advice on San Diego hotels?

[Unca Pete]

Hi! We are flying into San Diego on Oct. 25th and sailing on the Dawn Princess on the 28th. I'm looking for a decent, but not overly expensive, hotel to stay at for the three days we're going to spend in San Diego. I prefer to use PriceLine, and need some advice what class to bid on, and where to stay. We'll also need a lesser hotel for one night on the return leg since we don't want to do a red-eye back to the East Coast.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Peter

[Wilbo]

Stay at the Holiday Inn across from the pier. Ocean View rooms tend to demand high $$$.

Other rooms have a better price.

Don't miss a seafood meal at Anthony's beside the pier. Best seafood & cocktails in town.

[jasmith52]

There was lots of good information in this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=557252&highlight=San+Diego+Hotels

[Unca Pete]

Well, tried upping the zones to get a few rebids, and ended up winning this 4* instead of the Holiday Inn on the Bay! Arrgh!!! Can anyone tell me if I did good, or I am going to be in the middle of nowheresville????

(Hope it is good news before I break the news to my better half...)

[Splinter]

Very nice hotel, but you are a long way from the cruise pier, since you are on the Silver Strand just south of Coronado (across the bay and Coronado Bridge from San Diego). You will need to take a cab (or shuttle) from the hotel to the pier. A cab will be probably run you about $30-35 one way. No place to walk to from this hotel, so plan on eating there too. If you are staying several days, you definitely should rent a car.

[Unca Pete]

Hi Splinter!

 

Is there public transportation available into San Diego; like buses or even a water taxi that will get us across the bay without having to use a taxi or rental car?

Are the beaches nice? That would be a big plus :) We're coming in on the 25th and sailing on the 28th on the Dawn P.

Pete

[Unca Pete]

Hi Splinter!

 

Is there public transportation available into San Diego; like buses or even a water taxi that will get us across the bay without having to use a taxi or rental car?

Are the beaches nice? That would be a big plus :) We're coming in on the 25th and sailing on the 28th on the Dawn P.

Pete

 

I see we can get a water taxi further down at the Market Pier.. Will that get us to the trolley system in SD to get around in the city?

 

Pete

[Splinter]

Public transportation is not that great in San Diego.

 

If you have plenty of time to waste, you can get a public bus along the Silver Strand which will take you to the Coronado passenger ferry landing, then take the passenger ferry to the pier next to the cruise ship pier, then walk 2-3 blocks to the San Diego Trolley, or catch another bus. The Trolley can take you to Old Town, or the Gaslamp Quarter, or (if you must) to Tijuana, or Mission Valley, but it does not go to Balboa Park, the Zoo, or Sea World. You would have to take more buses to do that.

 

You can plan routes and check time-tables here:

 

 

http://www.sdcommute.com/

 

Frankly, I don't have the patience for all that wasted time when I am on vacation. I recommend you rent a car.

 

The Lowe's resort itself does not have a beach (it is on the bay side). You can walk across the road to the Silver Strand State Park or take a bus to the beach by the Hotel del Coronado (which is one of my favorites). You will probably find the water a bit to cold for comfortable swimming at the end of October though. Even in the summer we are lucky if the water gets up to 64-68 degrees here as our currents (Alaska) comes from the north.

[Jeano222]

We too stayed there and it's a nice hotel but much further away from the port than we thought it would be. We rented a car. For our cruise in October we bid on hotwire knowing that the hotel would be Sheraton Hotel and marina. Got it for 114.00 plus tax and travelocity plus hotel website said 269.00 plus tax.

[Unca Pete]

http://www.sdcommute.com/Rider_Information/routes/TTs/vertical/901WN.htm

 

Will this bus service get us to the other side of the bay?

 

Pete

[Splinter]

Yes, it will take you to the bus hub at Horton Plaza (Broadway and 4th) and then goes a little closer to the cruise ship pier and Trolley Station at Union and Broadway, so you would only need to walk a few blocks from that stop. It will still take you nearly an hour to do that though: a trip you could take in a car in less than 20 minutes. It is not clear if it actually stops at the Lowe's Resort or if you would need to get to a stop further away. You may want to check with the hotel.

[Desert Cruizers]

There are several Hotels up on Ash, Best Western Bayside, with shuttle, about 4-5 blocks from Pier, HI Bayside about 7 min from Pier at 4875 N Harbor. Also some within 0.5 miles Comfort Inn, Vagabond. The Holiday Inn on the Bay within walking distance is pricey.

[Unca Pete]

For sight seeing and gawking I'm wondering if the Old Town Trolley packages wouldn't be the best way to see the Zoo and other main attractions? Considering parking and car rental, valet tips, etc. the Old Town Trolley and tours is starting to look pretty good. Only downside is they close up early.

 

I take it the Old Town Trolley is not the same as the city run municipal trolleys???

 

Peter

[Happy ks]

No, the Old Town Trolley is not the same as the city trolley or bus.

 

I happen to enjoy taking the Old Town Trolley tour, it can be campy and fun. I don't know where the Lowes Coronado is located, but there is a Trolley stop about a block from the Del Coronado Hotel. Coronado Island is not really huge, it can be walkable from one end to the other if you like walking. It's a fun way to get an overview of the city with on and off priviledges.

 

Personally, I don't think the Old Town Trolley is a great source of transportation if you are just looking to go to one place for the day. It has numerous stops that may be out of your way and you have to pay attention to the timetable. If you want to visit the Zoo or SeaWorld, get a ride there, either cab, bus or rental car.

 

I also don't think a rental car is a great way to see this city if you are not aware of where things are, it's easy to get lost and waste a lot of time. Perhaps for a day, with a detailed driving map.

 

Although Coronado is a bit out of the way, you will love it there. Spend at least one of your days exploring that part of San Diego, visit the Del, there is a wonderful beach there. You can spend a whole day at the cruise port area, the ferry from Coronado will take you right there.

 

BTW, if you take the ferry from Coronado over to the port, I don't think it's a 2-3 block walk, I think I remember it as being more like 100 yards. The Old Town Trolley stop is just a few feet away from the entrance to the cruise port terminal. Of course, I do have to remember that San Diego blocks are a whole lot shorter than most city blocks ;)

[Splinter]

The SAN DIEGO TROLLEY is public mass transit. The station for this is 2-3 blocks from the cruise ship terminal and the Coronado passenger ferry. It does not go to the Zoo, Sea World, etc. but can get you to bus terminals where you can transfer to a bus to get to anyplace in the San Diego area. It does serve the Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town, Mission Valley, and points east as well as south to the border (Tijuana) but does not go north of Mission Valley yet.

 

The OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS is a commercial tour company that provides a jitney type service. You pay one price for the day (about $30) and can get on and off at any stop you wish, for as long as you wish, but it also only goes to certain stops, and the price does not include the price of admission to places like the Zoo. Their stop in Coronado is at the Hotel del Coronado, which is about 2 miles from the Lowe's resort, so you would need to either take the bus or a cab to get there most probably. They also have a stop at the cruise ship pier, which is about 100 yards from the passenger ferry landing on the San Diego side.

[Desert Cruizers]

Splinter by looking at the map, the HI Bayside looks a long way off, but comes out about 7 miles. If we had not gotten the group rate, DH & I probably would have ended up at the Best Western Bayside on 555 N Ash. We have about # 24 us us staying at the HI Bayside for Oct 2008.

[Cruising89143]

Anyone have any comments on the Westin San Diego loacated on West Broadway? A good location to Gaslamp Quarter? How far from the pier? I checked on the Holiday Inn across from the pier and they are booked.

[Desert Cruizers]

The Westin can't be but 0.5 miles. You would travel down Broadway to corner ( Harbor Blvd), and Terminal is across the street, from the Terminal parking lot, at Broadway and N Harbor. Do a " Live Search" and put in address of your Hotel. The Terminal is located at 1140 N Harbor. The HI on the Bay is opposite direction at N Harbor and Ash. The Best Western Bayside is at 555 N Ash. I will take a look real quick to make sure.

 

Ok 1 Mile or 3 Min. It is at corner of Broadway & 9th ave.

[Splinter]

The Westin is a very nice hotel. It is a popular business and convention hotel that is attached to the Horton Plaza mall, and across the street from the US Grant (go inside this hotel and checkout their recent gorgeous renovation by the new owners, the Sycaun band of Native Americans who have a reservation in our east county). It is an easy stroll over to 4th or 5th and turn right to get to the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter.

 

It is about 10 blocks to walk to the cruise ship pier from here. Not a bad walk but with luggage I would suggest taking a cab unless the hotel will shuttle you (check with them).

[Cruising89143]

I did a Mapquest using the address for the Westin and the cruise terminal that G Woodman gave me. It stated that it was only 0.45 miles or 1 minute. There are two Westin hotels. The one near the Horton Plaza was booked.

[Desert Cruizers]

Cruisingator sorry didn't realize that, just took the first one that came up. That is about same distance then as the Best Western Bayside up on Ash.