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The Historic Penn Hotel

2.0 star property

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Located close to Petco Park and San Diego Convention Center, The Historic Penn Hotel has plenty to offer. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.

Reviews

7.2 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Kitchen

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for Classic Double Room, Kitchen

Classic Double Room, Kitchen | Living area

Classic Double Room, Kitchen

  • City view
  • 51 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Standard Double Room, City View

42-inch Smart TV with digital channels, Netflix, streaming services

Standard Double Room, City View

  • City view
  • 51 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Double Room, City View

Deluxe Double Room, City View

Deluxe Double Room, City View

  • City view
  • 51 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Luxury Double Room, City View

Luxury Double Room, City View

Luxury Double Room, City View

  • City view
  • 51 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Studio Suite, City View

Deluxe Studio Suite, City View

Deluxe Studio Suite, City View

  • City view
  • 28 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Premium Double Room, City View

Premium Double Room, City View | Living area

Premium Double Room, City View

  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed OR 1 Queen Sofa Bed

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About the area

Located in San Diego, The Historic Penn Hotel is in the city centre. San Diego Zoo is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Balboa Park and Mission Bay. Looking to enjoy an event or a match while in town? See what's going on at Petco Park. Visit our San Diego travel guide
Map
511 F St, San Diego, CA, 92101

What's nearby

  • Petco Park
    Petco Park
    8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • SanDiego_SanDiegoConventionCenter_6125294_006
    San Diego Convention Center
    8 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Seaport Village featuring a bay or harbor
    Seaport Village
    12 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Disney Wonder Cruise Ship. Halloween on the High Seas. #lifeatexpedia #golden
    Port of San Diego
    18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Mighty USS Midway - an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of its class. Commissioned a week after the end of World War II it is now a museum ship
    USS Midway Museum
    19 min walk - 1.6 km

Getting around

  • 5th Avenue Station
    5 min walk
  • San Diego Santa Fe Depot
    14 min walk
  • San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.)
    17 min drive

Restaurants

  • Tacos El Gordo
    1 min walk
  • Whiskey Girl
    2 min walk
  • Taste & Thirst
    2 min walk
  • The Tipsy Crow
    1 min walk
  • Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop
    2 min walk

About this property

The Historic Penn Hotel

Hotel near Petco Park
Located close to San Diego Convention Center and USS Midway Museum, The Historic Penn Hotel has plenty to offer. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • Smoke-free property
Room features
All guest rooms at The Historic Penn Hotel feature comforts, such as air conditioning and separate dining areas, in addition to amenities, such as free WiFi.
Other amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with free toiletries and hairdryers
  • 42-inch Smart TVs with Netflix, streaming services and digital channels
  • Separate dining areas, kitchens and full-sized fridge/freezers

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices)

Parking and transport

  • No on-site parking available

Family friendly

  • In-room full-sized refrigerator/freezer
  • In-room kitchen
  • In-room microwave
  • Separate in-room dining area

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No lift
  • Well-lit path to entrance

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Memory foam mattress

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 42-inch smart TV with digital channels
  • Netflix
  • Streaming services

Food and drink

  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Freezer
  • Full-sized refrigerator/freezer
  • Hob
  • Kitchen
  • Microwave
  • Paper towels
  • Separate dining area
  • Toaster
  • Toaster oven

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 2:00 AM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

An adult aged 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
There is no front desk at this property
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and an access code; access will be through a private entrance
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Prior to arrival, you must complete online registration via a secure link
You will be asked to provide the property with a copy of your government-issued photo ID after booking
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Access code, private entrance

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Service fee: 10 per cent

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Property Registration Number 5520

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

Property is also known as

The Historic Penn Hotel Hotel
The Historic Penn Hotel San Diego
The Historic Penn Hotel Hotel San Diego

Frequently asked questions

Is The Historic Penn Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Historic Penn Hotel?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at The Historic Penn Hotel?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 2:00 AM.

What time is check-out at The Historic Penn Hotel?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Historic Penn Hotel located?

Located in Downtown San Diego, this hotel is within a 15-minute walk of Petco Park and San Diego Convention Center. USS Midway Museum and Balboa Park are also within 2 mi (3 km). 5th Avenue Station is only a 5-minute walk and Civic Center Station is 7 minutes.

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Reviews

The Historic Penn Hotel Reviews

7.2

Good

8.0

Cleanliness

7.0

Amenities

7.0

Staff & service

7.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 19 out of 42 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 42 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 42 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 42 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 9 out of 42 reviews

Reviews

Verified

6/10 Okay

Gisela

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful apartment. Well decorated, good space. Wish it had been cleaner. Located in a very noisy street. Wifi never worked. There is no lobby and the entrance to the building is really dirty and smelly. It gives you a bad impression.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Troy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Historic Penn Hotel - comfortable and spacious!

Very spacious, clean, and comfortable. Very close to everything in the gas lamp and a short walk to the Convention Center and the ballpark. The host was very responsive.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Craig

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really nice apartment. Great location in downtown, lots of space & nicely decorated etc. The master bed was very comfortable so we both slept well.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ivy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice and clean. Good location.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

luz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was right at the heart of downtown where everything is happening. No need to drive. Everything was walking distance. The place itself was great and clean.
Verified

4/10 Poor

Dawn

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Didn’t receive check in code by email until day after checked in. Had to call twice to receive code. We were warned that neighborhood as noisy… however the circuit breaker in the master bedroom was buzzing in our room or in walls between rooms? Seemed fixed after a text message but it only lasted a few hours the second afternoon. You may also want to look at the shower drain…. Very slow - if someone took a long shower there would be flooding. Did love the spacious room sizes and beds were comfortable.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property do not have people attending, you do everythig by messages, you have places to eat arround that you can reach walking. The room is very nice, clean and comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Kristen

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Great location in Gaslamp District!

It is in a great part of San Diego! I was very confused about it being a hotel and then when I arrived, it clearly was not. Everything was done by email/messenger which was fine. It was very clean inside. It would be great for multiple people. Overall it was a good place to stay for the purpose for which I was there.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Heather

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is not a hotel really. It is an apartment building on top of a very popular taco stand. The entrance is next to the garbage cans for the taco stand and because activity --it's probably more safe than it feels because the taco stand has security. That being said, the unit itself was fine. It's an older building with an elevator that is truly old school with gates and swinging doors. Age shows throughout but the unit was clean and spacious; bedding was less than desired--pretty cheap linens. During busy & expensive convention season, this worked. The gaslamp district is popping and you can walk to the big Hyatt or Marriott no problem.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a nice and very clean space. Very comfortable and the area is great! Parking is the only issue, but that is out of the control of the hotel. You have to find a close parking garage and they are quite expensive. Maybe the hotel can invest in making a parking lot for their guest?
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Diana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very spacious and walking distance to local bars
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Habiba

everything is in poor tattered condition. There is no human/ actual person available on-site to help with anything.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

excellent customer service
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Brad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We had to book something quickly and found this spot. We didn’t realize it wasn’t a traditional hotel with a lobby and staff to greet you. It was a bit confusing how and where to go. The room was nice. Recently renovated and it was nicely done. Ours was a quick trip but the area around the hotel seems lively.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Verified

4/10 Poor

Jonathan

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
My stay was mixed. There is nobody there for checking in. Check-in was self-service, and it took additional steps to obtain the entry code. The room itself was clean with a comfortable bed, but the entryway area had an unpleasant odor, and parts of the interior looked worn. Noise from nearby nightlife was significant during the evenings, even with the provided earplugs. Some in-room amenities, including the dishwasher and trash can, were not functioning during my visit.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
No complaints at all.
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Nicholas

I didn’t even have the opportunity to stay here because the check in was entirely online and I received minimal information that made it difficult to check in and was also not issued a refund despite.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Garrett

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Horrible
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Daniel

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I was trying to contact them all day to get the access, I never got an answer of them… is not a hotel, its just an airbnb without front desk either personal concierge
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Heather

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The sofa looked like someone vomited on it several times over many years. And it looked like someone tried to beat the door down.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Yvette

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Not the safest spot no parking elevators don’t work
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

4/10 Poor

Azeem

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Smell on the entrance due to larger garbage bins. Room was not the one shown in pictures while I was booking. Vents in the room are connected with other rooms and my room was smelling full of weed all the time. It is particularly coming from the vent in bathroom.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Marko

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Dissappointment

Did not get the doors locked, either front door to street or my room door!?
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Sam

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Came down to San Diego because my building lost power during the los angeles fires. This property works like an air bnb so there is no front desk. I got a link to a website to check in that didnt work. And when I called the hotel's number no one ever answered or returned my calls. I had to get another hotel and wasn't able to get a refund.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Arthur

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It wasn’t the nicest place so I’ll be fair it is an older building that was somewhat renovated more like lipstick on a pig!! Because there is no staff on site it just seems like a party hotel…. A bunch of disrespectful loud people that thought it was okay to rage and blast music like they’re parents weren’t home!!!!! the blinds were tore up a hole in the wall needlessl to say I would not be returning nor would I recommend to anyone I know. It was kinda clean but because it was such an old building it just had a funny stench and the floors were kinda sticky like too much cleaner. This is exactly what it looks like when you don’t have proper maid service!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025