Let me start by saying, I am in love with Mexico. I have stayed in many of the hotels surrounding and in Rosarita. La Fonda was highly rated on this site as well as personally by friends in San Diego. The rates are very reasonable and the setting is lovely on the cliffs. My problem is with organization and cleanliness. I had always heard how wonderful the Sunday brunch is, and let me tell you, I will NEVER go back. It was utter chaos. I can allow for that, I live in Las Vegas, I am no stranger to buffet chaos. What I could not tolerate was the rude restaurant staff and very poor service, AND the cockroach I found in my food. The bad part was, I had eaten half of the bowl of soup before I saw it in my spoon. I am not fussy, I find a hair in my food, I quietly take it out. I find two hairs in my food and I stop eating the food, but the cockroach was more than I could handle. To top it off, the staff was not accomodating regarding the situation. I went to my server on the side so as not to alarm the other guests or make a scene, when I explained what happened, he still handed me a bill for the brunch. I will NEVER go back. The roaches in the rooms and in the food were enough for me. I now stay at La Paloma, very happily every single time I visit(at least five times a year) La Paloma has this place beat, hands down.

One cannot go to La Fonda expecting perfection. The rooms are rustic (some would say rugged) and my finance likened it to camping in some ways -- however the views are magnificent, you will not find better, and the food at the hotel restaurant is wonderful. La Fonda is a relaxed, fun, inviting, enjoyable, quaint place full of character and seaside charm. If you prefer a four star accommodation, go to La Mision up the street. But if you are in search of a unique and very affordable weekend stay with incomparably beautiful views, this is the place.

Strongly recommend the banana pancakes with coconut syrup for breakfast! Also, we discovered the former owner and chef of La Fonda's restaurant have opened up a much less expensive place two doors down with the same great food at lower prices, so head down there for a couple of meals as well. But the view from La Fonda's restaurant terrace cannot be matched and is well worth the price of the food!

My family and I have been going to La Fonda for years. However, on our last trip, just about everything of value was stolen from the room. It is a great place, a somewhat shoddily maintained rooms (do not expect much in the rooms other than being perched above a cliff/beach)...it is the definition of quaint...but the location is good, the ambiance great, and the food--excellent. It's a great beach getaway...an hour across the border.

BUT...after going there for years, one day, our room was cleaned-out. Wallets, rings, etc. The owner, who we've known for years exclaimed that nobody, ever, had had anything stolen from his hotel. It found this totally implausable and definitely untrue. It is Mexico, surrounded by powerty, and theft in rooms is still commonplace.

Go, enjoy yourselves, but be sure to not let the serenity fool you. Watch your things. Take what you don't want to have stolen with you...or hide it well. Also, they do have a safe at reception. Keep important things there, maybe.

This hotel is surely heaven sent ! We had originally stayed at Hussongs outside Ensenada and it was noisy and a nightmare so we bailed out and headed north. We were welcomed with opened arms by the owner himself. The hotel was clean, the food awesome and the beach a dream. We will return next summer and many years to come