San Diego Resort Hotels

Resort hotels are defined by a wide range of outdoor recreational activities that take advantage of a desirable climate. Expect amenities such as beach access, golf courses, tennis courts, spas, free on-site activities, sports rentals from golf carts to jet skis, lessons and personal trainers, recreational and lap pools, and an array of concierge services, including making reservations for local attractions and tours. Resort hotels also provide personalized upscale perks like in-room mineral water, mini-bars, pillow-top or signature beds, triple sheets, plush robes, flowers, patios or balconies, and turndown service. The overarching goal of a resort hotel is a memorable experience.

San Diego Resort Hotels

In San Diego, most resort hotels have either coastal locations or on-site golf courses, although that is not always the case. The luxurious California Craftsman-style Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla is a golf resort hotel that sits along the edge of famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a Mediterranean estate-style resort hotel with a championship Tom Fazio golf course. These golf resort hotels are the epitome of integrated indoor and outdoor living, and offer all the amenities guests should expect from a luxury resort hotel.

Manchester Grand Hyatt is one of several resort hotels on stunning San Diego Bay. It offers guests a full range of luxury resort amenities, and is situated next door to popular Seaport Village. Many of these waterfront resorts have their own marinas like Kona Kai Resort & Spa, Humphreys Half Moon Inn & Suites, and Bay Club Hotel & Marina on Shelter Island, or Sheraton Hotel & Marina, and Sunroad Resort Marina on Harbor Island. Loews Coronado Bay Resort is on a private 15-acre peninsula in San Diego Bay off Coronado Island.

Arguably the best beach resort hotel in San Diego is the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island, in part, because it is on San Diego’s only true white sand beach. They have an on-site spa, several boutique stores, restaurants, and pools, and on-site kids’ activities. Bahia Resort Hotel and Catamaran Resort Hotel in Mission Beach, and Paradise Point Hotel all sit along the sandy beaches of Mission Bay and offer full resort amenities. La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is an upscale resort hotel on a private beach next to La Jolla Shores with 14 championship tennis courts.

Note: Another class of resort hotels in San Diego is the beachfront resort-style hotel. Tower23 Hotel and Pacific Terrace in Pacific Beach fall into this category – oceanfront properties with optional resort fees and amenities.

Best San Diego Neighborhoods for Resort Hotels

There is no shortage of resort hotels in America’s Finest City where it’s always sunny and 72. The best neighborhoods for resort hotels are located on Coronado Island, along San Diego Bay, and along the Pacific Coast. Visitors will find both beach and bay resorts on Coronado Island. The Marina district of Downtown and the bayside of Point Loma are all great choices for waterfront resort hotels with marinas, but not beaches. The beachside neighborhoods of Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, and Del Mar have the most choices for beach resort hotels. Mission Bay is a manmade aquatic park, so resort hotels there have beaches, even though it’s a bay. The best golf resorts are in La Jolla and Del Mar.

 

 

Carlsbad Seapointe Resort
A beautiful family vacation destination situated between the iconic Pacific Coast Highway and the Pacific Ocean. The resort features two heated adults-only and family pools, two Jacuzzis, a tennis court, and more.
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at MarBrisa, Carlsbad
Located in the charming coastal village of Carlsbad, California. Its location puts guests in close proximity to several world-renowned golf courses and pro shops.
LEGOLAND Hotel at LEGOLAND California Resort
All LEGO themed and interactive from the lobby to the expansive guestrooms and suites. The King and Queen can indulge in the room’s amenities while their heirs feel just as pampered.
Pendry Hotel San Diego
The ocean-inspired accommodations reflect a California coastal aesthetic with muted hues of blue. The hotel combines style, convenience, and comfort with a relaxed ambiance.
Kona Kai Resort & Marina, San Diego
Located at the southwestern tip of Shelter Island, Kona Kai Resort & Spa underwent an extravagant 2014 renovation updating, among other spaces, their guestrooms and suites.
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla
The lodge sits atop towering bluffs overlooking renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course and the Pacific Ocean. Guests at the 170-room hotel are greeted by Scottish kilted doormen.
Hotel del Coronado
Since it opened in 1888, Hotel del Coronado has been hosting and entertaining Presidents, celebrities, royalty, and other guests.
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
The eco-friendly hotel has also earned the coveted Greenleaders Gold Level. The 199 guest rooms come in three styles. The Spa has been named one of the top spas in the world.
La Valencia Hotel La Jolla
From the beginning, it's been a Hollywood hideaway for some of its brightest stars. The signature pink Spanish architecture and original 1940s hand-painted murals was renovated in 2014.
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
A swanky twin tower high-rise hotel overlooking San Diego Bay. The hotel’s prime location in the Marina District will impress tourists, business professionals, and conventioneers alike.
L’Auberge Del Mar
L’Auberge is located on the site of the original Hotel Del Mar, playground to Hollywood’s elite in the 1930s. Each of the 120 estate-style guest rooms is designed with the comfort of home in mind.
The Grande Colonial La Jolla
A La Jolla landmark. Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Groucho Marks, Jane Wyatt and other La Jolla Playhouse regulars stayed here during their runs.
Handlery Hotel San Diego, Mission Valley
Created by hotelier Harry Handlery in 1928, the hotel offers 217 guest rooms and suites, two restaurants, and eighteen event areas. The hotel excels at planning meetings, events, or conferences with expert staff.
Pacific Terrace Hotel, San Diego
The upscale ocean-facing hotel caters to every kind of traveler. Its distinctive Bahamian vibe feels more like you’re in the Caribbean than on the West Coast.
The Catamaran Resort and Spa, San Diego
The elegant hotel with a 1950s vibe. Deluxe suites and studios in the Tower enjoy epic views of either Coronado Bridge and beyond to Mexico, or Crystal Pier to La Jolla.
Bahia Resort Hotel, San Diego
Located on a private peninsula in Mission Bay, the Mediterranean-style décor is complemented by the outdoor tropical garden setting complete with duck ponds, garden gazebo, and garden fountain.