Splurge Hotels · San Diego
San Diego’s best rooms are downtown, a cab from B Street, and none of them prints a word for cruisers. The US Grant is the one downtown hotel that’s both AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four-Star. The InterContinental is the Four Diamond you can walk to the ship from.
We looked for the nicest places to stay before a cruise from San Diego. One of the six, the InterContinental, also makes our top 20, because it’s a walk from the terminal; the other five are the better rooms, and the morning is yours to arrange. Tap the night you’re after and the pick lights up.
Four are AAA Four Diamond for 2026 and one is Five Diamond; The US Grant is also Forbes Four-Star. Pendry has no AAA rating, and we say so rather than stretch.
The only downtown hotel that's both AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four-Star: a 1910 landmark on Broadway with the Grant Grill downstairs.
AAA Four Diamond, a 10-minute walk from the terminal, with a rooftop pool and Vistal for dinner.
A rooftop pool, Spa Pendry and six places to eat and drink in the Gaslamp, with noon check-out. Nothing for cruisers.
AAA Four Diamond since 1984, on its own marina by Seaport Village, with two free-form pools and Roy's for dinner.
Four Diamond residences inside the Hotel del Coronado, with kitchens, a private oceanfront pool and the beach at the door.
AAA Five Diamond on the 18th hole of Torrey Pines, with fireplaces and a Four-Star spa. It's a drive up the coast from the ship.
Hover or tap a hotel to light its column. Green is on offer, gold comes with a cost or a catch, grey isn’t there or isn’t stated.
| Feature | The US Grant | InterContinental | Pendry | Marriott Marquis | Shore House at The Del | The Lodge at Torrey Pines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA rating | Four Diamond, since 2007 | Four Diamond, since 2019 | Not on AAA's 2026 Diamond lists | Four Diamond, since 1984 | Four Diamond, since 2025 | Five Diamond, since 2002 |
| Forbes Travel Guide | Four-Star | — | Recommended | — | — | Recommended; Four-Star spa |
| On the beach | No; downtown on Broadway | No; on the bay | No; in the Gaslamp | No; on its own marina | Yes, direct beach access | No; clifftop golf course |
| Restaurant | Grant Grill | Vistal; Garibaldi | Fifth & Rose; Lionfish | Roy's; Marina Kitchen; Agave | The Del's restaurants, next door | A.R. Valentien; The Grill |
| Bar or drinks | Grant Grill Bar & Lounge | Layover, a rooftop bar | Nason's Beer Hall; the Pool House | Lobby Lounge | Guest-only bistro and lounge | — |
| Spa | — | — | Spa Pendry | — | Spa & Salon at The Del | The Spa at Torrey Pines |
| Breakfast | Not stated | Paid | Paid | Paid | Not stated | Not stated |
| Kitchen | — | — | — | — | Gourmet kitchen in every residence | — |
| Resort fee | None stated | Daily amenities fee, amount not shown | Amenity fee, amount not published | Not stated | Maybe The Del's $50 a night | $60 a night |
| Parking | $70 valet; cruise parking not stated | $57 self, $69 valet | $70 valet with tax | $50 a day self, $70 valet | $50–$79, pages disagree | $55 self, $65 valet |
| Shuttle to the port | — | Walk: 10 minutes | — | — | — | — |
| Distance to the port | Not stated | 0.4 miles | Not stated | Not stated | 6 miles to downtown | Not stated |
None of the six publishes a ride to the ship. The InterContinental is a 10-minute walk, and the downtown three are a short cab. Shore House and The Lodge are a proper drive, across the bay and up the coast.
The fees add up. The Lodge charges a $60 nightly resort fee, the InterContinental and Pendry add daily fees without printing the amount, and The Del’s $50 charge may reach Shore House. Downtown valet runs $69 to $70.
Driving and want a printed number? The Comfort Inn at the Harbor, No. 1 in our top 20, sells the night, 7 days of parking and the shuttle both ways from $209 with tax.
| Hotel | Why it isn’t in the six |
|---|---|
| Alma San Diego Downtown | AAA Four Diamond since 2023, with a rooftop pool and dogs welcome up to 50 lb. Valet is $70, the rooftop restaurant is seasonal, and there's nothing for cruisers. |
| The Westgate Hotel | AAA Four Diamond downtown since 2007. Valet only, $55 overnight, and no pets; its page points to the rooftop pool at AquaVie next door. |
| Fairmont Grand Del Mar | AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Four-Star, with a Five-Star spa, but 20 miles from the airport by its own count. Too far for a sail morning. |
| Hotel del Coronado | The main hotel isn't on AAA's 2026 Diamond lists; its Shore House is. Its policies page adds a $50 nightly charge and $59 self-parking. |
| Andaz, Omni and the two Westins downtown | All four are AAA Four Diamond for 2026. We haven't checked their cruise details yet. |
By the ratings, The US Grant. It's the only downtown hotel that's both AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four-Star, a 1910 landmark on Broadway. Marriott gives no distance to the terminal and nothing for cruisers. For the shortest walk, the InterContinental is AAA Four Diamond and a 10-minute walk from the terminal by IHG's count; it ranks ninth in our top 20.
Not downtown. AAA's 2026 Five Diamond list has four in the San Diego area: The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad and Rancho Valencia. The Lodge says it's a 20-minute drive from the airport; the Fairmont puts it 20 miles off. Downtown, the best AAA rating is Four Diamond.
None of our six publishes one. The InterContinental doesn't need it: it's a 10-minute walk. From the others it's a cab or a car; the airport-to-port rides are on our Getting There table.
None of the six publishes cruise parking. The port has no long-term parking at the terminals; it lists nearby lots instead, such as Park, Shuttle & Fly at $24.95 a day with a free shuttle.
Yes. The main hotel is now Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Shore House, the AAA Four Diamond residences inside it, is one of our six. We saw no closure notice on its policies page.
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