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Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown: Traveler Reviews


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Traveler Reviews

66% Recommend
3.5 of 5 stars 60 reviews
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Holiday Inn for a mini holiday escape...

Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown

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4 of 5 stars
sandiegotonio 5 contributions
San Diego, California
Oct 20, 2006 | Trip type: Couples
6/6 found this review helpful

I usually don't hold my breath when I book a room on Priceline..I already know what to expect...at least I did...for some strange reason, the hotels we score usually give us the crappy, "nobody wants" rooms....but I was surprised with this Holiday Inn...it was my birthday and I wanted to get out of town for a day, so I booked this room thinking I would end up sleeping in a broom closet.
But I was happy to find out I was on the 10th floor, in a clean, non smoking room with a semi-great view of the harbor. And yes, the bathroom is small and the toilet area even smaller ((why no fans in bathrooms anymore??) but the size and comfort of the bed and speedy room service made up for it. I enjoyed myself here so much that i stayed an extra day. The FREE high speed internet was a great surprise.....I was "borrowing" Radissons WiFi from across the street until i realized that the high speed in my room was free...
Room service is crazy though for charging $12 bucks for an omelet then gently topping it off with an 18% gratuity, $2 room charge and taxes...that $12 omelet ended up costing us $25....its better to just get your super sized, relaxed butt out of bed and down to the coffeeshop a few blocks away for a bagel....
The parking is insane with their $12 a day parking fee..but I was able to find parking on both days on the street. I actually didn't even need the car...Downtown is less than a 10 minute walk..Little Italy 4 minute and the harbor less than 5......

  • Liked — Room servcie was fast...great shower pressure...food was up to par but expensive....bed was comfy....view was great
  • Disliked — $12 parking fee....small bathroom....not a lot of cable channels....no fans in the bathroom...don't get a room close to elevators
  • Tips/Secrets: — Skip the room service and eat out...park in the street...
  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
  • Date of stay October 2006
  • Visit was for Personal event (wedding, ...)
  • Traveled with Spouse / significant other
  • Age group 25-34
  • Member since July 14, 2006
  • Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? Yes
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Families with teenagers, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Great pool scene, Pet owners
  • I selected this hotel as a top choice for Other
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $142 (year-round)
Call now to book: 877-270-6397 from HolidayInn.com
Great Hotel!

Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown

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5 of 5 stars
noke12 1 contribution
roanoke, va
Sep 12, 2006
4/4 found this review helpful

I stayed at this hotel for one night while on a business trip the week of July 4th. I stayed at the Wyndam - Emerald Plaza (company paid for it) the first 6 days and the Holiday Inn Harbor View the last night. I pricelined it for $86, which was a good deal during that week. I actually liked this hotel more than the Emerald Plaza. First, it was nearly just as nice in the rooms. The lobby lacks the luxury of the wyndam, but who really hangs out in the lobby. Second, FREE internet! 15 dollars a day at the wyndam adds up and is inconvient. So I was happy about that.

They were also flexible about choosing the type of room, king bed, etc even though i bought it on priceline. This hotel is a nice, and near the trolley line for easy access to mexico or anywhere downtown.

  • Date of stay July 2006
  • Member since September 12, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $142 (year-round)
Call now to book: 877-270-6397 from HolidayInn.com
It's the worst i ever been to in San Diego area

Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown

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1 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
san francisco
Jan 24, 2006
1/4 found this review helpful

This hotel is so bad. Probably it was a good hotel 20 years ago, but now it's so filthy and cheap. The location is good but that's all you'll get staying in this hotel.

It needs to get carpets changed, change bed clothings, vacuum, it is just so old and smelly.

I'll never stay in this hotel again and this gives me a terrible image of what Holiday Inn has become. It's a shame.

  • Date of stay January 2006
  • Member since January 24, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Average price*: $142 (year-round)
Call now to book: 877-270-6397 from HolidayInn.com
Beware of $12 a day parking fee

Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown

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2 of 5 stars
KrisNAz 3 contributions
Gilbert, AZ
Jan 20, 2006
2/4 found this review helpful

This hotel is in a good location, traffic is bad though so be careful if you plan on walking across the street. I think this is the Holiday Inn (circular shaped) a few blocks from the Gas Lamp district that we stayed in. They charged us $12 a day to park!! They justified it saying the land is owned by San Diego county and it's actually the city's charge, or something to that effect. On top of of the other charges and taxes we had to pay, didnt turn out to be that great of a deal. Elevators take forever since theyre always crowded. The rooms were decent and fairly comfortable, alot of noise from the outside though. Probably won't stay here again.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay August 2005
  • Member since January 20, 2006
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Great pool scene, Pet owners
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $142 (year-round)
Call now to book: 877-270-6397 from HolidayInn.com
Much better than expected - name is misleading though

Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown

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4 of 5 stars
mjs7777 41 contributions
Palo Alto, California
Jan 17, 2006
5/5 found this review helpful

We stayed for one weeknight at the end of a long road trip. We were flying back and wanted something downtown to enjoy the last evening of our trip. Got this hotel as a 2.5* bid on Priceline.

There are a lot of positive aspects to this property. Service was fast and skilled. Our room was nice and they were flexible about which to give us (sometimes an issue with Priceline). The place was quiet and shuttle service was great. My flight out was a 10pm and my girlfriend's was the next morning around 10am. We both got there promptly thanks to the pleasant driver.

The restaurant really is more of a coffee shop. They do their best and try very hard, and they do serve alcohol. We had lunch there and it was fine, but we went out for dinner in the Gaslamp District. It was an easy, brisk walk for us -- the front desk offered a walking map that also showed downtown bus lines.

While the hotel itself was quiet, we could hear some noise from the expressway, even though we were on a high floor. It didn't bother us but could be a concern if you must have an absolutely quiet environment.

One important note is that the hotel now bills itself as "Holiday Inn - Downtown" rather than "Holiday Inn - Harbor View", for good reason. There is now a giant apartment building right in the middle of the view of the harbor. Our room had a panoramic view -- on the far right we could see the expressway, then panning left a little of the harbor, then that giant building, then a little more of the harbor, then more buildings and a construction site. It just wasn't a very compelling view.

Overall, we liked the hotel quite a bit. It was clean and generally quiet, with a friendly staff. It was definitely the best choice available given the price we paid. Just don't expect a striking view of the harbor.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay January 2006
  • Member since July 27, 2005
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Tourists
  • I do not recommend this hotel for An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Great pool scene, Pet owners
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $142 (year-round)
Call now to book: 877-270-6397 from HolidayInn.com
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Holiday Inn San Diego-Downtown Also Known As

Address: 1617 First Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101