Kimpton's Hotel Solamar
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2 Reviews for Kimpton's Hotel Solamar
77
38
'11, '12
1 family found this helpful
"Kimpton's Hotel Solamar has a great downtown SD location"
Our family loves day trips to San Diego, but sometimes there’s much to see that we want to stay overnight for a mini vacation. It's hard to know what hotels are family-friendly in downtown among the many choices, but we chose Hotel Solamar because it’s a boutique hotel and not a super-big chain. My first impression of the hotel was its great location next to Petco Park and the San Diego trolley line. I knew we would be able to walk to a lot of sightseeing and restaurants. The valets were very friendly and helpful, not only when we first arrived but throughout our stay. At one point we needed jackets from the car and they made the dash to get them rather than us having check out the car and check it back in.
WHAT WE REALLY ENJOYED:
-spacious room
-breakfast at JSix
-location close to Subway, CVS and Old Spaghetti Factory
-pool deck on rooftop
-friendly staff
-ocean theme
-near Petco Park and playground
WHAT WE DID NOT LOVE:
-valet parking was great service but pricey at $40 for one night
-although family-friendly had a business feel to it
-evening reception and morning coffee service doesn't include options for kids
-no hot tub / jacuzzi on pool deck
It’s a boutique hotel so there are personal touches and design features that make it feel different from a big chain. The theme of “sun” and “sea” are woven throughout the lobby. Get it? “Sol” for sea and “mar” for ocean. The lighting fixtures on the wall past the entrance look like starfish and shells. The front desk staff was courteous and accommodating. This hotel has perks such as: a complimentary evening wine hour and complimentary organic coffee and tea service in the morning. There wasn’t really anything for the kids to have, though. Luckily my kids were understanding -- but it would be nice to bring your own juice box or special treat for the kids to sip if the parents are planning to imbibe. There was a business center in case work needed to be done on vacation. A nice touch is their in-room safety kits which include: outlet covers, toilet latches, and nightlight.
We could have stayed in a 2 queen guest room as a family of 4, but they suggested we might like the Virtuoso Suite because there is more space for a family to spread out during the day. It turned out to be a good choice. There was a desk and couch in the living area. At night, the couch folded out into a double bed leaving very little floor space. I think the kids are getting bigger now and would have preferred the bigger queen bed. There was also a television with DVD player in both the living area and sleeping area (one King bed). Larger families could have fit a few kids on the floor in the sleeping area, but it would have been tight. There was a sliding door separating the “rooms” so that was a nice feature. They also had leopard print robes hanging in the closet in both child and adult sizes. My kids thought that was pretty fun to have a cozy robe while in the room.
We saw a number of families visiting with kids younger than ours (10 and 6), but the hotel felt more like a business hotel or hipster hotel with its quiet library and calming deep ocean colors. However, all the staff were very family-friendly and they were even pet-friendly. A chalkboard out front welcomed pets by name in colorful chalk writing and offered up a bowl of water for thirsty hounds. The front desk was quick to point out that there was a CVS pharmacy was right down the street in case of a sundry emergency and Subway was also within walking distance. We chose to walk the 1 and a half blocks to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Such a great family place! We saved our trip to the on-site restaurant until after our morning surf lesson.
Our stay was part of Kimpton’s Hotel Solamar “Hang Ten, Then Hang Out” surf package (two night minimum stay). We arrived on Friday and when we awoke on Saturday, the Coronado Surf Academy came to the hotel to pick us up for the kids to experience a surf lesson on Coronado Island across the bay. The owner, Teevan, was very nice and told us a bit about his business and how the surf lesson would run during the drive.
Unfortunately, we came on the tail end of a storm and the wind was really whipping when we got to the beach. My kids were troopers and tried their best to stay warm in their wetsuits and carry on with the lesson. In the end, it was just too cold and the conditions didn’t cooperate -- not at all the norm for San Diego. If I were ever to do it again, I’d be on top of the weather and cancel the lesson if it were anything less than calm. The age range for surf lessons is 5 and up. I would have been more comfortable if my youngest were a little older.
When I specifically asked if the hotel had a Plan B for the surf package if the weather doesn’t cooperate, they said “each package booked will be reimbursed the surf lesson if weather doesn't permit it to occur.” I brought up my weather concerns many times before our trip, but the surf school didn’t think it warranted cancelling the lesson. I’d just hope they’d take the “fun factor” into account in the future. It’s just not fun for little kids - or their concerned parents - when the weather is awful. Luckily, the weather in San Diego is usually awesome -- but check the weather before your visit and be prepared to talk to the surf school to ask about cancellations or to cancel it yourself if the conditions are not safe for kids.
The cold morning at the beach was followed up with the kids taking a dip at the 4th floor pool as we tried to warm up in the sun. My kids loved swimming in a pool on the roof and it was warm enough for them to swim on a cold day. Parents of little ones will like the long set of steps where toddlers can play. There was no jacuzzi at this hotel. There is an outdoor bar and lounge, but it was closed due to the inclement weather. I would have loved to hang out here on a day when the Padres were playing at Petco Park.
After showering, our late breakfast at the hotel restaurant was just what we needed. The food was incredible! JSix has someone on staff who makes fresh croissants every morning. Yum! The children’s menu is limited to cheesy eggs and pancakes, but there are plenty of reasonably priced a la carte items. Again, the restaurant felt fancy, but there were plenty of families and children eating there. Try the California eggs benedict, the bananas foster French toast, or the lemon-laced French toast.
We would stay at Hotel Solamar again and we would recommend it to others because of its central location, friendly staff, and excellent restaurant.
This review is based on a complimentary stay at Kimpton’s Hotel Solamar. I received no other compensation besides the hotel stay and surf package plus our meal at JSix. The hotel, surf school and restaurant did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
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It's helpful0 families found this helpful
"Family *and* pet friendly"
Hotel-provided cribs were sturdy metal, not a shoddy playpen. Staff was accommodating and we even got free tea service in the lobby. Rooms were nice and the pool on the roof was cool. I do wish the pool had been a bit bigger or that there was a separate pool for families. Since there is a pool-side bar, there was a certain element of "meat market" at the pool at times.
Location.
This hotel is located close to the airport. Attractions in the
neighborhood include Petco Park and San Diego Convention Center.
Other attractions include San Diego Zoo.
Features.
Dining options at Kimpton's Hotel Solamar include the JSix
restaurant and a bar/lounge by the pool. Room service is available 24 hours a day. The property hosts a complimentary evening reception.
Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, a health club, and a fitness facility. Spa amenities include facials and body treatments. This 4.0 star property has a business center and offers meeting rooms for small groups, secretarial services, and audio visual equipment. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. This San Diego property has 9797 square
feet of event space consisting of banquet facilities, conference rooms, a ballroom, and exhibit space. Wedding services and tour assistance are available. Additional property amenities include a poolside bar, valet parking, and a concierge desk. This is a smoke free property.
Guestrooms.
There are 235 guestrooms at Hotel Solamar a Kimpton Hotel. Beds
come with premium bedding. Bathrooms feature makeup/shaving
mirrors, designer toiletries, bathrobes, and hair dryers. In
addition to CD players, guestrooms offer multi line phones with
voice mail. Televisions have DVD players and video game consoles.
Air conditioned rooms also include desks, minibars, blackout
drapes/curtains, and electronic check out. Guests may request a
turndown service and wake up calls. Housekeeping is available.
Cribs (infant beds) and rollaway beds are available on request.
Check-In: 3 p.m.
Check-Out: 12 p.m.
Number of Rooms: 235
Number of Suites: 0
Non Smoking Rooms Available: yes
Pets: yes
Website:
http://www.hotelsolamar.com
Phone:
619.819.9500
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Hot tub
Fitness Facility
Services:
In house Restaurant
In house Bar
Room Service
High Speed Internet
WIFI
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