601 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California, United States | (618) 248-8274
One block from the harbor and close to many attractions
Large suite-style rooms; many have great views of the bay
Heated indoor pool sits beside a small, but well-equipped, fitness center
Pacific Fish Company Bar & Grill has outdoor patio seating and serves American fare
On-site Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins is convenient
Happy hour with free drinks and snacks
24-hour business center and flexible event spaces are perks for business travelers
Free hot breakfast
Busy area with sparse public parking
Fee for valet parking (and long car-retrieval times)
Fee for Wi-Fi
Check-in lines can be long
This all-suite hotel, popular with business travelers and convention goers, is just down the road from the San Diego Convention Center. It's also a block away from Seaport Village's shopping by the harbor and is within walking distance of the Gaslamp Quarter's restaurant and bar scene, making it a good spot for tourists as well. A renovation in 2015 refreshed the rooms, which were looking beat up after many years of wild Comic Con attendees taking over the place. The Embassy Suites is significantly less impressive than the nearby Manchester Grand Hyatt or the Marriott Marquis & Marina, but it's also quieter and considerably less expensive.
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Scene
Huge indoor spaces, glass elevators, and a corporate vibe
This hotel is all about indoor spaces. The spacious lobby (refurbished in 2015) gets long check-in lines and sometimes feels understaffed, but white and light woods combined with oversize hanging globe-shaped light fixtures lend a stylish feel. The heart of the hotel is a huge atrium, which has tons of seating; guests can often be found eating, working, or just hanging out. The large fountain and replica of a famous sculpture (aptly titled "Bird") are centerpieces. Glass elevators rise to the ceiling 12 stories above, with each floor's hallway overlooking the room from bannisters adorned with tropical planters. Due to its location, this hotel mostly attracts business travelers.
Location
In Downtown San Diego, across from the harbor
With a view of San Diego Bay, the Embassy Suites is on the corner of the major intersection of Pacific Highway and Harbor Drive, across from the Seaport Village shopping center and the USS Midway Museum. It's within walking distance of the San Diego Convention Center and historic Gaslamp Quarter, which is home to some of San Diego's best restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. It's a five-minute drive to Petco Park and about 10 minutes to San Diego International Airport.
Rooms
Large suites with living rooms and great work desks
The rooms are all arranged around the hotel's central atrium, with entrances off the hallways that have views overlooking the 12-story space. Every room is a suite, with a king or two doubles in the modern bedrooms, furnished in earth tones with dark wood furniture. Living rooms have sitting areas (with sofa beds) and dining tables that double as large work desks; they come complete with both dining chairs and desk chairs.The wet bar in each rooms is equipped with a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. Bathrooms have a spacious marble countertops around the sinks, shower/tub combos, and there are separate vanities and sinks outside. For exterior views, only some rooms have balconies, but they're too small to sit on and are separated neighboring balconies by only decorative railings.
Features
Numerous convenient on-site amenities, although none particularly stand out.
The hotel serves free breakfasts each morning in the atrium and they're cooked to order; as a result, the lines can get long. Later in the day, the daily happy hour serves snacks with free beer, wine, and cocktails. The Pacific Fish Company Bar & Grill serves more tacos and burgers than fish, and lays the sports bar theme on a little thick, but it has outdoor patio seating for those who prefer not to have football helmets as part of their dining experiences. A joint Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins shares space on-site as well, and also has some outdoor sidewalk seating available.The indoor pool may be a downside for some, but the plants and stone floors make it inviting. A hot tub is available on the adjacent outdoor patio, and a fitness center is conveniently attached to the pool. The 24-hour business center is in its own glass-encased corner within the lobby, with multiple computers and printers/copiers. The 4,600 square feet of flexible event space includes a lounge area overlooking the atrium and a ballroom.
