Hotel Palomar San Diego, a Kimpton Hotel

A truly exceptional experience. this hotel exceeds all expectations with a truly special staff from top to bottom. And they’re not just dog friendly they’re out right dog loving

Kimpton, you’re doin’ it right. You never fail to impress me. From check-​in to the loveliness of our suite right through to the wine hours and the restaurant (see separate review for Saltbox), I’m in love with your culture. Every member of your staff here (Astrid! Oliver! Gwen! Jill! and Kyle! to name just a few) has been welcoming, personable, engaging, and delightful.

We stayed here 2 nights and it was a beautiful hotel. The customer service was fantastic. We spent a lot of time at the pool which was clean and stocked with towels. There isn’t a hot tub though so that was a bummer.
The room was really nice and clean and the bathroom was HUGE!
There are a TON of places you can walk to eat/​drink. Literally, just outside the front door.
My favorite part was the complimentary wine hour they do every evening in the lobby.
The only thing we didn’t like were the extremely overpriced drinks at the bar ($ 17 for one tiny vodka/​red bull). Parking was a bit expensive however you can come and go with your car when you want and they are super quick and friendly when you request your car to be brought out. We will definitely stay here again!

Stayed here over Memorial Day weekend… we were very happy with the hotel and our stay. All the staff was very attentive and were accomodating to our requests. The room was on the small side but clean and very comfortable. Nice bathtub. Downside of room was lack of towel racks in the bathroom, fridge & closet were a little difficult to access (because of the size of the room and placement of other furniture). Attached restaurant had nice ambience — ate breakfast there and had evening drinks there; both were average. The hotel has complimentary coffee/​tea in the morning & wine in the evening. Was disappointed that there was no jacuzzi on the pool level and was also disappointed when I tried to book a spa service that they were fully booked. This hotel was VERY dog friendly — we saw several guest with small & large dogs. The Palomar location is very central IMO — trolley steps away, Gaslamp/​restaurants/​bars all within walking distance. We valeted our car and didn’t use it once the whole time we were there! And next door is the House of Blues. Would definitely stay here again.

Okay, so this hotel is interesting. The things that are good, are really great, and the negatives and just really bad. The service is phenomenal. We asked if there was anywhere near by we could get pretzels (random, but we were 5 drinks in and wanted a snack) and literally 15 minutes later, someone was at our door with a bag of pretzels they went to the store across the street and purchased.
The valet guys, the bellmen, the housekeeping staff, everyone who works here gets an A++. Fantastic.
The downside is the rooms themselves. The lobby is promising, but the rooms are very disappointing. I just felt like they were dirty. Like we had to wear our shoes inside because our feet were tuning black. We had a (huge) outdoor balcony/​patio (which was very cool) but the ground was SO dirty, it was disgusting.
There was like a weird, musty and dingy smell. It essentially smelled like grandma’s house. They also need some major updating to the floors and furniture. Bathrooms are nice though.

Super clean hotel, staff was amazing! The bed was comfy, bathroom was nice. The only reason I’m giving it a 3 instead of 5 is there is no bathroom fan boooo and I couldn’t smoke outside by the pool and bar. Close to MTS, which as we have learned is the best way to get around the city. Bar attached to hotel was good eats and drinks to. Beware though a lot of bums if u can get past that and the smell this is your hotel.

We’ve stayed at Kimpton hotels in the past and this was just as nice as other ones. Good location if you’re visiting SD – 2 blocks from main Gaslamp area and short drive to Coronado or other local attractions. The rooms facing North can be a little noisy with the train going until late at night. Our room was a standard king room which was fairly small compared to other Kimptons. Nice décor and good amenities as expected. A small closet for your clothes and a small bar/​fridge area for your drinks. The bathroom was a good size and the shower also. Liked being able to open the windows for some fresh air.
The lobby is small but good enough size to accommodate various groups of people for some lounging. They have a wine happy hour every evening where they provide free wine to guests. I think this is a nice feature however the wine they were serving last night was absolute swill. I don’t tend to be a wine snob, though I love wine, but it was just bad and undrinkable, two-​buck Chuck is way better. I doubt they always serve the same type, Camelot, so I’d happily imbibe during their happy hour upon my next stay.
They have coffee and teas available in the morning for guests, the coffee was good.
Overall, we had a good time, liked it just as much as other Kimptons. Tip: if you plan on booking your room through their site, sign-​up for their rewards membership to take advantage of their perks.

As University Club members, we were referred to Hotel Palomar for rooms for our wedding weekend for our suites and our guest suites. We couldn’t have asked for another awesome hotel. My husband and I decided to book the 2-​story penthouse suite for 2 nights, and a corner suite for 1 night (for my husband’s pre-​wedding night). We were able to tour the hotel before we booked our rooms and we couldn’t have been any more happier with the service and accommodations. We were offered deals for our guests as well.
The penthouse suite was AMAZING! My mom and sister in law spent my last night with me and the following morning my entourage arrived. My MUAs came and staked out the 2 areas that gave the most light and the suite had more than enough room for everyone to walk around, eat, chill and take photos.
Downstairs was the mini kitchen, dining and living room and a bathroom. The downstairs couch has a pullout bed. You need to call for room service for them to pull the bed out and to request pillows and blankets.
Upstairs you have a king size bed, an amazing bathroom with dual sinks and soaking tub and separate shower and an awesome walk in closet. We had so much room we didn’t even know what to do with it!
We had a great experience with Hotel Palomar. It was just unfortunate that we didn’t take advantage of the spa services. We will be back however for his and her massages soon. Nice hotel in the heart of downtown San Diego.

When you pull up to the hotel the first thing I noticed was an amazing door in to the hotel. The inside was beautifully designed and decorated. The room was also fabulous, but the A/​C didn’t work properly. What does the hotel do for the inconvenience, comps the parking, gives us two free drink tickets, and moves us to a bigger better room. Kimpton just scored a loyal customer for life. Thank you Brian.

This hotel was overpriced. We had no bedroom slippers in the sky view suites and we’re paying close to 500 usd a night. Child was served coffee in water when asked for hot water. Very dangerous for 2 year old child.
No turn down service. Cleaning was not done till 4pm in the afternoon after leaving the room at 9pm
Staff were amazing and helpful. Very friendly and good people.

Came here for Spa Week and enjoyed a 50 minute facial for $ 50. Definitely worth the experience! Beautiful hotel and they used high end products. The only tricky thing was the parking so leave time for that accommodation.

This is nice hotel and everyone is super friendly. But I really can’t understand the room layout. Our bed faces a blank wall. Not even a picture. The Tv is super small and sits on a desk. Actually, glued to the desk! Behind it is a high window with lots of light. In order to watch the TV you have crane your neck to the left all the time. Puts quite a kink in it! Plus the window is so bright, you have to shut the drapes to see the TV.
I find this layout really weird.

First and foremost I would like to say THANK YOU to MIKE at the front desk! Mike you are awesome and made my experience memorable!
I used a third party to reserve a suite here through
, on the check in date I came in and was assisted by Mike, as he checked me in his customer service and eagerness to fulfill the customer (me) was at the highest level. Mike ended up upgrading my suite to the new renovated ‘condo’ room on the 20^th FLOOR! The room was beautiful with two balconies, upstairs and downstairs, extremely clean, comfortable and spacious! With a clean crisp smell to the suite/​condo. I will DEFINITELY come back and refer this beautiful hotel to all of my friends. I honestly have nothing negative to say! The valet was convenient and the two gentlemen working at the valet also had great customer service! (Shoot I just remembered that I forgot to tip him :().
Looking forward to another stay here and I don’t think I will reserve any other suite here unless it’s suite 2010.
Thank you Mike and Ana for the outstanding experience.
–Daisy

Beautiful hotel with a super nice staff, but lacking some of the things that make a vacation stay enjoyable. It’s a great convenient Gaslamp location, but I struggled to enjoy my time IN the hotel. If you plan to be out and about during your entire stay, you’ll enjoy the Palomar. If you’d like to stay somewhere to enjoy the amenities, try somewhere else.
Our room on the 17^th floor wasn’t far enough from the light rail station below to avoid the constant «honking» of the trains as they crossed the intersection. I’m a light sleeper and even with my earplugs in the train noise kept me up. The pretty little pool deck is a nice feature but the location keeps the pool area shaded by the upper floors for the entire day so don’t expect to get much sun.
The gym is small but has the essentials. Problem is two of the 6 cardio machines are not working properly. I shared this with the front desk staff but was met with the response, «thanks for that» and no indication that the recumbent bike or the elliptical would be addressed. Fortunately, in this area a run or walk outside is the perfect alternative.
Finally, the restaurant, Salt Box is mediocre at best, but with tons of fabulous alternatives just outside the hotel door you won’t need to rely on it.
I should note that the Jurlique Spa is wonderful, especially services with the spa supervisor, Aron… go see her!
To be fair, I’d hoped for a «resort in the city» experience but now realize I should have just chosen one of the fabulous SD area true resorts for ultimate relaxation. The Palomar certainly tries, but misses the mark on a few crucial points of zen.

I really love this hotel. I’ve stayed here 3 times already and always had a great experience there.
The location of this hotel is great! It’s located in the center of Downtown Gaslamp and you can literally walk to all the bars and restaurants from the hotel.
There’s just a different energy when you stay in downtown with all the people walking on the street and all the fun places to go. Seems like the ultimate party town.
The hotel rooms are really nice and spacious and they have really beautiful bathrooms too. I love the modern décor. It’s just perfect for a weekend getaway.
They offer a nice wine hour from 5−7pm everyday I believe. You also get a breakfast for 2 in the mornings. It’s a nice added touch for a boutique hotel.
Overall, this is a great hotel in a fantastic location. You can always find a pretty good deal on Hotel’s tonight. You can get a room for around $ 220 a night, but that doesn’t include taxes or your $ 42 parking!!!
Will definitely be back to stay again whenever I’m in SD!

The bellmen, valet and front desk was more than kind. The front desk girl was an absolute gem.
That’s where the five stars ended and ONE stars began.
The room had scuffed floors that looked like a dog had just run through them. On top of that my room was so tightly put together that I felt uncomfortable after my initial thought walking to end the of the hall ways rejoice in having a corner room. Fail.
Took a walk around the block to get some air and the security was harassing people on the street, yelling profanities back and forth with the individual right next to me and even laughing when I made it apparent I was not enthused.
Not a great start to the stay to say the least. Maybe I’ll change my mind tomorrow with breakfast.
UPDATE: SCREAMING PERSON IN THE HALLWAY ASKING TO BE F#####! AWESOME!

FIVE STARS BECAUSE:
— TWO rain showerheads
— two huge balconies
— 180° view of downtown and the bay
— super modernized
— FREE wine in the lobby in the PM (wish every business followed by this place)
— they bring you WHATEVER you forgot to pack (brush, iPhone charger, etc.)
The valet is pricey but better than any alternative. You can get your car pulled up by a simple text. Definitely recommend to someone who likes the luxurious things in life.

Gorgeous hotel! If you’re looking for a fun boutique hotel within walking distance of amazing downtown San Diego, this is definitely the place for you! Beautiful rooms and very friendly staff. I will definitely be back!

I loved this elegant hotel! Nice view over the city and get service.

It was my first visit to the gaslamp area for my birthday and after reading countless reviews I was on the fence about this hotel. My best friend booked it for one night so I figured it can’t be that bad right?
Upon arrival we decided to valet which is $ 42/​night. Luckily we only stayed for one so that saved us. There was no line at check in when we arrived which was even better! Check in was a breeze.
We got to our room which was spacious and extremely modern. The flat screen inside the room is a decent size, the beds were a little too low for me then again it’s modern. The hotel has a list of items they offer as a courtesy in case something is forgotten at home. You can ask for anything from a charger to deodorant even a Keurig.
I forgot to mention they also offer wine hour! At 5 o’clock in the lobby there’s complimentary wine and socializing. It was quite the treat, I’ll definitely stay here again.

can’t think of anywhere i’d rather stay in san diego than hotel palomar :)
another excellent experience in the books. and thank you hotel palomar for making our stay over my birthday weekend a truly unforgettable one:
1) early check in request: check! we had put in a request for early check in. we arrived pretty early and wasn’t sure if our room was going to be available, but it was! we got to check in before we hit the spa.
2) pet request: we had put in a pet request because our pup was on the trip with us. upon entering the room we didn’t see any doggy items but as soon as we came back the second time, a bed, water bowl, and food bowl were ready for barrington :) i love hotel palomar’s pet policy. $ 0 charge /​pet. i appreciate hotel palmar entrusting responsible pet owners that travel with their pets. thank you.
3) birthday: the hotel had delivered a hand written note, chocolate covered strawberries, bottled water, AND prosecco to our room. such a surprise & delight. we loved every bite and sip of our treats!
4) social hour: we got to take a quick advantage of the social hour from 5−6p where complimentary wine and bites were available at the lobby. love the community feel that the hotel creates, and lots of guests were socializing in the lobby!
toiletries could be better. our room was adjacent to an end of the hall room and sound proofing wasn’t the best. we can definitely hear our neighbors but since i was fast asleep and once i’m asleep, i’m asleep, i didn’t wake up due to any noise or disruptions… so good to go!
other than that, we wouldn’t stay anywhere else in san diego! it’s in the heart of gaslamp without being right in the center of the heart. walking distance to a ton of bars and restaurants!

Let me first start off by saying, to each their own experience.
I am very understanding when it comes to customer service ESPECIALLY hotels.
And might I say, I think since I have that mentally you get different treatment.
Not saying anybody reviewing here is lying or anything, but if you work with people they’ll work with you.
BUT side note, not every staff member is exactly them same so it which card you are dealt too!
It was just me and the boyfriend down for the night celebrating his birthday. Upon arriving I was exhausted from the drive and was hungry, but was very calm and relaxed. Front desk was pretty busy with two families and a couple but we were constantly being greeted and reassured someone would help.
Once they did JUNIOR took really good care of us, had a room all ready for us! But hotel overheard it was my boyfriend’s birthday and wanted to help the celebration and put us in a suite! Room wasn’t ready, but we went to grab lunch while they held our bags! They called shortly after and we highly impressed!
Thanks for the cherry on top to our weekend!
Especially thanks to Junior, very great customer service and very approachable!

I should be giving this a 1 star — Here is my story:
Confirming Reservation Day
On 1/​22, my wife had called to confirm our reservation for ¹⁄₂₃. We booked a room under the wedding party name, who had reserved certain # of rooms for a discounted rate.
So when we called, the guest services/​front desk agent was unsuccessful finding our reservation. We even informed the rep/​agent of our reservation/​confirmation number and they still couldn’t find our reservation. After 45 minutes of going back and forth and having to explain our case to 3 different people, our reservation was finally found and confirmed.
Check — In Day
1/​23, we arrive at the hotel, check our bags in, walk to the front desk, and low and behold, we go through this reservation issue one more time. After all the frustration Michael, the concierge rep, who i must say did go out of his to make us happy, promised us a room on the 19^th floor. However, he later said it is not ready but we do have a room on the spa floor (3^rd floor) ready to go and gave us 2 drink vouchers at bar.
We went to the room, my wife said she was going to go meet up with the bride and the rest of the girls and i told her i was going to the bar for a couple of beers. As i am sitting at the bar, (Great Staff by the way), Michael (concierge rep) approached me and said i am sorry for everything, here are the keys to your new room on the 19^th floor and had our bags already moved. Wow, i was pretty happy that he went out of his way for us and actually got us the room.
When we got into the room, we had a few hours to kill before the wedding. My wife started to slowly get ready and i decided to take a nap. As I was laying on the right side of the bed, I turned over and slid my hand under the pillow and i got cut by a huge piece of glass (size of my 3 fingers combined). I was like wtf… i quickly called the front desk and explained about the entire situation that this hotel has put me through and now this.
Michael, and the supervisor for housekeeping quickly came up to the room and saw the piece of glass and asked if i was okay, i said it was a small cut and i will be okay. The house keeping supervisor stated that the last person who stayed in the room broke one of the lamps next to the bed and they just replaced the lamp. — My luck, i get cut. Michael also said that while we are at the wedding the house keeping staff will come in and replace all the sheets.
Michael called us back in about 30 minutes and said we are comping your stay. However, when we came back from the wedding the sheets were not changed.
The Valet
When we checked in, we had already paid for the room so all we had was the valet charge of $ 42.00, which we paid for at the beginning. Once we checked out, we went to the valet to get our car and the valet supervisor said you need to pay $ 42.00. We were like no, we already paid, and he said, «i dont see that in the system», so we went back inside, had to have front desk print a receipt and to show proof and all we got was attitude from the guy. I wish they would have mentioned that have a AAA discount but they didn’t so instead of paying $ 25.00 i felt like i got ripped off and had to pay $ 42.00.
So the 3 stars — Hotel Staff Michael & Junior — thanks for helping us out with everything. Joe, thanks for the beer recommendations!
The rooms were nice and the ambiance of the hotel was superb.
Dislikes: Valet attitude! The rooms are not checked thoroughly after someone leaves the room. The individuals who take in reservations over the phone need to be properly trained.

I’m actually torn about my rating. We’ll start with the arrival. I was in San Diego for a conference and chose this hotel due to it’s location and Kimpton Hotel ownership (which I have been impressed with in the past). We pulled up and the valet described the parking options. I mentioned that I was a AAA member and he said that valet parking would only be $ 25/​day with unlimited in/​out privileges. Since I didn’t know the area and I knew I’d be coming and going a lot, I opted for the valet.
The inside is gorgeous. I went up to the front desk and explained that I was a Kimpton member. I also noted I was a AAA card member and would like to receive the discount on parking. I was told that since I booked through a 3^rd party website (my company booked it through a travel agency) and that since I had not chose the AAA package, I was unable to receive a discount or points for my stay. They did inform me that they price match so to next time call them if we find a better price. Ok, well that’s a bummer. They did offer me a room upgrade which seemed fair as I was a Kimpton member.
We get up to the room and it’s kind of odd. The bathroom door looks like light blue, see-​through sea glass. It’s cool, but offers no privacy. My reservation was for a King Deluxe and, although I was told I was given an upgrade, it looked like just that. I’m not sure what the upgrade was. Anyways, we were in from Boston and wanted to watch the Patriots playoff game. When we went to turn on the TV to catch the final minutes it didn’t work. We called the front desk and a repair man came up. 30 or so minutes later our TV worked. Ok, well that’s great but we missed the end of the game. Whatever.
We noticed our neighbors were blasting music next door. I went to the front desk and told the concierge about the issue and that I was there for a conference and would definitely need sleep. He explained they were booked solid so I couldn’t change my room that night but that they’d have security patrol the floors. 2am I called the front desk, half asleep, asking for security to tell them to turn their music off. The next day I went down and spoke with the manager who very graciously offered a room change. We were VERY surprised to see she had given us a major upgrade to the 19^th floor with a large, beautiful room. THIS was the turning point of our stay. I forget the managers name (started with an A) but I must commend her because she alone saved this review. The room was perfect and dead quiet. I honestly can’t thank her enough for what she did. It completely changed our stay and made it very enjoyable.
We visited the restaurant downstairs for drinks which were rather good. We didn’t try any of the food, but what was being served looked appealing. My only qualm is the valet aspect. I came and went 4 – 5 times a day which meant, to not be stingy, leaving a tip every time. We were there for 7 days. I’m not made of money and after paying for the valet itself (which ended up being $ 30 because I had a hybrid car), it left my wallet pretty empty. I know, I know. You don’t have to tip, but working in the restaurant industry in the past and living off tips I felt obligated to do so. Anyways, would I stay here again? Probably not.

Me and my girlfriends stay in higher end hotels 3 times a year for birthday celebrations and business meetings (we sell make up to clients, and offer free make overs to show our products). We usually stay at US Grant or Hard Rock, but this year we wanted to try this hotel because the natural lighting and balconies looked awesome!
I am so incredibly disappointed we chose to stay here. Never in my life have I had such an awful and embarrassing stay at a hotel.
A week before my stay, I made sure to contact a reservations specialist to make sure I was aware of what was needed at check in and to figure out their check in rules because every hotel is different.
The reservations specialist told me I would only need to pay a $ 50 daily deposit for possible incidentals, and my room rate and tax would be due at check out (I have the email clear as day this is what she told me), I even asked her a second time just to verify again to be extra sure I was prepared!
¹⁄₂₂ — Well, upon check in I was terribly embarrassed in front of my clients and friends because that was NOT the case. I was told I needed to pay the entire amount of my 3 day stay PLUS the $ 50 a day deposit charges. I was not prepared, as my girlfriend and I were going to split the cost of the room, but she hadn’t arrived yet, and I only brought enough money to pay my half and to eat during the weekend.
My card was declined (obviously), in front of clients and I didn’t know what to do. I ended up just giving the hotel all the money I had, down to the last $ 1. I gave them some on my debit card and some in cash, I was only able to afford two nights and the deposit.
Remember this is all happening in front of potential clients!!!
The man who checked me in was very nice, but unwilling to fix the situation. He told me I could come pay for the 3^rd night the next day, and that my balance would be $ 250 for the 3^rd night.
1÷23− The next day, I go down to the lobby to pay for the 3^rd day with cash, and I was told my balance was $ 480! WHAT? Oh never mind, he’s calculating it wrong, (ugh, major panic attack not needed), then he tells me the remaining balance is $ 380, again I think WTF this is getting so ridiculous as I was told $ 250 the night prior and I didn’t even want to deal with another fiasco so I just paid him the $ 380 and went up to my room and sobbed.
¹⁄₂₄ — The front desk called my room around 2pm this day and told me I needed to come down to the lobby and pay for my 3^rd night, once I explained I had already paid the girl got attitude on the phone and told me to come down to the lobby and show proof that I had already paid. I had to go down to the lobby with my phone, pull up my bank statement and show her the charge from the hotel. This all happened while I WAS IN A BUSINESS MEETING with FOUR potential clients!!! I have never been so embarrassed!
In the lobby she told me the $ 500 I paid with my debit card had dropped off their system, but yet it was showing clear as day in my bank account, and I have currently paid for my 3 nights stay, plus the 3 nights deposit in full, so I owe nothing else! Its not my problem they have system issues! Anyways, I was told they would have accounting look into it on Monday morning (today).
I ended up checking out of this hotel early, around 11pm when all my clients had left because I couldn’t stand to stay there any longer after the way I was treated and all the unnecessary grief and anxiety that was caused to me while I was there.
Upon leaving to check out, I was told again that I still needed to pay for the 3^rd night! OMG! I showed the front desk guy my bank account, but he didn’t even look at it, he basically just should have said «F you lady, i don’t care about your situation»
He told me someone would contact me Monday morning from accounting to fix the issue, but heres whats the worst, HE COULDN’T GIVE ME A RECEIPT of what I PAID on my debit card, which was $ 500!!! $ 500 is a lot of money to me, and he wouldn’t even give me proof that I paid this amount!
So instead he gave me a receipt of the cash I paid plus any room charges. When looking upon the receipt, I noticed they charged me for things I didn’t even eat, like M&Ms and something called LUNA bar, ect. So they robbed me of another $ 19 for room charges that I didn’t even use.
Lastly, I finally get home at 3am this morning, check my bank account and the hotel palomar has charged me an additional $ 400! I never authorized a charge for $ 400, and they robbed me straight my bank account.
My room for 3 nights with tax was 1,017.00
I was charged a total of $ 680 in cash, and $ 900 on my debit card, that is $ 1580!!! I would have NEVER stayed here knowing that was the price I had to pay, on top of the embarrassment I faced here all weekend, and the stress and anxiety.
Luckily my clients and friends were all very understanding and they felt badly for my situation the hotel put me in. None of us recommend this hotel.
1 star for the nice man in the café.

The hotel graciously offered a nights stay that my boyfriend and I are finally able to take them up on. Will update review again after the stay.

Got a room here on NYE through priceline. Awesome deal and the room was stunning. Only stayed here for one night so I didn’t deal too much with a lot of the staff but the people we did come in contact with were nice. I definitely want to stay here again as its in the heart of the gaslamp and the room was so pretty.

Customer service here is amazing. There was some mix up on the bed situation when I went to check in and they said we had only 1 king size (There were 2 couples). Before I was about to get upset they immediately upgraded us to an awesome suite with a huge balcony. The only reason im not giving them 5 stars was the food we ordered from room service wasnt the best. But I still highly recommend this hotel. Its in the heart of gaslamp so you can walk to everything. Rooms are very nice. The staff was super helpful and friendly.

Had a blast during a getaway girls’ weekend at this hotel — great location (gaslamp near a ton of great restaurants and bars), beautiful spacious rooms and hip, trendy décor. Especially LOVED the spa — spent the entire day there relaxing, getting treatments and drinking champagne with all my girls before we went out for the night. Will DEFINITELY be back soon.

This was a great choice for starting off our Holiday staycation! The staff is super friendly and accommodating. I will definitely be back to sleep well, get pampered at the in house spa and partake of wine hour!
Oh-don’t pass up the attached restaurant. The saltbox is a lounge atmosphere that also serve an excellent meal (three times daily). They also serve fresh, solid coffee. Loved having my day start here.
Enjoy!!!

I’m terribly sad and disappointed with this hotel right now.
I LOVE Kimptons and have always received superior service and accommodations at their hotels. Unfortunately, we had a family emergency that resulted in a change in plans so I called to see if they would consider allowing me to cancel a reservation without penalty. The answer was NO — even for an Inner Circle loyalty club member on Christmas morning. I guess it was my fault for expecting a little kindness that I had become accustomed to from this chain. Another cold-​hearted business after all. Merry Christmas :(

Loved staying at the Hotel Palomar in San Deigo. I stayed here for a little staycation before Christmas.
The room we stayed in (Skyline Studio CNR Balcony 1 King Bed — Newly Renovated) was breathtaking! The balcony was large and opened up right into the room from ceiling to floor. The room also came with a bathtub in the bathroom which was so elegant and luxurious.
The room came with a walk in closet which was the first time I saw a walk in closet in a hotel room, I enjoyed the room very much and was pleased with the amount of space and luxury oozing from all corners.
The staff at the hotel also great and spectacular. The valet workers were always kind and opened and closed car doors every time I received my car. They also open and close the hotel door going in and out of the hotel very professional.
The hotel staff were very polite and always offered assistance. My boyfriend left a few personal items in the hotel room after we checked out and noticed a day later. When we called the hotel the house keeping found the items and mailed them back to our home.
The location of the hotel on 5^th and Broadway made it so easy for us to walk to most our meals and activities in the city. Most attractions and restaurants are within walking distance and we barely used our car the whole trip.
I was very pleased with my stay here and will be back again the next time I visit san Diego.
Keep up the great work!

My Fiancé and I stayed here for the weekend and it was awesome. The hotel is nice, what you would expect from a Kimpton property – it’s a little dark, great décor, and a hip place to stay. We stayed on the 18^th floor with a corner balcony view of downtown, such a nice room! The staff was great and Mike hooked me up with some champagne along with my amenity that I had set up in the room. I would definitely stay here again next time we are in SD.

The good? Palomar tilts their user experience towards the hip and now people. A check-​in process that isn’t much more than a gracious greeting, a smile, and a card-​swipe. Interior décor that seems muted and relaxed. Aroma therapy in the halls. Bedding you wish you had at home. These are nice things.
The not-​as-​nice: The shower on the 9^th floor took about 30 minutes to get warm enough to use. I wept for Californians as I watched a few gallons of their endangered lifeblood pouring down that drain. Also, there’s a pool but no jacuzzi. Would have helped that day in particular.
Aside from that, a great value at anything less than $ 150 a night. Check the deal sites to save some money off the rack rate.

I’ve never had a bad experience at a Kimpton Hotel. No exception here. I prefer the Hotel Solamar (on the other side of the Gaslamp district), but this location is really good as well. It’s just a few blocks from several bars and restaurants. There is a Walgreens and 7 – 11 one block away; the Yardhouse and Donut Bar are nearby too. yum!
The rooftop pool and lounge («SummerSalt») is okay. Definitely not a scene, but it’s chill. Cocktails are delicious, but there was no poolside cocktail service (on a bright, sunny day in early August). One morning, the bar opened almost an hour late. Not cool when you’re on vacation and trying to day drink poolside. Service wasn’t ideal.
Parking is always a challenge in this area, but I parked overnight for $ 18 at an open lot on 4^th (between B St & C St). It looks suspect, but my car was fine lol.

I really enjoyed my stay here Christmas Eve of last year. The staff were great and they gave me exactly the room I wanted — it was on a high floor with great views of Downtown San Diego and the bay, along with a balcony. In the evening there was complimentary champagne and in the morning I had breakfast at the restaurant which was perfect.
I have been wanting to stay here again but my trips to San Diego are usually always last minute and this hotel is booked.

Fancy schmancy.
A friend of mine stayed here during a conference in San Diego. I visited her a few times and was able to check out the lobby bar and the second floor rooftop bar.
This place is extremely unique and nice. The furnishings in the lobby are amazing – beautiful furniture, twinkle bulbs inside the tables to look like flames, huge gold tree stumps as tables, chess and tic-​tac-​toe sets, etc. It all has a custom-​made 1970s rustic chic vibe. They provide vegetable and fruit-​infused water and rice krispy treats and have real orchid and lily arrangements in the lobby if that says anything about what kind of place this is. The lobby bar is beautiful, and on the weekends they have a live DJ working on a second floor balcony over it all.
The elevators are key operated so it’s secure but annoying if you’re a guest. The rooms themselves are modern and nice but the furniture kind of has an Ikea vibe. They do have unique elements like a chalk board, a window seat and a sliding frosted glass door into the bathroom. The provided toiletries are legit, not crappy little bottles of who knows what.
The second floor rooftop bar is through the pool area and is an amazing place to lounge and enjoy a drink. Overall this is a great place to visit even if you’re not staying at the hotel itself.

The Paloma hotel looked beautiful in the web site, it was our first time here… when we first called to get a room, we also ask if it was pet friendly and the front desk said of course. They explain that they have a park for our yorkie to run around and a grass area for your dog to poop.
Well, they had NO PARK or GRASS area for our pet, we had to take him two blocks away from the hotel to do his busyness, that wasn’t cool. The little refrigerator was not working, the bathroom doors don’t close all the way, one of the bathroom didn’t even flush, we called to move to another room they said it was booked, thats… Horrible. The pool was close at 9:00pm! REALLY!!!
The next day we left very disappointed of the service in the hotel Paloma. I could say that, The room service was great.
We decided to get some drinks, they didn’t have any of our drinks we asked for … At the salt box. Wow!!!
WHAT KIND Of HOTEL IS THIS!!!
Will never come back to this hotel. :((

I was invited by a friend in town visiting this weekend to come hang out with him here. My first impression of the hotel was a great impression. The Valet was friendly, had a great smile and off I went to the lobby. It’s a quaint lobby decorated in modern décor. It was about 8:00 on a Saturday night so I liked that it was dark and a bit Gothic as well. I waited for him to meet me in the small waiting area. The couch was comfy. We went over to the Salt box for some drinks and to catch up. The hostess was way off her game, maybe she’s new. But you usually get better service at a nice place like this.
We went up to his room for more drinks from the mini bar. The mini bar has a good variety I liked the room. I thought it was kind of small. But the décor was great, I liked the modern slash Gothic look they have going for them, The bed was perfect and so was the linen. The view was not the best, but the room was only on the 5^th floor. What a fun night we had here.

Been a big supporter of Kimpton for some time. Love the ambience, the clique ness and, most importantly, free wine!
I’ve stayed at numerous Palomars but this was a bummer. When I walked into my room, there was a big clump of hair next to the sink. Nice, only if I forgot my floss. Then I noticed the whole in the ceiling. I think it was supposed to be the sprinkler but it looked like a camera hanging over the bed. Creepy.
The gym had two elliptical machines that weren’t working, leaving me with only the bucket bike. The only person on the road that I’ve ever seen using that machine is the bearded vegan, 6’3″ and 125 lbs.
The staff did what they could to alleviate the pain by giving me credit in the restaurant but that’s like buying a pair of pants from Nordstrom’s with a huge shit stain and having them give me store credit. Thanks!

Rarely ever am I pissed upon composing a review however as always… there are exceptions.
Realizing that things tend to get a little crazy amid the change in seasons… price fare increases, airport gridlock, cantankerous shoppers, etc., I/​we booked a suite at Hotel Palomar 3, if not FOURRRR months in advance by way of the 3^rd party website
.
For those of you that don’t know, Booking.com’s claim to fame is that upon locating a room through them and securing a reservation via debit/​credit card you’re not billed for anything upfront ——
Please see EXHIBIT A for proof of this disclaimer.
So WHY FOE’ COMETH’ did I do just that… by providing my card number and THANKFULLY I know to use one void of funds (purchase a prepaid card and load $ 5.00 onto it) for the problem indicated below * * * *
I received an e-​mail a week or so later that Hotel Palomar had charged my card and that my reservation was cancelled.
Uhm…WTF???
Am I missing something here?
I —clearly— booked through a 3^rd party site alleging there to be NO UPFRONT payment necessary. How was this misconstrued and/​or lost in translation???
All the while thinking that perhaps the hotel was mistaken, I booked (you guessed it…) ANOTHER reservation at a rate $ 30.00 HIGHER than the initial reservation only for the SAME — THING — TO – HAPPEN!!!
My question is simple:
Reservations were originally to be for 10÷17−18 (overnight); WHY THE HELL ARE YOU BILLING ME 3 MONTHS IN ADVANCE for the full night’s stay, when it’s clearly supposed to be free of charge!!!
Forrest Gump could’ve done a better job handling this yet…
After the 2^nd cancellation of reservations, I reached out to
for assistance whereas they phoned the hotel for clarity on why I was being billed let alone 90 days early and they informed me that the hotel agreed to honor my previous reservations at a rate $ 50 MORE than my initial reservation!
GTFOH!!! — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
To Management of Hotel Palomar let alone anyone else reading this review…, it will be a cold day in hell before you benefit from receiving so much as a dime of my money! Ya’ dun’ gone and pissed a brutha’ off now!
— If your mission as a company is to gauge the hell out of your customers and piss them off to the highest level of piss-​tivity: then (cue applause…), MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
— Thereon, if value, customer service, professionalism and attentiveness to detail are your priorities…, sorry guys, but you’ve fallen as flaccid as a senior citizen’s schlong!
* The first star that I’m affording is being split in half; that’s a half a star for location and an additional half for the overall amenities offered.
The 2^nd star as I see it… is simply being provided by DEFAULT of 1 star being the bear Unilocal minimum.