Andaz San Diego, by Hyatt — Hotel in San Diego

Andaz San Diego - A Concept by Hyatt: A Chic Downtown Retreat

Andaz San Diego, part of the Hyatt portfolio, offers a modern and stylish stay in the heart of San Diego's bustling Gaslamp Quarter. With its contemporary design, excellent amenities, and prime location, it caters well to both business and leisure travelers, though there are some areas for improvement.

Ambiance and Setting: The Andaz San Diego boasts a sleek, modern aesthetic with chic decor that blends comfort and style. The lobby and common areas are designed with a contemporary flair, featuring vibrant colors and unique art pieces. The rooftop pool and lounge are standout features, offering panoramic views of the city and a relaxed atmosphere for socializing or unwinding.

Rooms: The rooms at Andaz San Diego are spacious and well-appointed, featuring modern furnishings and thoughtful amenities. Plush bedding, large flat-screen TVs, and well-designed workspaces cater to both relaxation and productivity. However, some guests have noted that the open-concept bathroom design might lack privacy for those sharing a room. Additionally, noise from the surrounding nightlife can sometimes be heard in the rooms, which might affect light sleepers.

Dining: The hotel offers a variety of dining options, including a vibrant rooftop restaurant and bar that serves delicious small plates and creative cocktails. The breakfast options are diverse and cater to different dietary preferences. Room service is also available, providing a convenient dining option for guests who prefer to dine in privacy.

Service: Service at Andaz San Diego is generally attentive and professional, with staff members who are eager to assist and make your stay comfortable. The check-in process is smooth, and the concierge is helpful in providing local recommendations. However, during peak times, service can be slow, and some guests have reported minor issues with housekeeping.

Location: The hotel's location in the Gaslamp Quarter is one of its biggest advantages. It is within walking distance to a plethora of restaurants, bars, shops, and entertainment venues. Petco Park, the San Diego Convention Center, and the waterfront are all easily accessible. The vibrant nightlife in the area is great for those looking to explore the city, though it can contribute to the aforementioned noise issues.

Amenities: Andaz San Diego offers a range of amenities to enhance your stay. The rooftop pool and lounge are popular spots, especially in the evenings. The hotel also features a well-equipped fitness center, meeting and event spaces, and complimentary Wi-Fi. The valet parking service, while convenient, can be pricey, and the lack of self-parking options might be a drawback for some guests.

Overall Experience: Staying at Andaz San Diego offers a blend of modern luxury and vibrant city life, making it an appealing choice for visitors to San Diego. While there are some minor drawbacks, such as noise and occasional service hiccups, the hotel's stylish design, prime location, and overall comfort make it a solid option for travelers.

Rating: 4/5

Andaz San Diego - A Concept by Hyatt provides a chic and comfortable stay in a prime downtown location. With its modern amenities, attentive service, and vibrant atmosphere, it is well-suited for both business and leisure travelers looking to experience the best...

This is one of my favourite hotels in the US and I was excited to be back. As a Hyatt Globalist I was hoping for a nice upgrade but unfortunately a slightly bigger room on the second floor was all I could get. Granted, we stayed over the weekend but in 8 or so previous stays here I’ve never gotten a room on such a low level (and the noise from the Gaslight district was as loud as expected on such a low floor). Check in otherwise was pleasant and I loved that Andaz-specific smell throughout, how I had missed it over Covid! We were also offered a glass of wine with check in (only white from plastic cups, unlike in the past) and quickly settled into our room. They’ve done the most minimalist of minor refurbishments possible since we last stayed and the age of the property is showing throughout. Still a nice hotel but not as shiny as it once was. We still loved the convenient location, the quality of the bed and the beautiful roof top pool which is one of my favourite hotel pools around. We also greatly appreciate the fact that this property is designed for adults rather than families with screaming children and only few of the latter were present during our stay. Yes, it gets loud at night but we prefer that a dozen times over babies squealing by the pool. Likewise, we actually enjoy the diversity of the inner city and had to laugh at the “letter from the management” advising they they offer to personally accompany you in the area as it is so dodgy. Yes, there are lots of homeless people around and this got worse over Covid it seems- you will encounter camps of homeless people in tents just opposite of the hotel and the occasional homeless passed out on the sidewalk. Not pleasant but more a symptom of the lack of social welfare offered, as opposed to an actual threat to anyone. The kind of people we are talking about won’t even have the money to buy a gun, let alone have reason to hurt anyone.

Unfortunately, we encountered quite a few service issues and the Covid excuse doesn’t quite cut it anymore, in my opinion. We tried to order some items through the Hyatt app for example and the request was entirely ignored, something that even some Hyatt Regency hotels managed much better during our trip. But the worst was when I went to reception to check out and asked to send a luggage cart up to my partner who was left in the room struggling with our many bags and suitcases. The lady at reception promised to send one up straight away, I even asked once more to ensure it really happens and guess what? When I came back 5 minutes later with the car (we had decided to park a block away which cost us $15 a day rather than the outrageous Valet fee that the hotel charges- no self park option at this property), you guessed it: No trolly, only my poor partner schlepping all luggage himself. Worse even: Apparently there were two staff members idling at the reception and watching him struggle without offering any assistance. Not good enough and I’m sad to say so as I really love...

I’m a Hyatt Globalist, I travel a lot for work, and I always take a chance to stay in an Andaz when I can. The property in NYC is one of our favorite places to stay, overall. We just stayed at the Scottsdale location a few months back which was amazing.

San Diego Andaz though really isn’t an Andaz. If anything it should be a lower end Hyatt Centric or basic Hyatt. If you go to the Andaz listings it has the worst ratings globally, and that’s not a mistake. I thought people were exaggerating about the noise…nope. I was on one of the top floors and even with my industrial strength (the kind jackhammer operators use) ear plugs I could still feel the shaking of my room in the middle of the night. Surprisingly it’s not from the bars really though it’s from all the cars with massive subwoofers that are out front at various points.

The neighborhood itself is shady to say the least. You’d think city center will always have some crime and homeless, but the mentally ill homeless population and the smells were a cut above. I’m from the NYC area and lived in Philly for 5 of the last 7 years so no stranger to what comes with big cities, and this just felt extra concentrated.

However, all of that could have been forgiven if the room was perfect. It was not. I was there during a heatwave for work, and I sometimes get a headache when flying. What always helps is exercise upon landing, so I did that, and set my room temp to 66° for when I got back. Well it must be a low flow unit bc others mentioned this in their reviews, it barely pumped any air out you literally could barely feel it putting your hand on the vent, and never dropped below 70° all night. Not that 70° is too bad, but that’s by where the thermostat is. Where the bed was it was mid 70s. I was never able to cool down really after exercising with the excessive heat outside as well…and this is supposed to be a luxury property?

Finally, the bed killed my back! It was like some 500lb person had been sleeping in it, and it had become U-Shaped essentially. I woke up with the worst lower back pain I experienced in some time. On top of that the room was very dusty in spots and had one of the lights half falling out of the wall. Who likes having a glass shower in the middle of the room too? Who is that for??

Moved over to the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel by the water and despite being a little basic inside it is 100x better than the Andaz and a very nice hotel with one of the best hotel gyms probably in the world. Just stay there, you’ll thank me, unless you want wanted to be dead center of the Gaslight, the Manchester is only an 8 min Uber...