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8.2

1,698 reviews

HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

521 Market Street , San Diego, 92101, California, United States

Choose dates to view prices

Free wifi

Air conditioning

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

Garden

Upper floors accessible by elevator

HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Discover HI San Diego Downtown Hostel, a 3-star haven in sunny San Diego. Set at 521 Market Street, this spot sits about 0.4mi from the city center, putting the heart of downtown within easy reach for strolls along the bay, bustling markets, and tasty bites.

Amenities include free wifi, air conditioning, a 24-hour front desk, non-smoking rooms, an elevator, and a garden. Upper floors are accessible by elevator, adding convenience after a day of exploring.

With 1698 reviews, this California hostel in the United States offers a glimpse into the downtown experience and invites travelers to join the conversation about stays in a lively, motive-filled corner of San Diego.

Downtown San Diego welcomes a flexible lineup of places to rest, with a range of sleeping options that suit travelers from solo explorers to groups. Dormitory choices include a 4-bed male-only room, a 4-bed female-only room, and a 6-bed dorm, all non-smoking. For more privacy, en-suite options include an Ensuite Double and an Ensuite Quadruple with two bunk beds, plus Dormitory Ensuite configurations such as a Twin setup (including a Twin option in a Dormitory Ensuite and a Twin option in a Female Only variant). Also on offer are a Room with a Bunk Bed and a Double Room.

Every space is crafted to feel welcoming, with non-smoking policy in place and bed layouts ranging from bunks to twins and doubles. This mix makes it easy to choose between sociable shared rooms or quieter private stays, all tucked into a central downtown hub.

Payment methods include Discover, American Express, Visa, Diners Club, and Mastercard, with cash not accepted. A 24-hour front desk helps with arrivals and questions, making it simple to settle in and set off to explore nearby markets, the bay, and key downtown sights after check-in.

Closest airports

San Diego International Airport

2.6mi

General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport

15.9mi

McClellan–Palomar Airport

29.7mi

Most popular amenities

Free wifi

Air conditioning

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

Garden

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Rooms

Bed in Men's 4-Bed Dormitory in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 7 photos

Dormitory, 4 Bed, Male Only

1 Bunk Bed

120 sqft

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Shower

More details

Bed in Men's 8-Bed Dormitory Ensuite in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 6 photos

Dormitory Ensuite, 1 Twin Bed, Male Only

1 Twin Bed

215 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

More details

Bed in All-Gender 6-Bed Dormitory in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 8 photos

Dormitory, 6 Bed

1 Twin Bed

120 sqft

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Shower

More details

Private Double Room Ensuite in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 8 photos

Ensuite, Double

1 Double Bed

205 sqft

Private Bathroom

Refrigerator

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

More details

Bed in Women's 4-Bed Dormitory in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 7 photos

Dormitory, 4 Bed, Female Only

1 Bunk Bed

120 sqft

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Shower

More details

Bed in All-Gender 8-Bed Dormitory Ensuite in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 6 photos

Dormitory Ensuite, 1 Twin Bed

1 Twin Bed

215 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

More details

Private Double Room in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 7 photos

Double Room

1 Double Bed

95 sqft

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Shower

More details

Bed in Women's 8-Bed Dormitory Ensuite in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 6 photos

Dormitory Ensuite, 1 Twin Bed, Female Only

1 Twin Bed

215 sqft

City view

Private Bathroom

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

More details

Private Quad Room Ensuite in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 5 photos

Ensuite, Quadruple

2 Bunk Beds

205 sqft

Private Bathroom

Refrigerator

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

x4

+

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Private Single Bunk Room in HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Show 5 photos

Room, Bunk

1 Bunk Bed

95 sqft

Air conditioning

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Shower

More details

House

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Guest reviews

8.2

1,698 reviews

Categories of assessments

Cleanliness

Comfort

Location

Facilities

Staff

Value for money

WiFi quality

Featured reviews:

🇧🇪

Clara

10

June 2025

Very clean room and common areas especially the kitchen was a lot nicer than other hostel kitchens I have used in the past Lots of art on the walls, the decor of the hostel has been done with care. There are many small hangout areas in the common areas Safe bike storage inside the hostel Free filtered water and coffee around the clock Kind and respectful guests

The hostel is very quiet and not many common activities are proposed (only pubcrawl once a week), which did not disturb me but could be offputting for people who expect to come to the hostel to meet many new people. We barely noticed the other people staying in the hostel, guests mostly keep to themselves even in the common areas.

🇯🇵

Ishimura

8.2

April 2025

I stayed for five days in a room for four people. At first, one of my roommates was noisy because he had a heavy cough and a runny nose. I asked to change rooms, and the staff kindly responded to my request. When I accidentally left my room key inside, they opened the door right away without hesitation. Later, when I changed my check-out date, they willingly accepted the change and refunded the extra charge. The kitchen was spacious! I had no major complaints, although a few of the stoves didn’t work very well. The refrigerator was large enough to store all my groceries. The shower and restrooms were acceptable—not very dirty. The only downside was the noise from a nearby club, which disturbed my sleep. Considering the reasonable price, I was very satisfied with my stay overall.

🇺🇸

Anonymous

8.2

May 2025

I had a great stay in San Diego at this hostel. The staff was welcoming, but especially the stellar HOUSEKEEPING staff who were always around keeping the place tidy (everything was always impeccably clean) and the free breakfast running smooth. The location is right in the heart of downtown, close to Petco Park and lots of transit options to the Zoo and Balboa Park. Restaurants and coffeeshops are plentiful nearby.

Unfortunately, the mattress on my bunk was VERY sunken in - it was actually uncomfortable. But I managed to fall asleep. Also, this hostel is in the Gaslamp district with is also the drinking/clubbing district so if you stay on a weekend, it WILL be very loud with crowds and music. Just use the free earplugs provided at check in and you can get by.

🇺🇸

Inga

9.1

May 2025

Clean, artsy modern design, newly renovated, nice breakfast, best coffee - quality and very safe with staff checking the entry passes upon entering the building. Nice engaged staff.

Even if I asked for a quieter room in the courtyard and was given exactly what I asked for, it was super noisy during the night (loud music/beat from one of the downstairs bars?). In the morning, either someone was disposing of glass bottles into a special container or they were being picked up, but the sound of shattering glass bottles went on forever. The hostel is located in the Gaslamp Quarter, which always seems alive.

🇺🇸

Jackie

8.2

February 2025

Simple breakfast provided which is nice. Hostel location is Gaslamp quarter (downtown), so night time can be loud for light sleepers, but earplugs are provided. Great location to check out multiple clubs and bars at night. Relatively close to public transportation which can take you to the SD Zoo and Balboa Park, the airport, UCSD, etc. Room was simple and clean; locks are $6 on the first floor for the lockers if you don't bring your own. Multiple bathrooms are located throughout the floor.

I'm a light sleeper so I had to wear earplugs at night to block out club music from outside. Not a big deal though.

🇲🇽

Brandon

9.1

March 2025

Everything is very comfortable. From the moment you step into reception, you feel a very calm vibe. The rooms are cozy, and the beds are super comfortable. The different spots around the hostel are top-notch, from the kitchen/game room to the atrium. The location really makes you feel like a local in San Diego. While there is some street noise due to the area, it’s not really an issue—the rooms are very well insulated. The receptionists are lovely. Every one of them that I met was friendly, attentive, and spoke to you in a really nice way. Many of them speak Spanish if you need it.

The cleanliness is a bit excessive in my opinion—they’re always cleaning. At times, I felt uncomfortable because they were cleaning while I was eating in the kitchen, and this happened at different times of the day. Since it’s a shared room, it’s really just luck who you’ll end up sharing with. In my case, I was with two Indian guys who didn’t have the best hygiene, and the room had a bit of a strong smell. But well, that’s not the hostel’s fault.

🇺🇸

Mountain

9.1

November 2024

A large well-equipped kitchen with spacious sitting area with many tables, where we could work/sudy and socialize. Juice for breakfast is good. kitchen was cleaned by the stuff everyday although some hostellers did not do wash-up. It was only 10 min to Convention Center. Folks staying there were friendly and reasonable. Young, old and families are mixed. Only a few min walk from the Airport bus stop on Broadway/5th Ave. Some fruits are availble for breakfast. The beds are curtained for privacy.

No working can opener. it took 15 min to open a can with 3 people's help. It would be nice to have boxed serials and milk for breakfast. Poriddge was too sweet. Beds on the top were hard to climb up to due to the board nailed on the side.Thus it was Slightly tricky to climb up. Air-bent wasn't working well but opening a window widely helped to get rid of shower dumpt smell.

🇺🇸

Virginia

10

January 2025

Fantastic location in the heart of San Diego You're near the best restaurants and things to do in San Diego. You could walk to the seashore. No vehicle needed to get around anywhere you need to go. The staff is very friendly and flexible and accommodating. They're also very good with security. It has an elevator so you don't have to drag your luggage upstairs. Every area but especially the kitchen and bathrooms is sparkling clean. One thing I really love is they have coffee and tea available all the time. The rooms are comfortable, quiet and I like the privacy curtains. Ample bathrooms on the whole floor so you don't have to wait. It's a great value.

I can't think of a thing I didn't like.

🇳🇱

Carla

10

July 2024

The Hi San Diego Downtown Hostel is located right in the heart of Gaslamp Quarter, which makes your stay in San Diego quite easy as you can walk / get a bus or trolley to several places within the city and outside of it. The Hostel common spaces are spacious and clean. The kitchen has so many utensils (including a rice cooker and free rice!). The breakfast is served every morning on time and it includes several foods (both sweet and sour). There's always coffee and tea available. Also there's a pool table and games in the common room. Even though it's a busy hostel, the bathrooms were most of the time very clean and I didn't have to ever wait to get to a shower. The staff was also always friendly and they wrote on a black board the activities happening in the city each day. I found this very helpful and cute :) Overall a really nice stay in San Diego.

There were very few power plugs and sockets inside the rooms. Which in hindsight is not really a big deal, as it indeed forces you to stay in the common areas more often and be more social! However, you should inform people about this when they check-in.

🇧🇷

Camila

8.2

August 2024

The hostel's area is great. Nearby, there are various restaurants offering different types of food to suit all tastes. The room is not very large. The shower has a very small enclosure. The staff is very attentive.There is no parking available at the hotel, but there's a building on the corner where parking costs $1 per hour. So it was okay.

There is no television. The bed is not very big; it's a standard double bed. The air conditioner is located behind the curtain, which doesn’t make much sense. The room also lacks sufficient lighting, considering the only window is where the air conditioner is and if you open the curtain, it faces another establishment, offering no privacy.

Points of Interest Around HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Attractions

Embarcadero

1.2mi

Spreckels Organ Pavilion

1.4mi

Mingei International Museum

1.5mi

El Prado

1.5mi

Old Globe Theater

1.5mi

Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden

1.6mi

Spanish Village Art Center

1.7mi

Liberty Station

3.7mi

Shelter Island

4.2mi

Point Loma

5mi

Mission Beach

6.9mi

Pacific Beach

7.8mi

Sunny Jim Sea Cave

11.4mi

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD)

11.5mi

Heritage Park

17.3mi

Amenities of HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

Free wifi

Air conditioning

24-hour front desk

Non-smoking rooms

Elevator

Garden

Upper floors accessible by elevator

Stay rules - HI San Diego Downtown Hostel

  • Check-in / Check-out

  • Pets

  • Internet

  • Age restrictions

  • Curfew

  • Parking

  • Children and beds

  • Cards accepted at this property