Southern California Are the hotels in the San Diego area normally pretty expensive?

[sgtdisney]

I am looking at a few days in San Diego around the end of July on or after July 29. I know it would be after the Comic Con the weekend of July 25-28. Seems like all of the hotels, all around San Diego are 150.00 and up (way up). I was curious if this was typical of San Diego (been years since I've been there) or if there was something unusual going on that week. I've even searched out of San Diego, up a little north and finding places like Holiday Inn Express close to 200.00 a night. Is there a trick, maybe waiting until closer to the date, or something else, to get a better deal? Or this pretty typical pricing for the San Diego area in late July early August?

 

[SMD]

The Comic-Con rates usually stay high through Sunday and Monday nights, especially near the airport and convention center. Where are you looking to stay? $150 is a good rate downtown.

 

[sgtdisney]

I am actually open to the location. We're flying into San Diego before heading to Anaheim, and wanted to maybe visit Sea World and some of the other local sights. So two or three nights starting Tuesday 7/29.

For example, I have seem some people here recommend Homewood Suites at Liberty Station, but for the days I am looking at, it's 270.00 a night. I prefer a location with inside hallways, with easy parking. Many of the downtown locations are 300.00 or more. The locations which I am finding around 150.00 are for places like a Motel 6 or Days Inn, which typically are under 100 in my experiences.

I am finding places like Holiday Inn Express and Hilton Garden Inns a little further out from the city for around (over over) 200.00 It's been a number of years since I've been to California, and 20+ years since I've been to San Diego. Maybe I am too used to Florida where you can find nice, newer places like Country Inns or HI Express for 125.00 a night, and I am just having sticker shock?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Not a lot of experience I can offer, but here's what I found when searching for San Diego hotels. We have stayed at the Homewood Suites at Liberty Station 3 times now. Twice were spring break time (2012 and 2013) and once was the week before the week of Thanksgiving (2013). The prices for those times of year whenever I looked to book starting 6 months before and up until whenever the rooms sold out stayed pretty consistently at $175-$190 per night for the one bedroom king suite. I was able to shave a little bit off that with a AAA discount. One reason we chose this place the first time around is because when I searched for other hotels, I couldn't find anything that was significantly cheaper than this once I added on the per night parking charge. Homewood doesn't charge additional for parking or internet. In November, DH could have gotten a conference rate at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina, but even that was only less than $10 per night cheaper than what we paid at the Homewood, and I can't remember if that was before or after parking.

So I guess what I'm saying is that based on my limited experience I wouldn't expect to find a hotel rate in San Diego for less than $175-$200 per night. Either the previous poster is right and you're seeing Comic Con pricing still affecting things, or San Diego is just that expensive during the summer. I do remember the rates being a good bit higher for summer when I explored that option which is one reason we stuck with our spring break timing.

 

[Purrkins]

Comic Con means all hotels in San Diego are at 100% capacity. It's a supply vs. demand issue and thus the prices increase roughly 50% and remains in place for about 4 days before and after the event.

Stay outside of the city if you cannot change your dates or look at alternatives such as VRBO. But yes, we're pretty expensive generally.

 

[sgtdisney]

Comic Con means all hotels in San Diego are at 100% capacity. It's a supply vs. demand issue and thus the prices increase roughly 50% and remains in place for about 4 days before and after the event.

Stay outside of the city if you cannot change your dates or look at alternatives such as VRBO. But yes, we're pretty expensive generally.

OK thanks. Unfortunately the dates can't be changed as tickets are already bought.. Any suggestions for some places outside of San Diego to look at? I am not opposed to driving into the city to see the sights.

 

[DaretoDis]

Not sure where you've been looking, or how many in your party, but LMT Club has the Hilton Mission Valley for $103/nite, and quite a number of other hotels for a lot less than $200.

 

[sgtdisney]

Not sure where you've been looking, or how many in your party, but LMT Club has the Hilton Mission Valley for $103/nite, and quite a number of other hotels for a lot less than $200.

I have been using TripAdvisor and Expedia to search, not a member of LMT club, and have just been searching in general in San Diego County, La Jolla, etc. I looked up Hilton Mission Valley for my days (there are 4 travelling) and it says no rooms available.

 

[kkendle]

I have been using TripAdvisor and Expedia to search, not a member of LMT club, and have just been searching in general in San Diego County, La Jolla, etc. I looked up Hilton Mission Valley for my days (there are 4 travelling) and it says no rooms available.

You don't have to be a member of LMT to reserve a room...I didn't anyway. Another site that is owned by LMT is called Easy Click Travel...they actually give you the name of the hotel.

In case you use LMT...if you want to know the name of the hotel before booking, just act like you are going to book it, then add an activity as well and click on book...the hotel name will show up at that point. Of course, if you call them, they sometimes lower the prices a bit and will tell you what the hotel name is before you book.

I am looking for a hotel for 3 nights in October but just browsing at this point.

 

[DaretoDis]

I have been using TripAdvisor and Expedia to search, not a member of LMT club, and have just been searching in general in San Diego County, La Jolla, etc. I looked up Hilton Mission Valley for my days (there are 4 travelling) and it says no rooms available.

Then it might be time to check LMT out. If you don't want to become a member, which is free by the way, then just call their number from their website and they will give you the Club rate. I plugged in 4 adults for 3 nights and their rate is $125/nite. Most reservations booked via LMT are cancelable up to 3 days before checkin and sometimes 1 day, with no penalty.

 

[sgtdisney]

OK thanks. I found now that LMT doesn't require a membership. Thanks. I will start looking there. Pretty cool you can "see" the hidden hotel name if you do the "activity.

Is there one area outside of San Diego, suburbs, better than another. I see some places in La Mesa, El Cajon, Misson Valley, etc. I know La Jolla is high end, I was there for training many years ago.

 

[Pucka1378]

OK thanks. I found now that LMT doesn't require a membership. Thanks. I will start looking there. Pretty cool you can "see" the hidden hotel name if you do the "activity.

Is there one area outside of San Diego, suburbs, better than another. I see some places in La Mesa, El Cajon, Misson Valley, etc. I know La Jolla is high end, I was there for training many years ago.

La Mesa and Mission Valley is good. I would stay away from El Cajon(can't think of any decent hotels in that area).

 

[Lisa71]

I would also suggest the Carlsbad area. Not super close but really nice hotels in that area and near Legoland. It is also not far from Safari Park (Wild Animal Park) and has great beaches. We travel frequently to San Diego as we have family there and prices can get crazy as summer hits.

 

[sgtdisney]

OK thanks, I will expand my search a little bit. We will have a rental car, so it's not a big deal to have to drive. I will check out Carlsbad. I found a few places in Mira Mesa, is that area pretty nice?

 

[bellanapoli]

Are you military? You may have luck with the navy bases if you have an ID.

 

[sgtdisney]

Nope, I am not military. I have been scanning LMT and it does have some good deals. I found a Doubletree close to Del mar for around 135 a night on LMT. I also found a Country Inn and Suites around Sorento Valley for about 160 but it includes a hot breakfast. Any thoughts about those two areas? I am not worried about the drive into San Diego, so being down town is not a priority for me. I am more of a "suburban" guy anyway.

 

[8lovesmickey]

Not sure if you're still looking (I haven't been on the boards for awhile) - but we got a one-bedroom condo near Oceanside Pier (north San Diego County) for less than $150 a night. It also has a garage and comes with surfboards and bikes. We went through VRBO.com -- they had many similar listings so you might want to give it a try.