What a charming heritage-listed building this is. After a long life as an office block it's now a both a hotel and timeshare, so every suite has a kitchenette. Fantastic location on the edge of the Gaslamp Quarter with its restaurants, theatres, bars, night clubs
and other retail outlets. One block from the Horton Plaza shopping mall, two blocks from the trolley and not far to walk to the baseball stadium.
A very basic but all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is included and is
available on the rooftop terrace. Great view over the Gaslamp
Quarter, harbour and Coronado bridge.
Not many other general facilities except WiFi in rooms, a single
coin-op internet terminal (neither free) and a small book exchange.
Room and dry cleaning service is available and there are some
vending machines. Very helful tourist advice from the staff. No car
park, so if you have a car, the local and valet parking is a little
expensive.
Even though our suite was one of the smaller ones in the building,
it was still larger than many hotel rooms in this price range.
Nicely decorated in vintage drapes and wall prints. The suite
includes most of the expected facilities: comfortable QS bed,
lounge, small dining suite, wardrobe, chests of drawers, desk with
chair, two TVs (Cox-Analog 65 channels), two phones and a DVD
player.
What is missing is a dressing table and mirror. (The desk could
double for this if there was a mirror.) Only one suitcase stand.
The ensuite is large enough, but needs more towel rails and clothes
hooks. The shower has no light so when the curtain is drawn, it's
very dark. Plenty of high pressure hot water.
Noise: A big issue on Friday and Saturday nights. There is a dull
but tolerable roar from the street until about 2am. But we really
lucked out when some of our nearby guests were here to party and
created noise havoc in the corridor and in their rooms until about
4am. The glass doors and wooden internal walls offer little noise
barrier.
The hotel has signs everywhere: "THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING".
They also need signs with: "THANK YOU FOR NOT SHOUTING, SWEARING AND SLAMMING DOORS".
Generally we would recommend the Gaslamp Plaza Suites, but just be
wary of weekends, and ask for a suite with a separate bedroom (it
costs a little more) and is a long way from the elevator lobby.
(Unless you are in town to party all night.)
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