The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows

This is THE definitive review of the Lafayette Hotel. Firstly after reading some of the reviews here I had concerns. I am aussie traveler and I’ve travelled frequently and stayed at many hotels around the world. I’ve come to realise that many people are so unreasonable with their demands and expectations. This hotel is fabulous - if you are high maintenance why don’t you do everyone a favour and stay else where. Some of these reviews really are nit picky and full of entitlement, The hotel is spacious, some of the rooms are huge. Yes you will get noise during the day and weekends as the pool allows day passes. I was moved to a room with a pool view and had no issues. If you’re a single person you’d love it here or a couple - but leave the Karen/Ken behaviours at home. Be kind and respect people. I love the vibe here, great location and lots of options nearby and a quick trip to Hillcrest etc. LGBT crowd: staying here is a must,there’s one hotel in Hillcrest which I’ve stayed at and it’s definitely not worth your time or money. Lafayette should be your go to if you want to be near the Gaybourhood. The poolside room I had is room 60 and it was fab. If you want house keeping, let the reception know ahead of time (ie day before). There’s a great bar and restaurant, on site general store and a 7 Eleven nearby, Mac Donald’s, bakery, great pizza and much more. What a lovely safe area. I repeat this hotel is great, yes it shows it’s age in some ways but it’s super cute - I’ve stayed far worse. For Open minded travellers who appreciate a holiday vibe Not for Unreasonable people Will always stay here when I visit San Diego - loooove!!!!! I’m writing this review mid stay

the bad reviews are sooooo wrong

The pool was excellent. Lobby is beautiful.

The bathroom needs updated. The library was closed the whole time that were there. Would have liked to have a bigger selection of items in the little store.

The pool scene was great. The staff were friendly. we stayed in a bungalow which was very spacious.

The bungalow was in need of updating and was not as clean as we would have liked. One of the beds had stained sheets and a hair on the pillow and we had to request clean sheets on check in. The path on the way up to the property needed hosing down. There was a kitchen but no dishsoap or towels: providing these would allow guests to get more out of the kitchen. With a bit more care and attention, this could be a really great option and the positive score is based on the whole experience as the pool and main shared parts of the hotel are excellent. We were just disappointed with the accommodation itself. Perhaps the poolside rooms have a better standard.

The pool was straight out of a Doris Day movie. Our room had a patio overlooking the pool which was lovely early morning. And, poolside cocktail service was a surprise treat. Bed was very plush and pillows comfortable. Location was wonderful.

Everything needs paint. Rooms, corridors, lobby. No refrigerator or microwave in the room. When I arrived there was no shower curtain and the toilet roll holder was falling off the wall. Maintenance and curtain did come promptly which was a plus. The poolside music was loud for an afternoon nap but was off when we returned from dinner.

The first room we had it did not have a view. I upgraded to the pool view balcony for $40.00 more. I appreciated that they let us check in early and even tried to upgrade me for free for my birthday. The staff was friendly and a great vibe overall. Rooms were clean. The vanity in our room had good light and pretty spacious.

Bathroom sink was cracked and some light bulbs in the room were out. The USB did not work to charge the phone. would have liked a larger tv but was there for the pool.

the building and the pool are historical places, and we can feel a very good atmosphere. The view from rooms by the pool is very nice. Restaurant for breakfast is ideally located.

The service is not at the level one would expect from a place like this. For instance, I sent an email 1 week before my stay for an info, and never received a reply. Also, the first night, people partied all night, near the pool. Our bedroom was by the pool on the second floor, and my child and myself could not sleep for hours, well after midnight. The hotel did nothing about it. Finally, amenities are poor: 1 soap for all the bathroom (bathtub + lavabo), and no body cream.

The massive pool was great. The vintage look with each room having a quote from an old time celebrity was creative and fun! Staff was amazing. Great location.

No fridge in the room. Housekeeping needs more work. Bathroom had hair on walls & bathtub. Dresser drawer had cloths, ear pods from prior stay, pillow case had hair.

The location was centrally located and easily accessible. The king sized pillows were exceptional, I was wondering what the brand was. I slept very well and the pillows and bed were exceptionally comfortable. Breakfast was great as well. If someone can let me know the brand or where I can purchase the pillow I would greatly appreciate it.

Maybe a little update to the room and bathroom....

I like how the staff is always friendly and kind. Many remember us for our stays as well as new employees whonget to know us. Also the clientele are always so nice. We have been staying here several times this school year 2021-2022 for school performances at St. Didacus Parish School & Our Lady of Peace Academy orientation days.

staff was great! The pool was awesome, hotel bar was great (a little overpriced for the drinks, but it was a hotel bar so we expected that). Bed/pillows were super comfy! We will def be going back for a longer stay!

bathrooms could use an update, but other than that nothing really stood out. They were clean, just some of the features outdated.