ITH San Diego Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel - San Diego, California

Max Peterson

Staff is super friendly and helpful, genuinely. First time staying in a dorm hostel like this and will definitely look for these in the future. Bunk bed mattress is super thick and comfortable with privacy curtain, room AC unit is perfect white noise (some street noise which I don’t mind), never felt hot or cold, ample outlets for charging, and dedicated lockable storage under the bed. Felt very clean and secure.

I booked a second night directly from them in a private room, and I’d say it’s the best value I’ve ever had with a nightly rental. The location is absolutely unbeatable, the beds are comfortable, private room makes you feel like a king for cheap. Will be back.

Maribel P

I traveled solo to San Diego to visit family and felt right at home at this hostel. The location was perfect being right above a taco shop, across a Starbucks, and by Mission beach and Belmont park. It was also by souvenir shops which was nice too. The staff were amazing and welcoming especially Nik Z! Thank you Nik for the delicious bbq food and becoming a new friend. The rooms were great too. They had storage underneath the beds where you could use a lock if you wanted. Each bed had a separate light, fan, and outlet. The lounge area was so nice with a projector, full length mirror, comfy seats and extra things like board games and a keyboard plus a cute stuffed bear. They also had an event every night and it felt like camp ! I befriended so many ppl in my room and in the lounge and kitchen. This was my favorite part since I came solo and it was cool meeting ppl from other parts of the world and I plan to still keep in touch with them. I miss them already! The kitchen had tables, a coffee maker, fridge, microwave, stoves, plate, and everything needed to make or reheat food. They provided breakfast ingredients for cooking. The bathrooms were always clean too. The towel service for $2 was great in case you didn’t bring a towel for showering. They also sold other items like mouthwash and candy which was nice as a backup. I loved the postcard they gave us and how there was a chat for any meetups or questions. I felt very comfortable and safe here! Since this place is by the beach it did get loud at night but they had free ear plugs for us. There’s no AC but with the cool weather in San Diego and portable fans placed at each bed it wasn’t an issue. I’m also happy that they had WiFi for us. Every staff member I interacted with was also very accommodating and had answered all my questions. I really loved it here and will definitely come back! Thank you for making my stay so amazing. I love how staying at this hostel felt like I joined a new community especially with all the new friends I made during my stay !

Levi DeForest

This is such a great place to stay! It’s amazing how everyone is super friendly. I’m from the states but I feel like I’m on holiday in another country because of the diverse group of people who work and/or stay in the Hostel. I always see Santiago working around the clock to make sure everything is perfect; the rest of the staff are so helpful and they also seem to have a maintenance person on site in case anything ever comes up. The location is perfect, it’s right next to the beach, and directly across from Belmont Park. Things are so nice I even extended my stay for one extra day. I look forward to coming back for my next stay.

Phil Morris

Extremely comfortable bed and private room. It felt comfy and clean. Staff was very personable and kept the place in tip top shape during my stay. Great showers. Convenient location. Can be noisy at night due to proximity of Belmont Park. Steps away from the beach. Public transportation right on the corner so easy to get to SeaWorld and Old Town quickly. Would stay here again.

Crystal C

I decided to take a 2 day trip to San Diego on my own for the very first time, and it was a great experience! As a woman alone in a new city, the hostel made me more comfortable about being alone. Every morning at breakfast I got to meet new people and make friends!! They had pancake mix every morning, also chocolate chips and bananas you could add to it, etc. The showers were always really clean and although I didn't get the chance to participate in group activities, I thought it was so cool they had them everyday!!

Heather K

As a solo female traveler in my 50s I was a little nervous about fitting in at the hostel but I shouldn't have worried, everyone was super nice or at least very polite to other guests while doing their own thing. My itinerary was 3 jam-packed days with early AM start times, so I'm sad I didn't have any time to hang out and do the group activities in the evenings. The facilities were kept clean and I never had to wait to access a bathroom or shower. If you are a light sleeper, definitely take some of the earplugs they offer for free. The location (especially at that price) can't be beat!

Fouad Alkisswani

This property I picked for the price and the proximity to the beach. I was excited because I was planning to stay 16 days in total.

There is free breakfast included which was amazing and an above average looking staff and clientele, truly. Why 3 stars? Read on.

Firstly, the 2nd leg of my trip I booked two reservations - one directly with the hotel and then another with Expedia because my status with them gave me a great deal over the direct rate. So, when I checked in, I asked to cancel the direct rate (I had only paid $37 upfront) and was assured it was no problem and the refund would happen “immediately.”

The 2nd night I came home in a bad mood and had a heated conversion with a fellow bunk mate. I apologized and it was resolved quickly. The next day the front desk guy summoned me via WhatsApp to the front desk “Fouad Alkisswani, come see me” - felt like I was going to the principals office. He very angrily asked me to leave because of the incident the night before. I found that strange because at breakfast he was so friendly.

So I asked him, was it because of something I did (transparently, self adulation) that morning (while I was out the door) and he said “oh yes that too!”

What? He assured me that he would issue a refund immediately. He didn’t. Mid-day I called and was told “they’re speaking to the manager” - around 6pm the reservation was still active and in the Expedia app, it was too late to cancel. Note that I sent a message to the hotel, email, and was told 2 emails were sent to me. They were not.

I still don’t understand why the front desk associate was so angry. I was very polite, and it is the institutions’ prerogative to not house any guest, assuming human rights laws aren’t violated, so I didn’t put up a fight but I did ask a lot of questions.

I called Expedia to dispute the reservation and was told they would get back to me within the hour and that they did indeed receive an email from the hostel.

The problem? I have nowhere to stay and no money, which they know. Oh, and the internet they provided me was quite slow, so I switched to the other one which was much faster. Odd that there’s two.

Frank Cui

Unbeatable location and super friendly staff. Very clean and the dorms included thoughtful touches like below the bed lockers and a tray next to bed for storage. Would absolutely come back again.