Loews Coronado Bay

[CoolPool]

We are booked at the Bahai for our Sea World adventure, but then would like to see other sites of San Diego too such as the zoo and gaslamp. Family: 2 adults + 2 kids. Kids want to stay at the beach....but I'm wondering if Loews will put us too far away from the sites? (yes, I have a car.) Please give me your opinion if this hotel is 1) clean/quality for money and 2) near enough to sites or not.

Thanks so much. SD confounds me; "hotel circle" seems to be near nowhere.

 

[LukenDC]

The Loews Coronado is on Coronado Island facing downtown San Diego across the bay. A long arching bridge---the Coronado Bay Bridge---connects the island (it's actually a penninsula) with the mainland. There is also a water taxi service. The resort is certainly not within walking distance of anything in San Diego proper and is a little more than a mile from the famous Hotel Del Coronado. Much of the island is owned by the Navy and it is the West Coast headquarters and training center for the famous Navy Seals.

If you plan on driving between the resort and San Diego, you should look into whether or not the Coronado Bay Bridge has a toll or not. I don't remember if it does.

If sightseeing is your primary purpose in San Diego, you might want to consider staying on the mainland since Coronado is inconvenient.

I have not stayed at the Loews Coronado, so I cannot tell you anything about the property.

 

[CoolPool]

Thank you for your reply. I shall look into it.

I realized that Coronado was away but it seems like most of the family hotels are "away" from the sites as well. Even the ones with park names are "one mile" or more away. That's why I find SD so confounding.

Anyone else with SD experiencse to share?

 

[endy]

I am not a local, wish I was. Been to SD tho each year for the past 6.
There was no toll on the Coronado bridge last summer.
Hotel circle is actually handy (I think) to Sea World and the zoo, Balboa Park and Fashion Valley Mall. The beaches are within a few minutes from SW. Hotel circle on the east/west freeway between the 2 north/south interstates, I thought fairly easy access. Don't remember their numbers I just know how to get from A to B.

 

[CoolPool]

Thank you endy, Where did you stay? Any hotel/motel recs?

 

[LukenDC]

One property that you might want to consider is the Marriott Marina in downtown. I have stayed there several times. It is a short walk to the Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, and Horton Plaza. The water taxi to Coronado leaves from the hotel marina and there is a trolley station across from the hotel. Balboa Park/Zoo is a ten minute drive or a bus ride away (you would take the #7 bus from Broadway---five minute walk from the hotel). The Marriott has a fantastic tropical pool complex.

 

[c&m]

We're not SD locals, but we love the place and have been there almost every year for the past 10 years (save for those odd years we went to WDW Florida instead).

Tho we have never stayed at the Loews Coronado (but we would have liked to) because it has always been so extremely expensive, I have heard it is a child-friendly hotel/resort with 3 pools. We have toured around Coronado and love it for the beach (one of my fave beaches), and that whole community is utterly beautiful. We spent a whole day on that beach; the kids chased the waves for hours and played in the really soft sand; we also had lunch at the Hotel Del Coronado next door. That was a great day, great memories.

We prefer to stay in La Jolla at the Hyatt La Jolla, just off the I-5 so convenient to drive to all the local attractions. It is a really nice hotel, and we're booked there for our upcoming trip in July. It doesn't have the resort feel that the Loews has, but the price tag staying at the Hyatt is a lot less than Loews.

Go to tripadvisor.com to see some reviews of the Loews Coronado (and the Hyatt La Jolla, if you're interested).

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Most hotels downtown should be fine, add to that hotel circle, although they are down a star or two. I would think twice about La Jolla as rush hour traffic can be a real issue. Loewes Coronado is a fabulous resort, but it's on the bay side rather than the ocean, and a car ride anywhere. The Coronado bridge was paid off a number of years ago and tolls were eliminated as a result. Holiday Inn on the Bay is a nice family-friendly hotel with a nice view and is close to many attractions. Reasonably priced. I know many people get deals on priceline around $50 a night. Not bad for being a street-width from the bay. Ruth's Chris right outside the front door, too.

Have a great trip!

 

[CoolPool]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I too feel Loews is a bit out there. The kids wanted a beach trip too so I thought I'd be able to combine them in one resort but "WOW" SD is expensive. I did get what I think is a great deal at Loews so I'm reluctant to change but a little nervous about being out in the sticks. *sigh*

 

[eduk8r26]

The one nice thing about San Diego is nothing is very far away. It's not like Los Angeles where you drive an hour or more to get anywhere. There's a nice Holiday Inn and Suites on Sports Arena Blvd, just minutes from Sea World and Mission Bay. Kids eat free at the restaurant on site, and there are plenty more restaurants within walking distance.