Best Luxury Hotels in San Diego

Set downtown in the lively Gaslamp Quarter, this smart 12-storey hotel is geared toward a young and trendy crowd with a stylish rooftop pool house and premier rooftop lounge. Pendry San Diego is a true culinary and entertainment hub. With modern coastal cuisine at Lionfish, Southern California-driven seasonal fare at Provisional, light bites at The Pool House, the perfect cocktail at Fifth & Rose and local craft beer at Nason’s Beer Hall. The hotel boasts 317 guestrooms and hotel suites with city skyline views, ocean-inspired artwork, vintage writing desks, 50” TVs and French macarons popped on the pillow during the nightly turndown service. On higher levels, guests can enjoy views across the city and toward the bay.

Inspired by the Pasedenan Gamble and Blacker houses, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is family-owned and run by locals. Leather, dark woods, crisp white linens and vintage touches play heavily in the decor aesthetic. 170 rooms include mini-bars, complimentary shoeshine service and toiletries featuring the hotel’s signature scent. The lodge is found on the 18th green of the Torrey Pines South Course (once played by previous President Barack Obama). So it presents a prime location for those seeking to practice their swing in the finest of company – this year the same course hosted the US Open providing guests with grandstand views. The onsite restaurant is suitably high-end and the hotel offers delightful extras such as twice-daily guided hikes.

An award-winning championship golf course, a Forbes Five-Star spa (with its own custom organic product line), four heated pools, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor gyms and a Michelin starred restaurant are just some of the facilities you can take advantage of when checking in here. It has 249 rooms and suites, with opulent marble bathrooms and balconies. The Spanish Mission-style property is surrounded by 400 acres of landscaped gardens and a wild coastal canyon. It’s easy to see why the Fairmont Grand del Mar was voted the #1 Luxury Hotel in California by Trip Advisor travellers.

For a full-on beach (or boating) holiday, choose this 439 room resort on the Coronado Peninsula. It has its very own full-service 80-slip marina offering gondola rides, surf lessons and sunset cruises. And there’s a beach shuttle – although it is just a five-minute walk along a private path from the resort to the sandy shores. This location does mean it’s a little further out from San Diego, but still within a 20-minute taxi ride. Pet and family-friendly, the hotel has a programme of events for kids, a teen lounge, three pools and a global fusion restaurant to keep all palates happy.