Anyone out there have recommendations for hotels near Sea World?

If proximity to Sea World is important, then you may consider where I had stayed last month. The Dana on Mission Bay, which is like one exit away from the parking area of Sea World.

My room was modest, but good enough. But my room was on the second floor, and there was no elevator, since all the doors face the outside, i.e., the rooms are NOT built in a structure, but are like motel rooms. -- Park near your room and walk to it. In my case, I had to walk up stairs, which at my weight and my leg and back problems, was NO picnic, let me tell you!

Since my room was comp'd, I didn't have to pay for it. (A paid gig.) Surely it must have been in the neighborhood of $159 per night.
Nice view of the boat harbor.

I am assuming you mean San Diego? If so, then really there are tons of choices. San Diego is a small town and everything is within a short drive of each other. So, location may be more important for nightlife and convenience. If you really want a treat, do the Hotel Del Coronado. Old style resort living straight from "Some Like it Hot!"

Priceline divides up San Diego in varous groups. I have listed the areas closest to Sea World.

San Diego, Downtown. This area is within walking distance of the gaslamp area, seaport villiage and a ferry to Coronado. This is where I usually stay. It is also close to Old Town, which is a fun tourist stop if you like Mexican food. You could also go for something close to Balboa Park.

Mission Bay, Sea World. This can be nice, as you are on a bay, and closer to Sea World, but distance really doesn't matter too much.

La Jolla. This is a bit further North, but is a nice upscale area. There is a nice beach cliff area and park.

Mission Valley. This is the home of Hotel Circle. the hotels are on a street that circles around the freeway, and so they are easy to get to (just know if your hotel is on the east or west side of the freeway). There are many hotels here to choose from. Most are cheap to midrange. I generally stay at the Marriott Residence Inn. Do not stay at the Motel 6!!!

Of course if you are going to Florida, all this information is useless.

Of course if you are going to Florida, all this information is useless.

Or Texas ;)

Thanks so much, guys--you've been so helpful! Bytebear, your post was particularly thorough...I really appreciate all of the info! And yes, I do mean San Diego. We have stayed at the Del in the past (one of our VERY favorite hotels), but I was looking for something a little more reasonably priced this time.;)

What's your price range? There really are so many choices. I really like the Hyatt Manchester in Downtown. It's very upscale, but if you priceline 4 stars, that's the hotel you will get. You can usually get it for about 60-70% less than the list price. (that half off is a crock!). There are no 5 star hotels in all of San Diego according to Priceline.

If you want something with a Dirty Dancing kind of resort feel, you could try Town & Country on Hotel Circle. We really liked the Double Tree in Mission Valley (another priceline). The Bahia Resort is close to Sea World and is on the bay. Humphry's Half Moon Inn and Suites on Shelter Island is an Ozzy and Harriett type place with a lot of charm, and is also waterfront. The W is really upscale and uber modern- like European Yuppies. The Park Manor is an older hotel, but it is right across the street from Balboa Park and the rooms are ginormous, with a kitchen (including dining table) but there may be a couple drawbacks to it. It smells old, and depending on your preference, it is a "gay friendly" hotel. They do have a bar in the basement and a restaurant on the roof. Both have various gay happenings, but all are welcome and you don't really notice them unless you are looking for them. Hope this narrows it down for you. Honestly, I usually do Mission Valley 3 Stars, and get something on Hotel Circle. The hotels are nice because they are central and easy to find in a fairly confusing city.

Wow! Thanks for all the great info, Bytebear...

We were actually considering Humphrey's--and since we love "retro," your description of the place really appeals to me.;)

I'm also going to check Priceline out.

Thanks again for all the help. You've been great!!!

My wife and I have stayed at both the Dana and Hampton Inn Sea World. We actually really like the Hampton Inn. It's about 5 minutes away, they will give you directions at the front desk. You get a breakfast in the morning and they have cookies in the afternoon. The hotel is located in an area that makes you wonder if your safe but we've never had a problem in our three trips and once your on the hotel site you feel totally comfortable. They've also just remodeled many of the rooms. They also have a complimentary shuttle to the airport.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!!!

Bytebear...Priceline has a $159 rate for a 4-star hotel in La Jolla. Any idea what that might be???

Also...would would be your recommendation between Humphrey's and Hilton San Diego Mission Valley?

La Jolla is just north of San Diego, about 10-15 minutes.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!!!

Bytebear...Priceline has a $159 rate for a 4-star hotel in La Jolla. Any idea what that might be???

Also...would would be your recommendation between Humphrey's and Hilton San Diego Mission Valley?

Actually, there are no four star hotels in La Jolla. If you click on them and nothing shows up, you will notice that they are actually 3 stars. In fact I think only Downtown has 4 stars, and there are no 5 star hotels in San Diego. if you do choose La Jolla, know that it isn't right in San Diego, and it is right on high cliffs so there is some uphill walking, but the area is very charming. If you can climb a lot of stairs, you will want to do the La Jolla Cave. It's $2.00 to go down a man made tunnel to the water level inside an underground cave. It's not spectacular, but it's probably worth two bucks.

But if you can do Humphrey's cheaper, that would be just as fun. Hilton is fine, but it's just a Hilton, nothing special.

If you decide to use priceline, be prepared to get what you get and there is no refund if you cancel. I have rarely been unhappy. Also do a Google search on tips and strategies on bidding. (I won't go into them here) Also, there are message boards where people post their recent bids so you can get an idea of the current prices. You can get from 30-40% off the list price. I have gotten 4 star downtown for $120, but usually I get it for about $150.

If you decide not to go with Priceline, get prices from several sources, including the hotel direct. usually their website has a better rate than the phone. If they do have a web quote, you can usually still book by phone and get the rate (sometimes not). Also, check for AAA discounts and any other club discounts.

I am assuming you mean San Diego? If so, then really there are tons of choices. San Diego is a small town and everything is within a short drive of each other...
What a strange comment for the 8th largest city in the US. :confused:

Thanks again, Bytebear...and thanks to everyone for your helpful replies!

What a strange comment for the 8th largest city in the US. :confused:

Not really. When you compare it to LA and particularly Orange County, it is very compact. Everything is within 20 minutes easily. You can't say that about most "large" cities.

...Everything is within 20 minutes easily.
Apparently you haven't seen our traffic lately. :)

Apparently you haven't seen our traffic lately. :)

Well, I will say that a year ago I could get to San Diego in an hour easily, but now it sometimes takes more than 2.

"San Diego is a small town and everything is within a short drive of each other"
We are bigger than you think! But then again you are from LA:p

"San Diego is a small town and everything is within a short drive of each other"
We are bigger than you think! But then again you are from LA:p

Actually, I am from Orange County, and everything nearby is 20-40 minutes away. Just going to dinner is a bit of a drive. One thing nice about San Diego is that, yes it is a big city, but it is so much more compact than LA or OC. That's what I mean by small town.

So, if you get a hotel in OC or LA, you better know the area, because you may not be close to anything particular. But everything in San Diego is really within easy travel of everything else, with the possible exception of La Jolla.