San Diego: Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter (July 2018)

Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter (July 2018) - Excellent Location Just Steps from Shops and Restaurant

My spouse and I stayed at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter for four nights in early July 2018. We reserved our room online using the Hilton website. Although we might have received a small upgrade as Hilton HHonors Diamond members when we checked in, we did not want to take the chance that none would be available, so we booked the exact room category that we wanted. We did not check in online the day prior to our stay (as prompted by email) because we would be arriving in the late morning, and we wanted to be able to occupy any available room in our category rather than being required to wait for the room that we had selected during online check-in.

The Hilton is located just off bustling Fifth Avenue in the 16+ block historic Gaslamp District with its historic Victorian-era buildings, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shops, galleries, and theaters. The hotel is across (busy) East Harbor Drive from the Convention Center and two blocks from PETCO Park (home of the Padres). Nearby, you can board the San Diego Trolley (not to be confused with the Old Town Trolley) to travel further afield, or you can take ferry to Coronado Island. (Ferry tip: use the exterior stairs/exterior elevators at the Convention Center to traverse it; you do not need to walk around the entire building to reach the dock). The airport is only 3 miles away, no more than a 10-minute drive. 

The hotel public spaces include lobby seating near a fireplace, a small business center, and a small pantry (although the Cine Market and Deli across the street offers a wider selection of wine, beer, liquor, non-alcoholic beverages, packaged snacks, and made-to-order items). The New Leaf restaurant occupies the street-level back corner of the building, with both indoor and outdoor seating (the al fresco tables overlook Martin Luther King Park, a favorite place for dog-owners). On the first floor, the hotel offers a small gym and outdoor pool and sundeck. (Although the pool area is compact, at certain times, it even offers food and beverage service. For example, on one afternoon that we visited, the hotel was cooking hamburgers and hotdogs on the nearby grill and offering them alongside cold beverages from a very small bar [at an additional cost].) An expansive adjacent outdoor space between the two Hilton buildings offers a spot to relax al fresco on the comfortable lounge furniture groupings, some of which are arranged around a fire pit. Meeting/event/banquet space is also available.

The hotel offers 286 rooms in two buildings. The Lofts section of the hotel offers lodging with a more residential feel, including 30 loft-like accommodations with 14-foot ceilings and a view of the action on Fifth Avenue. The traditional hotel building offers rooms in categories such as Deluxe and Suites. Some rooms have sliding glass doors and Juliette/French balconies. We booked a King Suite (Room 1112), which was roomy at 462 square feet. Our living room occupied a corner location, with sliding glass doors/step-out balconies on two sides. (One side balcony gave us a great look onto the pool/party deck at the neighboring Hard Rock Hotel.) The other living room balcony overlooked the Convention Center and the bay; because we visited over the July Fourth holiday, we were able to watch the Big Bay Boom fireworks show right from our living room! The living room contained a sleeper sofa (which, by the hollow sounds it made when we were just sitting on it, probably didn’t convert into a very comfortable bed), a coffee table, decorative side chair, large desk with rolling chair, and a TV stand that held the empty mini-refrigerator. A small hallway (with a bureau) led to the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom was on the cozier side, with a combination bathtub/shower, toilet, and large vanity with single sink. A hairdryer, lots of towels, and toiletries are provided (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion); the hotel seemed to be making a transition from the previously usual Peter Thomas Roth products to the Crabtree and Evelyn brand. The bedroom contained a second TV, another sliding door/balcony that overlooked the Convention Center, king-size bed with a nightstand on each side, lounge chair and ottoman. (What it didn’t contain was any decent lighting!) Overall, we were pleased with the size, condition, and location of our suite. 

We enjoyed our stay at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter – the location was perfect for our sightseeing needs, our suite was spacious, and there were many restaurants right outside the door.