La Pensione Hotel is truly in the heart of Little Italy - and that brings both good and bad.
The Good:
- Very nice building that, although a bit dated, is surrounded by an excellent selection of restaurants as well as Wed/Sat farmers markets
- A few blocks from the Trolley and a bit further from downtown and Santa Fe Depot
The Bad:
- Across the street from Coco Maya, which plays loud music late into the night
- Air inside rooms can be very dry
In general, I'd categorize my stay as pleasant during the day and awful at night. I was sleep deprived every single night due to noise continuing past 1 AM, a hard mattress, and the dry air. In addition, whenever I came back to the hotel, because my room faced the sun it was always 10 degrees hotter inside than in the hallway and very dry.
But the staff were friendly, the location is otherwise excellent as a base for exploring San Diego, and although I probably wouldn't stay here again (just because of the aforementioned sleeping issues), if you're staying during the week and are able to avoid Friday and Saturday nights, this is a great spot with FANTASTIC brunch and dinner options just across the street.