Inn by the Sea, La Jolla

Hotels
8.6 (1968 reviews)
7830 Fay Avenue , San Diego , us

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Heating
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Exceptional service
Clean rooms
Cons:
Room comfort issues
Overpriced for some

Categories

Cleanliness
8.63
Cleanliness was generally praised with comments on the hotel being well-maintained and rooms very clean.
Service
9
Exceptional customer service mentioned across multiple reviews with staff being friendly and attentive.
Location
9.24
Great location frequently mentioned, being close to shops, restaurants, and the beach.
Room Quality
7.99
Some criticisms noted about outdated aspects of the rooms, including comfort of beds and lack of blackout curtains.
Amenities
8.42
General comments on amenities like a nice pool and breakfast options, but some cleanliness issues in outdoor areas.
Value for Money
8.48
Generally good value noted compared to location, but some reviews felt it was overpriced.
Food and Beverage
8.53
No specific mentions, but positive comments about available breakfast options.
Overall Experience
8.5
Overall positive experiences shared, with some minor complaints but a willingness to stay again.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-12 05:25

Property Description

Luxurious Oceanfront Escape
Immerse yourself in the charm of La Jolla at one of the most enchanting honeymoon destinations in the country.

Gourmet Dining Experience
Indulge in a delightful breakfast from The Cottage Restaurant delivered straight to your room. Explore the vibrant local dining scene for a memorable culinary journey.

Convenient & Comfortable Stay
Experience the best of Southern California with our prime location just three blocks from the ocean. Relax in our spacious accommodations designed for the ultimate vacation comfort. La Jolla, Inn by the Sea welcomes you to your home away from home. Book now for an unforgettable seaside retreat.

Important information:

Dear Guest,

We're looking forward to welcoming you to Inn by the Sea Hotel in beautiful La Jolla, CA.

We'd like to inform you that between November 10, 2025 through August, 2026, we will be undergoing our rooms and corridor renovations. This work is part of our commitment to enhancing our service, guest experience, and the beauty of the hotel.

RENOVATIONS HOURS ARE:
Monday through Saturday, 8AM - 5PM.
There will be periodic noise during work hours, and you will see and hear some of our renovations occurring.
All hotel facilities and amenities will remain fully open and operational during these times.

We wholeheartedly apologize for any disturbances that you may see or hear but we are hopeful it will only be for brief periods of time during your stay with us.

We truly appreciate your understanding and patience as we make these improvements. If you have any questions or special requests, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team at +1 858-459-4461 or send an email to reservations@ibtslajolla.com.

Warm Regards,
Inn by the Sea La Jolla Team

Parking will be subject to availability due to limited spaces.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
Parking is subject to availability due to limited spaces.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: SAN

Property Policies

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Parking

    Private parking is possible on site (reservation is needed) and costs USD 20 per day.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 1968 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.63
Service: 9
Location: 9.24
Room Quality: 7.99
Amenities: 8.42
Value for Money: 8.48
Food and Beverage: 8.53
Overall Experience: 8.5
F
Frank • couple • de
9
2026-07-18 • via Nuitee
K
Kevin • couple • ch
10
2026-07-17 • via Nuitee
I
Ivan • couple • us
8
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Parking difficult

2026-07-17 • via Nuitee
S
Stacey • family_with_children • us
7
2026-07-16 • via Nuitee
F
FRANCISCO • couple • es
10
2026-07-16 • via Nuitee
A
Alvaro • extended_group • us
10
Our staying was very satisfying
Pros:

The hotel are near from beach, restaurants, and shops
Also the beds are very, but very comfortable

Cons:

We only stayed one night, so I don't have anything that nos liked

2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
K
Koebel • family_with_children • us
9
Pros:

Location and newly renovated room

Cons:

Missing a restaurant and renovations ongoing

2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
S
Sherie • couple • us
8
Great hotel
Pros:

We love that everything you could want is in walking distance of the hotel. Staff are so friendly and welcoming, helpful and accommodating . Rooms are clean and so comfortable. We can’t wait to visit again!

2026-07-15 • via Nuitee
J
Jeff • solo_traveller • us
5
Wait until the construction is done, which may be never
Pros:

Great location for the town of La Jolla. Walking distance to everything.

Cons:

I have been staying here for many, many years. They have been under renovation for quite some time now. Yet, despite this, they are charging high prices as if there is no construction going on. The construction commotion began at 8am outside my window (the view of which was a large dumpster), and inside in the hallways right outside my door, construction workers talking in loud voices. I was staying in one of their “newly renovated rooms” on the first floor. What they’ve done is nice on the whole, but I could hear the people next door as if they were in my room, something I’ve never experienced before. There’s no chair to watch the TV comfortably (i.e. they’re expecting you only watch from in bed). The staff has always been great, but the construction with the high prices is unforgivable.

2026-07-14 • via Nuitee
B
Barth_at_Albis • solo_traveller • ch
8
2026-07-12 • via Nuitee
B
Branka • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
L
LUPE • couple • us
8
Overall, it was OK
Pros:

It was being renovated, so it was very clean

Cons:

The view was horrible from our balcony could not sit out there could not get a room change

2026-07-10 • via Nuitee
T
Toledo • family_with_children • us
10
Definitely staying again !
Pros:

Very clean !

Cons:

Parking was limited but had a garage parking next door so it was great !

2026-07-09 • via Nuitee
B
briank845 • Couples • Queen Creek, Arizona
8
Amazing Location, Fantastic Staff, Room Needs Attention
Pros:

We recently stayed at the Inn By The Sea and had one of the best vacations we had in a while. While there were several issues with our newly renovated room, the positives outweighed the negatives, and we would definitely stay again.

The Pros

Location 5/5
The Location is outstanding. Restaurants, shops, the beach and many of La Jollas attractions are all within easy walking distance. We rarely had to drive, which was a huge advantage because traffic and parking in the area can be very challenging.

Weather
We traveled from the Phoenix area were it was 108 degrees when we left. La Jolla's Weather was a perfect 66-78 degrees during our stay. It made time outdoors incredibly enjoyable.

Staff
Every employee we interacted with was exceptional. The front desk staff, the night supervisor (Jim) , the maintenance team and housekeeping were all friendly, professional, and genuinely helpful.

Room Amenities
Our room had recently been renovated and included a clothes steamer, iron, hair dryer, microwave, refrigerator, and safe. Everything appeared to be brand new. The room itself was clean, and we enjoyed relaxing on the balcony. The bed was very comfortable.

Renovation Quality Concerns

Unfortunately, it appeared that very little final quality control had been performed after the renovation.

- the new outlet banks below the TV had 8 outlets but only 6 worked. None of the 4 USB, and mini USB worked. The single HDMI was not working either. (See photos)

- the electrical outlets that should have been installed next to the bed above the nightstand were never installed. (See photos)

- thankfully my wife packs a power strip with additional USB ports. We ended up using a single working outlet in the room to power everything, which was very inconvenient. (See pics)

-Maintenance provided an extension cord that had to be run across the room to have power next to the bed. (See pics)

- since the HDMI port on the wall panel did not work, Maintenance had to connect our streaming device directly to the TV (see pics)

These are all items that should have been identified and corrected before releasing the room for guests.

Bathroom

The bathroom is quite small. Clean, new, but small.

One Unexpected Incident
Late one night while watching TV, the cover on the ceiling light fixture unexpectedly fell on the floor. Fortunately nobody was injured, but it reinforces the impression that renovation could have benefitted from a more thorough final inspection. (See pics)

Overall

Despite the issues we experienced, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The unbeatable location,, beautiful weather, exceptional staff and comfortable accommodations made this one of our favorite vacations.

Renovation issues were quality control issues not design problems and can be fixed.

We would absolutely stay at Inn By The Sea again and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to stay in La Jolla.

2026-07-06 • via Tripadvisor
A
Arash • extended_group • us
10
Pros:

This place is phenomenal

Cons:

Absolutely love everything about it

2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
S
Songlei • couple • us
10
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
N
Nadine • solo_traveller • us
7
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sissa Mendlovic • couple • mx
6
2026-07-06 • via Nuitee
P
Pavel • couple • us
9
Highly recommended, close to everything
Pros:

Very convenient location, restaurants, shops are walking distance.

Cons:

Na

2026-07-04 • via Nuitee
Y
Yannis • solo_traveller • us
5
Pros:

The location is very convenient

Cons:

Service

2026-07-04 • via Nuitee