Rising incongruously amid the lower, stucco-California-mission-style buildings more common in downtown San Diego, the luxurious Hotel Sé stands out with its glassy, steel-latticed façade.
A bevy of handsome, friendly valet/bellmen awaits visitors who are ushered through a massive swinging door to a swank, dark-toned lobby.
Built at the height of this never-ending recession, the hotel has had to adapt (its name, product offering, and pricing) to survive the times. Take advantage of that to experience a luxurious and modern hotel in the heart of San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter. Check out the hotel's current offers here.
More friendly professional staff process you efficiently through check-in to your room, most with a warm, masculine West Elm decorative motif and many with great views of the city, the bay and planes landing at the nearby (convenient) airport. The hotel features a modest but sufficient fitness facility and a very cool outdoor pool and deck area.
Sweet and Tender, the hotel's upscale bistro wins kudos for its contemporary American cuisine (straightforward options with bold and subtle accompaniments). The happy hour is fantastic with tasty bar nibbles and (non-premium) alcohol and a few really nice wines offered for $7 per item.
The spa is small but they offer visitors an optional vodka-infused pomegranate based shot before their treatment (nice!). Ask for Eric, but beware he hurts (in a good way).
A minor quibble: The hotel offers two tiers of Internet service at different costs: regular (slow) and premium (fast). Why not just fast for one price?
