A review of the best hotel in downtown San Diego

Even after traveling all over the world, sunny San Diego is one of my favorite places to vacation. I went to college there, and the relaxed vibe, fun nightlife, and gorgeous beaches are perfect examples of why people love SoCal. It’s one of the best weekend trips from LA, along with Manhattan Beach. On your next visit to San Diego, I recommend staying at the Pendry. Read on to find out why it’s the best hotel in downtown San Diego!

Why is this hotel worth it?

The Pendry is definitely a pricier hotel – you can expect to spend anywhere from $250 – $550 USD for a basic room, depending on the dates and time of year. But it’s a good price for the value, and it’s worth it for a few reasons.

The rooms

The rooms at the Pendry are fairly new and renovated, with simple modern decor. The king room bathrooms feature a glass shower (with a privacy curtain), so it’s probably better for couples. But even the basic king rooms come with an additional small couch, which is perfect if you’re traveling with a child. If you’re traveling with a couple of friends, I recommend the double queen rooms. Or for special occasions (like bachelor/bachelorettes or birthdays), the executive suite has it’s own bar!

Amenities

The #1 reason I book the Pendry is the amenities! They have a rooftop pool, which has a chill beach club vibe during the day (think Mykonos) and more of a party vibe later in the evenings & on Sundays. You can find more info here. They also have a stellar gym, which includes a spin bike and free vibrating foam rollers for checkout.

Room service & Staff

During my most recent stay in 2021 I booked with American Express, which gave me a $60/day breakfast credit that I used for room service every day. I did have one negative experience with a few bad blueberries, but overall the food was great. I recommend the breakfast burrito!

Every experience we had with the staff was excellent, from the valet, to the front desk, to the room service delivery. They go above and beyond fulfilling requests (I asked for an extra mini-fridge and foam pillows).

Extras

The biggest perk that makes this the best hotel in downtown San Diego are all of the extras available to guests. While we were there, we learned about a Cadillac you can borrow, a guitar you can checkout, and a mini car available for kids! Give the hotel a call to see what extras are available at the time of booking.

Location

Downtown San Diego itself is a good location if you’re looking for nightlife. The Pendry is right in the middle of the New Orelans-inspired Gaslamp Quarter. But the reason I like the location of the Pendry is because it’s close to two of my favorite areas in San Diego – Little Italy for dining, and Coronado Island for exploring. I’ll be writing a more detailed San Diego travel guide in the future, but until then just trust me – this hotel is in the perfect location!

Tips for your stay

I hope you enjoy your trip to San Diego and your stay at the Pendry (be sure to tag me on Instagram!). Here are a few extra tips to make the most of your stay.

Getting there

The only drawback of the Pendry is the price of parking. Like most downtown hotels it’s overpriced, at $50+ per day. If you can take the train down, the station is only a 5 minute Uber ride or a 20 minute walk from the Pendry. The Pendry is also less than a 15 minute drive from the airport.

Finding the best rate

I prefer to book through my credit card travel partners, so I can maximize benefits and points. American Express has the best offer since this is a premium hotel & resort. That means early check-in, room upgrades, dining credits, and late check-out. If you don’t have a travel credit card, booking directly through the hotel is always a good choice as they usually have special packages and rates.

EMAILING AHEAD FOR EXTRAS

As I mentioned above, the staff is really helpful and responsive. If you want any of the “extras” I mentioned above, it’s worth emailing ahead of time to check availability. If you have any requests like early check in or special items (I always ask for foam pillows, because I hate the feather ones in hotels), call ahead for those as well. That way everything will be in your room upon arrival.