I stayed here for a week in April with my best friend and our daughters aged 9 and 11. We had just spent a week in Newport Beach (Hyatt Regency - separate review) and came to what we thought was a centrally located hotel. We didnt pay a vast rate (Virgin holidays UK) so our expectations were not very high and it's a good job they were not. The hotel, I should say motel really, is located near a busy freeway and other cheap hotels/motels. If you choose to use public transport to get into downtown San DIego, should your timings be out it can take over an hour. A bus stops outside the front of the hotel which takes about 8 mins to the Old Town station where you can get on the trolley (tram) into San Diego - 7 stops to Seaport Village. The other alternative is walk the 10-15 mins to Fashion Valley Shoppng Mall where you can get the trolley to Old Town and change. All very tedious and time consuming. The buses only run every 30 mins and after 6 every hour and finish at 8. The staff at times did not know the timings and gave me incorrect information so it took my daughter and I 1 hour 15 mins to get into San Diego.
We were very disappointed with the rooms. It had 2 double beds that just about fitted into the room and a tiny bathroom, and very little storage for clothes. There was no safe in the room and no conditioner in the bathroom. We had just spent a week quite easily in a room with the four of us. We couldn't here. We had to pay for an extra room for the week. The only plus was we had a terrace, most rooms did not. Car parking was included in my rate.
The pool area was reasonable but lacked sun loungers. I think I counted about 20. If we wanted a drink we had to go to the inside bar to get them. We tried the continental breakfast as it was included in the rate. Little choice of croissants, yoghurt and cereal. You can ask for toast. No ham or cheese. Slow service. We did eat the first night in the bar and this was typical bar food - burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips which was ok. That night Daniel served us and he was the only member of staff who was really helpful.
The hotel has a free shuttle bus you can book to go to the zoo or Seaworld in. We used it to the zoo but it only runs during the day so we left without having done the zoo justice. We took the car to Seaworld!! I needed to get somthing from a shop on the way back but the driver would not stop so my daughter and I had to walk the long way round to the shop which although is located just over the freeway, you can't cross it.
The bar closed really early - 9.30pm one night so after arriving back at 9.45pm on the Monday and wishing a night cap we couldn't have one. A bar that closes so early in an establishment that calls itself a hotel and resort is ridiculous. Towards the weekend it seemed to stay open longer - 10.30 ish but often no barman was present and 1 night I waited 10 mins until someone could be located to serve me!!
We all loved California and can't wait to cross the pond to come back but I certainly won't be staying here again. It's too far out, has too much of a motel feel to it, small rooms that just about accommodate 2 and services that are not available for enough hours in the day
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