More about Hotel Solamar - A Kimpton Hotel
Would love to stay again...
by TripAdvisor Member nortons49
A friend and I stayed at the Hotel Solamar after having successfully won a bid on Priceline. We were extremely pleased. The front desk workers were all very helpful. We had wanted to get 2 double beds instead of the king but the hotel was sold out. They were very apologetic and later sent up a bottle of wine. The bar area on the top deck is the place to go at night...especially for the young crowd. Very lively. The restaurant had the most delicious whole wheat pancakes I've ever had. The entire hotel was beautiful and interesting...colorful, art work everywhere. Bed were soft and fluffy. Wine reception in the lobby in the early evening. I loved it!
Stunning Aesthetically; Service Needs Improvement
by TripAdvisor Member Michael_SD
The Hotel Solamar is a newer boutique property in downtown San Diego. The property is gorgeous - very hip & trendy with cutting edge design. The hotel was undergoing renovations when I stayed there, so figuring out how to park was a bit of a challenge. And the valet staff were not very organized or friendly. But property upgrades are a constant thing at hotels, and this situation looks like it will improve favorably in the not too distant future. The lobby area was great, with plently of comfy seating areas. And it is a pleasure to walk into a property that still smells new. Check-in was a disappointment, however, as it seems that the staff are not fully trained. They had checked some stranger into a room under my name and vice versa. The problem isn't with that, but the fact the clerk told me this. You should never tell a guest this information - just correct it and act like you know what you're doing. After that, I was handed my keys with no explanation of where the elevators were or any courtesy such as "Enjoy your stay". A hotel of this level really should have their staff better polished.
The rooms are amazing! The beds are high and fluffy and cozy. The decor is great with some sheer curtains that have a polka dot design that are fun and really brighten up the room. The bathroom is also well-designed, with the exception of the sink. The basin is too shallow and the water splashes up on you and doesn't drain well.
I normally don't order room service, but did here for dinner. There were some issues getting connected to room service. My call kept getting transferred to the front desk. After a rocky start, the room service gentleman was friendly and professional. And the food was amazing! Everything from the burger to the chocolate cake were fantastic. And the vanilla bean ice cream was heavenly. This was simply one of the best hotel meals I have ever had.
Finally, we were staying during a convention of some sort. The guests were rowdy at all hours and cigarette smoke filled the hallways - even at 3am. I don't at all hold the hotel responsible for loud guests. It just seems that security should be patrolling the halls more often to ensure that guests (especially big groups) don't get too wild.
Overall, this was a fantastic hotel. If they could work on some service issues, this property could be worthy of 5 stars.
Loved the Hotel Solomar
by A TripAdvisor Member
If you are looking for a fun place to stay in San Diego, the Hotel Solomar is it. The decor is very modern and upbeat. The bathroom is to die for with it's deep luxurious whirlpool. The Aveda products are a definite plus. The outdoor lounge overlooks Petco Park or you can enjoy a swim in the pool. Convenient location. Staff is friendly and courteous. Great service.
Great hotel right in the Gaslamp area of downtown
by TripAdvisor Member footdoc72
I just got back from a conference at this hotel. Stayed for two nights for a weekend conference. Brought the wife and my 10 month old son. We had a great time. I was surprised to read the previous comments about poor service, cause we felt that was one of the highlights. The rooms and decor of the hotel was very nice and unique, a true "boutique" type of hotel. Very trendy. The rooms come with complimentary internet service. The turndowns were not an issue.
EVERY staff person we met was very courteous and personable. Always pleasant with a smile. The room service was also prompt and good. They were happy to give us whatever we asked. The staff and concierge helped us with afternoon planning for things to do. The location of the hotel is great cause its right by PetCo park, short drive from Balboa Park, and walking distance into the shops and restaurants of the Gas Lamp district.
The hotel is only 6 months old so everything is very clean and new. The restaurant "J Six" was also very good. we ordered the Kobe steak and the sauteed shrimp. Both excellent. The servers were also very helpful and made it easy to enjoy our dinner while trying to tend to a restless 10 month old.
The pool area is very nice with a view of the baseball stadium and downtown. We didn't really hang out there, as it catered more to young hip people, but if we didn't have the child, it would've been a great place to lounge around.
The conference facilities were very nice. The food that they provided was also very good for a conference.
I have traveled much with my wife and we've stayed in a lot of places, and we felt that this was a very nice hotel. Very cozy feel to the place, unlike a typical large chain hotel. we had recently stayed at the Manchester Hyatt a few months previously, which is also a very nice hotel, but is also very HUGE. It was probably a little "ritzier", but the atmosphere at the Solamar was more friendly. Very service oriented, in our opinion.
For families with kids, the Solamar may not the the best choice, but for young couples on a romantic trip, or singles coming into town for a business trip, its a GREAT place to stay. Lots of nice bars and restaurants right by the hotel.
great new hotel
by TripAdvisor Member aniamanx
We stayed at the Solamar over the Independece Day weekend this year, so it had been opened for only three months then. The location is great- within the walking distict to the restaurants and bars of the Gaslamp District, which by the way is not that interesting on its own, but in the evening it's fun to hang out there. The decor is great, beautiful colors, artwork, very modern and swanky - it reminded me a bit of a Pottery Barn catalogue :) Awesome outside bar, great atmosphere, you definitely should start your evening out there. The service was ok, a bit too much on the hip side - I prefer the old school politeness, but had no problems. The rooms were really nice, medium in size but the decor makes up for it. Loved the great idea to put sliding doors in the bathroom - saves a lot of space. We didn't try the hotel restaurant - we dined at Chive - loved it!! Overall, a great hotel, I also liked the fact that it's new, which adds some sort of freshness to it - and hey, nothing is worn out yet!
Great San Diego Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member sfsteeler
Let me first state first off that I've been in the travel industry for most of my career and have stayed at some incredible hotels and resorts in the past. That said, I tend to be very critical of the properties I stay at and the service. I stayed at the Solamar for my birthday in October and had a graeat time. When they found out it was my birthday they upgraded my room to a Suite and sent a bottle of champagne. Nice touch. At that point they didn't know that I was in the industry either. My friends were in a regular room so I was able to experience both and was inpressed with the rooms. The outdoor bar/pool on the 4th floor was great. A bit pricey on the drinks but a very "hoppin" place. My suite looked right into Petco Park where the Padres play and if there were a game going on I would have been able to see some of it. Great location, too..........a couple of blocks from the Gaslamp District for restaurants and nightlife. The wine reception is a nice touch also. One word I might use as a descriptive for the whole hotel is "Trendy" but not obnoxious.
Overall a great experience, including the service and attention to detail.
A nice treat
by A TripAdvisor Member
This hotel is in a great location. Walkable to nightlife and easy to get to any public transportation. The hotel still needs to work out a few issues, but on the plus side: The rooms were comfortable and nicely decorated. The manager's wine hour was nice plus, and it was great to have access to a computer with a printer.I did not get to use the pool although it looked great. I wish there was a hot tub or sauna though!
The $24/night charge for parking was a bit steep - but from walking around the city it looked like other hotels were charging $18-24 as well.
I like being in a smaller hotels like this where the staff actually recognizes you when you go in and out, asking how things went, how they can help, etc.
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