If you’re looking for an affordable place to stay that is within walking distance to the ocean, then Ivan’s place is the place to be. It served our purposes well, although the place could use a little TLC and a few minor upgrades to make it better.
Ocean Beach is a very lively little beach front community. It is a little bit on the gritty side, which my husband, teenage daughter and I didn’t mind, although if you’re looking for a more a upscale ocean side experience, Ocean Beach might not be for you. I never once felt it was unsafe, however, even with an infant in tow. It’s just a little rough around the edges. There’s a pretty significant unhoused community living in the area, and they tended to congregate in one area of the beach in the evenings and party it up, but they were easy to avoid at night and mostly unnoticed during the day.
The unit itself is very close to the “downtown” area and gets a lot of foot and car/truck traffic. I liked all of the activity mostly, but it’s definitely not really ever quiet. You can hear every vehicle that passes by, and it seemed that early EVERY morning either trash or recycle was being picked up. The beds in the unit were very comfortable, firm memory foam beds, but it was a little difficult to sleep with the noise and also the light that comes in through the windows, at night from the sign on the store below, and in the early morning when the sun comes up. So if you’re a light sleeper, you may want to bring ear plugs and a sleep mask.
The kitchen was pretty well stocked in terms of cooking utensils, etc., although we ended up not utilizing the kitchen.
It was really great having a washer and dryer to use, because I had forgotten how muggy and sticky it is when hanging out by the beach.
All in all, I would say that the unit is a good value. You just can’t beat the location for the price, just don’t expect five star amenities/accommodations. If you’re looking for luxury, you will be disappointed. But if you’re looking for affordable accommodations right next to the ocean, and walking distance to restaurants, bars, and grocery stores,this is your place.