Celebrating a milestone anniversary we opted to stay local, enjoy an evening in the Gaslamp and stay at the Andaz San Diego. We choose a Tuesday night to avoid the crowds and weekend cover charges.
Andaz San Diego Review
The Andaz San Diego was our first choice because:
- The hotel is a Hyatt property and I would get a stay credit
- It would be the 5th stay towards the 25 stays need to requalify for Hyatt Diamond status for the year
- Free breakfast for myself and up to 4 people as a Hyatt Diamond member
- Welcome beverage when you arrive
- Complimentary WIFI
- Complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages in mini-bar, replenished daily
- Complimentary luxury SUV service
- VIP access to Ivy Nightclub
- Best location in the Gaslamp
Location:
The Andaz San Diego, at the corner of 6th Avenue and F Street, is the only luxury hotel in the center of San Diego Gaslamp district.
An easy walk to the surrounding nightlife, entertainment, and shopping, no car is required when you stay at the Andaz San Diego. If want to go a little further than you feel like walking, if the weather changes (yes, it does rain in San Diego…on occasion), or if you found yourself in a condition where walking proved difficult, you could use the complimentary luxury SUV service.
Easily accessible from the airport, Amtrak station, and trolley a vehicle isn’t necessary. If you venture out from the downtown area to Sea World, San Diego Safari Park, or Legoland you could rent a car for the day vs. the entire duration of your stay.
Airport Shuttle:
The Andaz San Diego does not offer an airport shuttle.
It does, however, offer a “complimentary luxury SUV service” aka a Cadillac Escalade, to take and pick up guests anywhere, up to a 2 mile radius from the Andaz San Diego. Reservations are not permitted as the service is based upon request and availability.
Guests must be checked into the hotel before they can use the service.
The San Diego airport is 2 miles from the Andaz San Diego; theoretically, one could use the free SUV service for airport drop-off.
I wonder if an airport pickup would be allowed on a prepaid reservation that checked in online?
Accommodations:
I apologize in advance for the dark photos. We checked in after 6pm so it was either get dark photos of a clean room or have daytime photos of a messy room.
I went with clean.
Check-in:
Technology is embraced at the Andaz San Diego; guests can enjoy a complimentary welcome beverage while seated in the lounge-living room as the Andaz Host checks them in using an iPad, making for a very welcome, relaxing atmosphere.
I booked an Andaz Large King and used a Hyatt Diamond Suite upgrade certificate for instant confirmation in an Andaz Extra Large Loft.
Because it was a special occasion I emailed the general manager two weeks before arrival to ask about availability of one of the large suites, such as the Andaz Cabana Suite or Andaz Sweet Suite. He assured me that we would be “upgraded to the best available suite.” Unfortunately, he did not rely this to the night manager and his staff.
Not only were we not upgraded to the Andaz Cabana Suite or the Andaz Sweet Suite, but the Andaz Host and night manager who greeted us, “gave” us an upgrade to the Andaz Extra Large Loft; the same Andaz Extra Large Loft previously confirmed with the Diamond Suite upgrade certificate when I made the reservation.
Unlike other Hyatt properties, there was no acknowledgment of Hyatt Diamond status.
I am not a person who needs to be acknowledged or have any additional attention due to status, but even when checking into a Hyatt Place, the desk clerk thanks you for being a Diamond. So I thought that was a little strange.
This was my first stay at an Andaz property so whether the lack of acknowledgement of Diamond status is normal or isolated to the San Diego property, is unknown.
Whether it is standard procedure for both the Andaz Host and night manager to greet guests, is also unknown.
Either way, the check-in procedure at the Andaz San Diego is efficient and a nice departure from having to stand at a desk or reception counter.
This is the view from one of the windows in the living room of the Andaz Extra Large Loft at night.
This is the view from one of the windows of the living room of the Andaz Extra Large Loft during the day.
The living room has a 52 inch (guessing as I didn’t measure it) wall mounted tv and an entertainment center with stereo receiver.
Not pictured but in the bedroom is a 42 inch wall mounted television, large writing desk, two small leather sofas, and about 6 large cushions or giant throwpillows.
Notice the robes in the mirror. Complimentary robes are provided. While they look cozy and inviting, they’re a bit thin and scratchy.
The shower is very narrow. Every time I turned around I hit my elbows on the glass, and I may not be the skinniest girl in the room, but I’m not that wide-bodied!
The items in the basket are the complimentary snacks while the rest of the items are an additional fee.
The “other” items (the white and black boxes) are for adults and I plan on writing a separate post dedicated to those.
Amenities:
Business Center:
In keeping with the untraditional feel, there is not a traditional business center as in other hotels. Instead of the business center but rather a board room where guests can work. If you need a fax or something printed an Andaz Host will provide assistance.
Fitness Center:
The complimentary fitness center is open 24 hours, yet I did not manage to find any time to visit during my stay, not even to snap a few photos.
For an additional fee, the Andaz also offers the services of personal trainers.
Ivy Nightclub and Ivy Rooftop:
We had planned to enjoy an evening of food and drinks at the Ivy Rooftop on the top floor of the Andaz. However, on a Tuesday evening at 6:30pm in the winter, the Ivy Rooftop and Ivy Nightclub were dead. There were only four people at the Ivy Rooftop bar and a handful of people in the Ivy Nightclub.
In the end it worked out well as we continued with my Gaslamp itinerary and instead headed for The Tipsy Crow, one of the Best Bars in the San Diego Gaslamp District. (Read about what makes the Tipsy Crow unique in my post here.)
Valet:
Only valet parking is available. The rate is $35 and includes in and out privileges. The valet lot is directly behind the hotel but due to location of entrance to the Andaz and the one way streets in downtown San Diego, it can take several minutes for your car to be delivered.
If you’re not looking for in and out privileges you can save $20 by parking two blocks away at the Ace Parking lot at 614 Market Street, San Diego.
Food:
As a Hyatt Diamond we received complimentary breakfast in the Andaz rooftop restaurant.
My husband ordered a 3 egg ham and Cheddar cheese omelet and breakfast potatoes, $12 with coffee, $5. The omelet was very good; it tasted light and fluffy not dense like some omelets.
I ordered the oatmeal, $7. Hyatt makes the best oatmeal and I order it every chance I get.
Because I’m a glutton I was hungry, I also ordered the French toast, $12.
The French toast is made from brioche bread pudding with a banana custard batter, topped with caramel bananas, toasted walnuts, whipped cream and chocolate chips.
They were out of bananas so I opted for mixed berries (strawberries and blueberries) and skipped the whipped cream and chocolate chips. With the drenched caramel, no syrup was needed.
On the other hand, the French toast was amazing although a bit sweet with the caramel. Sadly I was not able to finish all of it, but did my best to try.
Andaz San Diego
600 F Street
San Diego, CA 92101
619-849-1234
Check rates & reviews: Expedia | TripAdvisor
Summary:
Perfect for a night of bar crawling or evening at the theater, the Andaz San Diego is the clear choice for a downtown hotel. I would definitely stay here again during the off season, on a weekday, and when there isn’t a convention or Padres game not only for the ideal location but for the food. Although next time, I’ll park at my favorite off airport parking lot for $8.75 a day and use the services of the Cadillac Escalade to pick me up from the airport.
Need recommendations on what bars and nightclubs to visit while you’re staying in San Diego? Read my post on the Best Bars in San Diego Gaslamp District here.
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Mimi
Tuesday 22nd of November 2016
Wished we had an extra night in San Diego to stay over at a hotel and relax. We did a road trip so arrived pretty late in San Diego for our flight so just crashed in the car!
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