Where to stay in sunny San Diego? There are so many beautiful areas to see and so many things to do. We have been to San Diego twice and both times we have stayed in the Gas Lamp Quarter. The first time it was an easy decision since we were travelling for a conference and it was at the Hard Rock Hotel where we had a negotiated rate.
The second trip was for pleasure and this was a much harder decision. I did a lot of research on where to stay. We were ultimately very torn between staying in downtown San Diego and La Jolla. When we had visited last time our favorite place was La Jolla and we were in awe of it’s beauty.
A few criteria we were looking for were: newer hotel, beachfront, rooftop pool/ bar and a convenient location to restaurants as we did not want to rent a car. In searching for these amenities, I quickly learned we would not be able to have them all. We decided on the Pendry, as this hotel had recently opened in 2017, among other features. We are huge fans of new hotels, who isn’t? Another feature we look for in a hotel room is a walk in shower. The Pendry’s shower is very unique, having glass on three sides and situated in the center of the room. Now don’t worry if you plan to share the room with someone you would like privacy from while showering, there is a curtain you can pull around the entire shower.
Additional perks added to our stay
After booking the hotel, with my type A personality I wanted to double check to make sure we made a good decision in staying at the Pendry and shouldn’t consider another hotel. While doing my due diligence I stumbled across a website/ travel agent that offered added benefits through Virtuoso when staying at the Pendry, all I had to do was email them. I was skeptical as the benefits were amazing. They included a $60 credit for breakfast (for two) and an additional $100 credit for the stay. We were staying 3 nights so the benefit came to $280. While I was told by the travel agent that there was no guarantee that the benefits would be applicable, depending on how we had booked the hotel, I thought I would give it a chance! Sure enough the perks were added. The only hiccup was when the reservation was amended the price changed, so I had to call the Pendry. I explained the situation and they immediately apologized and fixed the price. At that moment I knew we had made the right decision as the customer service and ease was amazing.
Our stay at the Pendry was 5- star service all the way, starting from the moment we entered the hotel to the moment we left. We had just recently found out we were pregnant and when the hotel asked if we were celebrating something special we told them about our “new addition”! The first night they surprised us with a very thoughtful note and two delicious cupcakes, one pink and one blue (since we didn’t know if we were having a boy or girl yet). They were the best cupcakes I have ever had.
Pendry Hotel Room
The hotel room was not huge but it was done very well. The colors in the room were very calming and the space was used efficiently. Our favorite bed is typically the Ritz Carlton, but this bed seemed just as nice. We slept wonderfully each night. The shower was very spacious and had two different shower heads. Only one worked at a time but it was great to switch between the two. There were two additional doors around the shower, one kept the loo in it’s own room and there was a sliding door to keep the area where you left the shower, next to the sink private.
Pendry Pool
The pool is on level 3, along with the fitness center and the spa. The chairs surrounding the pool are very comfortable and there is bar service at the pool. While we were there they had a Chandon party which was fun, while I couldn’t partake in the champagne I drank sparkling water instead. They had a DJ there, it was part of their Sunday pool parties. The weekend we were there it was sponsored by Vivue Cliquot. They had umbrellas, pillows, champagne glasses and of course tons of their champagne for sale.
Restaurants on site
There were 6 different restaurants on site. We meant to try more than just two, but that’s all we had time for during our stay. The credit for our breakfast was good for Provisional. One of the best parts of our day was breakfast there. For the $60 credit we would try to maximize it as much as possible. We varied our meal each day for the most part but every day we did order the market berries and sliced avocado. The market berries were amazing they tasted so fresh. Each morning we would get a cup of the complimentary coffee provided by Provisional before sitting down, so there was $60 available for just food. Let me just say we ate very, very well. Our entrees rotated and we tried the Create Your Own Omelette, Bourbon Banana French Toast, Pendry Breakfast, Nutella roll and Pain A Chocolate which were all great. We happened to take back the Nutella Roll and Pain A Chocolate back to our room each morning to enjoy as a snack later in the day.
For the $100 credit we ate at Provisional for dinner, since we enjoyed our breakfast so much. The dinner was good, but breakfast was better.
The hotel is located in the Gas Lamp District, which is a very happening area of San Diego. You can walk to tons of restaurants, stores and even Petco Park, where the Padres play. You also have a short walk to the Embarcadero and Seaport Village, a very cute area on the water to shop at.
Surprise gift after our stay
The first class service did not end when we left San Diego. About a week after we got home we received a package from the Pendry. Inside were a few wrapped presents and a sweet note. There were two bears, one dressed in a pink Pendry shirt and one in a blue Pendry shirt for our sweet new addition (we did not know gender, as it was too early). There was also a onesie that said Pendry San Diego Baby. The thoughtful gesture will not be forgotten and truly made not only that vacation extra special, but also this extremely special time in our lives! A special thank you to Alyssa for making our stay so memorable!
