Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
A charming, coastal-inspired urban lodge in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. Palisociety reimagines the historic Hotel St. James, originally built in 1912, into Palihotel San Diego, a vibrant and bustling mainstay located in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. Featuring 122 guest rooms, Palihotel San Diego brings a youthful, design-centric offering to San Diego’s hotel landscape, showcasing a preppy, nautical-inspired charm, a new restaurant, and a guest-exclusive roof deck offering daily social hour and the best views of the city. Equally approachable and refined, travelers and locals can celebrate San Diego’s rich history and modern delights from this convenient home base. Palihotel San Diego features Saint James French Diner, a restaurant and bar that blends the utilitarian nature of an American diner with the subtle elegance of French bistro cuisine. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, the menu is hearty and simple, yet refined by nature, paying homage to roadside food halls in Southern France. It’s shared mussels and a beer in the afternoon and it’s a burger and two martinis at night. It’s sensible, unpretentious, and totally chic. Warm, charming, and jovial, this historic hotel and its dining spaces are ideal for intimate soirées, post-convention cocktail hours, private dining, and more.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Palihotel San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter offers a vintage charm that is frequently celebrated by guests, alongside its convenient proximity to local dining and the convention center. However, while the stylish decor and Diptyque bathroom products are appreciated, some visitors find the rooms to be on the smaller side with noise issues that can disrupt a good night's sleep.
Opinions on the hotel's service vary, with reports of both friendly and less attentive staff. Travelers also comment on the high costs, questioning the value for the price paid.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Cramped
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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I landed in San Diego for a work conference after an 8 hour delay from my airline, and a lost suitcase. As I arrived at Palihotel on a Sunday night, my check in was incredibly smooth. I wandered over to the restaurant/bar to grab a nightcap & snack. The bar manager, Nikki, was immediately friendly offering insights to the menu, drinks, and providing me with all the options for both. This interaction made the choice easy-I didn't need to go off site for any meals. I had dinner, for the next 3 nights, at St James and a breakfast before I checked out. Nikki is an outstanding asset to this operation. I was able to find the GM, Chris, to let him know what a tremendous team he has; the concierge fielded several deliveries for me, including that of my luggage, and the housekeeping staff is beyond helpful. He was equally fantastic, indicating that good leadership starts at the top. I was incredibly appreciative to have found Pali and am looking forward to returning, not just to the San Diego location, but to the other sites as well. Lifelong fan, love your work!
Some notes: -Rooms are small-this is normal for bigger cities...They are comfortable. Room Service is tricky in a regular room (& there also isn't much room if you have bigger suitcase). Be resourceful with you space.
-I would've loved some trash cans on each floor to throw away larger & food items.
-No ice machines, but the bar and/or concierge will bring you a bucket of ice if you request it.
-Provided in-room ammenities (mini bar offerings, shampoo, soap, etc) were lovely.
-The famous elevators! I am a history junkie, and still can acknowledge these babies are form over function. I would make sure to request a room far from them if you're noise sensitive. The elevators are much easier to operate with two people. However, they offer a nice pace for a mindful moment ;)
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Oct 29, 2024
Thank you so much for sharing your experience feeding girl. I truly appreciate you shining a light on Nikki and the interactions you had with our team. We all were amazed with how well you handled the lost luggage situation you experience and truly enjoyed having you as our guest. We are so pleased that your experience at the Palihotel San Diego prompted you to visit our sister properties within Palisociety. I hope we have the opportunity to spend time with you again in the near future.
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Not just a hotel—this is an experience. Original elevators, beautiful design work, and excellent service makes this hotel a must-stay when you’re in SD.
Sapphira helped us get checked in and even showed us the hotels curated picks of places to go and see while you’re in the area.
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Fregeau, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded May 24, 2023
Hello 879darbyv, We are so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay at Palihotel San Diego! Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to post such a kind review about newly imagined, historic property. We are fortunate to have such a great team of people looking after our guests each day. I will be sure to share this review with Sapphira as well. I hope to welcome you back to Palihotel San Diego in the near future. Please let us know if we may ever be of service. Cheers, Chris Fregeau, General Manager
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This was a great stay. The bed, the style, the ambiance were beyond my expectations. The rooftop bar was the perfect place to unwind after my long drive, and enjoy the sun before and as it set. The front desk attendants greeted me with kindness and were very efficient! There is a restaurant attached to the hotel, which had delicious, yet high-priced, breakfast options. The room was a suite with a front room, which had a sofa bed that my son loved. The main bedroom had a comfortable king bed and both spaces had their own sink and mirror. The bathroom was a decent size, I had no complaints about it. The only downside (but I didn't mind) was the AC noise that came from the center of the building. I didn't mind it because I usually sleep with a sound machine and it was the essence of white noise and allowed me to fall asleep effortlessly. I will definitely stay here again. The elevator is VINTAGE and can breakdown occasionally. When we returned from the concert at HOB, (very conveniently located) it wasn't working, And there weren't any signs giving a heads up. Luckily, we were only on the 3rd floor, so it wasn't a big deal. But I felt for anyone on the 11th!
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Oct 15, 2024
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us Kimberlyr2010. We are so happy to hear that we exceeded your expectations! We apologize for the inconvenience with the historic elevator and appreciate your patience. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future.
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Getting the elephant out the way, the legacy elevator from 1913 is here to stay, as it is likely the heart of the former St. James Hotel. When I was there, one of the 2 elevators was out of commission. You need to open a heavy door to access an even stiffer gate, that you need to pull to get in. This stiff gate is a chore to open, and may not be possible to be opened by those who are disabled, or simply don't have the strength to do so. The elevators are also small, lack ventilation, and are on the slow side. So you can dread this ride while you read the funny sign about it being the fastest elevator 110 years ago.
Aside from the elevator, almost everything else was above average. The rooms were very clean and there definitely was a charming aspect to the decor. Even the downstairs lobby was almost themed similarly in a 1920s or 1930s vibe. The bathrooms employed Diptyque products which definitely made it feel good to clean up. You get a heavy robe to wear in the room, and it was among one of the better robes I have used. A small issue was the AC "not being strong enough", but I didn't really mind. Eventually the AC did become too cold for me, maybe it was more of the remote being confusing.
The rooftop drinks area is nice, but it was somewhat sparse when I went up there. I did not get a chance to go to the attached diner, but I don't see any issues with it, and they offer happy hour specials.
A huge advantage is the location. While the Gaslamp Quarter is surrounded by the homeless, the area is key if you wanted to travel around the city and surrounding areas with public transportation. The trolley and bus system did it's job when I needed to travel around the city, and that area was accessible to many routes.
Overall, the elevator was not a dealbreaker for me, though it might be for people who couldn't open the doors and gates. I think the pros outweigh the cons here, and I would stay here again if I were to visit.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Sep 16, 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience with us Jzhu0831! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you found our rooms to be clean and charming. We hope to welcome you back soon.
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I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this hotel : old building all redecorated/refurbished preserving the spirit of the place, even the old style lift. The rooftop was lovely. However I was disappointed with the room, given it was an expensive stay. It was very small, barely enough space to walk around the bed. Luckily I was by myself, otherwise it would have been tricky for 2 people. Also the room was quite noisy. The sink area was located in the room, right by the door, while the shower and toilet were located in a separate room. That was very impractical, given the room was small. I don’t think I would go back, given the high price of the stay.
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Apr 9, 2024
Hello 828SarahG, Thank you so much for being our guest at the Palihotel San Diego and for providing us with your feedback. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the atmosphere and spirit of the hotel. But I'm sorry to hear that you felt that our rooms did not meet your expectations. We hope that you will return and experience a night in one of our many deluxe rooms or suites that I know would make you feel right at home.
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Stayed in the hotel during the festive period, great Christmas decorations in a Parisian style hotel, located in the centre of the Gaslamp, home to all the bars/restaurant/clubs. Could get noisy at times but the beds were very comfy and clean. The ventilation was quite loud during the night and I understand the lift is meant to be “from the 1913’s” but was super slow. Had to wait 15 mins for the lift during check out at 11:00AM which wasn’t ideal. Especially as there’s 2 lifts, only 1 was available. The rooftop overlooking the city views was definitely a highlight and I see the potential it has during summer. The worst part of our stay was some of the staff. The lady with the glasses at reception was very rude and didn’t seem sincere at all. My sister would ask her a question and she wouldn’t even look at you. On the first night, I asked her down at reception for all the drinks from the fridge to be removed (because we had our own food and drinks) and they fill it entirely so there’s no space. She got everything removed although I only put my ginger shot in the fridge which also got removed - I can’t seem to understand why especially as they have their own branded beverages and mine clearly isn’t part of the menu bar. I complained to her about this, she got it out the back and said “I think the ginger shot is broke”. LOL. How can a ginger shot break. Maybe she wanted to keep it for herself so she used this excuse? Another male receptionist was rather rude as well. Didn’t say goodbye as we departure, so not friendly customer service at all in reception. However the housekeeping woman was absolutely lovely and so sweet, giving us a lot of info about our day trip to Mexico. So overall a decent stay apart for a couple of receptionists.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iana Pak, Owner at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Dec 19, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review regarding your stay, Lucee. We’re pleased to hear you enjoyed our holiday decorations and found our location in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter convenient for exploring the nearby bars and restaurants. We’re also delighted that you found the beds comfortable and the housekeeping team helpful. We are sorry to hear that our historical elevator made your stay less than perfect. While the 1913 elevator is indeed part of San Diego's heritage, we acknowledge the challenge of maintaining its functionality. Please know we are always striving to improve efficiency to ensure a smooth experience for our guests. We apologize for any upsetting interactions with some of our team member. We will address your concerns with our team immediately to ensure all guests receive a warm, respectful, and attentive experience. Your request to have the minifridge emptied should have been handled with greater care, and we apologize for the misunderstanding regarding your ginger shot. It is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the rooftop city views and saw its potential for the summer season. We hope you will give us another chance to provide you with the exceptional service we are known for.
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The staffs here are the best. Sergio and everyone else were so helpful and patient when I was struggling with payment option. Everyone was smiling when I asked things and things. The room was clean, the hotel is close to anywhere in the city. The room was very well prepared: never seen that huge "mini" bar lol; it was during Halloween weekend when I stayed, which made the nights painfully noisy, ear plugs were prepared and had little problem sleeping.
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Date of stay: October 2023
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Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Nov 17, 2023
Thank you for being our guest Road809833! We are so glad to hear that Sergio and the rest of the team took such great care of you during your stay with us. Downtown hotels can become noisy and I'm glad to hear that the ear plugs did the trick to keep the noise away and allowed you to have a restful night sleep. We hope to welcome you back soon!
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Extremely small rooms with lukewarm air conditioning. Water bottles were not offered at check-in, but they cost $13.00 in the room. There is no gym or Pool. The service at the restaurant wasn't great. 1900s elevators with a guillotine door gate that is likely to slam closed on your fingers more than once make dealing with luggage a real treat. It's cute, but it's very frustrating for travelers. The location is convenient, a 15-minute walk to the convention center.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Aug 8, 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed your time with us at the Saint James French Diner and found our location to be convenient to the San Diego Convention Center. Although we do not have a gym or pool on property we do offer 50% discount tickets to our partnering gym FIT San Diego. We hope that you visit us again in the future.
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This cute little hotel is vintage, but for me, that makes it whimsical. The cost is amazingly budget friendly for it's prime downtown location. And by prime I mean you can see and hear petco park from the cute little rooftop situation they have. Since the Padres have been playing this week, downtown has been much more active than it typically is in the beginning of the week. Having dinner on the rooftop while fans cheer on their favorite team was nice.
The room was very cozy, with a lovely view. My only complaint would be the decade+ old elevator that boasts how it was once the fastest, these days the minute ride up and down 10/11 floors was a bit jarring, especially since it's old school to the point of still having a sliding metal door that you have to manipulate in addition to another door that you have to push open before the elevator starts moving again.
Back to the room, I didn't have a delux room nor did i have a suite but I sure had a full wet bar in the fridge lol. I have booked suites, delux rooms etc. in other hotels and have never seen anything like this. Plenty of wine, beer, seltzer (alcholic and non) a bottle of champagne (that is extremely overpriced) and some shooters of alcohol. Additionally there is also a very full basket of chips, popcorn, candy bars and other snacks. All for a fee of course, but not terribly priced (only the bottle of rose wine and champagne were wildly expensive).
Because I am a very social person, I spent quite a bit of time working from the bar. If you are the type who likes to hang out at the hotel bar, this one is actually much busier than other hotels in the area. There is a big hotel right across the street and another major branded hotel around the corner, I did not see nearly the same amount of traffic in those restaurants that I saw in this hotel. I certainly wasn't the only person working on the road and the lobby is well designed for those of us who do.
I appreciated everything about my stay and will bring my husband back so that can he can experience it as well.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2024
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Lott, General Manager at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Jul 1, 2024
Thank you for sharing your experience, Indivijewelll! It's fantastic to know that you appreciated the Saint James French Diner and meticulously designed decor of our property. We take pride in creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our guests, and your recognition of the attention to detail is greatly appreciated. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your time with us and we look forward to welcoming you and your husband back on your next stay in San Diego.
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What this spot offers aesthetically, it lacks in functionality. I wanted to love the vintage vibes, and there were some really cute aspects, but the reality of the stay kept bringing the fantasy crashing down.
First off, I would NEVER stay in the Gaslamp unless I had to (and we had to), so I was really on a mission to find a fun hotel that would make up for it. I live in Oakland so I'm used to noise and commotion but the vibes in the Gaslamp are truly darksided. I was thankful to be within walking distance of some other cute neighborhoods, but the streets directly outside were pretty stressful.
The room itself was adorable. The bed was comfy, the shower was huge, and there was a fully stocked mini fridge (which is rare for hotels at this price point), but the walls were thin. We had very noisy neighbors who were fighting on and off for two nights in a row, and when I called the front desk for assistance there was no one there. We could also hear every car and motorcycle that drove by throughout the night. The windows all faced a walled-in courtyard so there was hardly any natural light in the room, and they could not be opened which caused a big air flow problem. It got stuffy and damp in there almost immediately.
We also had a lot of trouble using their vintage elevator. It was a huge pain to get our bags in and out with the folding gate and heavy swinging door. Once in the elevator, it would often start up again before we could open the door, or skip our floor completely. We could also hear the gate crashing from our room every time someone came in or out, which disturbed our sleep. We opted to use the stairs for most of our stay because we were only on the 5th floor, but this is something guests should definitely be aware of before booking since it's an 11 story building. Definitely not accessible.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Iana Pak, Owner at Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter
Responded Nov 26, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback about your experience, Solana. While we’re glad you found aspects of your stay enjoyable—like the comfy bed, spacious shower, and well-stocked mini fridge—we’re truly sorry that other elements fell short of your expectations. We understand how important a quiet and comfortable stay is. Our team is always available to assist with any issues, including noise disturbances, and I apologize if you couldn’t reach us at the front desk. We’ll review this to ensure better availability moving forward. Regarding the elevator, we understand that its vintage charm can sometimes be challenging to navigate. Please know that our team is always happy to assist with luggage or help guests with the elevator when needed. We truly appreciate your thoughtful observations and will use them to help us grow. Should your travels bring you back to the area, we’d love the chance to provide a more seamless and enjoyable stay.
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There are more places to choose from in the San Diego area.
PRICE RANGE
C$228 - C$417 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
ramada inn & suites gaslamp/ hotel san diego, ramada inn and suites gaslamp/convention center, ramada inn san diego, ramada san diego
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Ramada by Wyndham Gaslamp Convention Center
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan DiegoDowntown / Gaslamp
NUMBER OF ROOMS
122
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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Are there any historical sites close to Palihotel San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Mormon Battalion Historic Site (5.5 km), The Homecoming Statue (1.3 km), and Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House (0.4 km).
