The Dolphin Motel is definitely budget all the way. Imagine that you have a semi-completed extra room in your home and you find out that a friend is coming to stay on short notice. So, you slap on some clean white paint - no time to worry about imperfection in the wall, you steam clean the carpet, and you scrub... More

I arrived late so lost out on my harbour view room and instead stayed in room no.4. The room was clean with a fridge and TV inside. The ensuite was small and the shower was very powerful which I loved. The hotel is split into two buildings. Where we stayed seemed quite claustrophobic. If your concerned about noise levels at... More

I liked the Motel, We stayed 5 nights. I like sitting and looking out over the marina having my morning coffee or unwinding from a long day seeing the sites. Small, clean rooms, what more do you need. Management very nice, and helpful, IT is worth the money, Easy to get around town, Only thing I had a problem with... More

The Dolphin is clean, that's for sure. But very basic. We had a night away in San Diego during a work trip and stayed at the Dolphin after all the good reviews. It is clean and the staff is extremely helpful and very friendly. But its just not worth the money to me. Its tired. The air conditioner turned on... More

I needed a place to stay in San Diego for a few days, Trip advisor reviewers gave the dolphin such great reviews I decided to stay here. I travel a lot ...and do so on a budget...let me tell you , I was not one bit disapponted....keep this in mind...the rooms are very basic,,,but SUPER clean, white linens, comfortable beds,... More

This is an old old motel which the current owner has gone to a lot of trouble to keep clean, freshly painted, and he offers a ton of little extras, breakfast, wifi etc. However, never forget that this is an old place with tiny rooms on a busy street. There is a small segment of travellers that like old places... More

We decided to stay at the Dolphin Mote after finding them here on tripadvisor and seeing that were the "Travelers' Choice 2013 Winner". It didn't take long to see why they were. It's a great place to stay if you're looking for a simple hotel with a friendly and helpful staff in a convenient location. We will be staying there... More

Sometimes "value" motels can be risky. But when we only need a room for sleeping, we hate to pay big $$. As it turned out, for several different reasons we needed a lot of help and over the 3 days we were there all the staff could not have been more helpful if they had been at the highest priced... More

This motel was about as basic as it gets. The room, while clean, was spartan and there were no amenities to speak of other than breakfast, which I did not try. The room was bare and very white, and all night long I could hear the man snoring in the next room. The price was good for San Diego, but... More