I went to Cali for a conference being held at The Catamaran and got a room there. I’ve never been to San Diego before, so as soon as I got my room I chucked my luggage in there and walked across the street to dip my toes in the Pacific. There is a boardwalk with lot’s of cool places to grab a drink and people watch.
Eventually I went back and explored the hotel, and I was not disappointed. Honestly it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed. The lobby has a very cool water feature, and the whole property feels like you’re walking through somewhere tropical. The landscaping is top tier and there are cool wild birds everywhere. When I eventually got to the back side of the property (which is right on Mission Bay) I was blown away, it was so pretty. I decided to eat in the resort restaurant, Oceana Costal Kitchen, and the food was great! They were serving brunch, and I highly recommend the avocado toast and lemon ricotta with blueberry pancakes. Sit outside and take in the views if you can. The service at the restaurant was excellent and the prices are on par with upscale dining spots in the area.
My room was huge. It was clean and smelled good. I was in a double queen on the first floor with a cute patio at one of the many water features, complete with a little waterfall that was heaven to listen to. The bed was very comfortable, the water in the shower was hot with great water pressure, and the room had all of the amenities you would expect from a higher end hotel. They also had extra pillows and blankets already stocked in the closet.
The conference facilities were wonderful, and the views from the back over Mission Bay were stunning. The staff kept us well supplied with good coffee and other drinks and snacks throughout the day, and the meals we had at breakfast and lunch were definitely a grade above the usual conference food.
Honestly, I could write a novel about what I liked about this resort, and I am definitely planning to come back with my family. The staff was very friendly and attentive, the area around the resort is very walkable and feels very safe, but there is a lot to do if you don’t want to leave the resort. I saw a lot of happy kids playing on the private beach and at the pool. The property is pet friendly, which was great because I was missing my dog at home and got to pet lot’s of pups at the resort.
I’m sure some people will say that the interiors are a little dated, but honestly that is the only thing I could imagine someone complaining about. The resort and surrounding area was so beautiful I wanted to be outside as much as possible enjoying the beautiful San Diego weather and scenery, on the property and off.
