In late December, between Christmas and New Years, I went on vacation to San Diego. As usual, I ruminated between a bunch of areas and hotels, but finally decided to stay all four nights at one hotel: the Palomar Hotel San Diego – a Kimpton Hotel. It is worthwhile to join Kimpton’s loyalty program, In Touch. Not only will it get you free wi-fi and a candy bar from the mini-bar, but you’ll also get emails of some great hotel sales. And then you’ll get to know the people who work for Kimpton, and then you’ll understand the hashtag #KimptonLove, which I’m told I originated.
The Palomar Hotel San Diego is located in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego. It is a bustling area with clubs and restaurants.
As someone who enjoys walking and running, One thing that I really love about small cities is that you can cross over from one neighborhood to another in a matter of minutes. And I love exploring. This was particularly true of San Diego, where I could take in so many different neighborhoods with only a few steps.
The first thing that struck me (almost literally) when I arrived at the Palomar was the 900 pound bronze pivot entry door. It is massive and beautiful.
photo http://www.santafetravelers.com
As a member of Kimpton’s highest loyalty level, the Inner Circle (sound’s ominous, doesn’t it?), I am not surprised that I was upgraded to a really nice room. In fact, I’ve never had a room at a Kimpton hotel that I didn’t like! But, my jaw literally dropped when I saw room 1601! This suite was over 1,100 square feet – bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms, living room, kitchen and dining room and a balcony! It was amazing. Here are some photos:
The living room:
Oh look at the view from our terrace – a CVS store!
The kitchen area:
The dining room:
The bedroom and walk-in closet:
The master bathroom:
Kimpton hotels give Inner Circle members thoughtful amenities, often based on the preferences listed in guests’ profiles. The amenity I received was water and berries. The Kimpton employee told me that he did not arrange for wine since I’m a runner. I told him that I was surprised since I had actually listed wine and chocolate as my amenity preferences. The next day, we found a gift of wine and chocolate in our suite!
I wanted to stay here forever, but of course, I had to go out and explore the neighborhoods such as Seaport Village, Old Town, and Balboa Park. I simply had to visit the San Diego Zoo and Petco Stadium, and I had to go out to run and eat fish tacos and bacon sundaes (though not all at the same time!). I also had to eat the best burger I’ve ever had at Hodad’s, see friends and family, see La Jolla, Mission and Pacific Beaches.
I had a great time in San Diego, and can’t wait to go back again!
A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
The hotel looks amazing. How many trips to C-V-S?
they did not have certain other items I was looking for in stock …
Which room did you book originally and which room where you upgraded to?
You got upgraded to a much bigger suite than what I had. Lucky you!!! I like how they’ve updated the decor in the rooms since you were there a couple of years ago.