Soak Up the Sun at the Hotel Del Coronado
Where You Stay is Just as Important as Where You Eat
San Diego is blessed with 12,700 hotels, to choose from, but if they don’t have an ocean or bay view or are not in a coastal community or have some other overriding amenity such as a golf course to look at, don’t stay in a random place unless you can’t afford to stay anywhere else. If you’ve come all this way to San Diego to experience paradise on earth, then staying where you get an ocean or bay view or in a coastal community with names like Shelter Island, Harbor Island, La Jolla, Del Mar, and Carlsbad, which all reside on the bay or ocean. For sure get your bearings by looking at the San Diego County Map.
If all else fails stay a night in centrally located Mission Valley. Then with a good lay of the land move to somewhere in the coastal zone like Shelter Island, Mission Bay, Pacific Beach or La Jolla. Booking a night in centrally located Mission Valley is a smart move. Remember, it was the where to stay hub of San Diego before the downtown convention center was built. So, it has all the amenities necessary. Read the Mission Valley chapter.
My staff and I personally reviewed over 30,000 hotels in San Diego County and another 5,000 rooms in MEXICO. We inspected at least two rooms at each hotel, visited the housekeeping department and the front desk. Then we reviewed the amenities including swimming pools, saunas, on property restaurants before recommending them. This is your assurance that you will get a good room.
How to get the best room: always inspect the room before agreeing to stay there. Usually, the first room you look at will be okay, but why settle for just any room when you can get a superior room for the same price with a view just by inspecting the room or rooms before agreeing to stay there.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS BY LOCATION
Be sure to read each HOT LINKED suburb or city to get the lay-of-the-land, which most are in a region with an ocean or bay view before you book a room.
North County Coastal: CARLSBAD
Beautiful Carlsbad is 34.4 miles from downtown San Diego, and if you are a multi-time visitor to the many attractions in the downtown area of downtown, you may opt to stay in Carlsbad and discover the many amenities, which has made it a great place to live, eat and play. For great places to stay, you won’t be disappointed with the fine selections available throughout Carlsbad. In fact, LEGOLAND® even has accommodations for adults and kids with an emphasis on the word “Kids”. It’s kid-friendly! Highly recommended is the Tamarack Beach Resort (19) at 3200 Carlsbad Blvd. (760-729-3500) or (800-334-2199), which genuinely captures the charm of Carlsbad. This resort with its Mediterranean-style architecture and decor has 54 full-service one- and two-bedroom vacation rentals and 23 luxury hotel rooms overlooking the beautiful Pacific ocean. It’s housed in the same building as Dini’s Bistro by the Sea.
San Diego Central: CORONADO
Since 1886, a stay at the one and only resort hotel in America is to enjoy a stay at the all inclusive Hotel Del Coronado. If you come to San Diego via air, they’ll even pick you up by limosine. So if you want the best ocean view experience on America’s #1 voted Best Beach, plan your stay at the Hotel Del Coronado. Fine dining and even a skating rink is installed in the winter. Also plan to tour Coronado. Perhaps play golf at the nearby course and be sure to dine at the Blue Water Grill, across the street from the Hotel Del. You won’t be disappointed.
Hilton San Diego Del Mar,
San Diego Central/ EMBARACADERO
San Diego Central/ HARBOR ISLAND
San Diego Central LA JOLLA
If you’re NOT staying in a spectacular oceanfront hotel like La Jolla Shores Hotel on the boardwalk at the world famous La Jolla Shores, you need to ask yourself why not.? It’s owned by the more famous international resort hotel and resort the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, which is also another excellent place to stay. The Beach Club has a slew of amenities including being literally on the shore and home to the world famous tennis club, with a tiny golf course and two restaurants. One of which is the world famous Marine Room Restaurant, which is where the waves literally smash up on the glass at high tide (see restaurants). Even if you don’t stay here, you should definitely dine here at the waters edge on their patio, during the week, if possible. The setting is casual and the view of the ocean and surroundings are spectacular. They also offer underground parking and thus are the perfect hub from which to see all of the shores on foot and La Jolla and San Diego by car.
La Jolla Cove Suites
San Diego Central/ LIBERTY STATION
Courtyard by Marriot Liberty Station, Hilton Homewood Suited Liberty Station
San Diego Central/ MISSION BAY has 7,129 rooms from $71
Mission Bay is home to fabulous beachfront hotels and cottages second to none. This sentimental leader in the San Diego hotel industry own both the Bahia and the Catamaran Hotels as well as two paddle wheel pleasure boats to take their guests from one end of Mission Bay to the other while sightseeing as well as dancing. Plus, both on the bay hotels are well known for their excellent excellent accommodations. The Bahia Resort Hotel at 998 Mission Bat DR. (858-529-5493) ($159-$219) is right at the water’s edge with romantic views galore. Then there’s their high-rise Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa at 3999 Mission Blvd. (858-488-1081) featuring 310 luxurious rooms all with a bay view. But there are a lot of other excellent hotels including the High rise Hyatt Hotel as well as the tropical setting of Paradise Point as well as the classy Mission Bay Resort Hotel with its star studded restaurant. All of these resort hotels are excellent.
San Diego Central MISSION VALLEY
Back-in-the-day, Mission Valley’s Hotel Circle was where everyone stayed. That was before the downtown convention center was built. Two locally-owned hotels with restaurants on their property are The Kings Inn ($111) night and the classier and upgraded Town & Country Resort ($126) a night. If you are in the military, rates are even lower. Mission Valley is home to two major shopping centers, great restaurants, two golf courses, dozens of good hotels, and offers easy access to all attractions. Check rates before booking.
North County/ RANCHO SANTA FE
Inn at Rancho /santa Fe, Rancho Valencia
San Diego Central/ SHELTER ISLAND
a romantic San Diego Harbor view hotel like Kona Kai Resort & Spa on Shelter Island,
Riverside County/ TENMECULA
Embassy Suites, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Ponte Vineyard
