Pantai Inn

I loved this place. It’s quirky…but my “room” was actually more like an apartment! Full kitchen, separate living and dining room. Amazing. I had a partial ocean view, which was nice and I could hear the surf from my room. The breakfast was nice and eating on the patio very pleasant.

Pantai Inn is a hidden jewel on the coast in La Jolla! Our one bedroom suite had an ocean view, small patio, very comfortable bed and kitchenette (sink, fridge, small stove top, and coffee maker). On-site parking was also plentiful ($25/night). My wife and I only had one night available to celebrate our anniversary and Pantai was willing to book for a single night during the busy summer holiday season. Furthermore, when our babysitter/dogsitter got sick, Edwin (Manager) was extremely accommodating - allowing us to move our reservation with only 24 hours notice to a future date. Accessing downtown La Jolla for dinner was an easy uphill walk (to The Manhattan) and walking the beach at low tide was a bonus in the AM. La Jolla is always charming - and Pantai Inn should be added to your "Places to stay" list.

The rave reviews are 100% accurate. Excellent location, very comfortable room, generous breakfast and cheerful staff. We spent 6 nights and have already booked a return visit. If you plan on visiting La Jolla, this is the place to stay.

I booked a weekend here from May 30 - June 1, 2025 and was so pleased and impressed that I had to write a review. The rooms: we booked a suite as we had 3 members in our party. The suite had a bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen. The bedroom had a king bed, a dresser, 2 bedsides, and a closet. We had plenty of room for 2 people in this room. The living room had a couch, a window seat, and queen murphy bed. Both beds were very comfortable, and the rooms were clean. The kitchen had a full sized refrigerator as well as a full-sized stove (oven and cooktop). There were pace settings for 4, a Keurig, and coffee supplies. The kitchen sink was a beautiful beaten copper basin. The bathroom had a large shower with stone tiles and beaten copper fixtures. No tub, which was fine for us. While some of the fixtures did show the wear and tear of hard water, it was overall very clean and beautiful. The dining room had a round table with 4 chairs. I would consider it a small one-bedroom apartment rather than a suite. This was all included with complimentary laundry (which we didn't use, but it was there), complimentary water and sodas in the lobby, and complimentary snacks when available in the lobby. There were front and back entrances to this suite, which was nice as you could park on either side and not have to lug your bags all the way around the building. Cleanliness: The kitchen and bathroom did show signs of hard water buildup but that's not really a cleanliness issue, just a cosmetic thing. The fridge and stove were clean, the dishes were clean. Although I saw a handful of ant traps, I didn't see any ants, so I guess any problem they had was resolved. (There were a ton of ants outside so understandable if a few did get in.) Beds and linens were all fresh and clean. They left 2 sets of toiletries, I'm not sure if that's standard or if they thought we might need extra for three people, or if I should have asked for a third set. We all shared one set so it wasn't a problem but I also suspect it would not have been a problem to ask for extras. Cleaning service was on-demand, and we didn't use it as we had plenty for our 2 nights. For a longer stay you'll need to ask for fresh linens/towels, and if you need a vacuum or such. The staff: I was met in reception by a very cheerful, kind woman who knew who I was on arrival (perhaps because we arrived a bit late, maybe we were the last room to check in). She was very patient and accommodating as I had to split the 2 night stay over 2 cards, as the first night was work-related and the second was personal. I had reserved the room on my personal card, and she made sure to split the payment and book the correct night on the correct card, never once giving me a sigh or rolling her eyes. I only had passing interactions with other staff, but they were very courteous; no complaints about the staff at all. The location: this hotel is across the street from the beach. Stepping out in the morning to smell the ocean air was so refreshing. It is located within a block of tons of restaurants and shops, everything within walking distance. While we were there we visited UCSD (about a 15 min drive) and SDSU (about a 25 min drive). We also visited downtown San Diego but it was all mixed in with driving elsewhere so I'm not sure of the actual distance from La Jolla to San Diego. Parking: this would be the only "con" as parking was very limited. I paid the parking fee for 2 nights but could park on the actual hotel grounds for only the first night. However, after about 9 pm, the street parking clears, and you can park overnight on the street. I was able to park across the street from the hotel (and just use the back entrance to the suite) for the second night. Then at 8 am, parking is permitted in 3 hour blocks. This was perfect as check out time was at 11. I'd probably recommend not paying the parking fee unless you plan to just park the car and not move it. Value: for 2 nights, we paid a total of $756. The room charge was about $288/night, which I thought was very reasonable for what was essentially an apartment. Parking was $25/night - I'd say opt out. A mandatory resort charge of $25/night is unavoidable, but that gets you wifi, beach equipment rentals, laundry service, drinks and snacks, and covers gratuities for maid services. Taxes were another $40/night, again unavoidable. I was fortunate that my job paid for one night so I only was out of pocket for the second night, which might make this feel like an even better value. It might feel a bit pricy if you are footing the entire bill, but for the room we booked, it could easily be split among 4 people. I think that makes this place a great value. Miscellaneous: I was able to book directly with the hotel for a good rate. Checkout time was at 11am, which is an hour later that usual checkout times, so that was a plus. They serve a buffet-style breakfast with the usual: scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausages, toast/bagels, make-your-own-waffles, and oatmeal. To be honest I have no idea if this was included in the price or not; nobody asked me my room number or gave me a bill. I supposed I'll find out when I check my final credit card bill. Overall, I'd highly recommend this spot.

We had a one bedroom suite overlooking the sea. Everything we needed was provided. The breakfasts were a pleasant surprise - there was copious choice - fruit, fruit juice, breads and bagels to toast, porridge, cereals, a make your own waffles machine and cooked breakfast to choose from or you could have it all! Wonderful. To cap it all, we were there for Thanksgiving and they provided a complimentary dinner for guests with turkey, ham etc which was excellent, and a lovely touch for us who were thousands of miles from home. Staff were friendly, attentive and nothing was too much trouble. La Jolla village is a lovely place and I heartily recommend both the place and this hotel.