San Diego, California
San Diego's renaissance continues with a plethora of new hotels and restaurants to cater to business and tourist visitors. The convention center is ideally situated between the historic Gaslamp district of downtown and the picturesque Pacific Ocean. Accommodations range from large chains and smaller boutique hotels to affordable rooms and swank suites with every conceivable amenity. The culinary scene has come far and now boasts world-class chefs and outposts for names such as Damon Gordon, Bradley Ogden and Nobu Matsuhisa. Music and dance venues abound, giving visitors after-hour options of nearly every type.
Although tourism and hospitality still dominate the business sectors, computer technology, biomedicine and a variety of other industries continue to multiply in this seaside city. The sunny weather, excellent accommodations and many sightseeing options make San Diego an ideal convention site that combines business with pleasure. |
Facts
to Know Before You Go |
| Transportation
Most business travelers will arrive at San
Diego International Airport. One of the country's
most conveniently located airports, San Diego International
is freeway-close and is just a short taxi ride from
downtown and the convention center. Once you've settled
in, there are several good ways to navigate the city:
Rental
Cars:
Traffic congestion is a Southern California hallmark, and yet most big cities still lack a widely used public transportation system. San Diego is no exception. Freeways
are the most common mode of transportation, so rental
cars are a popular and convenient option.
Public
Transportation:
There are three modes of public transport: the San Diego Trolley, the Amtrak Coaster and the San Diego Bus System. The trolley system continues to expand; routes run from as far east as Santee, west to Old Town and south to San Ysidro, (all the way to the Mexican border). The majority of trolley stops have corresponding bus routes. See map for specific routes around the county.
Trolley and bus fares are based on trip distance; exact change is required. Click here for specific fare information:
Amtrak train stations are conveniently located; in the downtown area there is the historic Santa Fe Depot and a few miles north is the Old Town Station. Although trains are not practical for local travel, they can be ideal for trips to Orange County, Los Angeles and cities farther to the north.
Pedicabs are an easy and affordable way to get around the Gaslamp and Harbor areas. You can easily find one (or more) wandering the streets looking for fares.
Taxis & Shuttles:
Expect to pay between $8 and $10 $10 and $20 for the five-to-ten minute (depending on traffic) taxi ride from the San Diego International Airport to the downtown region. Many hotels offer a free shuttle service, so be sure to ask your concierge.
For a list of shuttle services available, click: www.san.org
Information:
For daily news, take in the San Diego Union Tribune. Business sources include The San Diego Daily Transcript and the San Diego Business Journal. For eclectic interest stories, try The Reader and City Beat.
|
Ready to book a trip now?
Click here for exclusive savings. |
Solamar joins the ranks of those hotels determined to make the Gaslamp District hip. The 235 guest rooms and suites are both funky and functional with oversized work desks, ergonomic chairs, a pair of two-line phones with data ports, flat screen TVs with DVD/CD players and lots of comps—high-speed Internet and WiFi access, daily newspaper, shoeshine and more. Expected treats of the sort you'd find in other Kimpton properties include pet-friendly amenities and "Om Away From Home," an in-room yoga channel and accessories. While the accommodations are noteworthy, the hands-down highlight here is the in-house restaurant JSix, with its gorgeous Middle Eastern atmosphere and eclectic world fusion cuisine. |
Worldwide, the Hard Rock Hotels have a reputation for providing top-notch, urban accommodations with rock star-like service in high-profile locations. San Diego's twelve-story outpost is no exception with 420 guest rooms (including luxury studios, three-room suites and seventeen loft-like penthouses); a full-service spa with massages, facials and a fitness center; and world-class dining and entertainment options like the famed Nobu sushi restaurant and Rande Gerber's rooftop Moonstone bar with private cabanas. In addition, companies seeking state-of-the-art technology and non-traditional decor will appreciate the 40,000-square-feet of meeting space with a staff that is "hell bent on spoiling them rotten." The largest indoor space is 9,000-square-feet and can hold over 1,000 people. As expected, the scene is full of young, beautiful people looking for a rocking good time...and The Hard Rock delivers.
|
The Ivy is the latest in a string of uber-stylish, luxury Gaslamp Quarter boutique hotels catering to the young, upwardly mobile fun-lover. Set in the former 1914 Maryland Hotel, in the hub of nightlife activity, Ivy Hotel 's transformative design is sleek and sophisticated—straight out of Architectural Digest. The updated look includes glowing agate wall panels that line the entrance; ditto the enormous urban art that backs the rear wall. A stay at The Ivy means plenty of pampering, as well as good food and innovative cocktails. Check in to your well-appointed room then head down to Quarter Kitchen, one of the city's most prestigious restaurants, where chef Damon Gordon serves an international menu utilizing a bevy of flashy ingredients. Late night may find you up on the Eden Rooftop, a minimally designed pool and cocktail area, or perhaps at Envy lounge where beds convert to tables and tables become dance floors. Although the 159 guest rooms and suites are sumptuous and anticipate almost every want or need (including a personal butler, in-room bottle service and Thai bed linens), consider splurging on one of the whimsically themed suites such as the two-bedroom sweet suite (with soaking tub and gargantuan shower), the cabana suite that adjoins the pool and sports an in-room spiral staircase or the sexy star suite (with king-size bunk beds, a central, glass shower that turns opaque (or not) and a—gasp!—stripper pole). Service is top-notch, right down to the convenient Escalade car service that takes guests to and from the nearby Gaslamp restaurants and clubs.
|
Long the dowager queen of downtown hostelries, The US Grant hotel was opened in 1910 by President Ulysses S. Grant's son of the same name. It has since experienced a series of renovations, most recently a $52 million makeover in 2006. Now part of the Starwood Luxury Collection, the hotel features 270 renovated guest rooms including 47 suites and two bi-level penthouse suites, an 11th-floor technology penthouse and in-room spa services. The lobby remains a gathering spot for San Diego 's elite, who drift in for cocktails in the classic Grant Lounge or dinner in the beautiful, club-like The Grant Grill. On the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel lives up to expectations with old-fashioned and formal décor complete with crystal chandeliers. Smaller than average rooms are decked out Edwardian-style with mahogany furniture. Guest rooms include pillow top beds, imported bath amenities, a private bar and in-room coffee and tea, 32-inch LCD televisions, voice mail, and data ports with high-speed Internet. Larger suites come with fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs. The Gaslamp Quarter with its numerous boutiques, restaurants and bars is at the doorstep, and guests can easily walk to shopping at Horton Plaza mall or to a Padres game at PETCO Park (see Off the Clock attractions below). The trolley stops behind the hotel, a convenience for guests holding tickets to Chargers games at Qualcomm Stadium. |
|
Stylish, yet affordable, downtown's Sofia Hotel offers a host of amenities in a prime location. All of the 212 modern guestrooms are equipped with fine linens, white down comforters, plush pillows, pillow-top mattresses, 20" flat-screen televisions, modern bathrooms with contemporary fixtures, Gilchrist & Soames spa products, and convenient work stations with ergonomic chairs and high-speed internet access. Dog and cat owners will love their pet friendly policy (which includes babysitting and dog walking), while fitness-minded guests will appreciate the 24-hour yoga studio and full-service spa. Business amenities include state-of-the-art audio technology, global video conferencing and a 24-hour business center.
|
Nobu
Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
207 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619-814-4124 |
Japanese/Sushi
15/20
$$$$$ |
Dinner at Nobu will engage all your senses. Take your time and savor the aromas of miso and saké; the unusual flavor combinations of jalapeños, yuzu (Japanese citrus) and sea salt; the visual delight of ruby ahi, emerald cilantro and pearly abalone; the silky mouth-feel of raw scallops and the crunch of pickled vegetables; and, of course, listen to the ubiquitous pumping dance music of the Hard Rock Hotel. Nobu Matsuhisa's San Diego outpost does not disappoint. Service is efficient and informative, yet friendly and relaxed. In other words, you're in good hands and never need to feel intimidated or insecure about your knowledge of obscure ingredients or pronunciations.
|
Quarter Kitchen
Ivy Hotel
600 F St.
San Diego, CA 92101
619-814-2000 |
Eclectic
14/20
$$$$$ |
Because it's located inside the opulent Ivy Hotel , you know that Quarter Kitchen will be decadent even before entering. With its stylish, ultra-modern décor, attractive waitstaff and noted chef, you can only imagine what treasures await your taste buds. We find the creamy lobster bisque with flaky vegetable samosas topnotch; the soup is rich and complex with slightly flowery, citrusy notes that balance the shellfish deftly. The signature caviar tacos have received attention, but equally whimsical is the DGQK Kobe Cook Out, a mini burger and hot dog combo made with all Kobe beef—even the chili topping. For more Kobe beef, order the spaghetti and meatballs dish; the tender, flavorful meat with scarcely a breadcrumb is enveloped in silky tomato sauce and set atop a bed of baby linguine. When paired with the puffed potato side dish, the roasted double pork chop marries all of our favorite flavors: spiced, roasted apple quenelles, soufflé-like potatoes and creamy peppercorn sauce.
|
The Oceanaire
400 J St. (Fourth Avenue)
San Diego, CA 92101
619-858-2277 |
Seafood
13/20
$$$$$ |
Fans still flock to The Oceanaire Seafood Room to swoon over chef Brian Malarkey from Bravo's Top Chef Season Two and to dine on some of the freshest seafood San Diego has to offer. Classics like escargots en croûte or shrimp cocktail made with giant tiger shrimp are on the menu, as are trendier options such as teriyaki prawns and spicy El Diablo squid. Fresh fish selections like Scottish Loch Duart salmon and Mano de Leon hand-harvested scallops are flown in from across the globe. Desserts are retro-Americana: selections include Key lime pie, root beer float “à la royale”, banana splits and warm cookies with milk.
|
|
Currant
Sophia Hotel
140 W. Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
619-702-6309 |
American/French
15/20
$$$$$ |
Located inside the stylish yet affordable Sophia Hotel , Currant combines upscale menu items with attentive service and a cozy atmosphere. The wine list, although a bit limited, contains mostly California wines, including a few gems; the menu is sophisticated, but not intimidating and features American ingredients like Malpeque oysters, Hudson Valley foie gras and Maui onion rings.
|
The premise at the Gaslamp Strip Club is simple. Choose from a variety of raw steak, chicken and seafood, order a salad and a couple of family-style side dishes and head towards the grill. Yes folks, you have to cook your own food here at this stylish, masculine-themed hot-spot, but that's part of the fun. Groups congregate at one of the several central grills to cook strip steaks, kebabs and garlic bread. Cleverly posted directions (i.e. grill side and eye level) ensure that even novices can come away with a feeling of accomplishment.
|
Jade Theater
701 C St. (Seventh Ave.)
San Diego, CA 92101
619-814-5125 |
|
| Sleek and stylish, Jade Theater's three floors hold an exotic cocktail bar, a private chef's tasting room, a movie viewing room and an underground dance club.
|
Play the game of a lifetime at the famed cliffside Torrey Pines Golf Course, a short drive north of downtown in beautiful La Jolla. Boasting two 18-hole courses, this golfer's paradise is set atop towering bluffs over the Pacific Ocean and is home to the Buick Invitational and the Junior World Gold Championship. Don't miss the chance to play in the footsteps of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.
|
Ingrid Croce, wife of the late famed singer-songwriter Jim Croce, pioneered the revitalization of downtown San Diego when she opened her restaurant and jazz bar in 1985. You can still drop in any night and count on hearing excellent live jazz or R&B.
|
San Diego's PETCO Park is located smack dab in the middle of the downtown action. From April to October, after the business day is done, sports fans will appreciate the short stroll over to this state-of-the-art new 42,445-seat ballpark for a Padres game. Fans experience breathtaking views of the boat-filled bay, downtown skyline, historic Balboa Park and majestic mountains to the east—not to mention the on-the-diamond skills of Trevor Hoffman and Khalil Greene. Whether you catch a game solo or rent a festive party suite, PETCO Park is an ideal after-hours destination.
|
Located in the heart of the Gaslamp District, the House of Blues is San Diego's one-stop source for musical entertainment. Grab a bite of spicy New Orleans fare in the restaurant; then head into the approximately 900-seat concert hall venue to catch bands as diverse as The Strokes, the Black Eyed Peas and Bo Diddley. If business calls for it, you can rent out the upstairs VIP seats for a night of corporate bonding or mill around the music-loving crowd on the downstairs stage level. Weekend travelers might enjoy the all-you-can eat Sunday brunch buffet, accompanied by live-on-stage performances by regional gospel groups. Check out other special events, too, including Saturday Blues & Barbecue and weekday Lightning Lunches.
|
|
 Going to California? Check our Guide. |
Ready to book a trip now?
Click here for exclusive savings. |
Find
Business
Travel Guides for cities around the world.
*Banner images courtesy of San Diego Convention and Visitors
Bureau.
Torrey Pines Golf image courtesy of www.sandiego.gov.
PDE051206 |
(Updated: 08/20/08 SG) |
|
