Residence Inn la Jolla

We have been coming to this Residence Inn for over the past 12 years. We come at least once a year, sometimes twice. The beds are GREAT! since they got the pillow tops. I use to only be able to stay 4 days cause I could not sleep on the beds, since I have a water bed, but with the improvement of the the pillow tops, I sleep fine for the whole stay. We have pets and they are always welcomed, and the staff has always been great. When ever we had problems due to other people who were staying there, the staff were always willing to help us. Each hotel always goes through changes in staff and remodeling, but I will say that out of 12 years we have only had problems there twice. I think that is a great record for the number of people that they have coming there. I am looking forward to seeing them again this summer. If you go as often as we do you really get to know the staff and the rooms. If you want space, rent the penthouse suite or the executive suite. If a fireplace is one of your needs, the have some rooms with this too. It truly is a home away from home for us. After reading other reviews I felt that maybe someone who has been there as often as we have should respond. S

Our extended family had a wonderful Christmas vacation in the San Diego area. With 8 adults, a 6 month old baby and a small dog, we needed a little extra space and this hotel was perfect for our get together. My wife and I, our adult daughter and her boyfriend selected a penthouse suite and the upstairs loft with a separate bathroom was a great setup. The downstairs murphy and sofa bed's were both comfortable and easily met our need for separately sleeping 4 adults. It was spacious and comfortable and felt more like a condo than a hotel room. It also served as our gathering place for a family meal and to just hang out. The wireless internet signal was not very strong, but the highspeed wired connection was fine.

Our son, his wife and new baby chose a king suite which was directly beneath our room. The hotel staff was very gracious and worked with us to locate our son's in-laws in a king suite near our rooms. All 3 rooms were clean and well kept.

The hotel's complimentary buffet breakfast was much greater than the typical continental offering with many choices and a large dining area. The hotel is located just off I-5, easily accessed from 2 different exits. If you don't mind staying a little ways out of downtown (Seaworld and the Zoo are both within 10 minutes drive), then this is a perfect place for a family. I definitely will consider staying here again.

The five of us (including two teenage daughters!) switched from a Comfort Inn to the Residence Inn La Jolla on our recent trip to San Diego.

Wow! The two bathrooms did the trick for us! The penthouse suite allowed my wife and I to have a little privacy...and, gave our 3 daughters their own room!

The morning buffett was huge...the variety and quality of the breakfast was very good.

This Residence Inn is located just next door to the University of California at San Diego...only about 20 minutes from the harbor at San Diego.

We will return to this hotel on our next trip.

Me and my husband stayed at this property for one night in June 2006 and we absolutely loved it. I have always loved Residence Inns because of their kitchens, and this was one of the best ones I have stayed at. It was a little hard to find, but I really liked the grounds, there is a grassy area on the side of the parking lot. Check in was fast and easy, and the bed was very comfortable. Breakfast was ok, pretty much what we expected. We used the jacuzzi and we enjoyed that as well. I would definitely stay here again.

I stayed here for 2 nights in March, 2007. I was here for business and everything was fine.

PROS: Free internet connection

Huge rooms with full kitchens

comfortable beds

very clean

quiet

free breakfast

free coctails and light dinner

free parking

CONS:

Very full so finding a parking space was difficult, but there was always one available even if it was on the other side of the facility.

Lots of families with kids so getting breakfast and dinner was an adventure sometimes. Because of this, food supplies ran out frequently but were immediately replinished. Also, the dining facility was noisy.

Location: This is not the easiest hotel to find and it's a mile or two away from the business area of LaJolla.

Logistics: This hotel is spread out more like an apartment complex and you may find yourself walking a good distance from your car to to your room - -even from the closest parking space - - if you could snag it. It also has the feel of an apartment complex which isn't bad, but no charm. But, this is more of a business and long-term stay facility.

Overall: I felt this was an excellent value and would definitely stay here again. Book early as it seems to fill up quickly. I think this place is great for families or groups.

My family and I spent a week over Easter break at the Residence Inn La Jolla. We had a great time. We were in a pent house suite. It was nice and big. We fit two adults and three kids. The breakfast was terrific. Everything you could possibly need was served with lots of coffee. This hotel is near to resturants, USD, and close to the major highways. It is a short drive away from any major attraction. We loved this place the staff was so friendly and kind. They could not do enough for you. The room has everything an apartment would have.Will stay here again next time we are in La Jolla.

My wife and I have been traveling down the California coast for about five weeks and decided to stay our last week in the San Diego area before flying home. We needed some down time to relax.

We have stayed in Residence Inns before and felt we knew what to expect. Boy were we wrong. This Residence Inn is a cut above the normal. The hot breakfast is very extensive and fresh. The breakfast area was always kept clean and in good order. The evening hospitality hour is served Monday thru Thursday and was different and good every day. Wine and beer is also served.

The location is in a quiet residential area, near a shoping center with a super market, restaurants, post office and a movie house showing the latest releases.

Being north of the city, we didn't have to fight city traffic to go to the Zoo, SeaWorld and Wild Animal Kingdom.

We will diffenitely stay when we return to the San Diego area.

Watchmaker

We (Husband and 3 kids) booked one of the deluxe penthouse rooms. It had a loft with 2 bathrooms. At first I thought this better be a good place because it was pretty expensive ($300+) per night. It was worth every penny. I got strep throat so I had to spend some of my vacation time in the room. Which by the way was really comfy. The beds were good too. And my personal fave really good sheets. I only wish one thing ice machines somewhere. There are ice machines in the refrigerators but it's so yucky. The other bad thing was the crabby mean guy in the laundry area but he probably won't be there next time.

We stayed in the San Diego/La Jolla area for 5 days, and the Residence Inn was perfect for us. My wife, myself and our 18 year old son and 13 year old daughter. It was a family vacation. We wanted to stay in the LaJolla area, but couldn't afford an ocean view room. So, unless you can drop the money for a room with a killer view, you're looking at staying at either a) a small hotel room in the heart of La Jolla...no fun for four people, or b) the Residence Inn. We had an "executive penthouse" which is the two story room. Queen Bed and its own bath upstairs (my wife and I claimed it as our little sanctuary) and a separate bath downstairs, plus a king bed in a room that closed off from the living room, which has a queen sleeper. That way, each kid got their own bed...totally appropriate for their ages and genders!

If you're staying someplace only one or two nights...the Residence Inn may be overkill. But for an extended stay, it's really nice to have the room, the full size kitchen, which they even stock with dishes, etc.

Breakfasts were great. Lots of hot entrees to choose from...very satisfying. Monday through Thursday, they even have light meals for their guests. The two week nights we were there, they had lasagna one night, and a very fancy Tuna Fish sandwich bar. Nothing outrageously wonderful...but there was free beer and wine! We took advantage of the drinks late one evening, and we saw that lots of guests were hanging around the "clubhouse" watching NCAA action on the big screens and having a nice social time. Part of the time we were there, there were several soccer teams on site, and we expected noisy nights...but nope, we heard nothing in our room, and always slept great. It made for crowded breakfasts, but nothing we couldn't live with.

They have a decent pool, and also a modest hot tub. The hot tub is in a separate spot from the pool...so kids can splash and make noise in the pool, and adults can have it a little more relaxing in the hot tub. I liked that.

Our rooms were always very nicely made up each day when we returned from being tourists. The AC/heating was quiet, although I never totally figured it out. There were three TVs...it would have been nice if they had at least one in-room DVD player. My biggest complaint (and it's pretty small) is at the hi-speed internet. It's not wireless, and it is NOT very fast. I was underwhelmed by that.

Otherwise, it was fine. As to location, it's right off the interstate. It doesn't feel like La Jolla (although it is a very quite neighborhood...no other hotels nearby), but it is VERY close to La Jolla. To get to La Jolla Beach for surfing took five minutes, and to get to the shopping/dining district took maybe 8 minutes. It's near UCSD, and near the Scripps Aquarium.

The entire family loved it. If you're interested in a little elbow room, and can't afford an ocean-side suite or a time share on the beach...I can't recommend it enough!

I was so happy when I checked into the Residence Inn La Jolla. This hotel had huge rooms with full kitchens. And there was a full breakfast in the morning and in the evening they served dinner....all complimentary! You can't beat the deal and the location. I recommend this hotel to anyone visiting San Diego/La Jolla. The entire staff- including the Sales department, engineering, housekeeping and front desk was so freindly.

When I won this room on priceline I of course checked out the reviews on tripadvisor and I was anything but excited about my trip to San Diego but decided to take it in strides since I got a pretty good deal on priceline. Man was I wrong! We didn't have any problems with check in, we actually got there a little after midnight and the receptionist was very nice and since the studios rooms were all taken we got upgraded to the 'penthouse'. I noticed that a sign said that the marriott was doing renovations so maybe the room wouldn't be that bad.-Not bad at all, really nice actually. The room was newly remodeled and a loft style with a kitchen that had granite counter tops, 3 beds, 3 flat screens tv, fireplace and 2 bathrooms. Why can't I get a deal like this when I have more friends with me??!?! Overall it was a very nice stay for the price.

Pros: Not a far drive from La Jolla Cove, newly remodeled, free parking

Cons: renovation is still going on until june 2009 so parking was limited with large trash bins, there was a continental breakfast that was very busy in the morning if you want to eat I would suggest getting there early. Hope this review helps.

We enjoyed our stay. The location is great. The room does need updating, but it was clean and the bed was really comfortable. The hotel staff was really nice and helpful. The continental breakfast was good too. We would go back here.

We used Marriott rewards points to stay at this Residence Inn in La Jolla. Everything was really great. The breakfast choices were so extensive it was almost overwhelming. They even had Indian chutneys and rice for their South Asian guests. The bed was extremely comfortable and the kitched had everything we needed. The room was clean and a free Pack-and-Play was provided for our baby. We were able to get a Wi-fi signal in our room.

Legoland is only a 20 minute drive North on the five and downtown San Diego attractions are even closer. There ar many restaraunts within a half mile of this hotel.

We will definitely stay here again!

I was surprised that the room was as nice as it was---you just can never tell. It was spacious enough and clean. I specifically reserved the Residence Inn so I could make use of the kitchen and have a small gathering after my daughter's graduation from UCSD. I was a little disappointed with the appliances---could definitely use an upgrade. I wouldn't say the kitchen was "fully stocked" as far as dishes and utensils go---if you are planning to make meals, I suggest you bring some of your own from home. The pool came in handy, considering the heat wave on that weekend. Also breakfast is great, but get there early! Not having to pay extra for parking is a real plus and my daughter was happy with internet service.

me and a friend of mine were travelling in the area, and didn't know where to stay for a night. we tried several hotels, but none of them had vacancies, so we ended up here, around midnight. we just got one of their last rooms.

our room was clean and spacious, with a gorgeous (size and comfort) bed, we had free (although wired) internet access, and a nice breakfast next morning (the only problem was that they definitely did not have enough tables and seats in the breakfast area, but whatever).

we left immediately after breakfast, satisfied with what residence inn la jolla had to offer.

We stayed in a penthouse suite and found it exceptionally roomy. The bed was extremely comfortable and the murphy bed had a real mattress. The two bathrooms also came in handy in the mornings. Our suite was clean and quiet, however, the furnishings were dated and worn. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. The breakfasts were good and the evening receptions provided an entree and salad most evenings (Monday to Thursday). The location is very convenient with easy access to the I-5.

My son is a senior at UC-San Diego now and this is where we always stay when we visit him. Friendly front desk, generous breakfast buffet, clean rooms, and a great location within walking distance to campus & Whole Foods Market. A little home away from home.

We really enjoyed our stay here...my wife and 3-year-old daughter shared a studio suite (wife and I used king bed and we brought along an air mattress for daughter since she falls out of regular beds still). Apart from some inconsistent cleaning (coffee grounds not emptied and washcloths not supplied on occasion), and a leaky toilet which I called twice to have fixed, the overall stay was enjoyable, the breakfast selection was awesome, and the room was clean and comfortable. On our last night there after 8 hours at Disneyland, we came back to find our key cards didn't work anymore, but a quick call to the front desk brought someone to the door within 5 minutes with new keys. Service is the real standout at this hotel.

I stayed at this marriott for two nights, just for a seminar that was going over the weekend at the university.

This was the hotel that the seminar organisers got a group booking at, and so that was the reason that it was chosen,

It served the purpose, as i didn't spend too much time in the room, and it was very convenient to the university. So would highly reccomend it if you are comming for a university visit.

However would not reccomend it if you are comming to view the beach etc, unless you are also driving a car, because it is some distance away. but there is ample free car parking at the hotel, so driving would not be an issue.

but there are also shops and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel,

I was picked up by friends who lived in the area in order to get into downtown La Jolla, as I did not drive. The residence inn has a shuttle, but unfortunaltly we were told that it didn not operate over the weekend.

The room was clean, and the bed in our room was quite large, and comfortable. I thought it was also somewhat spacious. the towels were small, not real fluffy, but (most importantly) quite clean and the bathroom was clean , and there were amenties such as shampoo and soap, as one would expect

the heating was in room temperature control, with a wall box that you could specify the actual temp. and it heated quite quickly.

That makes a difference to me as i am quite cold natured, and hate to stay anywhere where there is no temp control, or you just set "hot" or "cold"

there was also quite a decent breakfast, which included quite a variety of hot and cold foods, and i was quite impressed with it, as free breakfasts are not usually so large. and i was impressed that you could make fresh hot waffles!!

kitchen was quite decent sized (not that i used it) and there was a large desk in the room.

In the dining room (which i imagine is open all the time), there was also a computer where guests could use free internet. which i found great as I had not brought my laptop with me on this trip.

Overall I felt that i would stay there again if i was comming back to the university, I can't imagine what other reason I would have to come to this area (although the coast walk and aquarium were nice.. ) as it is way too far out of town if i want to see downtown san diego etc.

I felt I had to write this review as soon as I got back, because it was pretty unmemborable and I would have forgotten I even stayed there... quite good, nothing amazing, but no complaints.

We stayed at this hotel for a one night stay during a visit to San Diego. I chose this hotel since it was closest available R Inn to the San Diego Zoo. I was skeptic because of previous reviews I'd read, but figured it was only a one night stay. From the time of our arrival, I saw that the property is well kept and the grounds appear clean. Our room was by the pool, which had a clear blue color to it, and the exterior of the buildings are maintained. Once we entered the room we noticed it smelled clean, and the carpet didn't have any stains. The bathroom area is clean, and has granite counter tops. The appliances and kitchen area maybe could use a face lift compared to newer R Inns, but it is clean and fully functional. The staff was friendly and attentive. The complimentary hot breakfast was good and there is lots to choose from. Its proximity to restaurants, drug stores, and the freeway make it a plus. I would stay here again and would recommend it to a friend.

I was travelling with my husband and 3 teen daughters. The hotel was obviously more worn than newer hotels, but we had a nice bed and a little space between us and the girls. At check in we noticed the ceiling fan didn't work and there were burned out light bulbs. We called the front desk and within 15 minutes the staff had remedied both these problems. We also did not have the bedding in the closet for the pull out bed, but again it was quickly fixed. Breakfast and evening snacks were nicer than the Residence Inn in Anaheim we had stayed at before. No charge for parking, but you MUST show the parking tab in your window (being so close to UCSD and the parking nightmare there, I can see why that is critical) but we never had any problem finding parking. Close to the mall, groceries, beaches, parks etc. Would stay here again.

We stayed here on our Mom-Daughter trip just prior to her leaving for college. Although this hotel is in La Jolla, it is very convenient to all the locations you want to see in San Diego. The hotel is just of I5--with easy on and off. I5 will get you to the Beaches, Sea World, Balboa Park & Museums, Zoo, Gaslamp District, etc. We had a wonderful time and got to do a little bit of everything listed above in less than 48 hours.

Residence Inn La Jolla is very comfortable and spotless. The staff is courteous and helpful. We enjoyed the complimentary full breakfast each morning which consisted of eggs, sausage, bread of all kinds, fresh fried potatoes, yogurt, juices, fresh fruit, hot and cold cereal, waffles, pancakes, etc. Parking is FREE, which is hard to find in many San Diego hotels.

There were families, older couples and business people at the hotel. It is quiet and peaceful location. We used it for our sleeping place because we spent most of the time touring San Diego. Because the hotel was so easy to get to, we returned each day after sightseeing to get ready for dinner at night.

My family (2 kids and 2 adults) stayed at the La Jolla Residence Inn this past spring break for 5 nights. We booked a very spacious penthouse execption suite, which consisted of a downstairs bedroom (with private bathroom), full kitchen, living room with pull-out sofa bed, and upstairs loft with a queen bed and full bathroom. It was nice having the space to spread out. Our unit was very quiet and peaceful.

The location is great. Very close to grocery stores and restaurants and only minutes from the beach. Also, if driving to Lego Land, it's only a 20 minute drive.

The rooms could use a bit of renovation and upgrade. There was a large stain on the stairway carpet and stains on the sofa. The doors were cracking and some of the coffee table legs looked broken. Also, many of our towels looked stained or frayed. As others have mentioned, having an ice maker that worked (ours leaked into the refrigerator if turned on. Also, housekeeping was inconsitent, only providing shampoo on our last 2 days.

The breakfast buffet was a nice, but the area got really congested with the crowds. Except for one morning, I generally got up before the kids and brought breakfast back to our room so we could eat peacefully. One kind staff member even brought me a tray to use!

We stayed in the penthouse and it was huge... Stayed here on christmas eve and day because we were travelling and wanted to be somewhere big with a kitchen for Christmas. We managed to cook a great christmas dinner... decorated the place (had a tree and all)... The place was very comfortable... highly recommended and great value for money. It was two levels with beds upstairs and downstairs... it had a big living area with a fireplace and two bathrooms. A++

This was a great hotel for our San Diego vacation. A really big breakfast buffet greeted us each morning, and the weekday dinners were eatable. We also enjoyed the weekday happy hours. The location was a big plus too. We did not have to drive far to see the zoo, Coronado, Balboa Park, Torrey Pines, Cabrillo Monument, and La Jolla Cove (all of which we highly recommend!). The studio room was decent, with very comfortable beds. We found what we needed in the kitchen, to cook for two people. The grounds were adequate as well, and children seemed to enjoy the heated outdoor pool. The hotel may be a bit old, but certainly served our purposes quite well.

My wife and I visited Residence Inn La Jolla in Jan 07 using our Marriott Rewards points. The studio we stayed in was clean and roomy... had a kitchen, desk, sofa sleeper and lots of storage space near the bathroom. The bathroom was two rooms and decent size. The property is only a couple miles off of I-5 and near UCSD... and only a ten minute drive to La Jolla shops on the peninsula. The breakfast was a little better than the average buffet too! Just keep in mind that the property is rather large so the buffet can be busy and you may not be able to park all that close to your unit.

WIth all the positive, there is a little negative. We unfortunately had a lower unit that backed up to the water heater closets outside and heard a pinging noise all night. Needless to say, we didn't get any sleep. However, the desk manager agreed to have us back and we're looking forward to a return trip.

I stayed for two nights at the RI in March 2005 while working at the VA Hospital located near the UCSD campus. The location was great - a two minute drive to the hospital (passing a Starbucks along the way!). I arrived early (noon) and was immediately checked in. The suite was exactly what I am used to in an RI room - clean and large with a kitchenette (there is a Ralph's around the corner if you want to cook for yourself). My room was on the side of the hotel that faces Gilman but I did not notice any extreme levels of noise. Bed was comfortable enough. Breakfast was good - hot buffet that included eggs, sausage and biscuits, etc. I did not partake in the dinner snack but it looked pretty good both days. The small business center was helpful when I required a printer. The location is also good for visiting La Jolla - it was just a short drive to La Jolla cove. Beware of attempting to return from La Jolla via Gilman - the exit has been obliterated for some reason, so you have to take Villa La Jolla and go around. Overall, I had a good stay and would recommend this hotel to business and leisure travellers alike.

We just came back from spending a week at the R.I La Jolla. We had a 2 bedroom Exec Suite.

It was great! My mom had the lower level bedroom which had a king bed and it's own bathroom. She was able to close her door at night and we were able to watch TV and get the kids to bed in the sofa bed. The kids, 12, 13 and 9 said the sofa bed was comfortable.

Our room was the loft upstairs. Queen bed and quite comfortable. We had our own full bathroom upstairs too.

The kitchen table downstairs was nice size although we never really used it other than to hold all of our 'stuff'.

Everything from bedding to baths seemed to be quite clean. We asked for and received extra towels on a daily basis.

The breakfast was basic, but pretty good. Eggs and fruit every day and then an alternate selection. French toast, sausage and bisquits were some of the extras. Make your own waffles every day, a nice selection of ceral and oatmeal with add in's of raisins, nuts, etc.

For us it was a nice way to start the day.

We only made the snack/dinner meal one time. It is pretty basic, but you could make it your dinner. The day we were there it was chili with add in's of macaroni, sour cream, cheese, crackers. There was also beer or wine offered. I did notice that these snacks were only offered Monday thru Thursday.

The location of this hotel was great. Easy off the expressway 5. Easy access to the beach and LaJolla. Staff was more than accommodating. We asked for directions daily and they always had a nice word and a smile for the kids.

We were leary of what the clientele would be based on other postings, but noticed that it was primarily family's with some obvious business travelers mixed in. Also a couple of tour groups.

All in all a good choice for us at $179.00 per night because it included breakfast. (there were 6 of us). We are considering going back to San Diego and I would stay here again in a minute.

I have stayed here a few times and each time it has been very pleasant. You can cook your own food in the attractive kitchen, lounge around in the large studio style room and pretend you're in your own cozy apartment. This isn't high grade luxury, but these suites are very tastefully done and very comfortable, all at a nice value. Would definitely stay here again if I didn't live down the street.

Before we stayed in the La Jolla location we stayed at a Residence Inn inTempe Az. The La Jolla location is great but the room was a disappointment. Listed as a penthouse suite, you get one upstairs bedroom, a pull down bed (murphy bed) in the living room and a sleep sofa in the same area. It would of been nice to have a little more private sleeping situation. The parking lot is a mess. Very tight parking space, especially with a van and you better not come to your room to late or all of the spots will be already taken. Not a bad ride to the beach and there are places to eat close by. All in all, love the area but not this Residence Inn.

The location for this hotel is nice. It is one of the original Residence Inn properties though. It is in need of a face lift.

The staff is friendly, but the hotel is not in good shape. I am ready for Marriott to start to explain their own star system.

How can one R Inn be a 3 star and be so clean, new, and nice............and another be so old and in need of a make over????? The rooms are a very nice size.BUT COME ON UPDATE! The pool was a green/yellow shade. I called the front desk to ask to have it checked. It was, I was told it was fine......but the color was not blue.

As I said, the staff was quite nice. If they would just update, the hotel would be a good place to stay.

This property is located in a quiet residential area adjacent to UC San Diego. Our room was dark and small, and the bed was so hard it was difficult to get a good nights sleep. All the units have kitchens, and it was nice to have a full sized refrigerator and real dishes. But who wants to cook and do dishes while on vacation? The guests appeared equally divided between vacationing families, University types, and visiting foreign engineers doing business with local tech. companies. Bonuses included complemenary full breakfast and evening meal, free ethernet access and your choice of USA today, San Diego Union Trib or Wall Street Journal every morning.

By far the worst experience occurred at check-in. I booked through a major internet travel site and showed the clerk my reservation itinerary. After several minutes of typing on his computer he came to the conclusion that my name was not in the computer. He offered me the option of paying in full AGAIN and told me I should try to get my money back from the internet company. I pointed out the 800 number he could call to check on my reservation. He called, and they immediately faxed him my reservation information-which they claim they had faxed the hotel 7 days earlier. He was still hesitant to honor the reservation. I was 2 seconds from demanding to speak to the manager when he decided for himself he should speak to the manager. He disappeared for at least 30 minutes before returning to book my room-without apology or explanation. In total, I waited almost an hour to check in for a reservation that was made and paid for months in advance. Someone needs to instill in these people the concept of hospitality and humility when the guest is not at fault.

We arrived at 5:15 PM with a confirmed reservation and were told our room was being cleaned and would be ready in an hour. At 6:30 PM, we were told that the cleaning was going to take another few hours. At 9 PM we were told that the room would not be ready that night, and we were asked to take another room type (which we did). To their credit, they comped the first night, and moved us the next day to the requested room, but you have to wonder why they didn't just discuss some options with us at 5:15 PM rather than making us wait over 3 hours. And while the rooms were spacious, they both showed some wear. The other negative is that the parking situation is ridiculous....the lot fills up by 10PM and the spaces are so narrow that there is less than foot of space between vehicles. On a positive note, the breakfast and hospitality hours were really nice, and the staff at these were wonderfully helpful and gracious to all requests.

Just returned from a 3 night stay with my husband and two preschoolers. Note that this hotel is very far from downtown La Jolla, so not the place to stay if you want easy access to the shops, cove, etc. Stayed in the Exec Penthouse. Basically a 70s loft-style apartment with some 90s style updates (cream walls, green carpet, burgundy bedspreads, upholstered furniture). There are a lot of people who stay here who do business at UCSD next door, or who have health problems and are getting treated at Scripps. Not a great scenario for a family vacation, though the kids enjoyed the (tiny) pool. The breakfast was decent for a buffet style thing, but sitting in the breakfast room was kinda depressing given the business/medical clientele. If I had to do it again, I would pay a little extra, forego the carb-fest free meals, and stay at the beach.

When I think "Party Hotel", I don't think Residence Inn, but that's what it turned out to be. I stayed there with my family last month and there was either a college or bachelor party in the room adjacent to us. The hotel staff didn't seem very concerned with doing much about it, so my brother in-law actually had to go knock on the door at 2am to tell them to shut up. Blows my mind that hotels still allow this to go on for more than 5 minutes.

The other thing that may have contributed to our intollerance was that the air conditioning seemed to have a governor on it that never allowed it to get below 77 degrees. While you are able to set the thermostat on the wall as low as you like, the room itself stayed at 77 degrees. This happened to me at another Marriott property, so I'm convinced that it's a strategy that they've come up with to save $$$ at the expense of the hotel guests. Who needs to sleep when you visit a hotel anyway?

They did have a community grill that made our salmon dinner much better that I thought it would be.

I'm here right now, and I'm underwhelmed. The internet connection is so iffy that I'm not quite sure if this review will even go up on the first try. (Major deal breaker since I came here to work.) Kitchenette is quite understocked for a Residence Inn. The room is so cold that I keep having to blast the heater (and I am not a cold person). Antiquated decor. I've just about given up on the internet so I thought I'd watch a movie before hitting the sack. Ooops, no dvd player. Only choice is pay-per-view. Understandable at a regular hotel, not so much in a Residence Inn where you're supposed to stay awhile. The water is lukewarm at its hottest. Kind of gross when showering, washing hands, or washing dishes. Won't be back.

Purposely booked this hotel for its location to downtown la jolla. My friend and I stayed for 3 nights. I had to ask for another room after I went into the first room that was assigned because of the smell. The carpet smelled like a wet dog. The other room was ok although the bed was squeaky and the bathroom exhaust was too loud. The rest of the stay was doing fine until the early morning of our departure day. On our way to the breakfast room, we went through the front door. as we were getting our breakfast, the manager went seeking for us in the breakfast room and found my friend first who did not have her room key with her. My friend summoned me and when I asked her why, she said this lady stopped her and asked to see her room key and without it, this lady then started questioning her as to what room number we were at. By the time I got face to face with this lady, this lady just said it's ok. I asked her whats the problem and all she said that it's ok and turned around. As I was checking out, I saw her at the manager's room and realized she must be the manager. IS THIS THE WAY YOU TREAT YOUR GUESTS??? I DID NOT SEE HER ASKING ANYONE ELSE IN THE BREAKFAST ROOM FOR THEIR KEYS OR ROOM NUMBER? I have stayed in so many other residence inns and this is the first time I've had this experience being treated like a vagabond. We are professionals and this experience just left a bad impression of la jolla and a shame for Marriott. I think the staff should be required to take diversity and customer service courses.

I usually enjoy staying at Residence Inns. For some reason there were just little things that made me uncomfortable. The bathroom needs some serious upgrades. Lots of mold on the walls and a nasty stained toilet seat.

The layout was awkward. The desk doubled for a kitchen table which is fine, except that the office chair is in the middle of the small kitchen. Should I mention the stains on that office chair? I had to throw a towel on it in order to sit there.

If you are into Feng Shui, then you won't like the fact that the bed faces the doorway. I don't really follow feng shui, but I did find that I never did get a full nights sleep. The bed was comfy, but I just couldn't get into a deep sleep.

Internet in the room was a joke the week I was there. They explained that there was some work being done and internet would be interrupted... They didn't mention it would be down for almost the entire week I was there. The single computer in the clubhouse was also down. This was a big inconvenience for me since I was there on work and needed to have internet. Almost had to switch hotels just because of this.

The food was great. Took advantage of the breakfast buffet and evening social hours. I don't think I'll come back to this particular Residence Inn, but would definitely book them in other cities since my experience with the chain has been generally good.

We stayed at this Residence Inn during July 4th week. We were lucky, or so we thought, to find an executive suite for $209 per night on the Marriot website. This room has 2 floors, 2 bed/bth.

When we arrived we were literally disgusted at the condition of the room. The filth. My 5 year old first ran up the stairs. I followed and touched the handrail. Oh wow. Grabbed the Clorox Wipes, which I was so glad I packed, and after 4 BLACK wipes decided I better go over most of the room. Our feet were BLACK within 5 minutes of being there.

The floor had not been vacuumed, evidenced by popcorn, junk all over. There were even old Dove bottles under the desk. This room truly was bad. We thought of moving, but knew that most hotels were booked for the holiday week.

So, I called the front desk, who told me they would let housekeeping know the next day. My husband, luckily, ran into the general manager at breakfast and talked to her. She then called me. They did come in that day and do a thorough cleaning. Our room had a long term customer (9 months) before us and had never been totally cleaned before we got it. They couldn't shampoo the carpets, which was clearly needed, but they did vacuum, which helped. I think they tried to resolve the issue, but our first impression was such a bad one it was hard to overcome.

They had very bent towel rods in the bathroom, for instance. $2 towel rods. Come on, fix them. No TV remote in the Living Room. Things they should check. No extra Toilet Paper downstairs.

Terribly loud and annoying ceiling fans!!!!!!!! Attached to the lights. I would not stay here again just for that.

The General Manager was exceptionally nice and I would say the staff did what they could with what they had. She had told us that after that long of a customer, the room should have been shut down for a few days for a total detail.

The general manager told me I got a screaming deal on this room - that this room was going for $369 typically. I believe that knowing the size, etc. But if we had paid $369, I would have been screaming. I probably would have left.

It is very, very outdated. We have stayed in other Residence Inns up in the LA area and this one really needs work. We would not stay here again.

I had 2nd thoughts on this as the old saying goes - If it seems too good to be true it probably is. I debated this one and should have gone with my gut. You live and learn.

Loved the area. Loved Legoland! Had fun at Sea World and the beach. Just wish we had a different hotel!

We booked online and the confirmation indicated we reserved a 2 bedroom unit. When we checked in, we found that the unit had a murphey bed in the living area and a "master" bed in a loft area, which offered virtually no privacy for my husband and me from our 2 kids. We had to turn out the lights when they did. When I called the front desk about the setup upon first arriving, I was told their 2 bedrooms were all full but I would get a call the next day to let me know if one would open up during our reservation period. I never received said call.

The unit was fairly dark inside and had a stale odor that my 5 year old noticed immediately. Leaving the one screened window open every day did nothing to improve the odor.

The ceiling fan light mysteriously turned itself on at random times of day, including the middle of the night . That was fixed within the day (by completely disconnecting it so that it didn't work at all) when reported.

A large group of other male guests were socializing loudly in front of our unit one night of our stay. When I called the front desk at 10:00pm, the clerk told me to feel free to ask them to quiet down. Being a female in my PJs, I wasn't too pleased with this option. I called the desk back 15 minutes later and they finally sent someone to request that the party move indoors.

The breakfast buffet foods were nicely presented, but the dining area was so crowded it was usually a race to any free table after circling like vultures for many minutes. The buffet line was like a feeding frenzy. It was definitely not setup to handle the large number of guests.

The location of the hotel was optimal, being a short drive to La Jolla cove, Scripps Aquarium, several restaurants, and 2 grocery stores.

The "penthouse" room which we booked was a large space with an open loft on an upper level which had a steep set of stairs connecting. There was no separation from the living area - no soundproofing and no way that one person could sleep if the other watched television downstairs.

The chairs were badly stained with use, oily head and arm rests. The kitchen was also banged up and showed the years of traffic in a way that made the whole experience depressing. You could not help but think you were in a transcient hotel and not a Marriott. Creepy.

Best feature - La Jolla and very close proximity to Whole Foods, and a full service shopping area.

We stayed here for 3 nights to attend our son's wedding. The penthouse suite was large and comfortable, the staff was friendly but the room needed some cleaning. The door jams were really filthy and there was some writing in ink near the closet. Housekeeping tried to come in exactly when I requested them not to come (while getting ready for the big day), as a result, the room wasn't serviced our entire stay. The breakfast is decent and that's a bonus. Overall, for what we paid, it was just OK.

I arrived early and the front desk staff checked me in without hestitation. They were helpful and friendly. However, after a long business day, I returned to my room and found a dead rat in the parking lot. I called the front desk and they had someone out there promptly. But, then I tried to take a shower and could only get cold water. Front desk explained that there was some kind of maintenance issue but failed to offer an apology or solution. I won't return.

The rooms in this hotel are better than most residence in rooms, great desk and work area either queen or king beds well layed out. The breakfast bar is very good. The problems are it takes a long time to check in or get any service from the front desk via phone or in person they only have two workers and there are always several guests lined up to talk with them. After dark they have many security guards watching the property and they act like military guards requesting ID to get back on property to park your car. Then it is hard find a place to park after you get past the guard - in addition if you don't leave a parking slip on your dash you get a ticket that says "your subject to being towed"

Paid extra to be close to UCSD campus, and to have a little extra space, but it wasn't worth it. The beds were hard and uncomfortable and we were so close to the road that it sounded like we were sleeping on the highway. The room was dark--and the breakfast food the minimum. Won't stay here again. Definitely could have done better.

We drove in from Las Vegas, where we had stayed in the Marriott Fairfields Inn with no problem. My friend's wife works with the Marriott chain of hotels and she had prepared the itinerary using the employee page for the Vegas-San-Diego trip. We reached the hotel at 4.00am after a 6 hour drive from Vegas, having checked in via phone at 3.00pm the previous day and promised that all that would happen at arrival was check-in. Once we arrived, the receptionist looked ruffled, like we had interfered with his sleep, and kept on telling us that there were no documents on file authorizing the reservation. When he finally saw the paperwork, he brazenly told us that Residence Inn was not a 'sister hotel to Marriott, and we therefore could not be accommodated there. He reluctantly called a few Marriott sister hotels before sheepishly smiling and letting us know that there were no vacancies. He told us that he could book us into the hotel if we paid full price, falsely claiming that we would not be charged for that night for our previous reservation, despite the fact that we knew that my friend's card had already been charged for the two nights. I craftily asked him if there was internet in the hotel, and he barked 'yes, it is free'. I booked a Country Inn and Suites Hotel on Lusk Blvd on the internet, 'thanked' him, put the address on our GPS system, and off we were on our merry way. A hotel is supposed to make the stay of guests, and employees' families comfortable, but the Residence Inn receptionist went out of his way to make the stay almost impossible for us, despite the fact that we had checked in on phone hours before and assured that everything was alright! Avoid this hotel if you can; if they treat you this bad at the reception, you can imagine how they treat you once you check in and have a problem!

A friend recommended this property; unfortunately, the place has become pet-friendly in the interval since he stayed and when I showed up. I made my reservations over the phone and the subject of pets vs. allergies never came up. The staff had done a good job cleaning up so it was not apparent to me why I was getting so sick in the room until *after* my stay when I found out it was pet-friendly. This was first time I've been caught by the pet-friendly places; I've learned to be very wary since.

Some people might suggest that since I was getting sick, the place couldn't have been that clean, but I doubt any hotel can afford to dry clean the curtains then shampoo the rugs, mattresses and upholstery to render a pet-friendly room suitable for the highly allergic. No, the question had to be asked and a strict separation maintained.

Other that forgetting that some people have allergies and checking *before* they book, I can see why many people might like the place. The pool is nice if a bit small. The rooms come with a kitchenette, very convenient. The location is within walking distance to quite a few shops. The distance to the Price Center at UCSD isn't really walking distance. It can be done but not in dress shoes while carrying 20 lbs of supplies! But getting a shuttle ride to UCSD wasn't too hard. The breakfast buffet offered many options albeit the food wasn't the highest quality.

BTW, if you are attending an official event on the UCSD campus, inform the reservations desk. UCSD has negotiated a discounted rate.

We had originally planned to stay 3 nights, but thankfully, they only had availability for 1 night. What a depressing place! The place is sorely in need of a remodelling. There is an abundance of food at their breakfast, but we were'nt overly impressed with the quality. The rooms had a "dirty feel". We couldn't wait to check out.

It's not too much to ask to have your room made up when you're paying $149/day, is it? How about having an icemaker in your fridge that works, so that you don't have to schlep ice from the kitchen off the lobby? All this, despite repeated phone calls and personal visits to the front desk. The breakfast buffet was mediocre at best -- my kids did like the homemade waffles -- but the place was so packed with guests that we had to sit on the couches with our flimsy plastic plates perched on our knees. The only saving grace to this place is its proximity to UCSD, which is why we were here, but otherwise, I'd avoid this hotel at all costs.

i've stayed in several residence inns and this is by far the worst experience i've had. the guests are noisy and ill-bred, the room had a terrible odor of dirty laundry and stale beer. i checked out after one night b/c i just felt dirty. for the same price you can stay in a regular hotel. the reception staff was excellent and very friendly but unfortunately the hotel could use a bulldozer.