Are considering visiting San Diego but aren’t sure where to stay? Maybe you are considering downtown San Diego for its central location (it’s just minutes away from beaches, the San Diego Zoo, and Balboa Park) and abundance of options. Look no further than the Andaz San Diego.
The Andaz San Diego is located in San Diego’s gaslamp quarter making it an ideal location to walk to shops, nitelife, restaurants, and Petco Park. Over Memorial Day weekend our daughter’s were performing in a dance recital at the San Diego Civic Center and we decided to make a staycation weekend at the Andaz. We knew we had a tight schedule with numerous dress reherals on Saturday so we were looking for somewhere fun but also had the convient location we needed. It didn’t disappoint.
Hotel Amenities At The Andaz San Diego
We were incredibly impressed by how friendly and helpful the staff were at the Andaz. As I mentioned, we were staying downtown because our girls had a dance recital. With dress rehearsals the day before the show, we needed a room nearby so they could rest and change between their numbers. While check-in is normally at 4pm, the front desk was able to get us to our room a few hours early.
We were also made aware of some of the extras the hotel has to offer. Fresh coffee downstairs from Cafe Moto (a local San Diego favorite) along with free beer and wine tastings (also locally crafted) in the evenings were a nice touch. The rooftop pool and bar were hosting a Memorial Day party and we were offered complementary wristbands as well. Unfortunately, this wasn’t part of our plans but it was a great touch. When we made it up to our room our kids were thrilled with the complimentary snacks. Kettle chips, cookies, and bottled water went right in their dance bags and were a welcomed treat.
What To Eat In Downtown San Diego
The San Diego gaslamp has plenty of restaurant options regardless of what you are looking for. I don’t know about your family, but more often than not my kids will choose pizza or a taco shop over a sitdown restaurant. So our Saturday consisted of pizza at lunch and tacos for dinner.
For lunch we walked from our hotel to Pizza on 5th which was only a block away. Our schedule was pretty tight between the girl needed to be ready for dress rehearsals so we needed something quick. I’ve eaten here a few times and it’s always been good. My son and I stopped by for lunch a while back and we liked the calzones and meatball subs. On this trip we decided to just split a large pizza between the 4 of us (we had 2 slices each). The food was fresh and the service was great. Just what we needed to keep us on schedule.
Later that evening we had a little more time to eat so we asked our girls what they wanted. They just wanted Mexican food and to be able to relax at the hotel. Thankfully, dinner was again just a short walk away from our hotel. You can find plenty of blogs and reviews for the best Mexican food in San Diego. And chances are that Tacos El Gordo will be ranked near the list. My kids are always fans of carne asada fries (french fries loaded with meat, cheese, pico de gallo, and sour cream). And the servings are so big they can be shared. Another favorite is the adobada (spicy pork) tacos. The tortillas are fresh and the flavors are bold. And since our hotel had a complementary Mexican lager on tap, it made for a perfect dinner.
If you are looking for a sitdown restaurant, there are plenty within walking distance of the Andaz. STK Steakhouse is located on property and both Fogo de Chao and Greystone Prime Steakhouse and Seafood are only a block away. There are also several bars and clubs in the Gaslamp making the weekend nightlife the place to be in San Diego.
The next morning we walked down to Breakfast Republic which is also only a block away from our hotel. With locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Palm Desert, Breakfast Republic is a SoCal staple. The strawberry cheesecake pancakes, French toast, and fresh egg dishes are all favorites for my family.
Final Thoughts On The Andaz San Diego
While this was our first time staying at the Andaz San Diego, I have a feeling it won’t be our last. As I mentioned above, we had a busy weekend with dress reherals for our daughters’ performance on saturday followed by their big show on Sunday. However, if you are coming here just for a vacation or maybe a baeball game at Petco Park (just a short walk away), this would also be an ideal place to stay. The central location and friendly staff made us feel welcome.
If you are a World Of Hyatt member, this might be one yoru bucket list as a place to stay. And if you have points with Hyatt, it is a category 5 hotel and can be booked with 20k points per night (17k on off-peak nights). Definitely a deal considering how much hotels can cost in downtown San Diego on busy nights during the year.
