1404 Vacation Road, San Diego, California, United States | (858) 274-4630
On a lush, 44-acre island with a sandy beach and marina
Short drive to local attractions, including SeaWorld and Balboa Park
Spacious, stylish rooms and suites have patios and sleek bathrooms
Five pools, including one for adults only
Varied dining options, including seafood and Mexican restaurants
Great spa, complete with saunas, steam rooms, and massage cabins
Well-equipped fitness center with cardio and strength-training machines
Basketball court, five tennis courts, and 18-hole putting golf course
Daily activities, including yoga, crafts, sports competitions, and poolside movies
Surf Academy with daily surf lessons (for a fee)
Kids’ club offers lots of daily activities (for a fee)
Extensive meeting space available, including outdoor venues
Free Wi-Fi throughout the property
Obligatory resort fee charged on top of room rate
Steep daily fee for parking
Pricey on-site food and drinks
Entry-level rooms lack views or overlook parking lot
Can feel overrun with kids in peak season
Fee for use of the kids’ club
The upscale, family-friendly Paradise Point Resort and Spa is set on a 44-acre island in Mission Bay, a short drive from downtown San Diego and SeaWorld. Housed in bungalows with private patios, the resort’s 462 rooms are spacious and stylish, with subtle nautical decor elements, sleek bathrooms with quartz finishes, and free Wi-Fi. Aside from a mile-long beach and a marina with water sports (for a fee), Paradise Point offers a slew of on-site activities, including five pools, a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, and daily wellness classes. The spa is a highlight here, complete with private and couples’ massage rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and a courtyard. Food options are good and varied, but many guests find them overpriced. An obligatory resort fee, plus additional charges for some activities and steep parking rates, make some guests feel nickel and dimed. The nearby Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina is another good option in the same price point.
What Are the Design and Scene Like at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa?
This sprawling resort has attractive landscaping, lagoons, a mile-long beach, and lots of families.
Paradise Point Resort San Diego sits on a private island surrounded by a mile-long beach and lovely grounds that feature lush gardens with colorful plants and flowers, bonfire pits (popular for marshmallow roasting), and lagoons (where kids can feed the ducks). The resort was built in the 1960s by a Hollywood movie producer, and several items from movie sets -- such as the porpoise fountain at the main pond, which appeared in the movie "Cleopatra" -- have been incorporated into the design. Guests are greeted in a large, airy lobby with a strong tropical vibe. Stone-like floor tiles, wooden pillars, wood and wicker furniture, and floor-to-ceiling windows combine to create an appealing indoor-outdoor feel. This is a sprawling property with no main building, and bungalow-style rooms are grouped into “villages” with outdoor parking (for a fee), gardens, and direct access to at least one pool and/or a restaurant.
The location right next to SeaWorld makes the resort a kid-magnet, which means it can get quite noisy and crowded -- especially at the pools and the restaurants during peak season.
Where Is the Paradise Point Resort and Spa Located in San Diego?
It’s on an island encircled by a narrow stretch of sand, near SeaWorld.
Paradise Point is located on a 44-acre island in Mission Bay with a mile-long stretch of sandy beach, south of San Diego. The island is shared with Ski Beach Park -- which offers lots of grassy areas, jogging paths, picnic space, and a playground -- as well as Vacation Isle Park, with lawns and sandy beaches. It's a five-minute drive to the restaurants and shops in Pacific Beach, and a 15-minute drive to the popular tourist sights in Downtown San Diego. SeaWorld is just four minutes away, while other attractions like the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park can be reached in about 15 minutes by car. The San Diego International Airport is also about a 15-minute drive from the hotel.
What Are Rooms Like at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa?
Spacious rooms, suites, and bungalows have contemporary nautical-inspired decor and private patios.
The resort’s 462 spacious and airy rooms, suites, and bungalows were renovated in 2018-19 and feature stylish contemporary decor with nautical-inspired elements, such as deep-blue accent walls, fishbone paintings, and sailing-themed throw pillows. Wood-slatted headboards and dark brown wood-like floors add elegance. Rooms all have private patios furnished with Adirondack chairs and provide garden, lagoon, or bay views, though entry-level units lack views or overlook the parking lot.
All rooms have flat-screen TVs with cable channels, iPod docks, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Suites and bungalows have wet bars with microwaves, dining and living room areas, and sofa beds. Some have fireplaces and jetted tubs, while Presidential Suites offer full kitchens. Bathrooms are contemporary and cute, with colorful hydraulic tiles, walk-in showers with glass doors and rainfall showerheads (shower/tub combos in units with queen beds), and spacious wood-and-quartz vanities with large mirrors and chrome taps.
What Features Are Available at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa?
Extensive features consist of five pools, a sandy beach, private marina, several dining options, a putting green, and kids’ activities.
The Paradise Point Resort’s location on a lush island affords it a wealth of amenities, including five pools (with one for adults only), plus a mile-long sandy beach and private marina with a variety of water sports on offer (for a fee). Dining options include a fine-dining seafood restaurant, a casual, beachfront bar and grill, alfresco Mexican and cocktails by the pool, as well as pizza. Food in all restaurants gets consistently good reviews, but some guests find it overpriced.
The full-service spa has a private garden courtyard with a whirlpool, nine treatment rooms, steam rooms, and saunas, and offers a wealth of treatments, including hair and nail services. There’s a modern fitness center, as well as an array of outdoor activities including five tennis courts, basketball court, beach volleyball, and an 18-hole putting golf course. Beach cruisers and quadracycles are available for rent. Kids and teens are catered to with many activities including a kids’ club (for ages 4 to 12), a surf academy, and various poolside games and arts and crafts.
Many of the activities -- including the kids’ club -- incur an extra charge however, on top of an obligatory resort fee that is included in the rate. The resort fee covers access to the fitness center as well as Wi-Fi and local and domestic calls, plus daily activities such as yoga, meditation, poolside movies, dance, and kite flying. Additionally, parking incurs a steep daily fee.
The hotel also features 80,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, plus a few shops selling clothes, beach gear, and souvenirs.
Bayside Bungalow Suite
Bayside Junior Suite
Garden Bungalow Suite
Lanai Bayside Room
Lanai Garden 2 Queens Room
Lanai Garden King Room
Lanai Patio Room
1404 Vacation Road, San Diego, California, United States
(858) 274-4630