Holiday Inn Express Solana Beach/Del Mar

I stayed here for 7 nights in June 2006 while on business in Solana Beach. A coworker and I stayed in separate rooms, each with two double beds.

The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the check-in was quick and efficient. My coworker and I lost our room keycards on separate occasions, but they were quickly re-issued. Housekeeping did a good job of cleaning my room daily. My coworker, however, found a used diaper in the corner of his room - which had been there for at least two days! After informing the front desk - much to their shock - it was removed immediately.

The bed in my room was very comfortable. The bedding looked new, and they gave you pillows labelled "firm" and "soft". The big Kohler showerhead was very nice and gave a good soaking. Even the shower curtain rod was curved outward to give you a little more space while standing. The iron and ironing board was very handy for pressing my folded, scrunched clothes after they'd been unpacked from my overstuffed luggage. I never had to wear wrinkled clothes at all. The air conditioning worked well when I needed it. The fridge was very convenient to store cold drinks and leftover food items. Unfortunately the freezer part wasn't cold enough to prevent some ice cream from melting. There was also a coffee maker and microwave oven, although I didn't use either. My room had a sliding glass door that opened out onto a balcony, but I didn't use it because it overlooked the lot of the Dynamite Shine Auto Detailing and National car rental businesses.

The continental breakfast wasn't gourmet, but it was decent with lots of choices. Cold cereal and milk, juice, fruit, pastries, and hard-boiled eggs were the typical fare. The breakfast/great room was very spacious and was kept clean by the staff. The fitness room is quite small, and for an experienced gym member like myself, was inadequate for my needs. It was quite hot and didn't have a fan. To its credit, there was a water cooler, towels and a hamper for used towels.

The facility is showing a little wear and tear. The room decor looks dated. I saw some questionable tiling, missing grout and deteriorating wallcovering in the bathroom. The bathroom ceiling was also water-stained and discoloured. The furniture in the room was a little banged up too. Everything still worked properly and nothing was unsafe.

The lack of soundproofing is noticeable if you're sensitive to noise. My neighbours' TV was on late and I heard it loud and clear - luckily they turned it off by the time I went to bed. Occasionally I heard footsteps from the room above me. I could hear traffic in the hallway as well, although it was quiet by 11 pm. Next door, the National trucks' backup alarms start up at about 7 am. Finally, there is a passenger railway line on the opposite side of the highway. Although it's below grade, you can still hear the trains occasionally. I let the A/C run on the "fan only" setting all night, which provided enough white noise to cover up any sounds that would have annoyed me. Anyone who is bothered by noise should ask for a room on the top floor near the back of the hotel.

The location of the hotel on Highway 101 is convenient. Access to Interstate 5 is fairly easy, and San Diego is about 20-30 minutes away by car depending on traffic. There are several stores and restaurants within walking distance. There is access to the beach via a public pathway and stairs a short distance from the back of the hotel. The area is safe and walking at night is no problem.

With a few exceptions, the Holiday Inn Express is a good choice when staying in Solana Beach. I would stay here again.

The bed was awful, I got stuck in a smoking room which was disgusting, the balcony had plastic plants sealed with cement in planters, the hallways were never cooled off, the walk to the beach was insane.
Other than that, this place was okay. The location was important due to work I needed to do but I did not spend much time in this room and my clothes reeked of cigarettes when I got home.
The staff is very nice, there is underground parking and the breakfast was good. The pool was teeny, as in about 12 feet long and the deepest area was 4 feet.
I will spend a few more dollars and head back to the Hilton Del Mar next time.

The hotel is suipposedly right by the beach, but I'm not really sure where the beach was. I never saw it. Of course, it was June Gloom so we didn't really look for it. The room was nice, though, and free breakfast is always a plus! It was also really nice to be out of SD, but still be near enough to go do everything. And Del Mar is a neat little town with some good restaurants.

Being a block from the beach at a hotel where every room has a balcony, we expected a view from our room. Wrong! Our view was of the roof of the Alamo/National Car Rental office next door. Condos block any views and the small public beach that's a block away is reachable only by a long, steep set of stairs. A computer in the breakfast room is available for guests at a price. There's a per-minute Internet access charge and printing charge. The airhandler on the roof kept my husband awake in our 3rd floor room. A move to the 2nd floor solved the problem. A guest laundry is a nice perk. The breakfast room is large, but could use a couple more tables. The pool is small. The furniture in our room was falling apart and wiring (maybe computer cables) dangled from the ceiling. The staff was friendly and responsive. The rooms were clean. Two excellent restaurants are within a short walking distance -- Pacific Coast Grill and Parioli. We used this as our base for San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, La Jolla and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. It's a 20-minute drive to San Diego if there's no traffic on I-5.