4 Best Luxury Hotels in San Diego (With Photos)

San Diego greets nearly 34 million visitors throughout the year. Choosing a home base for a vacation—whether it’s a family trip or a romantic couple’s getaway—can make or break the entire experience. And for us San Diego natives, we’re allowed to be fastidious when it comes to the hotel we choose for our staycation. With spring in full swing and summer on the horizon, it’s time to relax and enjoy our town. Let's dive into the 4 best luxury hotels in San Diego. 

4. The Hotel Del Coronado

Although technically located on Coronado Island, this hotel is the epitome of an oceanfront San Diego luxury hotel. The Hotel Del Coronado began welcoming guests in January 1888; from the moment it opened its doors, it had already established itself as a luxury resort in a magnificent vacation destination. Since its early days, Hotel Del Coronado’s guest log has included such auspicious names as U.S. Presidents William Taft and Franklin Roosevelt, actress Marilyn Monroe and "Wizard of Oz" author L. Frank Baum. 

Hotel Del may have modernized its amenities, but it has maintained the charm and superior dedication to its guests that continue to make it a premier San Diego resort. Popular travel review website TripAdvisor has accumulated more than 3,000 reviews of the iconic beach resort, with more than 2,100 of those reviews touting it as "breathtaking," "a dream come true" and a "wonderful classic hotel."  It is a short drive to all the major San Diego attractions, including Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and downtown San Diego, yet its island location distances guests from the woes and bustle of city life. If a drive across Coronado Bridge doesn’t seem appealing, Coronado Island itself is an adorable town with postcard–worthy vistas designed for long afternoon’s strolls; shops and restaurants abound when one is ready for a break from the sunshine. 

The resort itself has numerous activities onsite, ranging from its luxury day spa to a daily calendar of activities and, for the guest who simply cannot decide, the concierge is always happy to suggest a day trip or local activity. Whether you’re looking for a vacation jam–packed with all the sights and sounds San Diego has to offer or if you’re just looking for a relaxing beach getaway removed from the everyday San Diego scene, Hotel Del Coronado has everything you’re looking for in a luxury resort. As L.Frank Baum wrote of the hotel, "And every day her loveliness, shines pure, without a flaw; new charms entrance our every glance, and fill our souls with awe!"

3. The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Set in the coastal town of La Jolla, this resort offers a very different—yet equally refined—luxury experience. Ranked number 2 of 24 La Jolla hotels by Trip Advisor, The Lodge at Torrey Pines has garnered a long list of awards and titles since it first opened, including the title of AAA Five Diamond resort annually since 2002. Torrey Pines combines the comfort and relaxation of a rustic log cabin with the extravagance and splendor of a high–end luxury resort. In a press release announcing the resort’s acceptance of the coveted title for the 13th consecutive year, General Manager Bill Gross said, ""This award is well known among sophisticated travelers as a reflection of the ‘Best of the Best’ amid luxury properties. This is not just about our luxurious amenities. It is about the caring and personal service—going above and beyond—is what earns us the Five Diamond designation, year after year."  

To carry on its tradition of top-tier service for its guests, the Lodge offers complimentary chauffeur services within a 5–mile radius of the property, which include San Diego "must sees" such as downtown La Jolla, downtown Del Mar, Westfield UTC Mall, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the renowned La Jolla Playhouse on the campus of UCSD. The heated swimming pool and hot tub are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the hotel offers food and beverages poolside to make paradise a reality. The Lodge has the other amenities typical of a full–service resort, including a fitness center, day spa and onsite restaurants, while always maintaining the attention to detail and customer care that have helped make it such a renowned resort. Torrey Pines is the perfect getaway for San Diegans to unwind from the stresses of everyday life. 

2. The Omni San Diego Hotel

Located in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, guests of The Omni Hotel San Diego find themselves in the heart of downtown San Diego, steps away from the Convention Center and the dozens of restaurants, shops and bars the Gaslamp Quarter has to offer. Baseball fans will love the pedestrian skywalk connecting the Omni to PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres. A trolley stop is a short walk from the hotel, granting easy access to attractions that may be just a little too far to walk to on a hot summer day. 

Onsite, guests will enjoy a full–service fitness center open all day every day, an outdoor terrace with stone fireplace, heated pool and jacuzzi and fine dining at the "casually elegant" McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant. San Diego has an endless selection of activities for visitors and it can get overwhelming to decide what to do, see and experience. Fortunately, the Omni has a solution for that unique dilemma: their concierge are experts in all that is San Diego and are Clefs d’Or members. Clefs d’Or is a prestigious organization of hotel concierges that refined the profession of concierge to an art; members of the exclusive entity are recognizable by the crossed gold keys on the lapels of their uniforms and when you work with a Clefs d’Or concierge, you can rest assured that the day they have recommended for you will be an experience truly unique to the city you are visiting. Whether you’re new to San Diego or just looking for a place to rest your head after a late baseball game, the Omni is sure to please.

1. Loews Coronado Bay Resort

Located on a private 15–acre peninsula on Coronado Island, Loews Coronado Bay Resort. This luxury resort boasts such unique amenities as its own private onsite marina, where guests can purchase private two–hour sailing experiences for two complete with a bottle of wine or sparkling cider or a private gondola ride exploring the picturesque Coronado Cays (sunset cruises are available for an additional charge for those who are looking for a truly romantic experience during their vacation). For guests who are looking for a more hands–on experience, three–hour sailing lessons are available with the Loews sailing crew to learn how to "sail like a pro." Loews incorporates their waterside location into their amenities so you can take full advantage!

When guests are ready to throw in the towel for the day and return to their rooms to relax, Loews Coronado Bay Resort boasts more than 400 luxury guest rooms, including "plush suites." All guest rooms include top–of–the–line amenities, including a Keurig coffeemaker to help guests start the day right and complimentary Wi–Fi so they can keep friends and family updated on their luxurious vacation with plenty of posts and photos. The deep soaking tub in your room may make it difficult to leave, but there are countless other features and activities throughout the resort that will make the temptation too great to resist. The resort’s calendar of events is updated regularly online and guests can check with the front desk for any special events going on each day. With five different onsite restaurants and three lounges throughout the property, guests will not run short of dining options. Loews Coronado Bay Resort is a true destination resort that will envelope guests in luxury and comfort from the moment they arrive.