we experienced what felt like indifference and a lack of empathy. For anyone reading this review: if you value attentive customer service and respectful treatment, you may want to consider other options. The property itself was also disappointing. The hotel smelled strongly of mildew, there were people smoking outside, and the rooms felt stale and poorly maintained. Overall it felt closer to a run-down roadside motel than the well-reviewed hotel we expected. This experience was deeply upsetting for our family, and no guest — especially an elderly one — should feel unsupported in a situation like this. Stay away.

Room was clean and staff friendly. Property was secure/safe and there is a great breakfast cafe on site.

Great motel in San Diego for a reasonable price! Location was close to major attractions and easy to get to. Rooms were nice and the waffle king restaurant was perfect for breakfast and supper. Would definitely stay here again.!

Rooms are clean & beds are comfortable. Staff are pleasant & accommodating. Coffee maker - fridge. Pool/ Jacuzzi is located in middle of complex. & always fun to chat with other guests in the Jacuzzi. Microwave available in small room near pool. Personal microwaves only $5 extra per day. They have 2 restaurants (one for breakfast & 1 for evening but that one is closed Monday night). Parking fee & monitored for better safety.

Veronica is always so helpful and friendly, quiet, clean and conveniently located

Very clean. Centrally located. Great value. Front staff was polite and helpful.

Kings Inn was truly great. Very clean, great beds( very important), central location .On site restaurant was really good and a plus . Our interactions with staff were very pleasant and helpful.. great staff! Will stay here again .

This place is a gem! Situated right off the main highway, it's incredibly central to all of San Diego's major attractions — a quick 5-10 minute drive in any direction gets you to the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Little Italy, Fashion Valley Mall, Balboa Park, and the airport. Yes, you can catch a little highway noise, but the convenience more than makes up for it. The staff were friendly and accommodating throughout our stay, and the hot tub was a definite highlight — perfect for unwinding after a full day of exploring. The heated pool was tempting, but let's just say my New England blood required something a little warmer! And whatever you do, do NOT sleep on the Waffle Spot! The food was consistently delicious with surprisingly quick service, plus guests get 10% off — a nice little bonus. We will absolutely be back on our next San Diego trip!

The people at both the hotel and Waffle Stop/Amigo Stop were so nice, friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean and well maintained and the food was very good. When we come to visit our son’s family from now on we will be staying at King’s Inn.

Great place to stay in San Diego, very clean, good service, friendly staff. We enjoyed our stay at Kings Inn. The restaurant is very tasty as well and you get 10% off whne showing your room key. I recommend!