Carole's B&B is a decent place to stay if you enjoy the B&B concept. Carole and her son Michael have two properties across the street from each other; part of the B&B is in the house itself and the other half is across the street. We stayed in the Garden Studio 1 for three nights ($139/nt), which is not located in the main property, but across the street, with parking behind the second property. It was a little dingy, dated, and did not include typical amenities such as air conditioning. The bathroom is tiny, so it runs on a one-person-at-a-time concept. There is a small TV with cable and ample space for luggage. The furniture is not contemporary at all, and the decor is sort of old-timey, faded, and garage-sale-y. The beds are OK, the pillows are great, and the linens are somewhat dated (a quilt and a sheet, pretty much). At least for the studio, the pictures on the website are accurate.

The charm of the studio property is that you have your own entrance, a small refrigerator, a very small kitchen sink, some utensils, and a microwave, so it's not bad for an extended stay. Our garden studio had one queen bed and a sofa. There is small bistro-style seating and nice landscaping right outside your door. There is also an extensive garden out front of both properties and it is like staying in your Aunt's house in a typical San Diego neighborhood, but one where a housekeeper comes around 10 AM.

The main property has several rooms and a formal dining room, where small portions of fresh fruit and a hot breakfast item are served in the morning. Our chief delight came from the new saltwater pool, which has been remodeled recently. There is a pump and ample flotation toys, and we spent hours in there after coming back from the beaches. Carole was knowledgeable about the major San Diego attractions and was able to give us good directions to everywhere we wanted to go.

The biggest reason to stay here is the convenient location, within 8 minutes from downtown and 5 minutes from the Zoo and the museums on Pershing Drive. There are plenty of all-night diners and restaurants nearby as well, right past the North Park area. We have stayed in much nicer, upscale B&Bs, but this one was adequate for our needs and we had a pleasant stay thanks to Carole and Sean.

I really enjoyed my stay at this unique B&B. Carole's gracious hospitality and delicious simple breakfasts were a real delight. I also met some really interesting people. If you are looking for the typical modern or upgraded historic B&B chic, this is not the place for you. Carole, a lovely elderly lady, has opened her home and a few other rooms across the street to the world - a home bought decades ago and not modernised in any way. It reminded me of the homes of some of some of my aunts and uncles. I felt quite comfortable, even though it does have a very old-fashioned feel to it. Although not a bright space, I saw no dirt, was not bitten by anything, and my needs were adequately met. I used the economy room, and although it was tiny in a house across the road, it was perfect for me because I was at a conference all day and needed to sleep there only. When it was hot I was able to use the fan provided, and slept really well. Thanks to Carole for her hospitality and willingness to help her guests feel at home!