Crowded with kids, Under renovation
Written: Apr 12 '08 (Updated Apr 22 '08)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Central location, close to many restaurants and public transportation. About One mile from UCSD.
Cons: Too far from beach. Unparented kids overran hotel.
The Bottom Line: I'd only stay here again if I verified that no conventions, job fairs, or children's weekends were taking place there.
|
|
|
| salme's Full Review: Embassy Suites Hotel San Diego La Jolla |
My husband and I stayed in this hotel over a one-week period in late February 2008, spanning one weekend. Although it said on the website that portions of the hotel were under construction, they did not disclose that the hotel restaurant was closed (though the kitchen was still open), and that therefore they were running the morning breakfasts out of the lobby. There were many undisclosed renovations, in fact, which along with being overrun by children over the weekend, ruined my experience.
The Hotel:
The Embassy Suites LJ is centrally located sports many niceties, including a business center with three computers and a couple of extra plug-in spots for a laptop. Use here is free.
A small indoor pool and jacuzzi allow year-round playtime. Hotel boasts a small exercise room with all the standard equipment and TVs, looking out over a view of the driveway out front.
Several large meeting rooms are available for rent. I saw one used for a wedding and meetings.
Unfortunately, the lobby was also under construction, the koi pond was drained and very unattractive, and contractors worked on it daily.
They didn't disclose the planned carpeting re-do either, which took place beginning on Monday of our stay. They didn't disclose it until the Friday before the work began on Monday, then only by slipping a memo under our doors. By then of course we had no way of getting another hotel for the weekend and following week. The Suites did not post signs anywhere warning people about the various renovations taking place. They did put up warning tape and cones around the pond.
A parking deck next door is not exclusive to the hotel, but shares with PF Chang's next door, or anyone who wants to pay to park there. Parking fees apply to hotel guests (daily fee). Your room key can be set to let you in and out, but we had several problems with this system. We had to get new room keys at least three times because the keys "broke" while we were there (for the parking only). Occasionally, the hotel just lifted the exit bars because they were having so many problems.
Two stacked Washer/Dryers available for guest use, on floors 5 & 12, by the service elevator. These were very small units. The front-desk convenience store sells small boxes of Tide and Bounce, among other amenities.
The Room:
The hotel room we were given was clean, appeared recently renovated, and was nicely appointed, though it was on a corner next to the service elevator, which was distractingly loud. A room includes two plasma TVs, free HBO, mini-fridge for your free use, microwave, bar sink and coffeemaker in the front room. Large bathroom, one closet, and dresser with vanities. Plenty of storage.
The interior door separated the front room from the master suite, which is to say the bathroom was on the wrong side of the door. I think this would be inconvenient for those staying on the couch-bed in the front room having to go into the back bedroom for a bath; there's less privacy. I did like that the interior door was a solid door with a lock, not a shutter-style or bi-fold door.
The hotel offers wireless and wired Internet access (for a charge) in the room.
The cleaning crew did a fine job, but did not vacuum daily unless asked. Standard toiletries.
Breakfast and Room Service:
Because the restaurant was closed, they served all meals in the lobby area, which included a couple of large plasma TV's. These ran constantly, usually on a sports or news channel. Children ran fairly wild. Full room-service menu of Hilton standards available.
Embassy Suites includes a full breakfast with your stay, offering several types of eggs (including an omelet bar), full set of hot and cold cereals, fruits, potatoes, and a selection of breakfast meats and breads (sausage, bacon, pancakes, French toast, etc). The breakfast varies slightly day-to-day.
The hotel's kitchen was still in service, and serving meals both in-room and in the lobby area. We ordered some of the Hilton's standards in-room (hamburgers, pizza). The food was ok, though not stellar for the exorbitant prices. When we called to have them pick up the tray, the staff told us to just set it outside. It took them a long time to retrieve trays from the halls.
Cocktail Hour:
Daily during the business week, Embassy Suites LJ offers free sodas, liquor, wine, or beer in the lobby. Free potato or tortilla chips with salsa, sour cream or cheese sauce. Goldfish crackers. Nothing spectacular.
Atmosphere:
Like many Embassy Suites, the business week belongs to businessmen. Unfortunately, the weekends belong to the kids. A city-wide little-league hockey tournament filled the hotel with kids, and the staff made no effort to control the wildness of these 75 kids despite our complaints. They ran in the halls, yelled across the atrium, and played hockey in their stocking feet in the halls, the atrium, and outside. It is untenable, especially because the atrium structure only serves to magnify sound exponentially as the sound rises. I'm sure the atrium will be lovely when they finish it, but during our stay it was an empty concrete pool with big hoses across the foyer, leading to the cement truck out front.
Once the kids left, the entire first floor was rented out for a job fair. I just gave up on quiet at that point -- I'd been trying to work in my room -- and went out.
For some unexplained reason, the AC stopped working the last day we were there, and though the engineer responded quickly that it would be back on shortly, it was not. Then it took 30 minutes for the engineer to even respond to a second call.
Even with the occasional availability of the low-priced rates, I would not stay here again. They just don't disclose the truth about the state of the hotel far enough in advance.
On the plus side, it is centrally located, across from UTC shopping center and lots of eateries. It is more than a mile from the beach.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
salme
|
|
Location: University Park, MD
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Professional editor and freelance writer.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.