Holiday Inn SAN DIEGO - BAYSIDE

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

959 reviews

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  Good for Overnight

  The hotel is a good drive from downtown ( but not always a bad thing). Only stayed for a brief overnight, rooms were clean and comfortable, hotel was quiet, didn't have the opportuity to check out any amenities or try the restaurant

  Dec 02, 2025
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  Deeply disappointed experience.

  I am writing to share my deeply disappointing experience following my recent stay at your hotel. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a relaxing getaway was marred by a consistent lack of hospitality and numerous operational failures that fell far short of the standards I expect from the Hilton brand. Our difficulties began at check-in, which felt like a "find it yourself" game. The front desk agent provided our keys without offering any direction to the room, such as which elevator would lead to the correct section of the hotel. This resulted in us going to the wrong part of the building entirely, forcing us to trek back to the lobby with our luggage to ask for basic information that should have been provided upfront. Furthermore, we had specifically requested a room with two beds, but upon arrival, we found only one. When I went back down to inquire, I was informed the second bed was a pull-down bunk bed hidden in the wall. Describing this as a two-bed room is highly misleading, as a "catre" is not a suitable substitute for a standard bed. The disappointments continued with the amenities. We had chosen your hotel in part because it advertised a Thanksgiving dinner, but the buffet was small, and the food was bland and tasteless. We also found the overall value to be profoundly poor. Beyond the high base price, the additional resort charges and taxes were outrageous, making the final cost feel completely unjustified. While I understand that fees are common in the industry, the amount charged at your property was exceptionally high and did not correlate with the quality of the experience. The pool is quite small, the hotel is not beachfront requiring a shuttle, and the $25 daily parking fee was an unwelcome surprise, compounded by the fact that we had to find the parking lot on our own as its location was not explained. The most frustrating incident occurred at the end of our stay. I paid $85 for a late check-out, which the front desk agent failed to register properly. As a result, our room key was deactivated, and we were locked out until I could return to the front desk and resolve the misunderstanding. While the manager did apologize, this was an error that should never have happened and caused significant inconvenience. In summary, the combination of poor communication, misleading room descriptions, subpar food, and the staggering total cost after outrageous fees and taxes has left me with no choice but to advise others to look elsewhere. For the cost of a single day at your property, one could stay at a superior hotel in Orlando or Punta Cana. It is experiences like this that explain why so many locals, including myself, choose to vacation off the island. Our business and our money are as valuable as anyone else's, and currently, your hotel is not making a compelling case to earn it. Sincerely, A Disappointed Guest

  Nov 29, 2025
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  Roadside motel pretending to be Doubletree

  Came to San Diego for a wedding weekend. So booked this property for 4 nights since it's close to the venue and we are hilton honors gold. Arrived late last night and walked into a room that looked like a roadside motel that smelled like the previous guest had smoked in there. When I contacted the front desk, they mentioned the leftover rooms were slim pickings since it was already close to 2 am. So we agreed to stay in the room overnight and change the next day. After having to beg the front desk again to change our room, they moved us to another room even smaller than we were before. They kept saying they are a non smoking property so nobody should smoke, but clearly someone had smoked in that room previously. We shouldn't be punished by someone violating their rules and housekeeping should have notified them of the smell. Its a shame because the grounds of the hotel are quite nice, but the quality is way below Doubletree standards and does not add value to the Hilton Brand or even recognize Premier status. Currently staying and not moving because we have 3 other rooms and would be harder to move.

  Sep 26, 2025
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  Basic but no complaints

  Had a 2 night stay here whilst doing the west of America. Very comfortable beds and amazing pillows with large rooms and only a stone throw from San Diego harbour. Nothing amazing about the hotel but still basic clean and comfortable so would definitely recommend if exploring San Diego for a couple of days.

  Sep 21, 2025
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  Excellent hotel and food

  Excellent hotel in a great location. Rooms are large and well equipped. Beds are extremely comfortable and a nice shower. It’s a large property with rooms across five separate buildings. My room was in the same block as reception, nice and easy. I ate both evenings in the bar and the food is good and well priced. The portions are HUGE! Great friendly service. Breakfast was also good and service friendly. Only negative is the lady who greats you at breakfast is so miserable - she really lets all the other amazing staff down. SMILE for goodness sake!

  Sep 20, 2025