Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa
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Pool
Kiddie/Wading Pool
Child Care/Kid programs
In House Restaurant
Sitting Area
Kitchenette
Air Conditioning
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2 Reviews for Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa
200
160
'10, '11, '12
2 families found this helpful
"Family-friendly tropical vacation minus the humidity"
Have you ever been so relaxed, you felt like you were melting into a blissful state where nothing else matters but the here and now? Well, that’s exactly the effect that arriving at the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa had on me. Probably more than anything, it was the beautiful tropical landscaping (without humidity) with gently swaying palm trees and the smell of salt water in the air that transported me to that tropical paradise state of mind. I was barely aware that we were just minutes away from downtown San Diego.
BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED GROUNDS
This Hilton property looks like a Mexican hacienda. Many of the rooms have sliding glass doors that throw wide open so you can enjoy the ocean breeze blowing right through your room. From the ground floor rooms, you have a patio with direct access to the gardens, while second floor rooms get to enjoy a balcony. Many of views from the rooms are of the gardens, pool area, or mission bay. Our large room had two queen beds, a small kitchenette area with microwave oven and refrigerator and an indoor and outdoor sitting area. The outdoor sitting area even had a fire pit where we roasted marshmallows while watching fireworks lighting up the moonless sky over Sea World.
LARGE COMFORTABLE ROOMS AND GREAT POOL AREA
While our room was comfortable, clean, and relaxing, I barely wanted to stay in there because the pool area was so inviting. We had originally planned on spending our first day at a theme park, but when we went to check out the pool, we decided to cancel our plans to relax poolside. Although there were no slides, the landscaping around the pool with a waterfall cascading down rocks on one end had a feeling of a waterfall pool you might find in Hawaii. We hung out for hours poolside alternating between cooling off in the pool, playing checkers on the two giant floor checker sets, chasing ping pong balls (we aren't very adapt at the game), feeding the ducks and fish in the hotel pond, soaking in the hot tub and ordering yummy snacks and meals poolside. It was the first time during our week of travels that I wasn’t concerned about what time it was and where we were going to next – a rare thing for this type A mom who’s constantly looking for the next place to explore.
MANY ONSITE ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
If you’re looking for more thrilling water sports, families can rent jet skis, wave runners, sailboats, paddle boat or go wake boarding on the nicely protected Mission Bay. The bay is pretty, but the waters aren't warm and clear like a tropical beach. However, the beach is clean and the sand and volleyball courts appeared to be raked and tidied up each morning. We decided to rent a 4 person surrey bike and rode along the nicely paved bike trails along Mission Bay Park all the way to the entrance of Sea World. It was the perfect bike ride for a family to go on together. There were lovely views of the bay, mostly flat trails, and lots of people to watch along the way. Mission Bay Park also has some huge playgrounds that our kids begged to stop at and are free for public use. These are within easy walking distance from the hotel.
ONSITE CHILDCARE
The hotel offers onsite childcare at their Kids Kamp. It’s open during the summer season from mid-June to Labor Day. Kids Kamp, offers arts and crafts, swimming, beach games, face painting, sand castle building and more. The Kids Kamp room looked rather small, but kids and the staff spend a lot of time outdoors. Kids Kamp is open from 1-4pm and costs $12/hour per child. If you wish to drop your kids off at Kids Kamp, you'll have to call in advance to reserve a spot so they can staff appropriately to accommodate your kids. Nonetheless, having onsite childcare means that mom and dad can easily catch a game of tennis together or head off to the spa without worrying about what to do with the kids. Kids Kamp is available for children ages 5-12.
SUPER KID-FRIENDLY STAFF
One of the things that impressed me most about the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa is how kid-friendly all the staff were. Now that’s saying a lot considering we had just been staying at the Disneyland Resort the day before. All the staff we encountered went out of their way to greet our kids and joke with them. Even at the Acqua restaurant that offers casual fine dining, we never felt out of place as a family with young kids.
GREAT LOCATION NEAR SAN DIEGO’S MAIN FAMILY ATTRACTIONS
I loved that there were many options for recreation at the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa that could have easily filled a weekend without leaving the property once. Yet, if you wished to explore a little of San Diego’s major attractions, they are so close by. Sea World is within walking distance (although a drive might be easier with little kids). The charming Old Town Gas Lamp district with lots of great dining options is just a two minute drive away, and Balboa Park with many wonderful attractions including the famed San Diego Zoo is a short 10 minute drive south. It felt like the best of both worlds to be set apart from the hustle and bustle of city living and yet be so close to many of San Diego’s top family attractions.
A WIDE RANGE OF ROOM RATES
The Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa offers several different room options that fit with any budget. Rooms rates range between $160-700/night depending on the season and view options. Most of them are the same size and layout offering either a king size bed or two queen beds, but vary in the type of view offered and direct access to the garden areas. However, no matter what room you choose, you’ll be able to benefit from all the lovely facilities offered at the resort. Do keep in mind that this isn’t an all inclusive resort, and while you can get a bed and breakfast package, the prices of food at the resort is on the pricey side as are some of the recreational options at the water sports center and bike rentals. Also note that there is no free WIFI available at this time.
All in all, I highly recommend the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa. It's perfect for families looking for a really relaxing place to escape to but within a short driving distance from many fun family-friendly activities the San Diego area has to offer.
DISCLOSURE: This review is based on a complimentary stay at the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa. I received no other compensation. The hotel did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view. These opinions are entirely my own.
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2 families found this helpful
"Perfect for families"
After we picked up our rental car at Alamo, we were off to the 32nd Street Naval base. The are surrounding the base was less than desired and because my husband had just gotten off work when we left for the airport he needed a nap. I decided to bid on priceline for a 4* and was given the lovely Hilton Resort and Spa for only $10 more than what we were paying at the base. I was a little worried as the reviews are mixed. I would definitely give this hotel a 3.5*/4* for its wonderful amenities. We were given a villa in the Remo area which was on the ground floor and had a patio and a HUGE lawn area that our son could burn off steam. He didn’t need to do this as the beach was right there and he rather spend his time playing in the sand. The beach looked like it was racked every morning and there was a pathway that went up and down the beach and many people used for running. The pools were wonderful too. There was a kiddie pool and bigger pool with a zero entry. There was a also a spa, with a wonderful view of the beach. Some areas of the hotel could have used a better cleaning (i.e. the waterfall and pools), but they were not that bad.
The room was an average room, with a refrig. The room had some areas that were worn as the other reviewers had stated, but I found them good enough. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom was updated with granite countertops. We were not in the room that much as we utilized the beach a lot. We used the refrig to store milk and drinks for breakfast. The front desk attendant also mentioned that if we needed a microwave that we could rent one for $20 a day or I could just ask the restaurant to heat up my sons toddler meals.
There was free wifi in the courtyard area and happy hour from the bar is everyday from 5-7pm. They will even give you a drink in a plastic cup so you could sit outside by the pool. The parking was the only outrageous thing at the resort ($25 a day) and to be honest we are not even sure they went around to look for the ticket hanging in the window. I had left it off most of the time as we didn’t have one problem.
All and all, I would highly recommend this resort for anyone with little ones, looking for a hotel on the beach (although I wouldn’t swim in the water-too cold), a wonderful pool area, especially with the zero entry and a kiddie pool. I would also like to mention that EVERY staff member at this resort had a smile and their face and were so pleasant. I find that refreshing these days as it is hard to come by.
Location.
Located in San Diego, this beachfront resort is near University of
San Diego, Seaworld, and Old Town San Diego State Park. Additional
attractions include Mission Beach.
Features.
This San Diego property has a private beach. Dining options at
Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa include a restaurant and a
bar/lounge. Room service is available during limited hours.
Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, a children's pool,
a fitness facility, a steam room, and tennis courts. The property's
full service health spa has beauty services. This 4.0 star property
has a 24 hour business center and offers meeting rooms for small
groups and audio visual equipment. Complimentary wireless Internet
access is available in public areas. This San Diego property has
27,000 square feet of event space consisting of banquet facilities,
conference rooms, a ballroom, and exhibit space. Wedding services
and tour/ticket assistance are available. Additional property
amenities include a marina, a poolside bar, and a coffee
shop/café. A total renovation of this property was completed
in April 2008.
Guestrooms.
There are 357 guestrooms at Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa.
Balconies offer city or garden views. Beds come with pillowtop
mattresses, down comforters, and premium bedding. Refrigerators and
coffee/tea makers are offered. Bathrooms feature shower/tub
combinations, makeup/shaving mirrors, complimentary toiletries, and
hair dryers. Wired high speed Internet access is available for a
surcharge; guestrooms also offer cordless phones, MP3 docking
stations, and voice mail. 42 inch LCD televisions have premium
satellite channels, video game consoles, and pay movies. Air
conditioned rooms also include desks, blackout drapes/curtains,
electronic/magnetic keys, and irons/ironing boards. Guests may
request a turndown service, microwaves, and hypo allergenic
bedding. Housekeeping is available. Cribs (infant beds) and
rollaway beds are available on request. Guestrooms are all non
smoking.
Check-In: 4 PM
Check-Out: Noon
Number of Rooms: 357
Number of Suites: 0
Handicap Accessibility: yes
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Kiddie Pool
Fitness Facility
Services:
In house Restaurant
In house Bar
Room Service
Child Care
High Speed Internet
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