Hotel Review: Courtyard By Marriott San Diego Downtown

Highlights: Courtyard By Marriott San Diego Downtown

This hotel was a last minute stay to use my Marriott free night certificate (under 25K points) and an interesting property. I really appreciated their service and flexibility, as well as the interesting story behind and architecture of the hotel. Downtown San Diego is a wonderful place to be and this property gets you right in the thick of it, easy walking to wonderful attractions nearby.

My standard hotel reviews include a breakdown by the following topics. Feel free to skip to whichever section you find most interesting.

• Highlights
• Lobby
• Room
• Hotel Space / Ambiance
• Food & Drink
• Fitness
• Miscellaneous

LOBBY & CHECK-IN

Walking through the main entrance, head straight to the other side to check in. This hotel is located in a former bank, and they retain their historic nature and the old bank vault doors. The high vaulted ceiling and spacious atmosphere make for an excellent meeting place. As I was checking in, I was torn on staying here versus finding another hotel closer to my friends in La Jolla. I asked if I could cancel it (last minute, I know) and use my certificate at another hotel that evening. The front desk agent spoke with her manager, who said it was fine (but could not vouch on the certificate being returned), but having parked in the area we decided to stay. However, I greatly appreciate their flexibility in even giving me the option to cancel with zero notice and try and reuse the certificate.

ROOM

Unfortunately, there were no upgrades available (not even for my Marriott status) and my room was a basic King. It was a bit cramped, but the bathroom was much nicer and larger. The barbed wire on the windows and dated architecture of the room made it seem like I was stuck in a mental asylum. Additionally, the rooms are a bit far from the lobby area – having to go down via a ramp or stairs, and then walking far after the elevator.

HOTEL SPACE / AMBIANCE

Downtown on a Sunday evening made for a sparse audience, but I did see some other professionals in the hotel. It was pretty dead, but I can imagine it’s popular during the week especially with all the nearby offices and nightlife.

FOOD & DRINK

They do not have a breakfast here for guests – unfortunately. You can feast your eyes on some stock photos from the hotel site.

FITNESS

As we were flying out super early the next day we did not have a chance to visit the fitness center, but perhaps next time.

MISCELLANEOUS

This was a good staple of a hotel. I would come back here if I wanted to experience being close to downtown. Note that parking is a separate, third-party offering, so it’s quite expensive to park your car at the hotel. However, on Sunday it was free parking so after enough time we were able to find a street parking spot. I assume it’s much more competitive during the week and other days of the weekend.

We did drive around San Diego and eat to our heart’s content at a variety of other places, however. Definitely a good occasion to check out new and old haunts.

Featured Image of a beautiful lounge from the hotel site. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which, should you click through and/or make a purchase, grant me a commission. Also, I only post in the best interest of my readers. Lastly, thank you for supporting my blog and my travels. 

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