We recently visited the Marriott Marquis San Diego for a weekend getaway. We were looking for a relaxing and fun place to stay in the heart of San Diego, with easy access to the waterfront and the city’s attractions.
Did we find it at the Marriott Marquis San Diego? Read on to find out.
Review: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina (California)
Photo: marriott.com
About Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
The Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina is a four-star hotel that offers expansive views of San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline, it first opened its doors in 1984 and has since become a well-known destination for both leisure and business travelers. The hotel has two 25-story towers with 1,362 rooms and suites, a 446-slip marina, a 4.3-acre pool deck, a fitness center, a spa, and a business center. The hotel also has four restaurants and bars, as well as a Topgolf Swing Suite, where guests can enjoy golf and other sports simulators in a lounge setting.
Photo: marriott.com
Our Stay At A Glance:
- Average Nightly Cost During Stay: $333 per night
- Loyalty Program: Marriott Bonvoy
- Loyalty Category: N/A
- Discount Applied: 52,000
- Room Type as Booked: Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom
- Room Upgrade: Courtesy of a Suite Night Redemption
- Resort Fee: $35 per night
- Parking Fee: $40 per night
Booking/Redemption
Location & Parking
The hotel is located on West Harbor Drive, next to the San Diego Convention Center and across from the Embarcadero. The hotel is within walking distance or a short ride from many popular destinations, such as Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, Petco Park, the USS Midway Museum, and Balboa Park. The hotel is also semi-close to public transportation options, such as buses, light rail, and ferries.
The hotel offers valet parking for $55 per night, which includes unlimited in-and-out privileges. There is also self-parking available at a nearby garage for [steep] $40 per night, but there is no other parking available in the immediate area.
Photo: marriott.com
FHOP Tip: Be prepared to fork over $40 for an overnight parking pass, as there are really no other good parking options in the immediate area.
Front Desk & Check-In
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum+ Benefits: No Breakfast And No Marriott Lounge For You!
As Platinum Elite members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, we expected to enjoy several benefits during our stay at the hotel, including the published welcome gift of free breakfast at the hotel’s M Club lounge.
Well, we were sorely disappointed. At check-in, I was informed that the M Club lounge is closed on weekends (that’s where the complimentary Breakfast (for two) is served). I was told there were no other options for breakfast, but that I’d be receiving 1,000 Bonvoy points as “compensation”. Just then, I heard the guy next to me running into the same no breakfast problem at check-in, and he was irate, and wasn’t going to accept the 1,000 point “compensation”. His attendant then offered 2,000 points, “but that was it”. I looked at the woman helping me and demanded the 2,000 points as well. She was not happy with this request, but the uttered, “fine!!, anything else!?”.
Wow, this was certainly NOT Marquis service. So let’s do some math. Free breakfast at the M Lounge would have been valued around $25ish per person, so about $50. 1,000 bonvoy points are worth around $5, and 2,000 points around $10. In no world was this just compensation for no breakfast.
This no breakfast policy for “weekenders” was a deal breaker for me against future stays.
No Breakfast And No Marriott Lounge For You
Welcome Package / Destination Amenity Guide
Room Key
Hallway
Executive Suite, 1 King Bed Walkthrough Tour:
Executive Suite Entrance
The Executive Suite was a large space with what can only be described as the “most Marriott” of decors. It had a separate living room with a sofa bed, a chair, an ottoman, a large work desk, and a flat-screen TV. The bedroom had a king-sized bed with plush bedding, feather down comforters and pillows, and another flat-screen TV.
Living Room
Room Amenities
Bedroom
Closet
Bathroom
The bathroom had a bathtub, a separate shower, a double vanity, and Thisworks toiletry products. The suite also had a minibar, a coffee maker, an iron and ironing board, a hairdryer, a safe, and free Wi-Fi.
The Thisworks brand of toiletry products was provided for the room. I consider these to be mid to low quality products in my opinion.
Balcony
View From The Room
 Dining Options
 Dining OptionsThe hotel’s restaurants and bars included Marina Kitchen Restaurant & Bar, which served contemporary American cuisine, and Tequila Bar & Grille, which offered an extensive selection of tequilas, margaritas, beers, wines, and cocktails. The bar had a casual and lively vibe with indoor/outdoor seating.
Photo: marriott.com
Exchange Pantry
Photo: marriott.com
Breakfast At Starbucks
Because this hotel offered no complimentary breakfast options for weekend traveling Bonvoy elites, we ended up having breakfast at the [overpriced] Starbucks.
Photo: marriott.com
The Property Exterior
Photo: marriott.com
Photo: marriott.com
Swimming Pool
The pool deck had two outdoor pools, a whirlpool, a children’s pool, a splash zone, cabanas, lounge chairs, and a poolside bar. The pools were heated and clean with views of the marina.
Photo: marriott.com
Fitness Center
Photo: marriott.com
Photo: marriott.com
The Top Golf Suite
Unique to this hotel was the Topgolf Swing Suite, which was located inside the Bayside Lounge. The Topgolf Swing Suite featured three Swing Suite simulators with golf and other sports games, such as baseball, hockey, football, and zombie dodgeball.
Photo: marriott.com
FHOP Tip: What’s Nearby: There is no shortage of things to do near the hotel. The Gaslamp Quarter, located just a short walk away, as are the Seaport Village and Westfield Horton Plaza are in close proximity, offering a variety of shops and boutiques. Popular excursions such as visiting the famous San Diego Zoo or taking a harbor cruise are easily accessible from the hotel, making it a great base for exploring the city.
We enjoyed walking along the Embarcadero, the aircraft carrier USS Midway Museum, and the Unconditional Surrender statue. We also visited Seaport Village and took advantage of the hotel’s complimentary bikes to ride along the bayfront bike path.
The Bottom-Line Review: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina (California)
In conclusion, our stay at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina was overall just OK . The Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom accommodation was spacious and comfortable and an enjoyable experience. However, the major downside of our weekend stay was the lack of breakfast options on weekends due to the closure of the M Club Lounge, which was disappointing. Why this Marriott would like to screw the elites who pay more for their weekend stays is beyond me.
The location of the resort in downtown San Diego was excellent, but the parking fees were on the higher side.
Even with the bad attitudes I dealt with at the front-desk check-in and the closure of the M Club Lounge on weekends, the overall experience at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina was still mostly positive, although I have no intention of staying there again when I could stay at the very similar Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego [next door] which provides its Globalist elites better service and one of the best breakfast spreads in Southern California.
Final Rating: 7 out of 10
