San Diego is a big place with many hotels, ranging from funky beach hotels to five star resorts to chain hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton and others. There are also a large number of vacation home rentals available in just about every area of the county. However, most vacation home rentals are found along the coast.
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Beach Hotels & Spas
All up and down the coast, you can find hotels that cater to just about every whim. Some are better than others for families and as you would expect the price range is quite large, with both luxury and budget hotels available, sometimes side by side.
One of the coolest places is Coronado. Along the Silver Strand leading into town you'll find Loews Coronado Bay Resort. It is on the bay side. Coronado is not filled with national chain hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton and others. But it does have the Hotel Del Coronado. Some of the other hotels include the Best Western Suites, Coronado Island Inn, Coronado Village Inn, Crown City Inn and Glorietta Bay Inn. There are also a number of Bed and Breakfasts.
The Hotel Del Coronado stands on the beach in Coronado. The Victorian style hotel has played host to Presidents and Kings as well as numerous Hollywood royalty. The Marilyn Monroe film, "Some Like It Hot," was filmed at the Del. The Del is considered one of the finest luxury resorts in the world. It is very much a place for a destination wedding in southern california.
Imperial Beach is on the far southwest of the United States. It has a number of hotels from national chains including: Days Inn, Super 8 and Travelodge facilities.
Vacation Home Rentals
There are also a lot of vacation homes that you can rent. Most of them are located in the beach areas. They usually come with linens and kitchens with utensils. The rent can be less expensive than at a hotel. These types of rental can work very well for families. It allows you to save some money by cooking for yourself. Everyone might not have their own room and some people, depending on how many you have, may end up sleeping on the couch in the living room. They usually do not rent for just a night or two, but must be reserved for an entire week. You'll need to contact a property management company to get a listing.
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Mission Beach and Pacific Beach Hotels & Spas
Just across the San Diego River is the water playground of Mission Bay Park, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. Right on Mission Bay you'll find large tourist hotels such as the Hilton on Mission Bay, the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, The Bahia, the Catamaran, Dana on Mission Bay and Paradise Point resort. Along the ocean side of Mission and Pacific Beach are many smaller hotels. They include: Surfer Beach Hotel, Best Western Blue Sea Lodge, the Beach Cottages, the Ocean Park Inn, the Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages (with cottages right over the water), Tower 23, Pacific Terrace Hotel and many more.
La Jolla Hotels & Spas
La Jolla is full of high end lodging. The queen is La Valencia. This pink palace sits on a bluff above La Jolla Cove. Also in "The Village'" as it is called, you'll find Hotel Parisi, the La Jolla Inn, the Empress Hotel of La Jolla and the Grande Colonial. Just a short way away is the tall Hotel La Jolla and right on the beach is the La Jolla Shores Hotel.
Just a little north of La Jolla is the Lodge at Torrey Pines, which is right on the Torrey Pines Golf Course, the host site for the 2008 U.S. Open. Nearby you will also find the Hilton Torrey Pines and Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa. All of these are luxury resorts.
Del Mar Hotels & Spas
Del Mar is the home of the famous Del Mar Thoroughbred Track and the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the host to a month long San Diego County Fair each June. The choices for lodging in Del Mar is varied, from small places like the Del Mar Motel, which is right on the beach, to L'Auberge Del Mar?, a high end resort. In between there is something for just about everyone. Some of the places are Clarion Carriage House Inn, Del Mar Inn, Hilton San Diego/Del Mar, Best Western-Stratford Inn, Les Artistes Inn of Del Mar, Holiday Inn Express Hotels & Suites, Courtyard by Marriott-Solana Beach and Doubletree Hotel Del Mar.
Encinitas, Leucadia and Cardiff by the Sea Hotels & Spas
Encinitas, Leucadia and Cardiff by the Sea are filled with lodging of all types. You can pick and choose from some of these: Days Inn Encinitas, Quality Inn & Suites North Coast, Best Western Encinitas Inn & Suites, Cardiff by the Sea Lodge Bed & Breakfast Inn, Holiday Inn Express Cardiff by the Sea, Howard Johnson - Encinitas, Ocean Inn, Econo Lodge, Moonlight Beach Motel, Inn at Moonlight Beach, Leucadia Beach Motel, Black Orchid Bed & Breakfast, Pacific Surf Inn, Motel Villa Mar and Royal Motel. A little farther inland are the La Costa Resort & Spa and Four Seasons Resort Aviara.
Carlsbad Hotels & Spas
A little farther north is Carlsbad. Once again, there are many choices. Most of the major national properties are represented. Here are some: Hampton Inn and Suites, Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach, Holiday Inn Carlsbad by the Sea, La Quinta Inn Carlsbad, Ramada Carlsbad, Extended Stay America, Inns of America Suites, Quality Inn & Suites North Legoland Area, Best Western-Beach View, Red Roof Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn, Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, Comfort Inn Near Legoland, Days Inn, Motel 6, Homewood Suites Carlsbad and Exceptionnel at the Century Plaza Hotel & Tower. There are also many other places including: Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort & Hotel, Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, West Inn & Suites, Beach Terrace Inn, Surf Motel, Tamarack Beach Resort, Ocean Palms Beach Resort and Pelican Cove Inn.
Oceanside Hotels & Spas
At the far north of San Diego is Oceanside. Some of the national names represented here are: Best Western Inn Oceanside, Days Inn, Comfort Suites Marina, La Quinta Inn, Travelodge, Quality Inn & Suites San Diego North County, Ramada Oceanside and Wyndham-Oceanside Pier Resort. Other places to stay include: Oceanside Marina Suites, Guesthouse Inn, Aquamarine Villas, Pacific Inn-Oceanside, Southern California Beach Club, and the Blue Whale.
Downtown
Many people would say that downtown is where the action is. And it is certainly a place that can keep you busy. When talking about downtown we are also including the neighborhoods of the East Village, Little Italy and even Shelter and Harbor Islands. One of the things that most of downtown has going for it is that it's walkable. The San Diego Convention Center is to the west of downtown, right on the bay. Most of the hotels are easy walking distance. The trolley also runs through and around the downtown area, and along with bus service, makes it possible to get to many attractions without a car.
Three hotels dominate the skyline at the edge of San Diego bay downtown, the tallest hotel along the Pacific coast is the Grand Hyatt, next door is the shiny silver Marriott Hotel and marina and the newest addition to the bay front is the Hilton. Across the bay on Harbor Island is the airport Sheraton and another Hilton. A little farther out along the bay is Harbor Island where you'll find Humphrey's Half Moon Inn, Kona Kai Resort, Bay Club Hotel and Best Western Island Palms Hotel.
Back downtown, there has been a boom with both new hotels and older buildings being refurbished. The queen of the downtown hotels, the Westgate, underwent a major refurbishing recently. For the long time, in the latter part of the last century, if you wanted a first class hotel downtown the Westgate was it. If the Westgate is the queen, than the king would be the U.S. Grant. Built by the son of President Grant, the hotel went through many owners before being bought by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Indians. They have renovated the hotel and brought it back to it's glory. Other hotels that have been recently renovated downtown include the Horton Grand, the Keating, The Sofia, Gaslamp Plaza Suites and the Bristol. New hotels have also sprouted in recent years. The hot Ivy Hotel, the W Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel attract stars down the freeway from Hollywood. Also new to downtown, both close to the Padres baseball park are Hotel Solamar and the Omni. The Westin chain is represented by two hotels in downtown, one along Broadway in a building that is lighted with green outlines at night, the other is next to Horton Plaza, a few blocks away. Most of the other major hotel chains are represented downtown, including: Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Days Inn, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Ramada, Best Western and Doubletree. Other smaller lodgings include: Porto Vista Hotel & Suites, Pacific Inn Hotel and Suites, Britt Scripps Inn, Hotel Occidental and La Pensione Hotel.
Hotel Circle/Mission Valley Hotels & Spas
Hotel Circle is located in Mission Valley. It is close to a number of shopping centers including the upscale Fashion Valley Shopping Center. It is minutes by car to the San Diego Zoo, Seaworld and downtown. The trolley also runs right through Mission Valley. There is also an 18-hole golf course in the area, in fact, just across the street from Fashion Valley. There are hotels of all sizes, from the sprawling Town and Country Resort with its convention center to Motel 6. The Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott and the Doubletree are the tallest hotels in Mission Valley.
All along the floor of the valley, you will find hotels, in just about every price range. Some of them are: the Handlery Hotel & Resort, Ramada, Courtyard, Best Western, Comfort Inn, Kings Inn, Mission Valley Resort, Days Inn, Crowne Plaza, Travelodge, Howard Johnsons, Holiday Inn, and Residence Inn.
Mountains and Desert
San Diego is more than beaches and city lights. There is also the mountains and the desert. In both places there are many opportunities for camping. A large portion of the mountain area is part of the Cleveland National Forest and major portions of the desert are part of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It is the largest state park in California.
The highest point in San Diego is Mount Laguna, at 6,000 feet. Here, just about at the top you'll find the Laguna Mountain Lodge. Here you'll find motel rooms and cabins. Farther down the mountain there is the old mining town of Julian. The lodging here is in quaint bed and breakfasts and small old time hotels. Some of those places are Butterfield Bed & Breakfast, Eaglenest Bed & Breakfast, Historical House, Julian Gold Rush Hotel, Julian Gold Rush Hotel, Julian Lodge, Observers Inn, Orchard Hill Country Inn, Pine Hills Lodge and Villa De Valo.
The only real town in the desert is Borrego Springs. Here you can find a number of places to stay. At the high end is the Borrego Ranch Resort, formerly known as Casa Del Zorro. Some of the other lodging possibilities in and around Borrego Springs are Borrego Springs Resort, Borrego Springs Resort, Borrego Valley Inn, Boyntons' Hacienda Del Sol, Desert Ironwood Resort, Oasis Motel, Palm Canyon Resort, Stanlunds Resort Inn, and the Palms at Indian Head.
