Solamar Kimpton Hotel San Diego

Stayed here for a conference, after finding this hotel through Hotwire for a relatively cheap rate of $88/night.

Definitely liked this better than the Hilton Bayfront, which I stayed at the previous weekend. Rooms weren't as nice, but the staff was friendlier, and the location was a lot better. Easy walk to anywhere around the Gaslamp. Also, I was able to find free street parking just a few blocks away, and leave my car there for 3 days. Beats paying $25+ a night!

Examples of staff friendliness:

- When checking in, the receptionist informed me that since the hotel wasn't full, he could give me a better view on the top floor, overlooking the poolside bar and with a great view of the city. He did this without even my asking. Compare this to the Hilton Bayfront, where they would only upgrade me for a fee, even though rooms were available.

- I went to the poolside bar to watch one of the Laker/Houston playoff games. The bartender didn't like the Lakers, and we had some debates about how great the Lakers were ;) My stomach was kind of hurting, so I didn't finish my beer. Despite our differences in sport team loyalty, he didn't charge me for the beer because I had hardly touched it. Awesome!

The rooms themselves are fairly small, the bathrooms especially. I don't know if I'd classify this as a business hotel precisely. It seemed a bit too hip and the rooms too small and trendy for that, but it was still a great place to stay during my weekday conference, and a good base for exploring Gaslamp/downtown SD.

I booked on line a King deluxe room with one king bed but I was surprised when I checked in and had a room with a queen size bed. If you sit on the edge of the bed the mattress flips over you and you end up on the floor. The excuse was, they were ...read entire review at TravelPost.com

We had a great experience. The minimalist, tasteful decor in the lobby and hotel room were appealing, but we weren't sure how the hotel would accomodate our 4 month old daughter. No worries there! A pack and play with fresh linens was waiting i...read entire review at TravelPost.com

I stayed three nights in this hotel. The stuff is great, very helphul especially Shawn the supervisior at the fron desk. The rooms are of a great size and the internet is free which is kind of special for any 4 stars hotels. The location is great ...read entire review at TravelPost.com

Arrived on a Monday night, no problems with valet parking, bottle of wine ready in the bedroom, where we could see into Petco Park and watch Padres Rockies game whilst sipping and getting ready to hit the Gaslamp quarter, where dining was cheap, b...read entire review at TravelPost.com

This is a great hotel if you are a 20 something Yuppie who loves to party and pretend like you really have a lot of money to impress your friends. The staff is brain dead and doesn't have a clue about service. We first arrived and it was like th...read entire review at TravelPost.com

I just completed a 2 night stay at the Solomar and I couldn't be happier!

I'll start with the staff. They were all very friendly, helpful and actually seemed to take pride in their jobs! This started the moment we exited our cab (Even though w...read entire review at TravelPost.com

This is one of my favorite hotels this year! Anyone who loves boutique hotels must stay here. The staff is very helpful. There is complimentary wine tasting in the "living room" every day at 6 pm. The furnishings in this area are warm, rich and hi...read entire review at TravelPost.com

This is a great hotel! The staff treats guests like they are royalty. A+ on their clean rooms!read entire review at TravelPost.com