sajil

We're planning a vacation to San Diego in November with our 5 year old son and 2 year old daughter. I love San Diego because most of the activities are available to very young children (unlike Orlando). We want to utilize the beach as much as possible and I have been looking for hotels that actually open onto a beach. I have found very few, and none of them seem to have very good reviews. Namely they are The La Jolla Beach Club, The Sea Lodge, and The La Jolla Cove Suites. In S.D. proper there is the Catamaran Resort and Paradise Point Resort. The reviews (here and on Tripadvisor) all seem to indicate that these hotels are very outdated and musty, with lots of structural/comfort issues. I'm not sure if these are problems inherant to beachfront hotels, or if the reviewers really are being overly nitpicky (although most insist that they aren't).

Does anyone know of a really good resort-like hotel in San Diego which offers suites and is on the beach? I've heard about the Coronado, but it seems too far out for the other acivities we are planning (Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld, and Legoland).

Thanks for your help!

mrkindallas

Try the Catamaran Resort Hotel on Mission Beach if you really want a hotel. www.catamaranresort.com. You are on the calmer bay side of the Mission Beach area and within very short walking distance of the ocean side of Mission Beach.

Another option would be a condo on Mission Beach. Go to www.vrbo.com and look at your options on Mission Beach and Mission Bay.

This area is very close to Sea World and puts you very close to a beach that is more suitable for children (the calmer bay side), but still has the excitement of the Pacific Ocean only a short walk away.

I haven't actually stayed at the Catamaran. I stayed at one of the condos in the residential area just across Mission Blvd that you would have to walk through to get to the ocean.

ltt

http://www.pacificterrace.com - check this out

ltt

another one i thought of
surfer motor lodge on pacific beach
as mentioned before, if you don't need a pool, there are a lot of house rentals on mission beach or mission bay

diann

I am not sure in Nov. you would be able to utilize the beach. Perhaps walk the beach would be fine. The bay is generally not for swimming. I would try Pacific Terrace, Coronado would be my favorite out of the group. You are not interested in that location. (It really isn't that far away from from the activities.) There was also a place that use to get decent reviews ocean park Inn I believe was the name. All the hotels mentioned are old this is true. There is not a new one on the beach that I am aware of so you must sift through and go for location and not age a prioriy in your decision.

sunbum1944

BestWestern Blue Sea Lodge is right on the beach in the Mission Beach/Pacific Beach Area - I have stayed there twice and thought it was fine - it is not a resort of course - just a standard Best Western - but I did enjoy being able to hear the waves all night long.

There is also a BestWestern Beach Terrace Inn that is right on the beach in Carlsbad ( close to Legoland)
Havent stayed there but done walkbys -
Tripadvisor has mixed reviews - some love it and some dont.

Carlsbad is a great little community to stay in though

mrkindallas

I didn't really mean for there to be swimming in the bay, but I guess I wasn't clear on that. My thoughts were more along the lines of children that age spending a lot of time playing in the sand rather than swimming in the water..and that the bay side of Mission Beach would be very well suited for that. I don't really recommend swimming in the water there...maybe walking along the edge, but not swimming. There are sailboats going by and docked just a ways out in the water. If you want to swim in the ocean, you would walk across Mission Blvd (very very short walk). But the bayside is quieter and calmer with less pedestrian traffic (especially up near the Catamaran), so it's a great place for the kids to play in the sand.

I personally think that you would do well in one of the condo rentals in that area. You would be able to get at least 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen, a DVD or VCR player, washer, dryer, etc. to make traveling with young children MUCH more enjoyable (naptime and separate sleep area are enough for me)...for the same price or cheaper than one of the hotels. There are a LOT of options in that area for condos. You just have to search for one that is perfect for you...and they are available right on the beach (either bay or ocean)...some even with patios and BBQ grills. Some of the owners even have extras ready for your use (boogy boards, beach toys, etc.). That's what I would do traveling with kids, but that's me.

If you prefer something more luxurious and with a pool (and maid service, room service, etc.), then the Catamaran is just so perfectly located that I think it's the perfect choice. For what it's worth (since I never actually entered the hotel), the Catamaran very nice looking from the outside and there were plenty fancy automobiles driving in and out of the parking lot, so someone likes it! And..I have read good reviews along with the bad.

The company that owns the Catamaran also owns the Bahia Resort on Mission Bay and I've read good reviews about them, but I don't think that the ocean side is just as easily accessible from there.

Anyway...whatever you choose...have a beautiful vacation....and let us know what you chose and how your vacation was.