The Best Hotels in San Diego

Pendry Hotel consistently receives praise for excellent service, notable dining and drinking experiences, and thoughtful touches since it opened in 2017.

Guests with varying travel styles overwhelmingly comment on the top notch service, thoughtful amenities and excellent dining and drinking options. As part of Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry’s San Diego hotel features 317 rooms and suites with floor to ceiling windows in most rooms, a fully stocked mini-bar, and glass-wrapped shower.

Unique suites bump up the hotel experience or are an option for travelers who prefer more space, like guests traveling with kids. For example, Pendry’s 1,000-plus square foot Pool Cabana Suite features direct access to the pool and a private cabana. And speaking of kids, Pendry’s Concierge provides complimentary stroller rentals and cribs. 

Located in Downtown San Diego, its six onsite restaurants include seasonal seafood restaurant Lionfish and the more relaxed Nason’s Beer Hall with kid-friendly games and an enclosed outdoor patio. A rooftop pool with city views and a full-service spa to boot, make the Pendry our pick for the best overall hotel in San Diego.

A waterfront locale and broad range of activities included in its daily resort fee get our vote for the best budget hotel in San Diego.

Modern, Mediterranean-style Kona Kai Resort is located on Shelter Island and surrounded by a privately owned beach, marina, and San Diego Bay views just a 10-minute drive from the airport. And compared to other San Diego hotels that charge a resort fee, Kona Kai’s covers a broader range of amenities including Wi-Fi access; two-hour bike rentals; more than 30 fitness classes per week from HIIT to Zumba; private beach and beach cabana access; and Tesla electric vehicle charging. Its on-site Vessel Restaurant, kid-friendly and adults-only pools with private cabana rentals, spa and fitness center, and privately owned beach deliver an affordable, all-in-one San Diego waterfront resort experience without sacrificing go-to comforts.

Fairmont Grand Del Mar makes good use of its sprawling grounds to offer families an impressive range of activities, from archery lessons to outdoor movie nights on the lawn.

A stay at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, part of Accor group, hosts as many features and amenities for kids as it does for grown-ups. Its Kids Dining program offers free or half-off dining at the resort’s various restaurants, like breakfast pancakes at indoor/outdoor Amaya. Del Mar Social Club debuted in 2021 where guests dine on wood fired fare, lounge in cabanas or around fire pits, and play lawn games and table top foosball. 

During fall, the Recreation Pavilion hosts outdoor family movies accompanied by popcorn and treats. Archery lessons, horseback rides and golf lessons are also available. There is also an Explorers Club for kids ages five to 12 and a sand play area near one of the pools—including an adults-only pool.

Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s amenities span a Tom Fazio designed 18 hole golf course, a spa, pickleball court, and indoor and outdoor fitness spaces. Its expansive grounds located in San Diego County’s northern parts are conveniently located near beaches, walking and hiking trails through Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve’s sycamore trees to the east, and downtown Del Mar Village’s boutique shops and restaurants.

For a true getaway in San Diego County’s hilly interior, we’re checking in to the elegant Rancho Bernardo Inn.

Yes, San Diego means beautiful beaches, but its interior is just as gorgeous, just less well-known. Find the 287-room Rancho Bernardo Inn situated in northern San Diego County’s inland hills. The 200-plus acre property boasts an award-winning spa, an 18-hole golf course in which the first hole is just steps from the lobby, several restaurants, and an outdoor fireside lounge featuring fresh ingredients sourced from its onsite Chef’s garden. Depending on the season, you might spot tomatoes and melons during summer, spring strawberries and radishes, winter citrus, and pears and figs come fall.

Its spa provides massage, skincare, and nail services, with some services offered in their Spa Garden’s outdoor casitas and includes access to its saline waterfall whirlpool and outdoor terrace. Updates to guest rooms are planned for 2022.

There are a number of waterfront hotels in San Diego and San Diego Mission Bay Resort stands out for its activity-laden marina, multiple waterfront pools, and family-friendly environment.

When checking into a waterfront location like San Diego Mission Bay Resort, taking advantage of its beachy amenities is practically obligatory. Lounge in the sand, initiate a game of beach volleyball, or book various watercraft activities from the marina. Its 4,000-square-foot waterfront, outdoor pool area offers poolside cabanas and WiFi, a wading pool, and a firepit. There’s also a spa and salon—featuring local skin care products from Skin Authority and Coola—and a fitness center with locker facilities and tennis courts on site.

The Mediterranean-style resort completed a $32 million renovation in 2020, with upgrades to its guest rooms and meeting spaces, open-air lobby, and outdoor areas. The resort fee covers internet access, beach chair and umbrella rentals, weekly bonfire s’mores nights, and more.

Carté Hotel’s unparalleled indoor fitness center and outdoor training spaces are stocked with state-of-the-art equipment, group fitness classes, sauna and steam rooms, and more.

While most hotel fitness centers are passable at best (oftentimes comprised of just a few treadmills and some free weights), Carté Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton property, sports a 28,000 square foot gym. The space is outfitted with a range of equipment, an outdoor cross training area, salt water pool with cabanas, and locker rooms with showers, sauna and steam rooms, and complimentary towel service. They also host daily group fitness classes including yoga, cycling, and pilates.

Room sizes begin at 325 square feet, and an on-site restaurant and rooftop cocktail bar round out the hotel’s offerings. Recent guests have noted that navigating its parking garage can be confusing, though valet parking should be available in 2021.

From hosting multiple U.S. Presidents to serving as a speakeasy and acting as a sit-in site for women’s rights, THE US GRANT's storied past makes it a unique place to bed down in San Diego.

THE US GRANT opened in 1910 and was built by the son of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant; it has since undergone several multi-million dollar refurbishments and renovations. Much of its original French Colonial and Art Deco architecture remains intact or has been restored, such as its high molded ceilings, wide windows and narrow hallways. Décor remains period appropriate with a combination of marble, mahogany wood, and sparkling chandeliers reminiscent of the 1920s. Rooms are opulent yet on the snug side, which was common among floor plans of the time. 

The 11-story luxury hotel houses a fine art collection of murals, paintings, and sculptures by Native American, American and European artists; a Four Diamond rated restaurant; lounge; and vintage French cocktail bar. Its Grant Grill restaurant—a go-to spot for business lunches—was the site of a “sit in” in 1969 where a group of female attorneys protested and ultimately overturned its men-only policy.

During its tenure, THE US GRANT has hosted 14 U.S. presidents, many Hollywood celebrities and was home to a speakeasy during Prohibition. Today, the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians own the hotel and it’s also included on the National Register of Historic Places.