This hotel is right off of the freeway and is a short drive to the all the attractions at Balboa Park (the museums, zoo, Spreckels Organ Pavilion, etc), Cabrillo National Monument, and Seaworld. Here's the lowdown.
The Good:
1. The hotel offers a AAA discount through their website.
2. Breakfast is included. There were hot items (sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, waffle maker), as well as the usual continental fare.
3. Pool is heated.
4. In the suites, there are 2 flat screen televisions.
5. Check-in/out was relatively easy and stress free.
The Bad:
1. Surly service during breakfast. The employees did not seem to want to be there and seemed put out whenever someone asked for something. In addition, there were long waits for the waffle machine. Also, food started running out around 9:00. (Breakfast time during the week is 6:30-9:30.)
2. As others have noted, there is an $8 charge for (uncovered) parking.
3. While the outside of the hotel and the lobby seemed to have been updated recently, the 2 small elevators were slow and seemed more fit for cargo than guests. Once, a whole trolley of trash was left unattended in the elevator. Another time, a ladder was in there.
4. Our room, a two double-bed "suite", was cramped. If we opened up the sofabed (which was in the "livingroom"), the only maneuverable space left was a 2 ft wide walkway from the door to the bathroom.
The Ugly:
1. The first night, there was a strong smell of bleach emanating from the bathroom in our room. We had to sleep with the window (which faced the hall) open.
2. While the bathroom seems to have been redone recently, there was some mold in the grout and the caulking around the tub. Also, the water pressure in the shower was not strong, and the temperature fluctuated.
3. When we opened up the sofabed, there was some debris on the sheets, which led me to question the cleanliness of the room. I called the front desk to have the bed redone, but I was only offered clean sheets, not service to make the bed.
4. I didn't swim in the pool, but my kids did. They complained of it being dirty/cloudy.
In short, the best things about this Comfort Suites are the location, the price, and the fact that breakfast is included. I suppose that for the price paid, the hotel is what one could expect in San Diego. Next time, I might pay more and stay somewhere else.
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