Hotels in san diego?/ Randi's Happy Horses?

[stanford's girl]

Help! I need some info please. Can anyone recommend a good hotel in San Diego? I have heard about the Hampton Inn but there are 4 in the area. Which is the right one?

We want to book Randi's in P.V. Can I gallop the horses at times? Not sure I want to mosy all the time. Also how long is the ride? We want to do some other things and need to make sure we have enough time. Thanks everyone!:)

[DaveOKC]

The Hampton near the dock is "San Diego Downtown" on Pacific Highway. Not a bad place, but not fancy either. The train runs right behind the hotel so try to get a room in the front of the hotel. It has a good cont. breakfast for free in the morning. Its about three blocks to the ship dock, so you can even walk it, but they will schuttle you there (airport trips have priority though).

The Holiday Inn ("On the Bay" as I recall) is right across the street from the ship dock. Better location and a bit nicer than the Hampton IMO. Pay the extra $10 and get a Harbor view room - you can watch the ship come in!

This trip we are trying something different. We are staying at Harrahs in Ricon (about an hour north of SD). We are getting a good deal on a rental car (weekend rate at Hertz) and a great price on the room from Harrahs since we have a players card from them. The car and hotel room totally are less than what we paid for Hampton in Dec! Plus we get to see a bit more of the area and do a little gaming!

DaveOKC

[SeaYa52]

We rode with Randi last July......best beachride EVER! You get to run ( if you want to - alot) on the beach - it was wonderful. The whole thing lasted about four hours from start to finish - plenty of time to shop.

Sandy

[stanford's girl]

Sandy,

 

When your done with the ride at Victor's, do you have to hang out or is the ship close enough that you can go back yourself?

DaveOKC,

Thanks for the great info. We'll look into the Holiday Inn. Do you know if they have an airport shuttle? The deal you got sounds great!

[dot73]

I stayed at the Hampton Inn Downtown for four days prior to my Feb. 14 cruise. It's a lovely hotel, art deco style simple furniture, fairly large rooms, excellent beds, very clean. Continental breakfast was good and plentiful. They have a shuttle that will pick you up at the airport and take you to the cruise terminal. You can walk to the cruise terminal but take the shuttle if you have a lot of luggage. I had a room overlooking the street and could see the ship from my window. Shuttle will take you to Horton's Plaza (great shopping). There is a SevenEleven nearby and Anthony's, which is a good restaurant for seafood. The staff at the hotel was excellent. I got a price of $106 per night directly on their website. I asked for an upgrade to a room with a jacuzzi and since they had empty rooms, I got it. You will hear the trains but they didn't keep me awake.

[stanford's girl]

Dot73,

Thanks for the great info. I like the idea of the shuttle and breakfast. I'll check out their we site. :)

[stanford's girl]

OOPS! Make that web site.:D

[SeaYa52]

You're pretty much stuck there unless you walk back to the water taxi's (normally - you ride back and forth to the water Taxi in the back of a truck -

it has benches and a cover - open air) and I don't know that I would recommend walking back....it's really like going back in time and you might see just about anything there.....the people who live there all own part of the coconut plantation - but it's pretty 3rd world......the folks we met through Randi were really nice - but we also saw some old drunks leaning against a building - totally out of it with bottles everywhere - so I don't know that I would walk. You'll still have time to shop when you return.....and Victor's is alot of fun (great food too) and you can also take a swim there (beach). You will especially enjoy the ride on the beach - it was the best.

[DaveOKC]

Both Hampton and Holiday Inns have airport schuttles.

DaveOKC

[BajaFred]

Just wanted to tell you that the rooms at Harrahs-Rincon are very, very nice. Most of them have a sofa, coffee table, mini fridge, coffee maker. The beds are very comfortable. They even have a sign telling you where you can buy the mattresses. I don't know when you are going, but the weather in the Valley Center area will be warmer than San Diego. You might want to keep you bathing suits handy. The hotel has all the usual restuarants, including the Harrah's buffet. Depending upon the traffic it would be right around 1 hr. You go north on the 15 and then head east around Escondido. If Harrahs is not good to you - there are 2 smaller casinos within a 10 minute ride and a much larger one Pala about 20 minutes away. Have a great time prior to your cruise.

Carole

[Vic The Parrot]

Hi SG

 

 

I stayed at the LaPensione hotel. It's a small place, on India St

in Little Italy. I picked it for it's location (about 3 or 4 blocks from the Hampton), and there's an excellent choice of eateries around the area.

 

Can't beat the price either ....

See my thoughts on this hotel in my Oosterdam review.

Or check out http://www.LaPensione.com

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail.

 

 

vic

 

 

ParrotheadNJ6436@aol.com

[teacherone]

Just wanted to double check... Randi's is in Mazatlan not PV, right?

 

Thanks!

[Iggipolka]

I stayed at the LaPensione hotel. It's a small place, on India St

in Little Italy. I picked it for it's location (about 3 or 4 blocks from the Hampton), and there's an excellent choice of eateries around the area.

 

See my thoughts on this hotel in my Oosterdam review.

Or check out http://www.LaPensione.com

 

Umm..according to the website, this place is located in Key West.

809 Truman Avenue - Key West, Fl 33040

 

I don't mind a bit of a shuttle drive to the port, but that's just a little far from San Diego! :D

[teacherone]

Just wanted to double check... Randi's is in Mazatlan not PV, right?

 

Thanks!

[Vic The Parrot]

WHOOOOOPS!!!!!

 

 

LOL

 

 

Good catch Iggi!

 

The correct address is ....

 

http://www.LaPensioneHotel.com

 

 

 

 

Sorry about the mix-up

[stanford's girl]

Just wanted to double check... Randi's is in Mazatlan not PV, right?

 

Thanks!

You're right, it is Mazatlan.:D

[calicruzer]

Sheraton Harbor Island is a great hotel. (airport shuttle available) It is right across the street from the airport and just a few blocks to the cruise ship terminal. It is more expensive than the other hotels mentioned, but great pool, bar, etc. Just another choice. Enjoy San Diego! I am lucky enough to live in such a great city.

[bballprncess]

Hey CaliCruizer, I live in San Diego too! Lucky aren't we?

 

Does anyone know the ballpark cost for Randi's happy horses? Is it more worthwhile than the Stone Island Excursion offered through HAL?

 

Thanks for the info!

Lori

[iowegean]

Randi's is $45 per person and well worth it. We went last month and had a great time.

 

Jen

[SeaYa52]

I agree - Randi's was great - would have paid twice that for the great ride we had. (We were there in July)

[tankerjo2]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn across from the cruise terminal this past December. Wife wanted a balcony to watch the Ryndam come in and dock. We both slept right through it.

 

Hotel was nice enough but in IMO not worth the $150+ a night that we paid. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I didn't like that the balcony's were just seperated by a railing and someone if they wanted to could easily move from balcony to balcony across the whole face of the building.

 

Have to admit it had a dandy view of the harbor and the staff was friendly.

[Vic The Parrot]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn across from the cruise terminal this past December. Wife wanted a balcony to watch the Ryndam come in and dock. We both slept right through it.

 

Hotel was nice enough but in IMO not worth the $150+ a night that we paid. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I didn't like that the balcony's were just seperated by a railing and someone if they wanted to could easily move from balcony to balcony across the whole face of the building.

 

Have to admit it had a dandy view of the harbor and the staff was friendly.

 

 

Yikes!

 

Talk about 'socializing'

 

 

My room at LaPen only had a floor-to-ceiling window, which could be opened in sections below the knee, and above the chest.

 

Besides facing the main drag (India St ... including a giant billboard) that window let in plenty of sun. I was kinda wondering if my upstairs neighbors with a balcony would be able to play Spiderman if they wanted to..... left my windows open, and the street sounds lulled me to sleep. So if I had a visitor late at night, I slept thru it! LOL

 

But the adjoining balcony rooms at the Holiday Inn with NO OTHER barrier WOULD make me slightly paranoid, to say the least.

[stanford's girl]

My thanks to all. You are a wealth of information.:D

[Travelbug 2]

We stayed at the Hampton Inn near the pier in 18 months ago. We try to stay at Hampton's when travelling as you are more or less sure of what you are going to get---no surprises---and if there are any problems whatsoever the stay is FREE. Yes, that has happened on a couple of occasions, only minor problems but the bill was cancelled!! That is peace of mind in my book.

The hotel is good, breakfast plentiful and location spot on, the price is reasonable also. The only downside is the location---railway track and streetcar line run past back of hotel, a room at the front is better. Holiday inn has a good British Pub type eatery, good food, pleasant surroundings.

Have a great trip.

 

Happy cruising.

[stanford's girl]

Travelbug,

 

I could sleep through anything so a train isn't going to disturb me.;)

Vic,

Have to agree with you about the balconies at the Holiday Inn. Knowing someone could be able to go from balcony to balcony, would give me the creeps! :eek: