We tried out Priceline this time for our weekend in San Diego and Holiday Inn on the Bay was the most appealing hotel option so despite some negative reviews I read on Trip Advisor we figured we'd try it out because the price was so great. We loved it! The hotel is in the best location right across from the cruise ship terminal and you can walk up and down the boardwalk, to Little Italy, SeaPort Village, Horton Plaza mall, Gaslamp (where the bars and clubs are) and the hotel itself is very nice. It may not be a 4 star but it was clean, comfortable and the staff was very friendly. I will note that others reviewed the opaque bathroom sliding door and yes they are that way and very not "private" but we thought it was funny. There's a small balcony at least if you need some "fresh air" ;-)
The Elephant & Castle Pub has amazing food and awesome bloody mary's ;-) They are a bit pricey but we never did try the cafe a few doors down because we liked the food at the pub so much. It was reasonable I think for a typical meal in San Diego anyway!
The hotel shuttle is right at the airport waiting for you and is only about 5-10 minutes away if not. They shuttle you to the San Diego zoo, Horton Plaza, SeaPort Village, etc. They even shuttled us to SeaWorld one day for less than a cab would have charged so that was very convenient. Like I said most stuff is w/in walking distance anyway.
San Diego in general is great we go frequently and always have fun. I recommend staying in downtown just because it's so convenient.
**TIP: One downfall of the Holiday Inn is they charge $22 a night per parking which is insane. But we had a rental car and never paid the parking fee because even in July there was always a meter available right out front which was free from I think midnight to 8am so factor in simply the cost for the meter after 8am and we got a good deal. Save your money and either park at a meter or go to the 5 star lot right around the block.
We didn't use the pool or the gym (didn't need to with all the walking) but they looked really nice and clean.
Some reviewers mentioned noise from the trains. It is (a ways) behind the hotel but never bothered us at all. We stayed in the front hotel so maybe that makes a difference. The only noise that bothered me was the horn from the cruise ships but that's only because it seemed to always go off right as I walked by and scare the he!! out of me!
SeaPort was awesome. The gardens down there are perfect for a wedding and there are even horse-drawn carriage rides through the park. There are lots of waterfront restaurants, good wines and food, and about 50 some specialty shops with lots of neat things. I heard a lot of great music and even bought cds from a guy playing the pan flute - so beautiful! It's a cool place to walk around for a few hours anyway. Look for the beer stand that sells 32 oz. for $4... definitely a bargain ;-)
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