This past weekend, I stayed at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina for the premier financial bloggers conference in the nation, FinCon. Since I tend to love SPG properties already, I was fairly excited about my stay. And although I didn’t pay with points because my stay was a business expense, I thought this property was a steal.
When you first arrive at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, it’s easy to be struck by the surrounding beauty. Set on its own little peninsula, this Sheraton property is tucked away from many of the surrounding resorts and set adjacent to a giant marina with boats and yachts of all sizes.
The lobby is large and spacious, and there was ample room for a convention with 1,200 attendees across the property’s many meeting rooms.
Our room was #516, in the property basement, and poolside. While it was definitely basic, I found our hotel room clean, pleasant, and properly appointed.
The pool itself is large and includes a hot tub and a waterfall. It also looks out over the marina, providing a beautiful view while you swim. At the resort, you can also rent a kayak for free for certain hours each day.
How Much Does Everything Cost?
There are a few on-site restaurants and bars and an on-site deli that offers Starbucks coffee. All of it was expensive, but I didn’t think it was overly expensive. A black bean burger and fries was around $15, for example. A family size serving of fries was $8. A large dinner salad was around $12.
The biggest downside of this hotel is the fact that it isn’t within walking distance to much. Outside of a few attractions and restaurants across the street, you’ll need to take a taxi or Uber to get anywhere. The good news is, Uber and taxis were affordable to get into town. An Uber into the Gaslamp Quarter was just $6, for example. An uber into Little Italy was just $7.
While taking taxis or Ubering all over town isn’t that convenient, it wasn’t that bad, either. And with so much easy transportation around, you wouldn’t have to rent a car either.
How to Book this Hotel with Points
If you want to avoid paying sticker price, the best way to book this hotel is with points from the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card from American Express. After spending $3,000 on your card within the first three months of account opening, you’ll earn 25,000 Starpoints. Since this property costs 10,000 points per night, you would have enough points for two free nights.
A couple who both signed up for the Starwood Preferred Guest credit card from American Express could stay for free even longer. With both partners earning 25,000 points, a couple would have 50,000 points – enough for six free nights using SPG’s 5th night free promotion.
Final Thoughts
While the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina isn’t the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at — or even the nicest Sheraton — I would definitely stay here again. It was fairly close to everything and had a nice pool to boot. Since this property has a pool and is in close proximity to beautiful downtown San Diego, beaches, and the San Diego zoo, this hotel is a smart place for any family trip.
Whether you’re traveling with or without kids, what else could you want?
Have you ever stayed at this hotel? What is your favorite San Diego property you can book with points?
[Image via Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina]
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