El Capitan Hotel

Think of this as a hostel-hotel, not a traditional hotel. It’s inexpensive in a working-class neighborhood, so don’t expect luxury. The city is walkable and there are plenty of interesting areas nearby. Shared bathrooms are single-stall, which felt safer to me during COVID, and at least there’s a sink in the room. The bed wasn’t very comfortable, but I knew what I was paying for. My main issue was that the bathroom closest to my room had no toilet paper throughout my three-night stay, which made me wonder how often it was cleaned. The whole place could use a deep clean and some upgrades. Front desk workers also rarely wore masks, which wasn’t great at the time. There’s a paid lot next door, around $20-25 per 24 hours. For me, it worked as a cheap place to sleep, as long as I adjusted my expectations.

There’s plenty to do within walking distance, and the price makes this a useful option if you’re on a budget. It’s clean enough, though it’s more hostel-like than a regular hotel. Bathrooms are shared by the floor, and some have showers while others don’t. Rooms have sinks; the bathrooms don’t. Towels, soap, and shampoo are provided, but toilet paper runs out regularly. The neighborhood isn’t the best, so I’d be careful walking at night. You have to be buzzed into the hotel, which is reassuring, and the desk is staffed around the clock.

If you need to keep costs down and know what to expect, this isn’t a bad deal for the city. The building’s a bit shabby but not awful, and my room had a TV, fridge, and sink. The communal bathrooms are the downside, and bring your own toilet paper. I’d read other reviews mentioning bed bugs, so I sprayed the bed and put a sleeping bag over it. I didn’t have any problems myself.

BEWARE!!! Reservation Desk booked me at El Capitan and charged $160 for a run-down hotel, plus $20 for parking. There were no rooms available, so I ended up sleeping in my car. I’m disputing the charge now. Reservation Desk is a FRAUD!!