San Diego hotel suggestions
 

I'm still having trouble deciding on a family hotel in San Diego. Want something near the beach.I'm deciding between these hotels: Bahia, Catamaran,Coronado Marriot,Pacific Terrace, Hilton Mission Bay. Any comments on any of these or any suggestions? I was leaning toward the Bahia, but read some bad reviews on Tripadvisor.com.

My husband & I spent a few nights at the Coronado Marriott last year. It's a beautiful place. Room was very large & comfortable. It is not near the beach, but you can hop on a shuttle & get around Coronado very easily.

Those were also my hotel choices before our March trip to San Diego. It's hard to weed out hotels if you've never been to the city and aren't sure what area to choose. Anyhow, we stayed at Pacific Terrace and were very happy with our choice--right on the ocean with a nice beach. Close to La Jolla, Seaworld, etc.

I would stay at the Catamaran. Great hotel. Right in the middle of all of the action. It is on the bay but just a across the street from the ocean. You have lots of restaurants and beach shops in walking distance. Some stores too. It is very busy there, but FUN, FUN, FUN. Pretty nice rooms as I recall. Some have kitchenettes. Great place for smaller and older kids.

Another vote for the Coronado Marriott.

Woody

Hello GLMDesigns

I posted on the other thread you have going with the same question.

Here is a vote for The Ocean Park Inn
www.oceanparkinn.com
See reviews at tripadvisor.com
Hotel is right on the ocean, has free gated parking and breakfast.

Sandy

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Hi there--years ago we stayed at the Bahia in Mission Bay and more recently at the Hyatt in Seaport Village which is just across a channel from Coronado--given the choice I would stay on Coronado--easy to get around, incredible beach and if you're not keen on driving you can take the ferry back to the "mainland" where you can catch a trolley to various points of interest. Hope this helps :-)

stayed at Pacific Terrace, it was nice. Heated outdoor pool, good breakfast included in the price. Right on the beach.

I've lived in San Diego area for 35 years. Coronado is the most charming island/beach area. The Marriot would be my pick. Mission Bay, Seaport Village and Shelter Island are all areas worth visiting as well. Be sure to visit Sea World, especially if you have kids.

Thanks for the advice - I would llike to stay on Coronado, but my husband thinks the Mission Bay area would be more fun for kids. That's my dilemma and why I was considering the Bahia or a hotel in that area.

Hotel Del Coronado would actually be the nicest spot. If you prefer Mission Bay, the Hyatt Islandia is also quite nice. Also consider Paradise Point in Mission Bay; the grounds are very charming with gardens, bridges, ducks, etc.

Once again, I suggest you check out Paradise Point at www.paradisepoint.com. The picture gives you a very real impression of how charming it is. Some of the units are right on the beach....very private I might add. Nice restaurants on the premises, and Sea World is very close.

Thanks for advice. I was considering the Del but thought the rooms were too small, so I was considering the Marriot. I actually stayed at Paradise Point whenit was a different ownership, and liked it, but wanted something closer to the beach. That is why I was considering hotels in the mission Beach/pacific Beach area. Still open to ideas. The location of the Bahia is fabulous, but I heard the rooms were crummy. Still open to any suggestions.

Would like more info on the Hyatt Islandia -anyone stay there?

Take a look at the Glorietta Bay Hotel, which is within walking distance of beaches, restaurants, and shops. Some of the rooms in the new wing have kitchenettes.

RE: Hyatt Islandia--my husband won an auction in which he paid $150 for a $1500 room. I had no idea it was THE PENTHOUSE! The view was unbelievable--360 degree view of all of San Diego. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The room was amazing, about 3500 sq ft of luxury. Two problems though: The big screen TV remote was complicated and the fog rolled in completely the next morning. But it was still the experience of a lifetime.

The hotel and grounds are very pretty. It's near the beach, bay and Sea World. It would be easier getting there than the heavy traffic areas of the beach. Some of the rooms are much nicer than others. After the penthouse stay, I'm too spoiled to be objective about staying in another room there.

If you like boats check out Harbor Vacation Club on Harbor Island. You can rent a floating villa. I haven't heard from anyone who has tried it, but Harbor Island is an awesome area of San Diego.

OK, let me try and explain the differences in your considerations. It is not just the property but the location that makes the difference.

Coronado is a nice, isolated island that has its own active beach envirenment. It is nicer than Mission Beach but also more secluded. My description for it would be more upscale. If you stay at the Del, or the Marriott, you are pretty much ON the island for most of your time. Beautiful island. NOt tons of things to do, but enough.

Mission Bay, which includes Paradise Pt, The Hilton Resort on Mission Bay and Hyatt Islandia, are pretty much inclusive type hotels and resorts. There is not much walking distance activities around the properties. To get an ice cream, you would have to drive or pay resort prices.

Bahia is just across the bridge from Mission Beach and you can walk. But Ocean Park Inn (south Mission, ocean side), and Catamaran (N Mission Bay) is right ON Mission Beach and that is where ALL the action is. You can walk to liquor stores, Diary Queens, surf shops. Ride bikes on the boardwalk. Walk to many bars, restaurants. You can swim in the ocean or in the bay. People watching galore, some good, some bad. MB is where the locals play, college kids, tourists, everybody. You have to keep an eye on your kids b/c of undertoe in the ocean (bay is safer) and the huge spectrum of people around you. Druggies, volleyball players, families, people on bikes going pretty fast on the boarwalk, you name it. It is a zoo, but fun and action packed.

So it depends on what you want. I love Coronado, but it would not be my first choice. Too upscale. My kids, 12 and 16 beg, beg and beg to stay at the beach. That, to them, is Mission Beach. It is where it is all at. Kids, teenagers, families, you name it. We rented a house there for a week last year and it is happening 24/7.

So, it depends on what you are looking for. Quiet calm seclusion nice beach sitting around reading a book, order a cocktail experience with a nice room or crazy, surf board, boogie board, crowded on weekends, people watching, walk around the corner for some action type experience, maybe not the greatest room, then Mission Beach is what you want.

Also, Pacific Terrace is in North Mission Beach.

When are you going? This makes a difference. July and August are packed with Zonies and desert rats like us trying to get out of the heat. I would for sure stay away from 4th of July. You can't even get off the island that weekend. Also, age of kids plays a role. Very young, on the Bay or Coronado. Old enough to hold their own, MISSION BEACH, Man...

Hope this helps.

Heavens you have given some solid advice. We are from NY and coming beginning of August. You have described my dilema perfectly. I would like to stay in Coronado, buy my husband thinks it might be too boring for our 11 year old. I was thinking the Marriott. But as you describe, I love the action of the California beach towns, so I wanted to stay in the Mission Beach area, thus my interest in the Bahia which has a great location. However I heard the rooms are awful. So I don't know what to do.The Hilton and Islandia look nice but somewhat isolated. The Pacific Terrace and Ocean Park Inn look like motels. I want something resort-like. I am still in a quandry.

Did you check into Catamaran? They are owned by the Evans Co that owns the Bahia also. This has the resort feel right in the middle of North Mission Beach, on the bay. For your needs, it sounds perfect. Check it out:

www.catamaranresort.com

They will talk to you about your needs. They even will tell you the sq. footage of the rooms and the different choices that you have. They have a high rise and those rooms have small kitchenettes, I think. Those rooms are smaller. Then the smaller buildings have bigger rooms.

The advantage is that the hotel is about two or three blocks from Garnet (which is a huge beach street with tatoo parlors and everything), the beach, right on the bay. You have tons of stuff, fun stuff, within walking distance.

The rooms, I recall, are pretty nice and most have balconies. Good luck.

Thanks again, you are quitehelpful. I did check out the Catamaran and it seems on par with the Bahia - good location, same crummy rooms. I find this odd - there must be some nice rooms. Again, mixed reviews.

I do have friends that have stayed there recently and they have not complained about the rooms. Not like the Bahia. I do think the Catamaran rooms are nicer than Bahia. But it is all pretty much family beach style property.

But I think you have to decide what is most important to you. Location and what is around you and available to do or a really nice resort type upscale place. Not sure that you can have both in Mission Beach.

Personally, I like to have access to lots of things going on. If I am busy and out a lot, I am not spending all that much time in the room. So, I guess you might have to make a choice. Not sure you can have both. Good luck.

Heavens

Yep, the Ocean Park Inn looks kinda like a motel from the outside but the rooms are nice and well equipped with fridge, coffeemaker, microwave and safe. You're right on Mission/Pacific beach (right at the border) so you have quick access to everything going on. Nothing like falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing outside your window. The staff is nice and helpful, the gated underground parking is a pleasure and they have a nice continental breakfast included. My kids are 9 & 7 and didn't feel the need for the "resort" type atmosphere because there was so much going on around us and with our day trips to Legoland, etc... we barely used the hotel for anything but crashing at night. We didn't even use the pool or jacuzzi!

GLMDesigns,

basically all the options have been outlined to you. The choice is yours. But has it crossed your mind that you might be looking for something other than San Diego?
I am not sure, but it seems that so far no suggestion has come to your personal par...
To be a bit more constructive on this issue, I would opt for the Coronado Marriott. Coronado is laid back and upscale, but it's just a short drive or ferry crossing to downtown and the Gaslamp District. Plus the beach is close by and the reviews for the hotel are almost unanimously good.
But again, all this has been offered before.
hsv

We're also planning a trip to LA and San Diego in August. We've decided to stay at the Coronado Marriott. Traveling with our two teens, so we opted for two rooms. Thank goodness for Marriott Points!

Thanks to everyone on this board for the suggestions.

GLM You have been posing this question since early March. When were you planning on going to S.D? I can tell you this that the Catamaran and the Bahia are older places. I am sure they have been updated. As far as Tripadvisors.com is concerned someone always has some negative and positive comments to say about any place. It is all relative. There is no right or wrong. Coronado is lovely, nice beach, and very upscale compared to Mission Beach area. Mission beach has a boardwalk where one can rent bikes,etc. I think your children are lucky to go to S.D on vacation and I am think they will enjoy themselves no matter where you stay. No one can give you anymore help that what has been offered to you.

And I do appreciate all the advice. Guess what I want is an upscale hotel on Mission Bay and that does not exist. I think I'll settle with the Bahia.

Beings a former resident of S.D I watched the Cat being build somewhere I believe in the 60's. I am sure the Bahia is the same. That maybe your problem looking for new in P.B or Mission Beach does not exist. It is old. The Del is old as well but there is a difference between charming old, and just plain old. Many people rave about Pacific Terrace. It sits right on the beach. I know you will enjoy S.D. it is a beautiful city and a commuters paradise. You can get anyplace in 15 minutes. I think "heavens" summed it all up quite nicely for you. Good luck.

My 2 kids and I stayed at the Sea Lodge in La Jolly last summer and really enjoyed it. It has a nice family atmosphere and it's on a very nice beach. The hotel offers chairs and umbrellas to it's guests. It's a nice hotel, definitely not the fanciest. But it's right on a gorgeous stretch of beach and not too far from San Diego or Legoland, etc. We liked it so much that we are going back again this summer with more family members.