Fodor's Expert Review The Pendry

Name: The Pendry
Price range: $$$

A fairly new arrival to the San Diego scene, The Pendry is an absolute stunner. Every last corner of the luxury boutique property has impeccable style, with decor that hits the perfect note between classic and modern. The sophisticated hotel, which would be at home in any global city, features a spa, a rooftop pool, and six restaurants and bars. Set in the Gaslamp Quarter, not far from Petco Park, The Pendry makes for a glamorous getaway in the city. It’s even pet-friendly.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Be sure to check the fine print. The hotel charges a $25 daily resort fee and valet parking is a steep $47 per night.

room

With a palette of beachy hues, the Pendry’s Superior Rooms feature upscale furnishings, large windows, and plush bedding. King rooms include a chaise upholstered in a cheerful blue plaid. Upgraded rooms have better views and unique touches like a walk-in shower that looks out on the room.

bathroom

Bathrooms are supremely stylish. A separate alcove features pretty blue-and-white wallpaper, black hex tile floors, a weathered wood vanity, and a marble counter, while the toilet room includes a walk-in rain shower. Some of the bathrooms feature glass-enclosed showers that look out on the room; you can draw a curtain around it if you’re feeling bashful.

Photo: Pendry San Diego

lobby

The statement-making lobby looks like a spread in a high-end shelter mag. Contemporary art hangs above a fireplace, while black-paned glass windows that stretch from floor to high ceiling lend visual depth to the white brick walls below. On-trend encaustic floor tiles add a pop of pattern and color to the space, which features unique sofas that are tufted and sculpturally draped with luxurious fabric. In the reception area, above a long fluted leather banquette, a bank of gleaming wood built-in bookcases features stylish objects, books, and artwork.

Photo: Pendry San Diego

pool

The hotel’s rooftop pool and hot tub are lined by chaise lounges, daybeds, and turquoise-and-white striped umbrellas. Guests can order poolside drinks at the Pool House bar.

Photo: ? San Diego, USA ????? Beautiful San Diego boasts the best weather all year around in the continental United States. Of course you can hit the beach (Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Black’s Beach or La Jolla are all great options) but equally fun is hitting a rooftop pool to soak in the sun and enjoy the city views. Hard Rock Hotel and Andaz are excellent contenders but nothing quite beats the cool Miami/Vegas vibe of the Pendry (@pendrysandiego) rooftop pool. #thependry #pendrysandiego #thependryhotel #rooft

spa

In a luxurious, lovely, and serene setting, Spa Pendry offers facials, massages, ritual baths, and body skincare.

Photo: Spa Pendry

gym

The industrial-chic gym has hardwood floors and top-of-the-line cardio equipment, strength-training machines, and free weights.

dining

You could stay at the Pendry and never leave the grounds and you’d still feel satisfied when it comes to food and drink. The hotel has six restaurants and bars, and all of them are as stylish as the rest of the hotel. The two-story Lionfish looks like it’s been around for decades, with soaring ceilings, gleaming woodwork, encaustic floor tile, eye-catching pendant lamps, and midcentury-inspired seating. Lionfish’s menu focuses on sushi, seafood small plates, and coastal cuisine.

Be sure to check out the Pendry’s other dining options, as well, if only to admire their good looks.

Photo: Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile

Photo: Lionfish Restaurant

Photo: Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile

drinking

Airy by day and dimly lit in the evening, Fifth & Rose is a sophisticated spot to swill cocktails. Like the rest of the hotel, the attention to detail and ambiance is admirable. Think soaring tin-tile ceilings, black marble hex flooring, large banks of windows, and head-turning light fixtures. Potted palms, modern barstools, and crimson fluted armchairs make chic finishing touches. The Pendry's Oxford Social Club takes its style cues from gentlemen's clubs of yore, with deep-hued walls, dim lighting, oil paintings, and plush velvet seating in copper and teal. With an extensive selection of craft cocktails, the swanky nightclub, which has a dance floor, hosts regional DJs and surprise acts. Cover charges can be steep; look for discounts online.

Photo: Fifth & Rose Bar

Photo: Nason's Beer Hall

Photo: After a delicious breakfast, we received a nice surprise from Provisional Kitchen Cafe and Mercantile! The Sweet Sunny Side Up. Looks like a hearty breakfast but it’s really a Coconut Panna Cotta with Passionfruit Gel, fruit strip “bacon”, and toasted brioche. Our server informed us we were the first to try this new item on their menu! Say hi to Joel, he was excellent! #SDEats #provisionalkitchen #ThePendrySanDiego

LOCATION

Getting Around

With the Convention Center trolley station a mere 5-minute walk away, guests can see a lot of sights without a car. The trolley’s Green Line services the Gaslamp Quarter, the Santa Fe Depot (home to Amtrak and the Coaster, which services coastal communities to the north), Little Italy, Old Town, and the world-class Fashion Valley shopping center. Interstate 5, a major north-south freeway, is about a mile from the hotel; follow A Street east ; I-5 connects to other highways that cover the sprawling region.

Restaurants

The Gaslamp Quarter is home to more than 100 restaurants and bars, so good luck if you’re indecisive. For breakfast, The Mission (8-minute walk) is a San Diego classic, the kind of place locals stand in line for on weekends. Go on a weekday (you’re on vacation!) and you’ll get right in. Though part of a chain, the Oceanaire Seafood Room (1-minute walk) has a dining room with a luxury cruise ship vibe and a seafood-centric menu that’s made it a popular dining option. Don’t miss the oyster bar happy hour, which features $1 oysters that are among the best in town.

Bars

Surrounded by sleek urban high-rises, Half Door Brewing Company (6-minute walk) is hard to miss. Tucked inside an old two-story house with a wraparound porch, the bar looks like it’s been there forever, with herringbone wood floors, inset hex tile, and a gleaming carved wood bar with brass footrests, but it actually was built just a few years ago with salvaged goods from as far as Ireland. The beer is brewed on-site in a high-tech, compact 10-barrel system. Cafe Sevilla (5-minute walk), a longtime Spanish restaurant and bar with tons of character, is known for its delicious sangria, flamenco shows, and nightly live music. The Hard Rock Hotel’s rooftop Float lounge, a weekend scene hotspot, features chic seating, fire pits, and panoramic bay and Gaslamp Quarter views. During the summer, the bar hosts Intervention Sundays, a daytime pool party with DJs.

WHY WE LIKE IT

For design lovers, the Pendry is pure eye candy. And for boutique hotel aficionados, it checks all the boxes, with stylish decor, a rooftop pool, a spa, and destination-worthy restaurants and bars. There’s a lot to love, including the hotel’s Gaslamp Quarter location, which is just steps from more than 100 restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.