We stopped 3 days and nights in San Diego during a longer trip in California. We chose the Marriott Marina for its location, near the Gaslamp Quarter with shops and restaurants and with a view on the bay at the same time. Both came as expected and made our stay quite pleasant.
The hotel is very large with two towers of over 20 floors. Traffic in the lobby over weekend was quite crazy, but on Monday the hotel returned to a more relaxed and acceptable atmosphere.
Check-in was efficient, though a bit cold. However they accepted to swap our 6th-floor room with an identycal one on the 19th, as we did not want to get noise from the pool below. Valet parking can be messy with long queuing, on the contrary they booked us restaurants in a very efficient mode.
The room we were given was small but acceptable with two queen-size beds. Bathroom size and equipment were below the standard of the hotel class; towels were small and not very soft. No mini-bar in the room but the small fridge was working properly. Room size was a little disappointing, we found hard to place luggage around.
One of the two towers has rooms with a tiny balcony. Not a great extra but day and nightview on the bay's harbour is pleasant.
There are two swimming pools, mostly crowded during the day -given size of the hotel- and not particularly clean. The pool bar is however a special place at sunset and night, thanks to some nice seating areas and a few tables with fire in the center.
2 and 3-seat bicycles can be rented near the pool area to have some fun with kids in Seaport's streets.
The Marriott Marina is at walking distance from the joyful Seaport Village and from 5th street were lots of restaurants and shops can make your stay in San Diego a wonderful, though expensive, experience.
We dined at the Yacht Club, with music and fireworks in the bay. Careful and brilliant service and excellent meat and fish. Breakfast is unfortunately a disaster at LC's: 20 to 30 minutes wait-time for a small place with average choice of food are simply not acceptable for such a place. Suggestion, which we experienced on all 3 mornings: exit the hotel, turn right and walk down the little harbour five minutes and enter Hyatt's Lael restaurant to enjoy a super-breakfast and great waiters.
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