While they are slim and consistently questioned, there are a few perks to the San Diego beach alcohol ban.
A favorite Insider perk is the slew of local hotel pools that are stepping up to the plate and filling the beach booze gap with posh pool parties. However, while we may live in a coveted vacation destination, we can't (in good consciousness) spend every weekend surrounded by poolside bottle service. But, we won't judge you for a few solid weekends in a row during the peak of summer in San Diego.
For soothing days under the sun or adventurous afternoons with the kids, nothing beats the sandy beach like a tropical oasis pool setting or a resort pool with waterslides and water park amenities. And yes, we've made sure the bronzers and the babysitters aren't directed toward the same destination. Discover the top ten hotel pools in San Diego - for partying, relaxing, and PG family fun.
View Insider photos of all the best San Diego hotel pools here.
Best San Diego Hotels for Party Pools
Manchester Grand Hyatt
This harbor-side downtown hotel recently unveiled a brand new pool complete with a chic aquamarine lounge - KIN - set to heat up San Diego nightlife. By day or night, guests relax on modern white furniture, sip signature cocktails, and gaze into the downtown cityscape. As the sun sets and serene blue hues light up the lounge, guests are sure to be surprised by the oversize clear balls floating across the pool, engineered by beautiful dancers clad with white beach attire. Don't miss the KIN Grand Opening party this summer. And, prepare for the all new KIN Lounge Parties and KIN Sunday Pool Parties beginning soon.
Ivy Hotel
The Ivy Hotel was the first official San Diego home to the Vegas hotel inspired entertainment triple threat. Within the Ivy Hotel, locals and visitors weekly visit Club Envy, Ultra Lounge, and Eden Rooftop - the spacious poolside lounge sizzling with a modern take on tropical resort intrigue. While Eden is so much more than just the pool area, every Sunday all eyes are on the pool - and the beautiful party-goers in and around the pool - for the Eden Sunday Pool Party. Opt for cabana side bottle service, and vibe to electro and ambient beats from rotating guest DJs. The Eden pool is the recommended downtown rooftop for those seeking an elegant take on daytime fun. Check out Sunday party pics here.
Hard Rock Hotel
The Hard Rock Hotel introduced San Diego to a new and improved lifestyle enhanced with rock 'n' roll chic and elevated nightlife standards. The rooftop destination is a luxurious poolside venue that takes its parties seriously. At night, rooftop-going guests mostly remain around the fire pit VIP lounges. But, every Sunday, marathon partiers are never late to Intervention - the official Sunday pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel. From bottle service to pool games and a stand-out crowd, Intervention is a hit every Sunday. View Intervention pics here.
Del Mar Marriott
The Marriott sits on the cusp of Del Mar and Carmel Valley in North County San Diego and is overlooked by many as a standard chain hotel. Yet the Del Mar Marriott is home to Arterra - the acclaimed fine dining restaurant and upscale outdoor lounge. During the week, varied travelers soak in the sun's rays by the Arterra pool, while relaxing and sipping fusion drinks. But, Arterra steps up the party pace every month with Fortune 421 for the rowdy Elevation Pool Party, complete with a multitude of DJs and drink specials from noon until night. Check Fortune's July Elevation party pics here.
Best San Diego Hotels for Relaxing Pools
L'Auberge Del Mar
While the new resort-chic lobby level amenities and subterranean spa and meeting space are attractions all their own, guests will hardly look left or right as they enter the new L'Auberge and fall in love with the outdoor restaurant deck, Waterfall Terrace, and poolside lounge, Bleu Bar, sitting straight ahead at the edge of the ocean. L'Auberge hotel guests will get the best of both worlds while lounging by the pool and gazing out into the ocean. The newly renovated L'Auberge is a highly recommended destination for a relaxing poolside experience. Bring your suit by day for the pool, or your date by night for Bleu Bar. Read more on the L'Auberge renovation here.
The Pearl
The quaint pool at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma is truly one of a kind, surrounded by retro-chic lounge décor and the international beats of Chris Larose of Groove 24/7. Opt for an affordable boutique suite and lounge poolside all week, taste a treat from The Restaurant at The Pearl within an outdoor cabana overlooking the pool, come on a Wednesday night for Dive-In Theater where vintage classics are projected above the pool, or plan to stay all day Sunday for the ultra-mellow Groove 24/7 Brunch Party. If Intervention isn't your scene, you belong poolside at The Pearl. Read more on Groove 24/7 Sundays at The Pearl here.
W Hotel
The W recently unveiled the revamped WET pool and the connecting second floor Veranda Bar. WET was reintroduced as an alluring oasis for travelers with a mirror wall, a graphic wooden deck, whimsical botanicals, and a dramatic hyper photo of a wave appearing to crest. WET guests are encouraged to recline on chaise lounges by the pool, soaking in the sun, while enjoying cocktails and nibbles from Veranda. Read more on the W here.
Best San Diego Hotels for Family Pools
Hyatt Regency Mission Bay
The Mission Bay Hyatt features the dream backyard of every child across the world - complete with waterslides, water taxis, and WII. The SWIM lounge offers upscale drinks and eats for parents, and the pool area amenities are enough to keep any kid (young and old) entertained for days. This summer, running until September 1, the Hyatt is offering such extra activities as mini spa treatments from Blue Marble, poolside bingo, SeaWorld character visits, and all the latest WII video games on-site. After the kids wear themselves out in the sun, treat your special someone to a seafood dinner from Danny Bannister at Red Marlin.
Grand Del Mar
Four swimming pools, a 50-square-foot Jacuzzi, and numerous fountains and water features flow throughout The Grand Del Mar, but the centerpiece is the main swimming pool. The 2,400-square foot waveless edge pool visually unfolds into the adjacent children's pool, creating a series of linked images. A sandy beach area with sweeping vistas of coastal canyon adds a relaxed and fun vibe, while the fully stocked pool bar and open air cabanas allure guests up front. This pristine resort pool area is reserved for The Grand Del Mar guests only - and is reason enough to indulge on a suite.
San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina
Located on the waterfront of the San Diego harbor, the Marriott Hotel and Marina is an ideal choice for tourists looking for the best of city life accented by sparkling bay views and luxury amenities for summertime fun. The resort style pool at the Marriott is hidden behind tropical greenery, and is a picturesque location for a day poolside with family and friends. Parents can indulge in cocktails and Asian inspired appetizers from the new Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, and kids will never tire from the pool and Jacuzzi offerings.
La Costa Resort and Spa
For a luxurious North County escape, La Costa Resort and Spa is the only option that should come to mind. From the Spa at La Costa to the Golf Course and the boutique shops on resort grounds, La Costs is a vacation all its own. For families and children, don't miss out on the La Costa pool. We especially recommend the Resort Pool for the dreamlike waterslides, seasonal live music, and water park toys at Splash Landing - just one of seven great pools at La Costa Resort and Spa. Visit lacosta.com for more information.
Insider Tip: Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina lagoon pool also features kid-friendly poolside amenities including fireside story telling and s'more roasting at the pool's fire pits, "dive-in" movies as well as stargazing atop the pool deck. And if the kids get bored of the pool, they are steps from San Diego Bay water sports activities.
Fun Fact: While the kids play, parents can rest assured they are reducing their carbon footprint, as the Sheraton is the first hotel property in North America to be fully powered by fuel cell technology.
View Insider photos of all the best San Diego hotel pools here.
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