Surf Motel

The place was filthy. The sheets and doors were dirty, paint was coming off the walls, and every metal surface seemed rusty. The toilet barely flushed, and there wasn't any coffee available. The man at the front desk was rude and no help at all. Honestly, the whole motel should be condemned. 🫣

For less than $100 a night, being able to walk to some of San Francisco's prettiest spots and plenty of good food is a real bargain. There's also a gas station nearby that's open around the clock. I knew it was a two-star motel, so I didn't expect much. The building and facilities are worn, though they seem to stay on top of repairs reasonably well for the price. The water was hot, and my room had a microwave, fridge, and wardrobe. The TV came with more HBO channels than I could ever watch. Check-in was easy and the office staff were friendly. The key card is an older type: put it in like a credit card and pull it out quickly, then go in when the light flashes green. It's a city motel, so there's some noise, but things got very quiet overnight. California has a lot of rules about hospitality, water use, and electricity, too. I'd stay here again.

Getting the shower started gave me trouble, but there's an explanation for it in the lobby. I also wasn't bothered much by noise. A laundromat is fairly close, and the bus stop can take you to the Golden Gate Bridge or wherever else you need to go. The main drawbacks were the stained walls and sheets, an unreliable key, and too few parking spaces, so street parking might be necessary. If someone thinks this place was too loud or dirty, they may not have stayed in LA.

They kept our $100 deposit over a leak under the toilet. We pointed out that water was coming from it, thinking it was a small leak, and then they charged us when it turned out to be a bigger problem. How is that a guest's responsibility? Nothing in the agreement says we owe for damage like that, and a two-day stay clearly didn't create a hole beneath a toilet. The owner said there were several layers of paint, which makes it seem like the leak had been there for a long time. Don't stay here. They take deposit money instead of fixing or updating things, and the maids aren't nice either.