I stayed at the W San Diego this week for a conference. I booked the conference late and was unable to get a hotel closer to the convention center, and had a choice of the W, the U.S.Grant, or the Wyndham Emerald Plaza (now Westin SD). Since I had Starwood rewards, I chose the W for its sophistication and trendiness. I was very pleased with the whole experience. The doorstaff were helpful with directions or hailing a cab. The front desk was cheerful when checking me in - even though I was an hour early, I was able to get into my room without any hassle or wait. The Whatever/Whenever concierge was great for dinner suggestions, even if it was just getting us a pizza delivered from the nearby Little Italy neighborhood. When the bar didn't have my partner's brand of cigarettes, they sent a doorman three blocks to the 7-11 to get them for her. Our room was clean and well-supplied every day. I would have liked to have a comfy chair, but there was a huge window seat that worked OK. Bed was luxurious, desk was huge, and there were plenty of hangers in the closet (one of my usual pet peeves). There was a chalkboard to leave messages or just draw on - it said Welcome to San Diego my first day, then changed to have a nice day, and have a great weekend - a nice touch.

One safety caveat - downtown San Diego seemed very safe for the most part, especially in the Gaslamp District and near the stadium. The immediate area around the W was also safe, but about two to three blocks east on B and C Street is the city jail/courthouse, with 24 hour bail bondsmen offices and some unsavory characters hanging around, including some homeless sleeping on the sidewalk. While we were not approached by anyone, we did step pretty quickly for the last couple blocks back from the Gaslamp Quarter. When I mentioned it to the doorman, he gave us a safer walking route to the Gaslamp area for the next night.

The hotel was perfect for a conference visit. Only a 10 minute walk to the Manchester Hyatt, Gaslamp district, maritime museum & harbor village.

The good...
The room was spotless and well appointed. I especially enjoyed the Bliss products provided.
- The hotel has many lounge areas, including a beach inspired outdoor bar/lounge. A pool area and great gym.
- The music was soothing and not the raging electro/techno some other W establishments pound on the speakers.

The not so good...
- The view was not great, I was facing south into a parking lot. - The concierge gave us an extra piece of luggage we discovered while at the airport!

Disclaimer: My review is based on comparing this hotel to others in it's price/star range.

First and foremost, it's important that you know what you're getting when you book a stay at a W hotel. This is not the Hyatt Regency. If you are looking for quiet, dimly lit oak bars, antique looking room furnishings or for anything conservative, you should look elsewhere. The W is all about being trendy from the lobby bar to the rooms to the staff. You're going to get bright, vibrant colors (in the San Diego W, it's a blue and yellow color scheme). If you have a problem with techno music, rock music or rap music, look elsewhere. If seeing people consume alcohol is an issue for you, look elsewhere. The W caters to a mostly hip, upscale crowd, business travelers and the like.

Hotel: Many have said they had trouble with parking here but I had no issues. Hotel is all valet (maybe it wasn't in the past). You drive up, you get out, you hand the guy your keys, he hands you a ticket and you're done. Easy. Took me 30 seconds from driving up to having my bags out of the car and on my way. Decour is ultra-modern. Bright colors. Trendy lounge/bar on the first floor that shares space with the lobby. On weekend nights it will be crowded with well dressed hipsters drinking martinis. Gym and small pool on the 2nd floor. A few free weights but mostly cardio machines. The tredmills, bikes and elipticals all had in-console TVs and radios (and some of them even worked).

Staff: If the cool college kids who live down the street bother you, so will the staff. I found them all nice and very helpful. When I called down for my car it never took more than 15 minutes for it to arrive. Room service was fast and polite. After being on the road for business for nearly two months straight, I didn't feel like leaving the room one night and the room servince menu didn't have what I wanted, so I called Whatever/Whenever and had them go pick me up some Thai food from a place a few blocks away. Had my food in 40 minutes (shorter than the room service wait on a Friday night) for a couple of extra bucks.

Room: Great. A little small but that's typical with W rooms. Well decorated in bright blues and yellows. 36" flat panel TV. DVD player in room if you brought movies with you or you can check them out from the hotel library. Excellent toiletries. Cant beat the lemon/sage body wash and lotion.

Restaraunt/Bar: Three, three, three bars! Lounge bar is attached to the lobby and has a few stools and lots of couch/lounge space with games like chess, checkers, etc. This place is pretty popular and expensive. Magnet bar is down the hall and worth checking out. Beach bar is up from the pool on the 2nd floor past the pool and has a sand floor, fire pit, hanging chairs, and palm trees. It is usually packed in good weather. Was little chilly during my stay and I found the beach bar to have the funnest people and best bartenders in the hotel.

Other: The W is not cheap. I travel for work, so I don't care because it all gets expensed. You are going to get hit up for everything here. Bottle of Voss water? Paying. Parking? 25 bucks a night. Internet access? 12 bucks a day. Pack of M&Ms from the mini-bar? 4 bucks. Be smart. Clean everything out of the mini-bar, stack it on top, and fill it with your own snacks and drinks. When you leave, put their stuff back in. Problem solved.

This is a great hotel. The room we had was a deluxe suite and it was tastefully decorated and had great views. The hotel is situated in downtown San Diego and parking is a bit difficult. But that was the only drawback. If you want a classy, hip hotel, this one is it. Would
definately recommend for young, upscale adults. There is a bar in the lobby that is very popular with the locals (again, think upscale youthful yuppies, post-modern hipsters). But if you stay in the hotel, you skip the line for the bar and get free entrance. There is nothing bad to say about this place. Great view, beautiful room, clean. Pleasant stay. Classy. A+ experience.