Folks,

My wife and I are last minute planning a trip to San Diego for the new year. I have never been there and i was hoping that we could get some recommendations on a possible hotel.

We are hoping to stay close to the beaches, maybe Mission Bay area...

Any advise would be huge....thanks!!!

(mods, i know this is slightly off topic....)

-jac

 

I live in San Diego, but haven't stayed in the hotels. Check out this

http://yellowpages.aol.com/main.adp?...dma=8&_dirpid=

(AOL yellow pages) Someone who visits here would be a big help.

Earl

 

I have no idea what you are planning on paying for a room but this place is fantastic.

http://www.catamaranresort.com/

You can get rooms facing the water and the boats - nice beach area, etc. But being as it is a holiday, you might want to make your plans quick as things fill up around here fast.

Donna

 

Not quite in Mission Bay, but in San Diego Bay.

I have often wanted to stay here:

http://www.shelterpointe.com/

 

I have stayed in Mission Bay area and Coronado. I liked the Hyatt in Mission Bay but I much prefer Coronado. The hotel Del Coronado is hard to beat if you ask me. Right on the beach on the ocean which in my opinion is way better than Mission Bay.

 

Spent most of my life in San Diego. Grew up in La Jolla and spent Navy career at Miramar Naval Air Station. I don't know what your budget is, but if you can afford it and they still have rooms available, the historic landmark Hotel del Coranado is absolutely fabulous and it is on the beach http://www.hoteldel.com/ You will have to go over the bridge to get to most of the area attractions, but it is a beautiful old hotel.

 

wow....thanks for the fast responses guys!

the catamaran resort was one of the #1 contenders on my list. Good to see a vote in that direction.

I have looked into the Hotel del Coranado, and yeah, it is killer! I'll have to see what prices and avaiablity are like.

Again, thanks for the info, and if any one else has any, please chime in. I'll be sure to post a report once i get back! (well, if i leave. I think it is going to be very hard to return to philly from there in january!)

-jac

 

Hotel Del is awesome - and yes, VERY pricey. They have set up an outdoor ice skating rink ON THE BEACH - open to the public!! Now how cool is that?? Even if you don't stay there, that alone is worth doing. They have 3 sessions a day....if you want more info. - let me know. We're taking our kids when they arrive next week from Virginia. Not too many people can say they went ice skating on the beach...

And yes - it WILL be hard to return back to the frozen tundra after being out here... Keep us posted...

Donna

 

We stayed at The Dana on Mission Bay when we vacationed in San Diego. It was very nice and just a short drive to everywhere.

http://www.thedana.net/

 

Let's talk food!! make sure you check out www.chowhound.com and get the "in" on the best places to eat. My favorite places are "Old town" for Mexican food, espcially Old Town Mexican Cafe where you can see the senoritas making fresh tortillas from scratch in the window. http://www.oldtownmexcafe.com/
If you want the best New York pizza in California, go to Bronx Pizza. www.bronxpizza.com
Last, make sure you go to the zoo and check out the panda's. here a link to the pandacam... http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/ex_panda_station.html. Have a great time!!

 

Been to SD many,many times on business, and a couple vacations as well:

1) Hotel Del is nice, but IMHO overrated as a place to stay. The rooms in the big, old part of the building are small and awkward and $$$, they have some newer buildings that are next door but they're just like any other hotel. You can go there anytime and soak up all the ambience for free -- there's lots to do there and it's easy to park nearby.

2) I've stayed at the big Marriott on the city side as well as Marriott's Coronado Bay resort (used to be the Le Meridian) - both are nice and very much standard Marriott fare. The city side Marriott is immediately adjacent to Seaport Village (shopping area) and the marina. The one on Coronado has a nice spa...

3) I've also stayed on Harbor Island, several nice hotels there right on the water. Near downtown and the airport if that's important to you.

4) The last time I was there we went for something different and stayed in the Gaslamp district, at the Horton Grand - it's an old downtown hotel right in the middle of all the nightlife. LOTS of great restaurants and bars within walking distance, and lots of quaint charm (like pullchain toilets, etc). The rooms all open into an interior courtyard which is kinda cool. I actually got to see my first "alternative lifestyle" wedding/committment ceremony that was taking place in the courtyard, from my room's balcony.

Have a great trip, you really can't go too far wrong in SD no matter where you end up staying.

 

If you do get to visit, do yourself a favor and go to Con Pane, A Rustic Bakery for lunch one of your days here. They have the best bread and make the best sandwiches in all of SD. It's located at Canon and Rosecrans in Pt Loma and very worth the out of the way drive. In fact if you get your sandwiches to go you an drive on down to the Cabrillo Monument and have lunch with a great view.

Also if you like seafood, I can highly recommend King's Fish House in the Fountain Valley area. Their a "formula" restaurant, but they're still the best at what they do. I recommend the Australian Lobster Tails dinner. Don't go to Anthony's Fish Grotto, it's over tourist-y and very disappointing.

El Indio's for mexican food. On India street near Washington off the five freeway. They've been there forever.

 

I live in SD, and there is a bunch of quality hotels on the water. I in fact live across Mission Bay - or Emission Bay as we sometimes call it after it rains. Hotel Del is my fav, great food, atmosphere and the Island is the best for walking around. There are a few smaller hotels on the Island that can be had for a bunch less, but you get what you pay for. If it was me, I'd go for the Del, because it would be a memorable experience, not soon forgotten. They have the best Christmas Tree in the lobby that one would ever see. Each year it has a different theme and we always take the kids to go check it out. Also La Jolla has a bunch of very nice hotels, but like the Del it comes down to the budget. If you are one to lounge around at your hotel stay at a nice one, but if you are just looking for a roof over your head, go cheap and spend the bucks on food and checking out the sights. Plenty to see here and do.

 

You've recieved a lot of good advice with respect to hotels, I can't add much.

If you end up at the Catamaran in Pacific Beach, be sure and have breakfast one morning nearby at The Green Flash. It's a great casual place - my favorite. Good for seafood dinners also. I live a couple of miles away and hike there on the occasional weekend for breakfast.

 

wow...thank you again for all the great posts! I will be printing this out & taking it with me on our trip.

Next question....what to do on New Years Eve? Neither of us are huge drinkers, we just enjoy a good time. Any suggestions on what to do or where to go would be a huge help.

I am so excited to come and enjoy your small chunk of the world. My only fear is that i am really not going to want to head back to the easy coast after spending time in SD....

thanks again!

-jac

 

What kind of things do you like to do?

There are many things going on, but taste helps determine.

 

I don't know if it is still available, but their hosting New Year's Eve on the Aircraft Carrier Midway in Sna Diego this year. It's $185 per person but I think it would make for a memorable NYE.

If not the Hotel Del probably has a nice celebration as well. Anything you can do on Coronado Island NYE would be very nice, even a picnic on the beach would be great.

 

I have nothing to add, 'cept I hope you have a wonderful trip and are lucky enough to see some of the cool MINIs here (and even the un-cool, non-waving ones too).

 

Sorry for the delay....super busy at work & with the holidays.

We booked our trip at the Catamaran...last Kind size bed in the place! My wife and i are both very excited!

As for new years tastes, not entirely sure just yet. We are hoping to Get a reservation (ha ha!) at some where nice, have to start figuring out where that is going to be. You guys are NOT short on restaurants that sound great.

thanks!

 

The question for taste is for what type of place you want to go to. There are so many options of differing styles that I would hate to recommend a great "Acid Jazz" band like Karl Denson's Tiny Universe at 'Canes when you would rather go to something like New Year’s Eve Aboard The Midway Aircraft Carrier 2005.

 

Wooo Hooo! You will NOT be sorry about the Catamaran. And you can even walk to lots of neat places as it's not far from the beach. It has been getting quite chilly at night - soon as the sun goes down - so bring the warm coats, glovies and scarves...

And you are correct - I have never seen SO MANY places to eat in my life... they are EVERYWHERE....

Donna