This is an older neighborhood with many bungalows but has some very nice looking rentals that you can tell are taking pride in fixing up their rentals. We rented an outlander suv(which is pretty narrow) and anything larger will be hard to maneuver in the alleyway and trying to get in the assigned parking spot in the back. We only had a street parking spot on our last night which was great for loading up the car to leave. For loading and unloading the car when you have the front unit it’s way easier to park on the street. The walkway from the alley parking spot is a little narrow and the gate is a pain to open because the black plastic landscaping trim wasn’t installed correctly and is in the way of opening the gate. And to get to the assigned parking in the back, you have to walk through the back rental area and it’s fairly narrow . If you are in a wheelchair or have a stroller use the front street gate because you will not get to the front unit easily. Also, just FYI there is a small raised area in front of the door maybe 2” high and then you step up into the doorway in case you have a walker or wheelchair.
Cons:
The newly installed windows are nice but the airplane noise is minimally dampened because of the lack of insulation of the bungalow as well as being in the direct flight path. There must’ve been an airplane flying overhead every 5 minutes or so during the day. Becomes part of background noise after a few days of being there but not sure if it would work if you are a light sleeper.
The lack of insulation can also become an issue with maintaining a comfortable temperature in the house without an AC. It was in the mid to upper 60’s when we were there but when we left to explore for the day we closed windows for two reasons: we didn’t want our pets to hear all the noise outside and disturb people with their barking, and with transients in the neighborhood, we didn’t want to risk someone else’s property by leaving the windows open. When we came back in early evening, it was uncomfortably hot in the house. Thank goodness for the ceiling fans. It would probably have been hotter without them.
We didn’t enjoy the cute patio outside in the evening which was a pity since there was usually a nice cool breeze at night. Reason: we are non smokers with a toddler. One of the neighbors was smoking pot almost every night.
The furniture looks like it could use some cleaning or updating, especially the sleeper sofa. But if you’re just going to use the place as a home base for exploring San Diego, it might not be a deal breaker.
I’m extremely allergic to down, so if anyone else is the small throw pillow on the bed and the white cushion on the living room chair (found out after sitting on it 😔) are down filled. Don’t know about the flat bed pillows because we always bring our own due to my allergies.
Basic food prep staples like oil, pepper were not already there so bring your own if you’re planning to stay a bit longer and doing some cooking there. (They did have salt and a couple other spices that people may have left there). Bring bottled water because the water had an odd smell off and on.
Pros:
Close to our family so not a bad drive.
Good walkability for restaurants. There are bars and pubs too if you like that environment. Pizza Port Ocean Beach was very yummy 😋 and just about a 5-10 minute walk from the rental.