House of Trestles - Hostel

Name: House of Trestles - Hostel
Address: 2717 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, US

Location: 2717 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente, US

Star Rating: 2 Stars

Property Type: Hostel/Backpacker accommodation

About this Property

Recreation Opportunities and Amenities
Take advantage of bicycles for rent, complimentary wireless internet access, and an arcade/game room.

Featured Amenities
Enjoy a 24-hour business center, express check-in, and express check-out for your convenience.

Home-like Accommodations
Make yourself at home in one of the 29 air-conditioned rooms with kitchens. Stay connected with complimentary wireless internet.

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

Express check-out
Arcade/game room
Free WiFi
Luggage storage
Express check-in/check-out
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Arcade/game room
Library
Front desk (limited hours)
Express check-out
Smoke-free property
Express check-in
Braille or raised signage
24-hour business center
Hunting nearby

Rooms Available

Junior Room

1 Queen Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Gallery Studio Suite

2 Queen Beds or 1 Queen Sofa Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Luxury Studio Suite

1 King Bed
Overlooking the ocean (partial)

Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Design Room

1 Queen Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Grand Studio Suite

2 King Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Signature Studio

1 King Bed or 1 Double Sofa Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Private bathroom
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace
Economy Shared Dormitory, Women Only

1 Twin Bed
Layout - Separate living room
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Kitchen with refrigerator, oven, microwave, and cookware/dishware
Sleep - Bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, towels, and a shower
Practical - Laptop workspace and wardrobe or closet
Comfort - Air conditioning
Need to Know - Limited housekeeping
Non-Smoking

Max Occupancy: 1 (1 Adults)
- Shower
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Kitchen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Oven
- Free WiFi
- Separate living room
- Bedsheets provided
- Laptop-friendly workspace

Guest Reviews

Chevonne (2/5): - Never made canceal now waiting for refund
Athena M. (10/5): - Again, never disappoints. Simple clean comfortable space. House of Trestles offers more than I need. The areas I use are a cool vibe and I feel at home. Thanks for a great week
Olivia (2/5): - They told me not to come when I had a question about receptacle for my C-PAP device.
Anna (10/5): - The room was clean and comfortable. Staff was very friendly. This space is very cool and hip. Bathrooms could use some attention (toilets were bady soiled with yellow stains and brown „stuff” and some tp was available only in two stalls), but for the price I think it was a great value. I had some neighbors that decided to have a couples fight at 11pm that ended up with solid screaming and crying and then they decided to listen to some music full on. I finally got up and asked them to keep it down. There’s no staff on site to help so something to consider. Overall, very pleasant stay and I’d recommend it to anyone that doesn’t have very high expectations, but is looking for clean, safe and cheap place to stay.
Ken R (4/5): - Very poor in service & amenities. Absolutely will never return.
Antonio (10/5): - nothing to complain about.
mark (10/5): - Nice laid-back place and comfortable
Ellen (10/5): - Chris is a great manager! We really enjoyed our stay and will be back soon Thank you, Chris!
Ashraf (10/5): - Excellent
steven (10/5): - Conventient and well priced. Room was warm and clean when I got there. Check in was a breeze.
Justin (6/5): - Close to the beaches.
Sequoia (8/5): Simple stay - I Iove the easy checkin and the simplicity of it .. the room where decent and people were quiet
Yuheng (6/5): Stay clam and accept, enjoy the good things! - Waiting 90 minutes for remote check in, bed is comfortable but the overall cleanse is pool! Nearby a Mexican supermarket with best value tacos!
Ethan (6/5): - Room didn’t seem properly cleaned. A lot of things were pretty dusty. There was food residue on the silverware and glasses, some sticky stuff on the floor, and I found chips on the floor. I don’t know if the ac is broken, but I tried to turn it on for about 20 minutes and couldn’t figure out how. Other than that, I liked the style of the room, and the sheets were clean
mason (2/5): - Nothing
Mary (8/5): - Convenient, close to Bus/Trolley stop. Small store at the end of the block.
Ray (10/5): - My room was clean and bed was very comfortable. Good communication and directions given.
MAURICIO (8/5): Convenient - Convenient, good price, good location
Stephanie Nadine (6/5): - The location cation was available for remote playback.
Abigail (8/5): - Simple and clean environment. I stayed in one of the private rooms in the building. Something to note is that unlike hostels that I've experienced in Europe, this one doesn't have a physical person in attendance 24/7.
Michael (10/5): - Great place, super comfortable and relaxing place. Great art and amazing surf / skate vibes. Ill be back!
Athena M. (10/5): - House of Trestles never disappoints this girl. I’ve been coming here since after they first opened, it’s better than the campground across the freeway. I feel safe and comfortable and the vibe is really kick back and easy-going. The street art is the best and I can’t help but take selfies. The bed is extraordinarily comfortable, as well as the sheets that they provide. Always my pleasure to be there.
David (4/5): - We had bugs in our room, staff was never around, the light switch that controlled the bathroom vent was hanging off the wall, air conditioner was leaking water all over the floors, TV remote was busted and it was not the batteries
Athena M. (10/5): - Everything about HOT is unique. From check in to sharing the common rooms and space. Great street art. Surf vibe and I want to come back always. I stay in the mixed room. Bed is amazingly comfortable. Been coming here since 11/16/18. Maybe longer. 💞💞💞
Brenda (2/5): - Everything was dirty and there was cockroaches. The employees were also very rude .
Kristi (8/5): - I’m aware this is a hostel and a unique experience, but didn’t realize how large it was and how many people bunk in the various rooms while sharing bathrooms and common areas including the kitchen. It was clear that efforts were made to remind guests to take care of their dishes and such, but the sink was full of dirty dishes, and I was not comfortable, leaving my food in the refrigerator. Overall, I felt safe enough staying one night with my adult daughter. I never saw anyone at the front desk, but Chris reached out and text me before check-in to let us know we could arrive as early as 1:00pm since the upstairs private room was ready and that was greatly appreciated.
Gladys (10/5): - Ok
Larry (2/5): - The bed was comfortable and the AC worked great. The window exposed the neighbors and our curtains remained closed, I-5 was loud, and the SHARED Bathroom freaked my wife out! The towels smelled like a locker room! Get dressed to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Our door had a 1" gap at the top, the floors were cracked, the WIRELESS connection worked but there was NO INTERNET! No TV! This type of property is not what we expected from Expedia!
Vonnie (2/5): - I should get my money back!! We didn’t stay!! The toilet is not covered!! It’s the corner of the room next to the bed that should be a health concern!! Violation!! It was an unsafe place!! We had to scramble around to find another hotel on this busy weekend!! You should investigate your choices before you offer them to people our age there should’ve been information about what kind of place this was!! College Age appropriate is the description of this place!! Vonnie Fernandez
Rick (10/5): - A/C ain’t working all days. It’s short like 2 minutes then close tan. Need to fix ac condition
Michael (10/5): - Great spot, easy check-in, comfortable, and great location. Amazing street art gallery! Would definitely stay again.
Tanya (8/5): - Cool art n original displays of creativity...would stay again... 🙏 Thanks
Adriana (10/5): - Thanks , sure like the second floor is more private it worked well for me
Richard (8/5): - Enjoyed our stay ..
ShaMarica (8/5): - The unit has shared bathroom space There isn’t a ramp to enter the building for ADA using person
Emmett (10/5): - Very cool hostel. Great common areas. Great mural artwork
Al (10/5): - Great location and staff (Chris is great)
ZhenChuan (4/5): - The room is clean but there is no chair nor table. The kitchen is dirty. There is no shampoo and soap for shower.
Shane (10/5): - It was a nice place.
Chris (8/5): - Made for millennials, not for snowflakes. Its a hostel and community living setting… done quite well I might add. Theres no ice machine or room service, you take care of yourself. I enjoyed my stay.
Dave (10/5): - This is a really cool property. A genuine place to chill for a few days while visiting the area.
Marissa (4/5): 👎not great for ppl with a lot of stuff /work trip - I was planning to stay for an event - work trip. I needed a late check in so they did accommodate that through email. Honestly though they don’t provide lockers to store your stuff and that was a huge disappointment coming from out of town when you’re on the go for a work event. The last thing you need is for your things to be far out of reach. The bathrooms were so-so as far as cleanliness plus there are no towels which I know is the common thing for hostels but I had forgotten mine by accident and it was too late at night to go buy one. Also this hostel is completely co-ed. the bathrooms AND sleeping arrangements. It was very late at night when I got in but I decided to not stay because of the lack of storage (I had to get ready for work in the a.m.) and because my phone was nearly out of battery. I didn’t know if I would have an outlet near my bed which is awkward when you’re coming in late at night and others are sleeping. I decided to drive out of town to stay which was a big inconvenience because of these little things that add up to be big things that I didn’t know about prior to booking. I am a female in my 30s for reference. Lastly, there was barely any street parking available. Late at night when having to transport your things it’s not the safest bet for a petite female. Better off paying more to stay somewhere that’s private or stay with family/friends.
john (8/5): - House of Trestles is a very cheap, surfer-friendly option for visitors. Callum was a big help when I arrived at 8 pm. I thought I'd just made it in time for check-in, but there's actually no receptionist. You just send a picture of your photo ID and email address to the number on the sandwich board when you go in, then you get the door code to your room. Of course, a dormitory means you will be sharing the room, and you get your own bunkbed. I didn't get a good look at the room because people were sleeping already, but not everyone's so conscientious as they will come in and out and I woke up in the middle of the night because my bunk was right next to the door. Even an introvert like me can get along with folks that stay here, and I never felt unsafe. But if you're a light sleeper, this place may not be for you. Just keep in mind that people will be talking outside in the hallway. There's a shared kitchen where you can fill your canteen. The bathroom and shower facility is coed. There are bookshelves of guidebooks about surfing. All the imagery is surfer related. As long as you have a good personality, you'll find your stay pleasant enough.
john (8/5): - already did
Donna (10/5): - 1st time in a hostel and was a great experience!!
Karla (2/5): - STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! This place is not clean, dirty concrete floors. We arrived at our room late in the evening, should have had to use a code to get in, instead the back door was wide open and our room was around the corner of the back door. Music and noise late at night and then again around 6:00 am, paper thin walls. To top it off we had no hot water for a shower or in the sink. The worst place we have ever stayed!!! We had to leave and find a different hotel for the rest of our stay.
Kimberly (2/5): - Not only was the restroom filthy but the side door was not locked/did not stay locked. Anyone can just walk in there, no safety precautions were being met.
Warren (8/5): - Staff very friendly and accommodating. Kitchen need some cleaning Throw out that disgusting microwave. I would stay at this property again. Price was reasonable.
Billie (10/5): - Cool place!
Robert (2/5): 8 strangers share a room and bath during Covid. - It is a Hostel not a hotel. Multiple people in one room. Shared Bathroom. No parking except on the street which is full and not safe. If you want a Hostel it may be nice. I wanted a hotel so I did not stay here. Also no one is available on-site to assist you. The email said it is a place to crash for surfers and lifeguards. You should be more truthful about what this is when you list it on Hotels.com. I would not have booked it if I knew what it was. I did not stay there when I found out the truth.
Elena (8/5): - Great location! Living spaces were comfortable!
Stephanie (8/5): Beach pad - Bohemian. Great price. Quiet. This is not the Four Seasons. I really enjoyed it because the “room” was like a small apartment. The bed was comfortable. San Clemente State Beach across the street. It’s mixed in with condos on both sides. Street parking. I will come back again. As it was suited to my beach personality.
Gary (10/5): - Trestles is easy to locate, has sufficient street side parking ,spacious dorms, restroom and kitchen. Restaurants are within walking distance (10-20 minutes). Storage lockers under the bottom bunks are spacious. Bunkmate showed me how to keep from making a racket with the locker door. Area in back of Trestles looks a bit sketchy, but I had no problems.
Luke (10/5): - Staff was super friendly and the location was great. Great price for what you get
Michael (10/5): - The place is a Mecca of good vibes and cool culture The staff are wonderful The location is prime Prices can’t be beat If you surf,you gotta experience it 👍👍
Niki (10/5): - It was really pretty the fans helped with the AC and overall had a great time
carmela (10/5): - Check in was a breeze. This is exactly the unconventional stay that I was looking for. Everyone there was very friendly and welcoming . The artwork which was on display everywhere was beautiful. I had read the reviews before and although there are some less than stellar reviews I saw no evidence of the complaints I read about. I like to make up my own mind, and my mind is made up . If you are looking for an unusual stay off the beaten path then you should check this place out .
Nicole (6/5): - My husband and I had a good experience here, it was pretty quiet and felt a little empty, so not sure what it's like with a full house in a peak season. The biggest draw back for us was that the hot water in the evening was non existent. Perhaps everyone had just showered and used up the hot water? But because it was such a quiet experience, we weren't sure if that felt like a logical explanation. The next morning the hot water was running fine, so it's the only explanation we could think of. The wall murals were really fun, the premises were really clean and well kept. Our room included a sink, toilet, and shower in the same room as our bed and wardrobe. Could prove to be a little uncomfortable for anyone wanting a more private bathroom. But it's definitely a more private alternative to using the communal bathroom and shower area. Overall, we felt like it was a great experience for a hotel/hostel type establishment. They do a good job of setting your expectations ahead of time. The photos are accurate on their website and on Expedia. They are communicative before you arrive, and even offer a virtual check in option.
Martin (8/5): Surf’s up! - It’s an interesting bohemian type experience, the woman at the front desk was very nice, helpful and informative. The shower and restrooms were clean but need some repairs and upkeep.
Jose (2/5): - They gave away my room
Verified traveler (2/5): - Made a reservation through them that shouldn't have been posted, blamed the return on a travel agency. Also, expedia sucks
Verified traveler (2/5): - This is a review for Expedia, not for The House of Trestles. Expedia sold me a room that didn’t exist. When I called the House of Trestles the morning of my planned arrival, they explained that they were not renting rooms via Expedia, but that Expedia continued to falsely list the property on their website. They were helpful and provided information needed for a refund, but this experience has left me wary of ever using Expedia again.
Verified traveler (2/5): - These guys didn’t allow me to keep my reservation and said that I couldn’t stay because I didn’t have a passport. When I booked my room online there was NO indication or requirements that stated me needing a passport in order to book the room. And on top of all that, they didn’t even at least give me a refund for wasting my time. The front desk was supposed to be active/working by 8am and they never showed up to the front desk at all to help me. Even though I waited there for several hours and called a few times. No response the entire day. Unfortunately, I’ll never book at this place again and do not recommend it to anyone.
Verified traveler (2/5): - DONT USE EXPEDIA!!!!! THEY SOLD ME AND TEN OTHERS FAKE RESERVATIONS TO TRESTLES WHICH IS A GOOD PLACE. WE WERE STUCK WITH NO PLACE TO STAY AFTER TRAVELING 70 MILES TO GET THERE!!!!
Verified traveler (2/5): - Made reservation week in advance, received confirmation email from both Expedia and House of Trestles prior to arrival ( 6 hour drive ) with confirmation/iteniary number then got there at check in time they gave me and found out my room was occupied already with no other rooms available. Made me cancel my reservation with no refund and no where else to stay in the area. Huge bummer/inconvenience/trip buster. Still don’t understand how this can happen. They punted all blame on Expedia even though they had me as a registered guest. BE WARNED FUTURE GUESTS!
Verified traveler (2/5): - I never stayed at this hotel you are crooks
Verified traveler (2/5): DO NOT BOOK! Reservation will not be accepted - THIS HOTEL DOES NOT ACCEPT HOTEL.COM BOOKINGS!!! I arrived and they said they would not accept my reservation. They were fully booked, so I was left without a place to stay. Hotels.com customer service is horrible, and it took me
Verified traveler (6/5): - Overall a good stay but there wasn’t any utensils or pots/pans & the projector was broken, wasn’t told but was stated on the description when booked. Loved the art & the people were nice!
Verified traveler (2/5): - Not good at all !
Jesus (10/5): - Great stay enjoyed the beach
Josh (10/5): - I was on a motorcycle backpacking trip and loved San Clemente too much to leave for over a week. The staff and guests at House of Trestles made my stay fun and interesting. I even learned how to surf!
Verified traveler (8/5): - Such a wonderful art and surf vibe! People awesome! Wish I had more time to take it all in.
Verified traveler (10/5): - Location, location and location. The area is filled with fun things to do.
Jeremy (10/5): Fun times - Great stuff fun times
Verified traveler (8/5): Noisy / No Sleep - So overall my stay was good, but the downside of staying in a shared bunk space is that sometimes people are loud or talking and it makes it hard to get to sleep. So because I had roommates check in late, or come home late from a bar, my sleep was continuously interrupted. I guess for $30 bucks its a good deal if you are willing to put up with a lot of noise.