Cecile (like the rest of us on our own nickel) is looking for
a reasonably priced hotel for HP World:

> Regarding cheaper hotels in San Diego for HPWorld,

> J Street Inn, at 2nd Avenue is $39.95 + tax
>looks like it's very close to the convention center

Yes, just a couple blocks NW on the other side of Harbor
Drive;  pretty much right across Harbor Drive from the San
Diego Marriott (HP World H.Q. hotel).

> Grand Pacific Hostel
> dormitory style, $17
> 619-232-3100

> does anyone local know anything about these?

For anyone who has not done so already, see:

http://www.sandiego.org/

Query on DOWNTOWN area lodging;  you will get about
eight printed pages of matching hotels.  Many of these
hotels have photos on their individual web pages, that are
linked from the query results.

The J Street Inn photo makes it look tolerable, but hard to
tell from what's on the web.  I called them, and the desk
said about 3/4 of the rooms are long or moderate term
residence customers;   only ~1/4 are rented out on a nightly
basis.  Being that the J Street Inn is almost literally in the
shadow of the Marriott right across Harbor Drive, the local
area is probably not too bad (been long enough since I've
been there it's getting a little fuzzy);  never been inside.

ALSO:  My recollection is a bit vague, but seems like I
remember that as you go inland in a NE direction from the
convention center you can run into somewhat of a "low rent"
district.  Like Cecile said, maybe a local member of 3000-L
could give the readership an update on areas that are perhaps
to be avoided, hotel-wise....

There are three or four hotels in the DOWNTOWN query
results that list for between $15 - $20.....  think I would be
*real* careful to know what I was getting before I signed up
for any of these....  Note that the J Street Inn now claims
a "two star" rating from the Mobil travel guide, compared to
the "one star" that comes up on the San Diego web page...

Ken Sletten