San Diego Hotel Tips by Ken_Weaver

Hilton Garden Inn San Diego/Rancho Bernardo: North of the City but Still San Diego Hilton Garden Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo Review

Rancho Bernardo is a beautiful community north of the city of San Diego. I stayed in this hotel for three weeks in late May/early June of 2005. The hotel at this time is about 6 months old but all of the staff are performing up to standard. The place is beautiful! The building exterior is cream and the interior lobby is done in lime green tones with cream trim. I found the front desk staff to be exceptional. The dining room service was a bit spotty at the beginning of my stay but got better as the time went on. This hotel serves breakfast and dinner but no lunch yet.

Unique Qualities: The hotel has a beautiful pool and spa outside and I used it extensively during my three weeks there. The hotel offers high speed internet and wireless service and it was reliable 100% of the time. I liked the bar area ...open and well lit and it boasts a beautiful plasma screen tv which I was able to join others in watching the NBA playoffs, the French Open, and the Indianapolis 500.
Parking is free in a huge lot or in the secured underground parking. Continental breakfast was good and you could order standard hot breakfast items.Dinners were very moderately priced.

Address: 17240 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: 2 Blocks off of I -15, 30 miles north of the San Diego City Center

Phone: 858.676.1660

Price: US$120-180

Theme: Hotel

Extended StayAmerica Hotel Circle: The Worst "Hell Hole" Hotel I have Stayed In! Extended StayAmerica Hotel Circle Review

My company asked me to cut back on my expenses while working in San Diego so I tried this hotel since it had a full kitchen I could save some money by not going out to restaurants all the time and the rate was very low. But you get what you pay for. I went up to the room and was getting ready for bed and noticed that there was blood all over the sheets and pillowcase. No one as able to change it that evening. At 1 am on the first night of my stay, the fire alarm rang continually for 2 hours and no one is able to shut it off! The manager gave me a $50 credit for that night. I went to wash dishes and the drain was plugged to the sink.
All this continues for the three weeks that I was there. I would not recommend this unless you are a step up from backpacking!

Unique Qualities: The hotel bills you in advance even if you are staying for more than a week. This got real confusing when I left and didnt complete a full week...then they were going to charge me a higher daily rate but back down since I had stayed for three weeks. The housekeeping was atrocious. I saw the same smear of food on the elevator panel the whole three weeks I was there. No pool, no exercise room. There is a good laundry room!

Address: 2087 Hotel Circle South, , San Diego, California 9

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Just off of I-8 on Hotel Circle South

Price: US$40-80

Theme: Hotel

Hampton Inn San Diego Del Mar: Close to the Ocean and the Race Track Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar Review

I stayed in this hotel in December of 2004 and January of 2005. The hotel is conveniently located just a block off of I-5 and a block off of State Highway 56. The rooms and lobby were done in a Southwestern theme and were very well kept. Housekeeping was very detailed and met all of my needs. The hotel offers free breakfast and it was always up to standard. Each room had a work desk and free highspeed internet service.

Unique Qualities: Parking was always available in a secured basement parking garage and was complimentary. The pool was not usable during the time I was there because of the weather. Right across the street was a Marriot that had some outstanding food for dinner. Just up the highway was the racetrack area with lots of good restaurants.

Address: 11920 Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130

Comparison: about average

Directions: One block east of I-5

Phone: 858.792.5557

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Hotel

Hampton Inn Seaworld Airport: Just Minutes from Sea World Hampton Inn San Diego-Airport-Sea World Review

This Hampton Inn is about 10 minutes from the airport and about 5 minutes from Sea World. I stayed there for 3 months early in 2005. When I first arrived I was given a first floor room right off of the pool. After about 20 minutes in the room, I realized that the room had recently been flooded due to unusually heavy rains early in the year. My first clue was the musty smell and my second clue was the row of sandbags just outside my sliding class door. I asked to be moved and the staff responded positively and efficiently.

Unique Qualities: The front desk crew was very good at directing people to the attractions in the area. Unfortunately, I had emergency surgery on a ruptured disc while I was there and the staff accomodated me graciously. The manager brought me an icepack that proved to ease some of the pain. For a week or so, I couldnt even walk with crutches and the staff brought me breakfast to my room. As I got better they let me park under the covered entry way so I didnt have so far to go to get to my room!

The complimentary breakfast was always good. The pool was very well kept and the spa was great for my recovering back. Parking is free but after 9pm you would have to park on a street if you returned late.

The hotel offers free highspeed internet and it was very reliable(Cox Communication)

There was no business center as typically offered by Hilton Hotels, but there is a PC in the lobby for guest use...just give them a piece of ID and they will give you the key to the cabinet.

The neighborhood looks abit seedy at first with a bunch of stripjoints next door, but if you go a few blocks further west to Sports Arena Way or Midway, you will find great shopping and restaurants. If you go east, about 6 blocks you will be in Old Town, which is a great dining, historical, and shopping area.

Address: 3888 Greenworld St.

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: West of I-5 about a block actually off Rosencranz.

Phone: 619.299.6633

Price: US$120-180

Theme: Hotel

Hampton Inn San Diego Downtown: Economical and Convenient to the City Hampton Inn San Diego Downtown Review

The hotel is located on Pacific Highway South only a block off of the waterfront and all of the great activities there. The decor is reminiscent of the 50s but I am sure the hotel is newer than that. I stayed there for 3 weeks in September of 2004. I liked the location because it was more centrally located than most yet not terribly expensive. Parking is very limited in downtown San Diego so I would leave my car at the hotel and take the hotel van into the heart of the city for the evening and then take a cab back.

Unique Qualities: There is an outdoor pool that is protected from the wind and exposed to the sun up until late afternoon. The hotel offers free high speed internet and wireless which was very reliable (Cox Communications) and breakfast is complimentary. There is a business center for copying and computer use. Parking is $10/night unless you are Diamond level in Hilton Honors and then it is free. Warning: The parking garage is extremely difficult to use because they have crammed so many slots into it.

Address: 1531 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Located at the corner of Beech and Pacific Highway about a mile west of I-5 near the waterfront.

Phone: 619.233.8408

Price: US$120-180

Theme: Hotel