This AAA 3-diamond hotel has clearly been misrated. I spent $90 to stay there the night before a job interview, rather than staying at a $40 Motel 6 or similar motel not far away. Why? I wanted to stay someplace nice and relaxing and quiet, and get a good night's sleep.

I knew there was a problem when I arrived (10:15 pm) and had to ring a tape-mounted remote doorbell to gain entry. Being able to smell the host from across the front desk was another bad sign, and I'm not referencing strong cologne! However, since I was arriving late, I'd already paid for the room, so decided to make the best of it.

In order to save space, I'll just go with a list of the lovely features I discovered in my non-smoking, queen-bed, $90 room:

Broken clock-radio (could not be set accurately and was cracked), permanently affixed to the nightstand and facing away from the wall -- that is, you had to sit up from the bed to see the numbers;

A number of long hairs and a big shoeprint on the bathroom floor;

Mildew of two colors -- orange and black -- in the shower grout;

A stained, dishrag-quality towel, with MORE long hair in it;

An insulting sign in the bathroom, asking guests who are paying $90 a night not to STEAL the dishrag-quality towels;

Two half-size pillows (think sofa pillows) for a queen-sized bed;

A stained mattress;

Sheets which I believe were made of burlap;

A running toilet;

A gross-looking ultra-cheap iron (I didn't know you COULD stain stainless steel), affixed with plastic-coated wire (to prevent theft) to

A Wal-Mart Special, extra-flimsy ironing board.

I wrote to Best Western customer service, and decided also to post this here. Past experiences with other Best Westerns have been positive, so I hope this is an aberration.

I'd recommend finding a nearby Motel 6 or Travelodge. They're more consistently clean than this dump was, and half the price!

Note: This hotel got a 1 (Terrible) from me in part because of the price -- that is, the actual value. If I'd paid $40, most of it wouldn't have surprised me too much; it'd be a minor annoyance, rather than something to write reviews about. If I'd paid $40, I'd probably give it a 2, because it was still poorly run.

Had stayed here 20 years ago so know it's not new but found it tired and in need of some redecorating. Housekeeping was sloppy, dusty surfaces. Bedspreads need replacement - should consider going to the all-fresh-linens, duvet approach. Breakfast buffet decent. Desk clerk very nice and eager to help.

I'm the spouse of the other San Diego reviewer. I wanted to add a couple of comments. I also thought the hotel was just fine. A feature in the room that I liked was that it had a rocker/recliner in the room. That was very nice. I tend to take a nap in the afternoons in the recliner at my house and it was nice to have the recliner in the room to take a nap.
I was a bit disappointed in that the pool and spa were closed due to the season and there was no mention about that when we were booking the hotel. We brought swim suits in anticipation of using the spa. We have one at home and really love a hot soak every evening. The bathroom sink/mirror arrangement is odd and is not optimal.
We will definitely request a courtyard side room next time. Not only are they quieter, they also have a small balcony that overlooks the pool area.
There is also a public computer set up in the lobby for people who don't have internet access so you can check emails, print out your boarding passes, etc. No fee to use the computer or printer.
My laptop that I bring with me has a modem and there was no fee for calling out to an 800 number from the room. So that was great!

We stayed at the Pony Soldier Inn for 3 nights in April. The rooms are basic, but very clean. A small fridge and microvave are included. The staff here are very friendly and attentive. The continental breakfast was good and the attendants very friendly. They had extras such as yogurt, breakfast sandwiches and boiled eggs. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are availble in the lobby 24 hours a day. Free newspapers were also available. Only drawbacks: Rooms on the street have a fair amount of street noise, especially with the windows open. We would probably opt for a courtyard room next time. The sink arrangement in the bathroom was odd, in that the sink was in the corner of the counter, directly facing a mirrored corner, so that you had to turn one way or the other to look in the mirror while using the sink. Also note that while it is only 2 stories, there is no elevator. The restaurant next door is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the lunch we had there was very good. We would stay here again.