Empress Hotel Of La Jolla

Excellent old style , well-built hotel. Large, clean, well-appointed rooms. Very good in-house restaurant, sort of half traditional Italian and half California chop house. Would definitely stay there again. Complimentary breakfast was weak.

The staff was very friendly. Location was good. You pay a little less to not be closer to the ocean. There is a piano bar/restaurant on the main floor which looked like lots of fun but the noise kept me awake. Might want to ask for a room further from the restaurant. Otherwise a great stay.

We stayed at this hotel a number of times. The location is great, close to shops, restaurants and la jolla cove. You can find parking on the streets around the hotel and save the $18/day valet parking fee. Bed is comfortable and rooms are kept clean. The hotel could use some updating, but that's pretty much the case with all hotels in this area and price range. Nick at the front desk is great! Will definitely stay there again.

as this is the second time I went to LJ to see my old friends who study at UCSD. Empress hotel don't let me disappointment. My room is super clean and all the staffs for this hotel are REALLY NICE. I feel respect from them all the time.

Great location! A short walk to the water and the cliffside walk with fabulous views! Good breakfast. Fresh pastries, waffle fixings, oatmeal, dry cereal, hard boiled eggs, cheese, fruit and yogurt. Helpful staff. No pool. Very good value. I would go back to this hotel.

It was our first time in La Jolla and it was a good experience. The location of the hotel is awesome its near all this shops were you can simply walk to. The parking is a bit tricky but doable. I would have wished the room to be a bit bigger but it was still very good size. Overall a good stay.

Particularly liked Ben and Jason. Will return to this hotel again.

This is our second stay at the Empress since January 2011. The hotel is wonderfully located with just about everything you need within walking distance (great restaurants, the cove, shops, grocers, the wonderful village of La Jolla!) We love it here and although the Empress is small, it's friendly service and excellent location is simply unbeatable. Not luxurious, but comfy. The onsite restaurant is quite good and service is very friendly. We plan to come back again and again.

The Good: Hotel was clean, and nice. Our room was very nice, spacious, with a very nice bathroom, included use of hotel robes, and free cookies. Living area was adequate, and had no real concerns. Close to beach and other local stores. The Bad: Staff was not especially friendly. Registration clerk from France on phone for 15 minutes, and wouldn't acknowledge those of us in line waiting to check in. Others walked by without any greeting to us. When I finally reached the desk, was told that incidental fees on my card would be 21.50 per day (which is not bad at all), but since I left my wallet in my car, was prepared to pay cash, in which I was told would be 100.00 cash per night. I did not understand why there is a difference, and yielded to retrieve my wallet, only to stand in line again, and then waited another ten minutes while clerk was on the phone again. Naturally, I did not have a great first impression. They have a mandatory valet service of 15.00 per night. Room walls are PAPER THIN. Our room seemed to above kitchen, but we were on the third floor.. We heard and smelled every noise and kitchen fragrance beginning at 4:30 a.m. When they dropped something on the floor, WE HEARD IT. When they mixed batter, WE HEARD IT. If something burned, WE SMELLED IT. Also heard people either next door or above us in their room or bathroom. Conclusion: It was a nice stay, but I was definitely NOT impressed enough to return. If the staff was friendlier, it would have made a big difference. They had very little connectivity with the hotel guests. Though it is supposed to be a private and quaint hotel, they did not demonstrate quality client service or people skills.

This is a great hotel. It was very clean, the staff was friendly and professional, and the location cannot be beat! Great value for your money. Highly recommended.