Pendry San Diego Hotel Review & Detailed Guide

Pendry San Diego consistently ranks among the top San Diego luxury hotels and is one of my favorite picks for downtown San Diego hotels.

I love that it’s located in a prime spot at the southern tip of the Gaslamp Quarter, a short walk from a Padres game, the San Diego Convention Center, vibrant nightlife, and some of the city’s best restaurants.

You can expect to have a swanky, cosmopolitan experience with impeccable service at the posh 12-story boutique hotel. Premium amenities include a rooftop pool, a full-service spa, and six onsite restaurants and bars.

I’ll share everything you need to know before booking in, including how to secure VIP benefits. My full review is below.

There’s a lot more to learn, so keep reading.

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Pendry San Diego Rooms & Suites Overview (Photos)

Whatever room you decide to reserve, you’re in for a treat. Certain Pendry hotel rooms have extra amenities and additional space, which may be appealing to you during your stay. This guide will help you decide which room or suite is best for you.

The 317 guestrooms and suites at Pendry San Diego all share an upscale urban flair. Their California coastal design features an ocean-inspired color palette, custom furniture, vintage accessories, and modern amenities, including hairdryers and free Wi-Fi.

Each accommodation is tailored for comfort and style and has been elevated by thoughtful partnerships with artisans and premium brands. The results are classic sophistication with a cosmopolitan edge.

All accommodations have the following features and modern luxury amenities:

• Fili D’oro luxury bedding
• A unique custom amenity program with the legendary MiN New York parfumerie
• Custom furnishings that include an oversized vintage desk and a fully-stocked minibar
• Walls adorned with California coastal and heritage surf photography
• Media amenities include a 50-inch flat-screen TV, Bluetooth-enabled JBL speakers for music streaming, and complimentary Wi-Fi
• Luxury bathrooms feature marble countertops and Waterworks spa products
• Air conditioning
• 24-hour room service
• Free WiFi

Pendry San Diego offers a variety of rooms and suites that cater to business and leisure travelers, couples, families, and pet owners.

You can also choose rooms and suites with ADA-accessible features. These include Superior Rooms and Corner Suites.

City, Pool, Corner, Bay, and Skyline Rooms (Most Popular)

The easiest way to differentiate between these three room categories, because amenities and size are pretty much the same, is by their location in the hotel and view.

At 350 square feet, City, Gaslamp, Pool, Bay, and Skyline rooms align with the average room size of many urban hotels. These standard rooms come with designer details, fantastic room amenities, cityscape views of downtown San Diego, and unique showers.

All room types have a king bed option, but City and Skyline rooms offer two queens. If you opt for a king bed room, it also has a chic plaid chaise lounge.

City King or Two Queens

City Rooms are on floors 2–8 and do not overlook the city as fully as the Skyline or Bay View rooms do. However, I was recently in a City View room on Floor 6, and it had a cool view of the activity on J Street.

Pool King

Pool King rooms on the 5th Avenue side offer views of the hotel’s rooftop pool and the city. Rooms on the 6th Avenue side offer views of the Petco Park Sign and the city.

Corner King

See 180-degree views of San Diego through the windows of your Corner King room.

Bay King

A Bay Room is located on the 5th Avenue side with distant views of the bay. These are also typically on higher floors and our top pick for rooms when people want to see water.

Skyline King or Two Queens

Book yourself on an even higher floor with skyline views of the downtown area. This is best for views and also for street noise.

Really Nice Suites (And One With Direct Pool Access)

I recently stayed in a Deluxe One Bedroom Suite connected to a City Two Queen and highly recommend that arrangement to families.

Studio Suite

For a larger room and even sweeter view of the city, look into this kind of suite. Executive Suites have picturesque views of the downtown skyline — you won’t be disappointed.

This expansive, open studio offers 621 square feet, with a relaxing sitting area and a king bed. It also includes a wet bar and a spacious bathroom with a soaking tub and a dual sink vanity.

Deluxe One Bedroom Suite

Whether you’re traveling with family or just looking for a little extra space, consider booking the Deluxe Suite. With 709 square feet, these one-bedroom suites feature a separate living room with a four-seat dining area and a luxurious wet bar.

In the living room, the grand flat-screen TV is the focal point, with a gorgeous L-shaped couch and cozy cream-colored chair. Space is further enhanced by gorgeous views of the downtown cityscape. You’ll find a king bed, a chaise lounge, and a large bathroom with a dual-head shower and a single-sink marble-top vanity in the bedroom.

Note that this suite is much like the one-bedroom Grand Suite below, but on a lower floor. It can connect to a City Two Queens.

Bay One Bedroom Suite

One of the best views in the hotel belongs to the Bay One Bedroom Suite. It’s 709 square feet with a fully separate sitting area, dining table for four, and a wet bar.

The bedroom includes a chic bathroom with a triple-head shower and single-sink marble vanity. There is also a beautifully decorated living room with a large flat-screen TV.

These are similar to the Deluxe One Bedroom Suites but located on higher floors.

Corner One Bedroom Suite

The Corner One Bedroom Suite is another prime spot if you want more space and an impressive city view with 709 square feet and separate bedroom and living spaces.

You’ll enjoy a king bed, a spacious bathroom with a dual-head shower, and a dual-sink marble vanity in the bedroom. The living space features a small wet bar, couch, sofa bed, and a gorgeous shelving unit with a large flat-screen TV taking center stage. The suite also features unparalleled views of the San Diego skyline.

The Pendry Suite

The largest and most lavish suite at the hotel is The Pendry Suite. It has a whopping 1,497 square feet of space and astounding 360-degree views. You’ll enjoy scenic vistas of the Gaslamp Quarter from the living area and gorgeous views of the downtown skyline from the bedroom.

The space includes oversized dining and living rooms, an opulent wet bar, a pool table, and a graciously appointed bathroom outfitted with a soaking tub, a dual-head shower, and a double sink vanity.

Pool Suite (for the Ultimate Pool Party)

If you plan to spend lots of time at the pool, the Cabana Pool suite is an ideal choice.

From this 1,082-square-foot accommodation, you’ll get direct access to the stunning pool, including the use of a 220-square-foot private cabana. The suite features a separate bedroom, a six-seat dining room great for family meals, and a wet bar.

An oversized bathroom features a dual-head shower, soaking tub, and a marble dual-sink vanity. You’ll enjoy incredible 180-degree views of the Gaslamp Quarter from your bedroom, too.

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Hotel Spa, Fitness, and Pool Amenities

You are sure to relax when you check in.

Spa Pendry San Diego

(I just had one of the best massages ever here.)

Spa Pendry provides guests with a full menu of spa services in a peaceful sanctuary. Their holistic approach to wellness means treatments cater to the needs of each. Spa therapists strive to restore balance to your mind, body, and spirit through an array of options tailored to your needs. You can even create your own personalized aromatherapy scent at the spa’s aroma bar.

Rejuvenating treatments at Spa Pendry include seven kinds of therapeutic massages, eleven full-body wraps and treatments, and your choice of six facials that draw from ancient practices and modern biotechnologies. Beauty services include manicures, pedicures, and waxes.

There are separate facilities for men and women, including steam rooms and saunas. Both indoor and outdoor treatment options are available.

24-Hour Fitness Center

Overlooking Pendry San Diego’s rooftop pool and whirlpool, a state-of-the-art 24-hour Fitness Center offers a range of workout activities around the clock.

Guests can use cardiovascular equipment equipped with personal entertainment monitors, weight-training machines, and free weights to get moving and feel invigorated.

Rooftop Pool and Whirlpool

At Pendry San Diego, they go all out regarding rooftop entertainment. The centerpiece is a beautiful outdoor pool and whirlpool surrounded by plush chaise lounges. Private cabanas with luxurious seating line one wall of the outdoor patio. The pool is not large, and it can feel a little crowded with only a few people.

The Pool House restaurant opens onto the patio and provides casual fare and cocktails that can be enjoyed poolside, in a cabana, or in the al fresco dining area. This little paradise offers guests incredible views of the downtown cityscape and sparkling San Diego Bay.

While The Pool House restaurant is open to the public for lunch, the swimming pool area is for hotel guests only, with two exceptions.

The first is during seasonal Pool House Sundays, a happening afternoon event usually between late Aproil and the end of September, where outside guests can reserve a cabana, grand cabana, or daybed with bottle service for the day. (This event is not kid-friendly.) The second exception applies to Spa Pendry guests, who may enjoy day use of the pool and hot tub area.

It’s also on my list of best hotel pools in San Diego.

Note: The pool area is not family-friendly during weekend pool parties and events. The public can rent cabanas here, so on weekends and peak dates, the pool area is busy and can feel club-like.

The Champagne Vending Machine

A special treat at this Pendry Hotel in San Diego is the champagne vending machine in the hallway to Provisional restaurant, where hotel guests can get single-serving bottles of Moët & Chandon champagnes on demand.

The machine only accepts Moët-branded coins you purchase from the front desk. The machine dispenses your champagne selection gently, so you don’t have to worry about disturbing the bubbles.

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Pendry San Diego for Kids

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is whether Pendry San Diego is a kid-friendly hotel in San Diego. While you won’t see many kids running around, families who usually stay in upscale boutique properties love it.

Pendry San Diego works with UPPAbaby to provide complimentary stroller rentals for guests that can be reserved through the Concierge. Guests may also check out Taylor guitars through the Concierge — a hit with kids and adults. And you can check out a Sector 9 skateboard.

Additionally, one of the on-site restaurants, Nason’s Beer Hall, offers kid-friendly games, such as shuffleboard, a Pac-Man video game, cornhole, Jenga, and Connect Four. Here, the outdoor patio is also fenced to keep active kids secure. Kids won’t have any issues dining throughout the hotel, as the restaurants can accommodate special requests.

If traveling with a baby, be sure to choose a suite with a bathtub if this is important to you. Rooms have only the giant glass showers. Cribs are complimentary. 

If you need connecting rooms, this is one San Diego hotel that can make it happen for Virtuoso guests (at many hotels, it’s a request but not a guarantee). So, I recommend it to boutique hotel-loving families who need this and are okay with the pool scene.

MORNING POOL TIME FOR KIDS ON WEEKENDS

If traveling when Pool House Sundays are happening, slot in early morning pool time to avoid the afternoon party-goers. During summer and holidays, the pool scene can feel adult with bottle service happening and the like, so it’s not always the best for kids. Check the pool’s event calendar for other events that may impact your stay.

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Activities and Excursions

You’ll receive a welcome brochure in your room that explains hotel happenings, such as applicable cocktail hours, spa offerings, restaurant hours, and so on.

The hotel has a partnership with Adventure that includes a handful of tours for booking, including learning to eFoil, hiking with a professional photographer, and personal yoga and Lululemon shopping excursions.

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Pendry San Diego Restaurants

This is where the hotel sets itself apart from the rest. You’ll find an astounding six onsite restaurants and bars at the Pendry Hotel in San Diego, each offering a different vibe and menu.

Provisional is a magical space that incorporates a casual restaurant, a boutique, and a coffeehouse in one. Lionfish is the hotel’s signature fine-dining restaurant. Nason’s Beer Hall is the place for craft brews and shareables.

And Fifth & Rose is where it’s at for craft cocktails, wine, and upscale snacks. The Pool House is the hotel’s rooftop bar serving cocktails, beer, and light fare with a side of epic views. Of course, you can also indulge in room service.

Update: Make dining reservations, even for breakfast, during weekends and holidays. These dining outlets are popular because they are so good.

Provisional

The gorgeous, light-filled Provisional Kitchen, Cafe, and Mercantile is bright and airy with an open kitchen concept and trendy, modern design. It’s on the ground floor, Fifth Avenue side of the hotel.

Geometric gray and white floor tiles, long wooden communal tables, soaring ceilings with gold chandeliers, cozy booths, and modern bistro tables set the stage for casual-chic dining.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Breakfast (the breakfast pizza is popular) is served alongside a Vittoria Coffee espresso bar. For lunch, expect unique light bites, and dinner features shareable dishes. They also have a kids’ menu and weekend brunch.

Al fresco dining is available on a lovely sidewalk patio. To top it off, the restaurant has a retail space where you’ll find curated ceramics, housewares, pantry items, and jewelry in the restaurant’s retail space.

Lionfish

Lionfish is Pendry Hotel’s signature fine dining restaurant serving coastal cuisine in an upscale two-story dining space next door to Provisional.

The elegant design offers an urban ambiance with natural wood floors, beautifully woven rugs, a long bar, high-top tables, and leather booths at the street level. Upstairs, you’ll enjoy a cozy mezzanine with leather seating and a vintage copper wagon wheel chandelier.

The restaurant serves modern coastal cuisine, daily fresh catch, sushi, premier meats, and upscale seasonal small plates. The executive chef sources his ingredients from a network of local growers and fishermen. Professional mixologists add a dose of spirit-forward cocktails to your dining experience.

The Pool House

The Pool House is the rooftop outdoor oasis where guests can indulge in the Southern California lifestyle that made San Diego an in-demand travel destination. The indoor/outdoor contemporary space provides dramatic views of the urban cityscape.

Eat at the bar that opens onto the pool area, in a private cabana, on your poolside chaise lounge, or at the al fresco dining area at one end of the rooftop. You can order light bites, sandwiches, salads, and sides from The Pool House menu prepared by the Lionfish team.

Seasonal Pool House Sundays (Memorial Day through usually the end of September) kick the energy up a notch with lavish bottle service, champagne, specialty cocktails, and DJ-curated music. But you can check their event calendar for other pool parties that may happen Thursday through Saturday.

Nason’s Beer Hall

Nason’s Beer Hall is a modern take on the American sports bar. Located on the street level at the corner of J Street and Sixth Avenue, the bar is across the street from East Village – home of the Padres MLB Park.

The bar serves 24 local beers on tap, plus another 22 bottled beers. There’s a simple menu of shareable plates, sandwiches, and snacks.

Exposed brick walls, painted floors, black-and-white framed prints, and a central bar create an edgy urban ambiance. Folding glass doors open onto a sidewalk patio. Fun amenities include a popcorn cart, beer pong table, vintage bar games, and, of course, lots of TVs tuned to every sport.

Fifth & Rose

Fifth & Rose is Pendry San Diego’s sophisticated cocktail bar just off the lobby at the corner of J Street and Fifth Avenue.

This is the place for a nightcap and conversation after a night out on the town. Or, if you’re like me, maybe a place to take your laptop down to for a quiet glass of wine and truffle fries.

This classic bar exudes elegance with a black-and-white color palette, a dramatic centerpiece over the bar, an exquisitely patterned ceiling, a dark tile floor, and a tiered chandelier. Plush chairs, marble tabletops, tropical plants and flowers, and candles add a layer of intimacy and romance.

Expect craft beer, an extensive wine list, hand-crafted cocktails, and elevated bar fare.

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The Downtown Neighborhood & Map

Pendry San Diego sits right where the Gaslamp Quarter meets East Village, putting you within a few blocks of Petco Park, the Convention Center, and dozens of restaurants, bars, and attractions. The hotel is less than a 10-minute drive from San Diego International Airport.

The Gaslamp side feels historic and lively, while East Village across Sixth Avenue is more modern and open. Together, both neighborhoods are worth exploring and offer plenty of fun things to do in downtown San Diego.

Gaslamp Quarter

Every city has that one enviable neighborhood that travelers flock to when they visit, and in San Diego, it’s the historic Gaslamp Quarter (also called the Gaslamp District).

This buzzy neighborhood stretching from West Broadway to Harbor Drive is downtown’s gastronomic and entertainment epicenter, full of local attractions.

It’s an eclectic mix of symphony halls, theaters, museums, art galleries, boutique shops, rooftop bars, diverse eateries, and live music venues.

Victorian architecture dominates the Gaslamp Quarter’s cityscape, with 94 Victorian-era buildings spread across 16 blocks.

Seasonal festivals and street events
The Gaslamp hosts many of downtown’s biggest celebrations, including Mardi Gras in February, ShamROCK in March, Comic-Con in July, Fall Back Festival in November, and the Holiday Pet Parade in December.

Gaslamp Artisan Market (weekends)
The open-air artisan market takes place on Fifth Avenue, just one block north of Pendry, with local makers, rotating vendors, and pop-up food stalls. It’s a fun way to sample the neighborhood before choosing where to eat.

East Village

The most popular place to visit in East Village is Petco Park, the Padres’ baseball stadium at 7th Avenue and K Street, just a short walk from Pendry San Diego.

Going to a game

• Grab your pre-game eats at Nason’s Beer Hall on the hotel’s Sixth Avenue side
• Make the short walk to the stadium
• Or watch from Park at the Park, the grassy lawn outside the outfield fence with a kids’ play area, Little League field, and views of the game

Architecture and public spaces
Architecture buffs will appreciate East Village’s newer buildings in contrast to the Gaslamp’s historic architecture.

• The neighborhood is home to San Diego’s central library, a multi-story building with a dome, kids’ library, teen center, and rooftop terrace
• The Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge connects East Village to the Convention Center and waterfront and offers good views and photo spots along the way

Dining and local spots
Like the Gaslamp Quarter, East Village has plenty of restaurants, brewpubs, and small shops, many of them in reimagined warehouse spaces.

The biggest neighborhood event is the East Village Opening Day Block Party on the first day of Major League Baseball

At 13th and Market Streets, there’s an urban park and event space with eateries in repurposed shipping containers, plus a beer garden, dog run, and art installations

Embarcadero

You can walk to the Embarcadero easily from Pendry San Diego, where the USS Midway Museum is located and where many of San Diego’s harbor cruises depart.

You’ll pass the San Diego Convention Center and Seaport Village along the way, making it an easy, scenic walk toward the waterfront.

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Pendry San Diego Hotel Policies and Additional Services

Here are some need-to-know logistics for staying at Pendry San Diego.

The hotel provides adjoining rooms by request (unless you are a Virtuoso guest through me, in which case they are guaranteed).

Amenity Fee

Each room and suite currently has an additional $52/night amenity fee (subject to change and does not include taxes). The amenity fee includes:

• Welcome cocktail
• Wi-Fi
• In-room Espresso Machine
• Morning coffee & tea in Provisional
• Access to the Fitness Center
• Cadillac Ride& Drive Program
• UPPAbaby Stroller Program
• Sector 9 Skateboard Program
• Children’s amenities
• Pet amenities
• Use of the business center
• Turndown service upon request
• Local calls
• Printing up to 10 pages
• Taylor Academy Guitar Stay and Strum Program
• Shoe Shine Service
• Complimentary PressReader access

Pendry San Diego Parking

Additional fees include a $70 per night valet parking fee. Self-parking is available at various lots around the area, but expect to pay at least $25 per day (if you can find a spot).

This fee is in line with other downtown San Diego hotels. Parking down here is pricey, so you may save if you can go carless.

Pendry San Diego Pets

Pendry San Diego’s pet policy is pretty liberal. You can bring one dog (no cats!) per room for $100 plus tax fee. You don’t even need to tell them in advance, but you should because they have nifty pet accessories and treats they can prepare for him or her.

Additional Services

The hotel provides adjoining rooms by request (unless you are a Virtuoso guest through me, in which case they are guaranteed).

Additional services include daily housekeeping, dry cleaning, laundry, ironing, suit pressing, shoeshine, and an on-site ATM. Major credit cards are accepted. Meeting rooms are available.

The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers complimentary baggage storage. The hotel also offers excellent concierge services, which would be delighted to help you plan your San Diego vacation itinerary.

Make Pendry San Diego Hotel Reservations with VIP Benefits

Ready to book? Here are those details.

Pendry San Diego is a Virtuoso property, which means that La Jolla Mom readers have access to value-added amenities that include:

I’ll be notified once you book using the above link to my Pendry San Diego hotel Virtuoso page. From there, I can help coordinate your stay.

You’ll also receive my San Diego vacation series via email, timed according to your dates, to provide you with even more tips and sightseeing discounts for your upcoming stay.