My husband and I just returned home from spending two nights at the Old Town Courtyard by Marriott in San Diego. We usually find this chain to provide a fair and comfortable facility. Unfortunately, this is not the case in San Diego. Not only is the facility old and somewhat rundown, it is uncomfortable (except for the bed) with the rooms being unusually small and inconvenient.....especially the bathrooms...and noisy. There is NO included breakfast and the internet service in the lobby is only available at a very excessive cost. We stayed there because we needed airport transportation and even that was delayed from its schedule with no apology or apparent reason. We will NOT stay there again!

This hotel is close to Old Town and the staff is friendly and the Manager was very accomodating. The breakfast staff polite but when I'm given a hand-written receipt of my meal with Total:, Tax:, Tip: all hand written on a register paper I get a little suspicious. Is my money really being put in the register?

I would have had a terrible stay if the front desk had not moved me on my arrival. My first room was facing an onramp of I-5 and after the second motorcycle roared on the ramp and onto I-5 I looked outside and the highway was 30 feet from the building. No sound proofing of any kind except for the thick vinyl curtain over the window. I thought I was over the highway the noise was so loud from trucks, etc. going to LA. Once I got moved to the front of the hotel overlooking the registration area it was a very pleasant place. I just felt so sorry for later arrivals facing the back rooms.

If I went back to Old Town I'd stay in the Holiday Inn Express up the street. I don't know about the rooms there but I don't think any of their rooms are on the highway.

This is a nice hotel that is in a great location -- two blocks from touristy/schlocky Old Town, five minutes from Mission Bay and Sea World and ten minutes from Balboa Park. Thanks to other reviews, I knew to stay away from the side close to the freeway and I must say that I did not hear any traffic noise at all. I was by the elevator and I didn't hear that either.

The staff was very friendly and attentive. Had a very minor problem with my room phone and I got a very nice email from the manager a day later. The hotel was spotless and they had a nice fire going in the lobby fireplace. They offer free internet services in room, which is a plus.

The room was nicely furnished and adequately sized. The bed was really comfortable and the shower was nice too. The sink area is outside the room with the toilet and the shower, but it was a little cramped. Plenty of towels and pillows.

I didn't get a chance to eat in the hotel. The pool looks fairly small, and the tiny exercise room has a bike, treadmill, eliptical trainer, single weight machine, tv, a/c and water cooler. As other people noted, there is plenty of street parking and about 10 free spots on the hotel grounds so you can avoid the $15 parking fee.

The hotel is a bit pricey, but I think that's the nature of the area. In comparison to what other places are going for in the nearby areas, it seems reasonable. For what it is, it was very nice.

The hotel is new looking and attractive, but the rooms are small and noisy, if you're unfortunate enough to have one of the rooms that are directly facing the freeway. Yes, I could have asked for another room, but once you get settled in at night with 2 small kids, trust me, its not worth it. I didn't want to pay the $15 parking fee, so I parked on the street. $15 doesn't seem warranted in that part of Old Town. I found street parking at 6 p.m. Friday night.

Pros:

The rooms are clean and look new. The staff is friendly and helpful.

Cons:

Our room was facing the freeway. It was basically backed right up ON TOP OF THE FREEWAY. I ran the fan all night hoping it would mask some of the noise, but was woken up several times by noisy vehicles.

Very small rooms. O.K. for adults, but not good for families with kids!




Even though the nearby Best Western Hacienda is older, dated, and has a confusing layout I would choose it because of the bigger rooms and better location within Old Town.

If you do decide to stay here make SURE you request a room away from the freeway.