Ocean Beach International Hostel

The hostel is alright from my past experiences staying here. But at my most recent attempt at staying here, one of the staff members named Carrie was incredibly rude, refused me service because I made the mistake of telling her that I loved San Diego and hoped to live here soon. And also threatened to call the police when I asked to speak with her manager. If you stay here, I hope to god you never have to communicate with this passive aggressive bitch.

Fair prices and great location. The staff is helpfull and the hostel have a very nice vibe. The dowside was the bathroom: only 3 for the entire hostel. They are already building new big ones, but when I was there you had to wait a long time to go and thats very bad!

This was my first hostel stay, and I was very impressed even while most of it was under renovation. We stayed in an all-​female room with it’s own bathroom (worth the extra bucks and still extremely affordable and cheaper than a hotel). There were 6 beds in the room, and each bunk had a shelf and an electrical outlet (a rarity for hostels I’m told!) which allowed me to charge my phone right next to me every night. There were organized activities you could join throughout the day or night, free shuttles to local attractions and the airport, complimentary breakfast every morning, a fridge to store food, and the facility was very clean and modern. I also felt very safe here. I would absolutely stay here again if visiting OB or San Diego. Only downside is that nothing is really open after 8 except bars. It definitely has a hippie-​ish, party vibe in the area.

The staff is great, there are each day activities organized, that you can join.
Besides the rooms are clean and modern.
The location is great and the guests as well

Had a great time at Ocean Beach! Took a trip to San Diego Labor Day weekend in 2013. We booked maybe a month in advance and we didn’t pay more than $ 160.
«Free Transportation» = Reimbursed for bus/​taxi fare.
Checking in took a while and our room didn’t have AC. We were was there for 4 nights — we did okay without AC on ²⁄₄. (We were on the first floor on the side next to storage, so even if we open our windows no air circulated.
Mattress aren’t that great. We stayed in a co-​ed room, we had a few others stay in the room with us through out our stay.
Only one outlet in our room.
They have free breakfast (scrambled eggs, pancakes, fruits, oatmeal), it’s great to make breakfast in the morning and hang out on the front patio with the rest of the guest.
Free Wifi.
Just a few minutes from the beach, you can check out towels, surf boards, beach chairs, bikes, etc.
Also, Great bars and restaurants all around. Good way to meet some locals.
We didn’t really use the fridge besides to stock our beer — which everyone was really respectful of. Think about you’re staying with a bunch of travelers, they don’t want their stuff stolen — so why would they steal? The rooms have lockers to stock your things just in case.
Showering was fine, though by the end of our trip we had sand everywhere — so if you go to the beach use the showers there to get as much sand off.
They have something planned almost every-​night. We went to the bonfire! Great time with all the guest. There’s also beer pong in the back patio. On one night we had a party bus, $ 20 to ride to another side of town with the rest of the guest. They only had one bottle of vodka — So bring your own beverage if you end up doing this.
Overall, the rest of the guest were really what made my visit to this hostel and San Diego so great. Make friends and enjoy yourself!

Very friendly/​helpful staff. They went out of their way to help me organize travel plans and sent me my sweatshirt after I left it there Every night there are different activities; when I was there they had a $ 2 all you can eat pasta & beer pong anther night. No problems with the staff and met lots of cool people there

I stayed here from ¹⁰⁄₂₄ to ¹⁰⁄₂₉. On their website, it says «free transportation» from the airport or train station — this is a bit misleading. I was surprised to find out that their definition of «free transportation» is taking the public bus and being reimbursed for bus fare upon checkin. If you choose to not take the bus, they will only reimburse you for the cost of what it would be take the bus.
My room was on the second floor, and there was only one electrical outlet, above the sink. This was in a 6 bed dorm, which was extremely small and cramped. There are black bins to put your bags and belongings in, which you put on your bed, during certain hours of the day during housekeeping hours. A little strange, but ok, whatever.
The stalls on the men’s bathroom downstairs are so short that you can literally be watched while you are going to the bathroom… very creepy. There is one private bathroom upstairs with a working shower if you want a little privacy while you are taking a dump.
The atmosphere wasn’t too bad, I met some nice people but I also encountered a lot of aggressive, backpacker drunks in the patio area out back during the evening hours, and some very shady people that made my stay rather unpleasant, including a guy who wasn’t a guest at the hostel, but lives in the area and is always hanging out there. He is dirty, shady scum — watch out for him, he will try to sell you drugs and pester you if you tell him no. There were homeless, wandering, hippie wackos everywhere. There was a police presence on the street almost the whole time I was there. Foot patrol officers and patrol cars were a regular occurrence. Once I connected the dots, I realized I should have stayed somewhere else. The people staying in my room were mostly friendly though, so that was a plus.
I have stayed in many hostels on different continents, and I can honestly say that this was the worst experience I have ever had. I had to leave early because I was called in to work, and I have never been happier to check out and go home.
I had high hopes for this hostel and thought it would be fun, but it did not live up to my expectations.

Really shocking.
Do not stay here.
I stayed here with a friend for two nights in September 2013 we booked a private room with bathroom.
We got there and waited at reception for over 10 minutes before anyone said anything to us, they weren’t very friendly to say the least. Our room was at the top of the stairs and we both had very heavy suitcases, although there were a lot of able men around nobody helped us up the stairs with our bags, instead they just watched us struggle with them.
The room was so depressing: I would have been more comfortable in a prison cell. Window didn’t close and someone came to cable tie it so it stayed shut. Only one power point (right next to a sink — dangerous). Had to put out names on our bed although we were in a private room?! Had to put our own pillow cases on the pillows. No towels, bath mats or soap provided. Bathroom had mould in it. Mattresses were damp and when I asked about it I was told «all rooms are damp» GREAT!
And you have to leave the room between the hours of 11am til 3pm in which time you’re not allowed any of your stuff anywhere, it has to go on the bed?!
People in the hostel were very hostile, glaring, staring and not smiling. All seem to have been there a while and in their own groups.
I think some of the tramps even stayed too. Very intimidating.
Very run down horrid place. Didn’t feel safe to be honest.
Is not an experience I would like to repeat.

My wife and I have been traveling for the better part of six months and have stayed at all sorts of places– from top of the line to bottom of the barrel. I would like to point out that we are not strangers to transients (I have many friends who wander) and we generally make more friends from the homeless population of a city than we do from the rest. That said, this was the worst place I’ve stayed at.
In order to get into the front door, we had to literally push our way through four toothless meth heads, and then step over a young man who was laying on the steps yelling. Although we had a reservation, we never received the code to the front door. This didn’t end up being a problem, as every meth and heroin user in a ten block radius knew it.
Thinking things would be better once we stepped inside, we crossed our fingers and entered. The parents of the meth heads were inside, also methed out of their minds, laying around the kitchen area. We interrupted a conversation between the front desk clerk and one of the addicts, arranging for the clerk to buy the (obviously underage) addict a couple cases of beer. Turns out, we needed to have a passport in order to stay at this flop house. It was probably our mistake, as my wife misread their website, but the attitude with which we were told these rules was insanely rude. As soon as I said, «well, I guess the Unilocal reviews are true» the dude calmed down and offered to let us stay there for one night. That was perfect, as we had already agreed to get out of there as soon as possible.
I give the joint one star because the private room we got was pretty damn clean. I didn’t mind the drunks and drug addicts roaming the halls till all hours of the night, but I don’t think we should have had to pay such a high price. We ended up spending the next five nights at a nearby hotel, where we didn’t run into one meth addict and had privacy, for $ 15 less a night.
I enjoy San Diego and will probably be back, but I will go out of my way to avoid the entire block this place is located on.

This was ridiculous! We stayed here for 2 nights in July 2012,
Way too expensive!
Ok it was clean and almost quiet. We stayed in the couples room, where 4 couples can stay. But it is sooooo small! I only was able to go between the beds sideways.
We paid 180 dollar for two nights. 45 per person per night. That’s a total rip-​off for the little space. For the same price we got a hotel for 2 nights directly at the strip in las vegas at the upper floor with view over the strip. Think about it.
Especially because of the bathroom situation.
There are 2 bathrooms with showers on the first floor only for women and 2 bathrooms with showers plus one toilet on the second floor. But they are unisex so there is not only one washroom only for men.
At the washroom door says a paper «please shower at night», so there is a run on the shower and we always had to wait in line for an hour.
Another stupid thing are the lockers. We had 3 different locks and not a single one was able to close these stupid lockers. Seriously! Buy new lockers or repair them.
One positive thing! The breakfast was just awesome.
Pancakes, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, toast, coffee and so on. And all fresh made by the owners.
BUT way too early. From 8 am to 9 am.
We definitely will not stay here again!
We only stayed here because we needed a bed and San Diego was totally booked…

Had a good experience at my first ‘hostel’. The price was good and the atmosphere was friendly. Very good location next to beach, restaurants, and nightlife.

Stayed here for 2 nights with a friend while visiting SD for the weekend.
Pros:
Staff’s always around. Is this a pro though? Idk.
Free breakfast
Comfy patio in back and front
Chill/​wanton vibe
2 seconds away from the beach and lots of bars and food
Parking not so bad on the residential streets nearby
Outside storage
Free towels!
Cons:
Very cramped rooms
Terrible mattresses
Overstocked communal fridge
Creepy front desk lady with a depressing voice
Kind of dirty
People throw up in the bathrooms and don’t clean
Drunk Irish roommates are way too touchy (not really the hostel’s fault, but it’s a complaint I’m lodging with the universe)
If you want to feel beachy, dirty, covered in phantom bedbugs, surrounded by weird sorta friendly skulking types, this be the hovel/​hostel for you.

Love love loved staying here, it was SUPER close to the beach & right by all the nightlife of Ocean Beach. The room was super clean, I stayed in a private room with a friend & it consisted of a bunk bed, a locker, sink & bathroom all for $ 30 a night. They had 5 or so different places to take showers, a laundry room, kitchen, big front porch, covered back patio with TV’s & an inside TV room. Free breakfast & dinner somedays, lots of group activities (beer pong, bar crawls, bon fires, ect). We arrived WAY before checkin & they stored all our luggage for us until the room was ready. The staff was really fun to be around, super helpful & made our stay really enjoyable.
Tip: Watch out for Alex, one of the employees, especially if you have blue eyes. he might fall in love with you! ;]

Okay hostel. Not it the best condition. You are not allowed to use sleeping bag or own blankets. which I understand, but at least provide a good substitute then. You get a pillowcase and a blanket, that’s it. At least give a decent mattress cover and a sheet to put the comforter in. Honestly I thought I could fall through the bunk bed anytime but I wouldn’t care to fall on the guy under me who was shaking and talking in his sleep all night long. The people who hang out here are mostly cool :)

The OBI Hostel is located in a great area if you want to visit San Diego and enjoy the ocean as well. Ocean Beach is nice, has a lot of bars, surf shops, small diners and 1 hostel! :)
We stayed in a private room with 6 girls with a private bathroom. The staff ‘cleans’ the room every day. The bunk beds are not too bad. The furniture hasn’t been renovated in a while which shows on the beds.
We enjoyed the free breakfast (pancakes, scrambled eggs and toast) on the patio and the beer pong in the garden at the back.
Please use the lockers in your room! During our stay one of the guests’ phone got stolen.
The staff is allright. There is one grumpy old guy who does seem to think that we are all idiots but we loved the guy from Jamaica who was there every morning to clean.

Private bathrooms with a shower and a toilet. Bunk beds. If you check out early, you need to leave your key in the drop box as well as your sheets. They serve breakfast between at 8AM. Good if you need a social scene, and want to meet other international backpackers, and if you don’t intend on sleeping much. No parking. Close to the beach, a few blocks. A block away from Hodad’s.

Worst. Hostel. Ever.
People partying until all hours of the morning, seemingly encouraged by the staff. Lots of yelling and screaming and drama in the hallways until nearly 4am.
Went to take a shower around 9pm and the bathroom reeked of vomit from one of the binge drinkers of the evening.
I have done a fair amount of hostelling in my days, and this was by far the worst experience I have ever had.
One star is for how cheap it is, otherwise it would get nothing.

For the most part, the people who stay here seem to be pretty chill and cool but like anywhere else there are always going to be assholes.
An asshole from the UK, Asia or Africa is still an asshole in the United States.
I walk past this place all of the time and it never intimidates me but sometimes I can just tell that Im going to be in for some verbal assault.
Not the band Verbal Assault
. They rock. Assholes do not rock.
Just be aware of your surroundings, thats all that Im saying.

Okay, so this hostel definitely has a lot going for it. It is cheap (25 bucks a night if you’re willing to stay in a 6 bunk room, 45 or so a night if you want to do a 2 person room), they pay for your cab fare from the airport, they give you a free bottle of champagne (?), and you get a free simpleish breakfast as well as free wifi. It is located like a block from the beach, and is in the heart of the Ocean Beach area, which has tons of random little restaurants and shops.
Somewhat less positively, the quality of the rooms is pretty dingy. the pillows are not really comfortable, and in the 6 person room (of all guys), the room had a definite odor of feet. Which I guess is not really the hostel’s fault, more an issue with the people who go to the hostel, but oh well.
More neutrally, this is definitely a hostel for international guests who want to hook up with each other. Like all night. I’m very impressed with the ingenunity of the guests here. I would think, staying in a room with 6 other people might limit your ability to hook up with people, but no, that is definitely not the case. I was sitting in the hallway around 3 am one night, working on my laptop, and saw about 6 couples secret off to their rooms for trysts. And one even more imaginative couple walked past me into the bathroom and proceeded to have extraordinarily loud sex, which I’m sure everyone in the hostel was able to hear. Very impressive.

Great pricing, great diversity of clientele!