Local Wally's Guide to San Diego Hotels
The original locals guide to San Diego...since 1996
May You Never Stay in a Roach Motel Again!
Picking a hotel room off the internet is like going out on a blind date. You're thinking Jessica Alba but whoa, here comes Rosie O'Donnel! Holy waste of Viagra, Batman!
You see, as cool as the internet is, it's hard picking a hotel room off their clever descriptions and retouched photos. "Easy Freeway Access" really means "right on the on-ramp" and just try to find a hotel that isn't "conveniently close to attractions".
You deserve better than that. That's why I only list hotels in my guide that I would actually stay at. Really, do you want your spouse storming down the sidewalk calling you an idiot because you booked a sleazy hotel thinking it was a big resort? It's easily avoidable if you follow my advice!
The ultimate San Diego beachfront hotel, located on beautiful Coronado Island. Stunning Victorian architecture, unpdated rooms, many with full ocean views. Large white sandy beach and gentle waves makes this one of the best family beaches in San Diego and the top pick for Best San Diego Beachfront Hotel.
LA JOLLA BEACH AND TENNIS CLUB 
I still love this place even if they did give Local Wally a hard time about shooting photos here. Why? Because where else in San Diego can you find a resort where they set up lounge chairs and umbrellas right on the beach and wait on you like you're in Hawaii? Excellent location, one of the best beaches, above average rooms, if you want a beach vacation you can't do much better. La Jolla Shores Hotel is next door and is the sister hotel, same beach but without all the amenities.
It's like they took one of the cool, hip and trendy hotels in the Gaslamp and transplanted it right on the beach. Tower 23 is in Pacific Beach and sits right on the Boardwalk, a few short steps and you're on the sand. The hotel is ultra modern but you don't have to be a "playa" to enjoy the upscale setting and awesome location.
It's a motel. Really, I'm not kidding. The Del Mar Motel is an old school motel located right on the beach in Del Mar. Rooms are average, about what you would expect in a basic Motel 6, but a few steps outside your door and you're on a fabulous beach. Barbeques on the side patio for their guests means you've got someplace to cook that freshly caught ahi you saw at the market. Incredible location, good enough rooms, bring the cooler filled with PBR and you're set to go!
The Brady Bunch Goes to Hawaii! This tropical resort has all the right touches to give you that retro Hawaiian vibe, from tiki torches to mai tai's. Lush landscaping, decent rooms, and a Summer concert series that brings in some of the top musical acts to an intimate stage. Set right on the bay means gorgeous views and a sandy bay beach with bonfire pits is right across the street. Crazy good choice, it's my top value for a resort vacation.
A full blown resort with giant pools, meandering roads with bungalows, and more tropical plants than a resort in Hawaii. Get a room facing the bay and you won't want to leave. Be choosy when you check in to make sure you get an updated room and you won't be unhappy. Bicycle rentals, putting golf course, even sand on the bottom of the pool, this is a first class tropical resort, exactly what you think of when you are daydreaming about your vacation in San Diego.
A hidden gem located on Mission Bay, just down the road from the Giant Dipper roller coaster and Mission Beach. The contemporary hotel setting seem a bit business-like at first, but once you settle in it's all about relaxation. A great pool overlooking the marina, a nice restaurant right on premise, the hotel is broken up into two areas. The older section looks like a Hawaiian themed hotel, the newer section chic and modern. You decide what fits your personality best but you can't go wrong with either. Water shuttle to SeaWorld, The Dana works for both families and honeymooners.
Don't let the "right on the freeway" location scare you. While it's true that the main tower building faces Highway 5, most of the resort action is towards the rear facing the bay. Newly updated, this hotel sparkles with upscale furnishings yet remains comfortable enough for the kids to do cannonballs into the pool. Tropical landscaping and sailboats and water activities on the bay, one of the best resort pools in San Diego. Large sandy beach out back, perfect for young children.
SAN DIEGO MARRIOTT HOTEL AND MARINA 
Get ready for hotel sensory overload. The San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina, the one close to Seaport Village and the Convention Center, starts with it's distinctive glass tower architecture, looking like two giant sails reflecting the blue skies and sunshine. The valet area is impressive, the lobby more so, and step out back for a tropical pool setting with waterfalls and waterslides. Out the front door is the Gaslamp District, Convention Center, Embarcadero, and there's even top notch restaurant Roy's of Hawaii out back - you know, overlooking the bay and the marina, what a view!
MANCHESTER GRAND HYATT SAN DIEGO
Nearly as iconic as the San Diego Marriott next door, the Manchester Grand Hyatt is upscale and elegant, looking like one of those giant hotels in Las Vegas with the marble lobby and impressive art. Seaport Village is right next door and the views of the marina and the bay are stunning. Rooftop pool with bay views, walk to Gaslamp and the Convention Center, excellent pick.
Sometimes I like smaller boutique hotels. They're easier to check in and out of, there's fewer people trying to get a tip out of my wallet, and the service is sometimes a bit more personal. If this is your style, the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp is your type of hotel. Located right across the street from the Convention Center and steps away from the entrance to the Gaslamp District, you won't be disappointed with the location. Sure, the pool and jacuzzi are a bit small so if you're bringing the kids or looking for a tropical paradise you might want to go elsewhere. But for a romantic getaway or a cool place to stay when on business, the Hilton Gaslamp delivers.
San Diego's newest hotel, this contemporary hotel's lobby is guaranteed to knock your socks off! Looking more like a 5 star hotel in Singapore than a bayview hotel in San Diego, the interior of the hotel is like a work of art. Rooms are modern and trendy cool, views outstanding, and the location at the far side of the Convention Center perfect for both business and pleasure.
Another option is Wyndham Harbour Lights, a timeshare resort located on fifth avenue in the heart of the Gaslamp District. The spacious suites offer balconies and kitchens while the resort itself gives guests relaxing amenities like a sauna. Renting a suite here is a great option for people who want an inexpensive resort, plus you can save on food costs by cooking some meals in.
(Little Italy) One of San Diego's best kept secrets for budget hotels is the charming La Pensione in the equally charming Little Italy neighborhood. The rates may be budget friendly but this is no Motel 6. Rooms are clean and nice, staff warm and friendly. But the real attraction is the location. Little Italy is a real San Diego neighborhood filled with delightful restaurants and a down to Earth cast of locals. Farmers Market on the weekend, stickball games in the streets, you'll see a side of San Diego that most visitors miss when you stay here.
(La Jolla) Don't be fooled by some hotels that bill themselves as "La Jolla location" but are closer to the inland 805 freeway than they are to the beach. This Best Western is in the real La Jolla on a street right off the main drag of cool restaurants and shops and a few blocks to some of the best sand in San Diego. La Jolla on a budget? You found it!
(Point Loma) What a surprise this place is! Take an old motel, spruce it up with retro trendy furnishings, kick the service up to boutique hotel level and you have The Pearl, a budget hotel that doesn't treat you like you're in a homeless shelter. Rooms are hip and contemporary and the bar attracts a younger local crowd, the restaurant is oh-so-retro in a very good way, there's great attention to detail here. Float on a raft in the pool and watch a movie at night, this is a fun place for those looking for budget but not willing to sacrifice style. Point Loma Shelter Island location is perfect, picturesque and close to all the main attractions.
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CORONADO || DOWNTOWN || HARBOR ISLAND || HOTEL CIRCLE || LA JOLLA || MISSION BAY || NORTH COUNTY
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- Conv Ctr Hilton $155
- Top Mission Bay $150
- Right on beach <$200
- Hawaii-like resort $125
- Shelter Island $99
- La Jolla $150
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