17 Best Hotels in San Diego
When it comes to a choosing a vacation destination, few places have that relaxing beach vibe with nearly perfect weather year-round like San Diego does. But the city has more to offer than coastal views and its family-friendly reputation—just look to the rich mix of hotels for proof. There are swanky downtown spots, romantic Spanish-Colonial resorts, and historic landmarks, not to mention world-class spas, championship golf courses, and an Oprah-approved wellness center. If you're in town on business or pleasure you'll find somewhere that will ensure you make the most of your trip. Here, our list of the best hotels in San Diego.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
AUDA/Courtesy InterContinental San DiegohotelInterContinental San Diego
Readers' Choice Awards 2019The InterContinental offers a lot within walking distance. By foot, Little Italy is 15 minutes away and the Gaslamp Quarter is about 20. By car, Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo are less than 10 minutes. It may not have beach access, but the harbor's right at the hotel doors, perfect for sunset strolls, a visit to the USS Midway, and the Waterfront Park. Just don't mind the cruise terminal. In a destination like San Diego, the view is everything. So it makes sense that the InterContinental capitalizes on its harbor location with floor-to-ceiling windows (in rooms and even in the fitness center) and a fourth floor pool overlooking the water. That means plenty of prime sunset vantage points, too. This is a waterfront hotel for traditional, no-frills travelers.
Courtesy The Pearl/ Photographed by Lexandria MonettehotelThe Pearl Hotel
Readers' Choice Awards 2021A lot of hotels near the bay reek of cliché coastal decor. Not so at this hip, midcentury beaut in Point Loma, a couple blocks from the water and midway between the beaches of La Jolla and the urban delights of Little Italy. The petite 23-room hotel feels like Palm Springs style with a low-key, tucked-away vibe. Built in 1959 by San Diego architect Robert Platt and originally dubbed Sportsman’s Lodge, The Pearl has been a hit for its central location and iconic oyster-shaped pool, but the rooms and decor always felt a little stale. Thankfully, hospitality collective Casetta Group took over in 2019 and modernized all 23 guest rooms and common areas, bringing in wood, linen, handmade ceramics, and other organic materials in desert-friendly hues. It still has an old-school Cali feel but with a more streamlined, less kitschy vibe.
Cal-a-ViehotelCal-a-Vie
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023At Cal-a-Vie, in Vista California, you could mistakenly believe you were somewhere in the bucolic French countryside. Suites are simple and rustic, with washed-out wooden floors, fresh flowers, and comfy, bounce-worthy beds. This is a place that offers much to do—you can wake to a sunrise hike and follow it up with any combination of spinning, water volleyball, or piloxing (dance, pilates, and boxing). Soothe your sore muscles with a trip to the world-class spa; past patrons rave about the massages, but also look for their Vinothérapie options, which incorporate Cal-a-Vie’s organic wine grape seeds, skins, and pulp extracts. Pair these pampering treatments with an on-site nutritionist, and you’ll leave feeling like a million bucks.
Courtesy Park Hyatt AviarahotelPark Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa
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Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023Carlsbad, just north of San Diego, may be better known as a barefoot surf town than a luxury resort destination. Though this legacy retreat has been bringing in a golf crowd for its manicured greens that host the LGPA for decades. Those who knew it as the Four Seasons will recognize the residence club and fairways. But the $50 million that Hyatt pumped in to relaunch the fabled resort last year means it now includes an updated 15,000 square foot spa with knock out Swedish massages and a sharp new Californian bistro, Ember and Rye, where the barbecued oysters go well with their Sonoma chardonnays. Of course there is plenty to keep the kids happy too, including a totally reimagined pool area with waterslides and a badminton area. And nice to know, too, that should moms and dads want to escape down the bluff for a night out knocking back beers with the local surfers, Aviara has a squad of babysitters at the ready. Doubles from $599. —Michelle Gross
Dylan + JenihotelThe Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
$The beach communities have incredible views and the hipster 'hoods have the beer and coffee scene, but downtown San Diego has been slower to find its unique value proposition. The answer started emerging in summer 2019, when The Guild opened in a 1920s-era YMCA. The 162-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel retained some historic details, like the (restored) exterior and grand stone staircase. But there are plenty of the new touches, too, like blush-colored velvet couches, herringbone floors, and a slick lobby bar.
Courtesy Rancho Bernardo InnhotelRancho Bernardo Inn
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022Located in a quiet suburb 30 miles north of downtown San Diego, the Rancho Bernardo Inn is ideal—if you don't mind staying put. (There's not much going on in the area.) This place is the whole package though—beautiful decor, dedicated service, next-level amenities, well-manicured grounds, and a serene vibe. Make time for the excellent spa, which has outdoor treatment rooms in the garden and a private pool, or play the Championship golf course.
Courtesy Fairmont Grand Del MarhotelFairmont Grand Del Mar
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022Fairmont Grand Del Mar is grand, indeed; the majestic 400-acre resort, operated by the team behind The Plaza in New York City, and The Savoy, has a luxurious Mediterranean vibe thanks to a rose-colored facade, intricate ironwork, roof tiles, copper accents, and towering cypress and palm trees. It feels a little like a palace in Spain or France —with California burritos and great surf just a few miles away.
Courtesy The US GranthotelThe US Grant, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Diego
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020The 11-story historic building is downright regal. Inside, the lobby feels palatial, with sparkling chandeliers, glossy tile floors, and impressive Corinthian-style columns. The hotel has a strong cocktail program, and the Vieux Carré experience is particularly special; bartenders make the cocktails tableside on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Plus, the location is central to Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, buzzy restaurants in Little Italy, and the scenic bayfront area.
Courtesy The WestgatehotelThe Westgate Hotel
$$Feel transported to Versailles at this elegant hotel where skyline views, comfortable beds, and a decadent brunch buffet draw business travelers and families alike. The lobby is opulent, with Baccarat crystal chandeliers, French tapestries, and Persian rugs. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the recent wave of modern, minimalist hotels. The downtown location means you're walking distance from the Gaslamp Quarter and just a few miles from Little Italy, Balboa Park, and the zoo. It's an elegant option in San Diego.
Courtesy Rancho Valencia Resort & SpahotelRancho Valencia Resort & Spa
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023More like a luxurious neighborhood than a typical resort, this sprawling getaway is peak California. Think orange groves, bright pink bougainvillea, and Spanish Colonial architecture. The main features—the suites, restaurants, lobby—are spread out across 45 acres, making it feel more like a luxurious neighborhood than a typical resort. Located in Rancho Santa Fe, a ritzy enclave 25 miles north of downtown San Diego, this place has the whole package—beautiful decor, dedicated service, next-level amenities, well-manicured grounds, and a serene vibe.
Courtesy Omni Hotel & Resorts/©Don Riddle ImageshotelOmni La Costa Resort & Spa
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019What used to be a celebrity retreat in the ‘60s has morphed into an expansive Mission-style resort spread out across 400 hilly acres in Carlsbad. This place is all about the activities, and you can go as sweaty or as serene as you choose. The landscaping is immaculate, with palm trees, bougainvillea, and fountains. With 17 clay and hard tennis courts, a championship golf course, restaurants, and its own shopping complex, Omni La Costa feels more like a little city than a resort.
Courtesy Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by HiltonhotelHotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023You can spot the iconic red turrets from the plane. The beachfront Victorian-style hotel is grand, a San Diego icon featured in the Marilyn Monroe flick Some Like It Hot. It feels less like a traditional resort and more like a retail complex open to the public, with shops, restaurants, walking paths, and an ice skating rink during the holidays (in addition to its guest rooms). The hotel offers old-school vibes with new-school luxury—and dogs are welcome, too.
Jason DeweyhotelHotel Republic San Diego, Autograph Collection
$Despite its position downtown, Hotel Republic, a modern hotel (and a great-value to boot). It takes its design cues from San Diego's coastal location, with blue carpeting, chandeliers made of driftwood, and nautical tchotchkes. Accommodations are nothing mind-blowing, but they're definitely comfortable, with modern vibes and a pleasing blue-and-white color palette. Most standard rooms clock in at a comfortable-but-not-huge 362 square feet, but you can bump up to a corner room or the Presidential Suite for even more space. If you can stay the whole weekend every Sunday, the rooftop Topside Terrace Kitchen and Bar hosts free yoga classes for both guests and non-guests.
Courtesy Estancia La JollahotelEstancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023Estancia is in the upscale coastal neighborhood of La Jolla, but closer to UC San Diego and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve than the pedestrian-friendly Village. Terra-cotta hues and charming architecture stand out at this Spanish Colonial-style hotel and spa that also features pristine gardens to stroll in the mornings. The spa has nine treatment rooms, including a couple’s option with an outdoor tub. Make sure to hit up the eucalyptus steam room and the meditation garden. The hotel is peak California: Mission-style architecture, succulents, and gardens galore.
Courtesy: La ValenciahotelLa Valencia Hotel and Spa
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018You can't miss it—just look for the iconic pink stucco exterior of this Mediterranean-style hotel that sits on a cliff above La Jolla Cove. Dubbed "the pink lady," the boutique hotel is Old Hollywood meets Alhambra meets French Riviera, with dark wood, Spanish-style roof tiles, and oil paintings. San Diego is already a beautiful vacation spot, so booking a stay here is taking your getaway to the next level. It's one of the most picturesque, iconic hotels in town.
Courtesy The Lodge at Torrey PineshotelThe Lodge at Torrey Pines
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Modeled after the famed Gamble and Blacker houses of Pasadena, this cliffside Craftsman-style resort looms large. The decor is dark and heavy, with brick, stone, and wood beams. A hit with golfers and design geeks alike, this serene, well-appointed resort is spread across six acres but still manages to feel cozy. The resort is located on the 18th green of the South Course of the renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course. If you're here in January, you may spot the Farmers Insurance Open, and if you’re here in 2021, the U.S. Open. While the course is open to the public guests get preferred tee times and access to special packages.
Courtesy The Pendry San DiegohotelPendry San Diego
$$ | Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023When Montage decided to open a line of trendy, design-centric hotels geared toward the millennial traveler, the company looked to San Diego to be its first outpost. This bright, 12-story hotel opened in early 2017 and brought some much-needed modernity to the Gaslamp Quarter, a downtown neighborhood that veers on the kitschy, touristy side. The rooms feature lots of wood, whites, and metallic gold touches—like a West Elm catalog come to life. But this is as much a dining and nightlife venue as it is a hotel. There's casual all-day fare at Provisional; high-end seafood at Lionfish; a casual beer bar with the best soft pretzel around at Nason's Beer Hall; Vegas-style partying at the subterranean Oxford Social Club
Courtesy Kimpton Hotel SolamarhotelSolamar San Diego
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018The Solamar is in the East Village, a quickly developing downtown neighborhood with warehouse-style restaurants, hip bars, and baseball at Petco Park. They're not going for understated here. The decor includes prints, metallics, and pops of purple throughout. and you’ll probably want to take a selfie in front of the bathroom’s graphic black-and-white wallpaper. It's an ideal jumping off point to a lot of the buzz-worthy things to do in San Diego.
hotelTower23 Hotel
$$Located in the youthful Pacific Beach neighborhood, this modern boutique hotel splits the difference between shabby-chic and ultra-glamorous, while offering plenty to keep you entertained and a prime location by the beach. Check it out—as long as you're okay with a bit of a party vibe. It’s a fun, laid-back hotel with style. And, really, you must see the sunset from the second-floor deck.
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