Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Rambler Hotel

    4.1 (214 reviews)
    ModerateHotels
    Open Open 24 hours

    Services - The Rambler Hotel

    Hotels

    The Rambler Hotel Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Rambler Hotel

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Board games you can borrow
    Miriam P.

    The motel has a cute vibe! You can buy smores in the lobby to toast in the fire place by the pool. The front desk staff was so friendly. They saw my id and saw I was coming from bakersfield and informed me that the padre hotel where I am from is their sister hotel! What a small world. The rooms were clean the bathroom definitely needs a little revamp but nothing too crazy. I love how they have a cafe on site I woke up and went straight to the coffee shop! Great location would definitely book again.

    Maxine P.

    How to describe this renovated motel of times past. It's located right off the Main freeway in Chula Vista. The motel has a Route 66 theme with word designs on the outside of main buildings and the rooms as well. Each room number is designed to look like a mile marker in bright colors. The room itself is tidy and clean, with large words on the wall in bright colors. The bed was comfortable, there were shampoo, conditioner and body soap dispenser in the shower, with a strong shower head spray. Lotion provided as well. We had the bottom room floor near the pool so it could be a little with music and laughter of the families. Didn't bother us, just pointed out in case those interest preferred quiet. The pool area looked well cared for. Charging port for phones were located by the bed side. The office is decorated in bright fun furnishings attached to a restaurant called Rambler Cafe. This came in handy since we were hungry when we arrived. The motel is only 20 minutes from the Gaslight District, Coronado Island and airport when traffic is light. There is a wildlife refuge close by with walking and biking trails. The price was right at 125.00 a night.

    Rachel T.

    Honestly, we recently stayed at a hotel that was about the same cost and the experience was night and day. The service, cleanliness and charm of the rambler motel is top notch. The decor is so inviting and fun and the extras that they offer make for such a great time. They have a pool, a fire pit, coffee shop, game room and casino. We could have just hung out at the hotel when we came. Fully recommend!

    Amanda P.

    Another great stay! Thank you for always making it a smooth experience and the coffee shop never disappoints!

    Such cute decals.
    Kristin J.

    This was such a funky cute hotel to stay at in the south bay area in San Diego. I was visiting family and wanted to have a safe, decently priced hotel to stay one night in. My husband and I checked in at 11pm and checked out the next morning at 10:30am. It was a super quick stay. There was plenty of parking, I felt like my car was safe there overnight. I did the precheck-in that was sent to me via text and email, so when I went to the lobby to check in late at night it was super quick; like just looked at my ID and handed me the room cards quick. Our room was on the ground floor near the pool. It was a very clean room and was such a relief to walk into after a long drive. I adored the decor and all of the cute extra touches to make the room unique. In the morning, I saw a menu on the desk for the coffee shop. We scanned the QR code, which didn't work with my 2018 phone, I pulled up the cafés website and tried to order from there but it said they weren't taking online orders. I then called the reception desk and asked to be connected to the café and tried to place an order for pick up so I could just walk right over and grab it when it was ready. After I was connected to the cafe I was told they don't take orders over the phone. No biggie, just less convenient. My husband walked over and ordered our drinks and waited for them. He got me an Iced Chai Tea Latte which was really really good! Checkout went smoothly in the morning. I really wanted to keep one of our room keys but they have a return the room key box on the counter. The receptionist printed out my receipt and we headed out. It was a relaxing very quick trip. I highly recommend this hotel if you are looking for a spot in the south bay. It is conveniently located right off of the 5 freeway.

    Madelyn T.

    I would highly recommend the Rambler Motel if you're looking for a place to stay outside of downtown SD. It's not the greatest, but they do offer better amenities compared to your typical motels. They do have a cafe on site that is open daily from 7am-8pm if I'm not mistaken. I really like their retro theme throughout the motel. They also offer movie nights at the pool every Fridays. Staff were great upon check in and check out.

    Dirty Horchata
    Ivett G.

    This hotel is so clean and cute! I love the location just off the freeway and plenty of parking! Cute little pool as well. The cafe is amazing and you get a discount if you stay at the hotel. I'm hoping to go back soon!

    Coffee shop inside the lobby with some arcade machines!

    Booked a stay here for one night. We were only supposed to be in town for the day as our "day trip" but ended up staying the night lol. We stumbled across this place through Expedia and loved it. The room we stayed in looked like it was remodeled and the graphics on the wall were cool! Nice huge mirror by the sink which I really enjoyed. The room itself seemed clean but the bathroom seemed to have not been a part of the remodeling venture - lol. Nothing too crazy-- overall still got to do what we needed to do. Motel is right by the freeway but I don't think the noise caused us any disturbance. The price was reasonable and we'll definitely be staying again when we're in town.

    Pool area
    Ellie V.

    Don't be fooled by the term "motel"!Absolutely enjoyed our stay! From the moment we checked in, I couldn't help but be awed by the overall fun vintage decor of this place, also very clean! And free parking! Friendly staff also a huge plus! Rooms did not have a mini fridge or microwave but they do have an ice bucket for the ice machine if you have a little cooler. I believe they also have rooms with a kitchenette available to book, which we may do next time. Shampoo/conditioner, body soap, mini bar of hand soap & lotion (orange scent was fabulous) were provided. Also had a hair dryer. Pool lounging was nice. You can order right from your lounge chair! Also get 40% discount while staying at the motel. We enjoyed it so much we booked another night! We most definitely will be booking our stay here when we're in town! Kudos to the entire team! You're doing an amazing job keeping this place enjoyably clean!

    Cafe' treats a lot of people to quick food and there's grab and go too

    See all

    Photo of Minerva J.
    171
    10
    18

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 8
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 hour ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pat G.
    0
    17
    0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rachel T.
    19
    234
    44

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Loved the hotel! Super clean and cute themed room! Would choose them again if we are ever back in the area! Their coffee shop is the best!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nat W.
    427
    3179
    2575

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of PC N.
    4
    27
    32

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nikki O.
    205
    1034
    4004

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 9
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Francz K.
    1
    423
    3052

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Quiet and affordable, great location right off the 5. Clean and tidy. Ample parking as well. Friendly front desk staff, too

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Stacey W.

    Stacey W.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ty D.
    2
    454
    85

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    The Rambler Hotel Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Rambler Hotel

    What does the Casino offers?

    It's a card room.

    Is the cafe open to-go? They don't seem to have a website currently.

    Hi Vanessa, Rambler Coffee Shop is open 7AM-3PM SUN-THURS and 7AM-5PM FRI-SAT.

    Is the pool open now?

    Yes, it is. But social distancing is required.

    Is there Continental breakfast?

    No. No refrig or coffee in room either. They are building something in front that looks like a cafe of sorts.

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Rambler Hotel

    PROs: great prices, other location reviews are scary with bed bugs, this motel was surprisingly CLEAN I loved that!!

    Mentioned in 20 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    El Primero Hotel - Covered out door yard

    El Primero Hotel

    (292 reviews)

    $$

    As you read about El primero you already know it was built in 1930. Knowing that the hotel is cute…read more, quite a little out dated furniture and carpet but that's it's character and you should embrace it. I took my girk friend there for a birthday night. The location was perfect. We walked up and down third avenue enjoying the shops, bars and restaurants. When our night on the town was over we enjoyed walking back to the hotel to our king room . No hassle whatsoever entering and exiting freely. I would recommend this hotel to anyone that is willing to just enjoy where you are and not expect bellboys and fancy amenities. We plan on doing it again for her next birthday.

    I booked El Prinero in an effort to be local to a waterpolo tournament rather than spending my time…read morein my car and my money in businesses that are not local. Chula Vista is a cute neighborhood. The hotel promised quit settings , the smoke store and 7-11 across from it made me doubt that when we first arrived but it turned out to be totally true. The neighborhood is super safe and has everything you will EVER need right on 3rd. The lady running this hotel is super organized. We booked the largest room as we had a 4 night stay. The bed and pillow were cozy. Towels ample in the bathroom. The parking lot on the side dedicated to guests was a life line and so practical. Water pressure and temp were perfect. Spacious bathroom. Cute and large outdoor space. Coffee and tea for guests ready in the lobby every morning. I appreciated that the other guests were equally as quiet as that as it is an old building and you can hear other folks' convo from room to room. As it is often the case no matter how expensive your hotel is. Five star if the trash had been emptied and the bathroom had had a refresh. Booking was easy , payment taken on arrival , easy check out. We'll be back.

    Best Western Chula Vista/Otay Valley Hotel - Exterior

    Best Western Chula Vista/Otay Valley Hotel

    (177 reviews)

    $$

    My cousin had our annual Christmas party at his house (we all take turns and I'm up next year,…read moregulp!) which is in CV. We weren't about to make the 130 mile trip back home late at night, so we booked this place (as did my brother-in-law and my other cousin's son (and his GF, hmmmm...) Close to the border in CV, this roadside motel sits inside the driveway to a gas station. Yup, I almost missed it when my nav told me to turn into the gas station. There's ample parking; almost empty when we checked in, though we were surprised that when we returned after our party that the lot was pretty full. The guy at the desk was really nice but wasn't too familiar with any local attractions (we went to Sea World the next day). We volunteered to bring Little Caesars pizza to the party and he did know where that was. In fact, just one exit south off the freeway you'll find a bunch of fast food restaurants and Little Caesars. The room rate was fair for a two queen bed room and a simple breakfast is included. The room was what you would expect from a roadside motel, fairly clean, super simple and basic. The location next to the freeway added to the endless din that made its way through the single pane windows. Partiers who drove the 4 miles across the border to party in TJ made a ton of noise up to 4am, but I won't complain. Just bc I have 4 kids doesn't mean I don't like to have a good time, too. When we packed up the truck to leave, we did smell smoke and it appeared that a homeless person was burning a small on the other side of the wall between the motel and the freeway (no doubt to warm up on a 48F morning... For a motel, it is what it is. However, my wife and I discovered that our kids are bougie since they were looking for the lobby, casino and restaurants... Or was that us???

    The sanitary conditions here were a shock. Everything from blood stains in sheets, to evidence of…read morehuman emissions. Not just in one room , but multiple rooms. There were other surprises in other rooms. Multiple young kids reported a variety of situations to a group of parents. It was a night of high emotions, coaches looking for solutions, the kids got moved the next day, but not soon enough. Unacceptable!

    Hampton Inn & Suites Imperial Beach San Diego - Guest room bath

    Hampton Inn & Suites Imperial Beach San Diego

    (61 reviews)

    $$

    I stayed here back in August 2021 and it was well kept and this weekend was a mirror of that stay…read more Most of the staff is friendly and helpful. Great location that is not far from the ocean. A good variety of stores for needs and plenty of restaurants too. Freeway close to all popular areas of San Diego, Surfing, Coronado and Imperial Beach Pier are a short drive away. This is a favorite of mine for sure.

    We stayed here to attend an event at UC San Diego thinking it would be a 1.5 mile walk, but you…read morecan't walk to campus from here. It's on the other side of a freeway and there is not a safe sidewalk for most of the access road, Hotel Circle. I share this so people realise how isolated this hotel and all the others on Hotel Circle road are from not only UCSD, but restaurants and amenities. However, the main reason for the low rating is that a fire alarm woke us up at 4 a.m. and there was no presence from hotel staff telling us what was going on, what was the cause, where to go, or anything else. Several hundred guests were standing in the parking lot and not one hotel employee was there! Finally fire fighters showed up and turned the elevators back on, but guests were told nothing. So the absence of staff is a pretty serious omission. Finally, some compensation should have been offered because being awakened to a loud fire alarm at 4 a.m. for no apparent reason--there was no smoke or fire evident--is the opposite of a restful night. The room itself was comfortable and clean, but the location and poor handling of fire alarm is reason for low rating.

    Hercor Hotel - Urban Boutique - Commercial area

    Hercor Hotel - Urban Boutique

    (489 reviews)

    $$

    Had a great stay and would absolutely return. The hotel has a clean, modern feel with a subtle…read moreEuropean flair that really sets it apart. Everything felt fresh and well-maintained, which made for a very comfortable experience. One of the highlights was the breakfast. While it's an additional cost (around $13), it was definitely worth it--delicious, satisfying, and a great way to start the day. The room itself was on the smaller side, similar to what you'd expect in a European or New York City hotel, but it was thoughtfully designed and made excellent use of the space. The Nespresso machine was a fantastic surprise and a much-appreciated touch. Overall, a stylish, clean, and enjoyable stay--I'd happily book here again.

    So Disappointed Made a non-refundable, pre-paid 2 nights…read morebooking that was scheduled a few weeks out. I called the Hercor desk that morning of check-in to advise of an urgent inability to travel, but since the reservation was pre-paid/non-refundable I would offer my room to another of the traveling family. The front desk said I needed to go through my Expedia booking to advise whom would use my booking. Okay, I said, I can do that. Sent the message through Expedia to advise the name who would use the 2nd night of my booking, and followed up with a call to the front desk. The clerk told me that my reservation had been canceled for 'no show'. What? I had said I called the previous day to advise, and followed the instructions given. The clerk refused, unwilling to made amends or re-open the booking to use the room that I had already paid for. I kindly asked she push my request up for review/approval, but did not hear back. I called Expedia on that cancellation, they too called the hotel. Expedia said I needed to call the hotel directly and ask for the manager, after the holiday. I did that, and yet still no response, or any sort of acknowledgement. I am not looking for a refund, only a little kindness and empathy for helping travelers in need. I suppose when they already have your money, they don't have to care.

    Comfort Inn Chula Vista San Diego South

    Comfort Inn Chula Vista San Diego South

    (116 reviews)

    $$

    Great stay, but watch out for hidden "Safe Fees!" I had a…read moredecent one-night stay here. The staff was great, the accommodations were fine, and the included breakfast was actually better than expected. However, be aware of "nickel and diming" tactics. I booked through Priceline and paid $143.97 (including all taxes and fees). A few days later, a separate $1.09 charge appeared from the hotel directly. When I called, I was told it was a "safe fee." We were never informed of this fee, nor was it itemized during check-in or on the third-party receipt. While the amount is small, these types of undisclosed fees feel like a fraudulent business tactic. It's disappointing to see Choice Hotels International, Inc. following this trend. They lost a customer and future word-of-mouth recommendations over a dollar. I'm grateful the fee wasn't larger, but it's the principle that matters.

    I arrived around 7:00-7:15p and The filipino lady at the front desk was very rude to me. I was…read moregoing in to deliver a DoorDash order which the customer gave their room number to drop off at and she met me with the most nastiest attitude. She said it's policy that nobody besides the people who rent the room can go up. I've been in luxury hotels to drop off orders and I've never ever been told I couldn't deliver the order to my customer. She needs a reality check because with that attitude shes going to have a rough life here in San Diego. The customer even had to apologize on her behalf for her attitude.

    The Rambler Hotel - hotels - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...