ITH Colive Balboa Park

Oh, what a wonderful stay I had! Everybody was so nice to me, asked questions and invited me to all of the fun events. My room was fresh, the bed was comfortable. Shout out to Sam at the reception! Such good vibes!

I popped my hostel cherry here 😎 I’ve finally caught the travel bug and knowing that I’ve always wanted to travel the world I knew that I’d one day stay at a hostel. ITH Balboa is in a great location right in the heart of Hillcrest which has many great restaurants and bars. There are an endless amount of activities that one can do. After making a reservation online I pulled up and was immediately greeted by the wonderful staff. She showed me around my room (4 person room) and walked me around the hostel. The toilets with individual stalls, the shower stalls, the communal area which included a full size kitchen, washing machines, pool table, couches, and a tv. A smoking room for smokers, the gym, and numerous area throughout the property to chill. She also told me about the numerous activities that they offered throughout the week including a boat ride with staff, and nightly events. After getting checked in I roamed around and explored on my own chatting with fellow travelers and everyone was very warm and inviting and also open in speaking about their experiences. This place was a great introduction for me to hostel living and I would definitely return here when I’m back in San Diego

Comfortable rooms, clean community areas and a very suitable price. I'm already stayed in the other hostels do they have in Big Bear, Downtown and here in Balboa and they are the best option. High recommended for long or short stays. In many cases, room in a simple hotel is extremely expensive, here it is not only an accessible price but also allows you to meet interesting people.

All the staff members were super friendly and helpful. The location of the hostel is convenient. Everything is clean and tidy. Rooms are cleaned everyday and the breakfast is pretty good. Overall I really enjoyed my stay. Totally would recommend.

Hello, I am 54 years old and during my life I have several times stayed in different youth hostels in different countries such as France, Australia, Luxembourg, Belgium and last weekend in your establishment. It was the most horrible experience I have ever had to live. if like my 2 friends who accompanied me I had had the financial means to go to another place I would have gone there running...

The hostel was close to everything. I loved that I was able to take the bus from the Amtrak station to Hillcrest which was only a few blocks from the hostel and it only cost me $2.50, what a blessing! The staff were super friendly, Rachel was a a sweetheart. Thank you!

Reminds of what life was like before this pandemic. Staff is loving with meal n movie nights. The outings and adventures are awesome so be sure and take full advantage of group events. They do scuba,snorkel, farmers market.

Not a fan of cleanliness of the kitchen and common area. I didn"t like the fact people there looked like they live there not travelers. which is not what a hostel is about. Great location, good friendly staff. Overall good

I came here for a week while I was on a road trip through California. Mannie was an amazing employee and went out of his wait to make me feel at home. This place is close to so many amazing restaurants and there always seemed to be activities to do at the hostel. I would recommend this location to anyone that wants to have a great time at a reasonable price.