Anyone know the 500 West Hotel in San Diego? Is it safe...?

Question

Is it safe for a single girl to stay there? I'm travelling by myself and I rather spend money shopping then in an expensive hotel. It would be for 3 nights. I read that it's a YMCA and that people live there is it true?

Answer 1

Yeah, it's safe but I wouldn't walk around the neighborhood alone too late at night either. If you were with someone, or not out too late it would be ok. It's downtown, which has gotten a lot more gentrified in recent years, close, but not in the Gaslamp which would have enough traffic to make it a little safer walking around late at night. If I were you I'd feel ok there. Just don't walk around alone at night. Perfectly fine in the daytime...busy downtown.

This place use to be the Armed Services YMCA for servicemen who'd come to town in huge Navy ships and want to get off the ship for some fun downtown. The rooms are very small and it's communal bathrooms. It's very close to the train station which is not a good thing as it's very noisy from the trains. I'm a social worker and this type of hotel is known as a single resident occupied (SRO) hotel which is where lots of poor people on social security live. You will have lots of colorful neighbors and have to share the bathroom. But the worse part will be thin walls and lots of noise so bring earplugs. You get what you pay for. You'd be better off at a nicer hotel downtown but I realize these are several hundred a night and so again, you get what you pay for. I think they are outrageously expensive.