Booked this hotel without knowing what it was (got it off of hot wire for a great deal). Was extremely pleased with everything about it. I should not have complained about the 'no free breakast,' because it told me right on hot wire that complimentary breakfast was not included. We were going to partake in breakfast (that you had to pay for), but we must've gotten down to the eating area too late, because they were cleaning up. We ended up going to a great diner, Keith's, across the street, so no biggie. The hotel staff was extremely friendly/helpful/kind, and the fact that there was free wine and tap beer for guests during happy hour was sweet! Would definitely come back to this place!

Typical Holiday Inn in a convenient location just off the freeway. The card keys wouldn't work when we first arrived, which was very irritating for someone coming off a long drive (I had to use the bathroom!), but the room was nice enough, and the staff was helpful enough (they fixed the key problem in about a half-hour). The in-room fridge wouldn't get cold, but the ice machine near the lobby worked fine. The biggest bummer was not getting breakfast with the room price. Seriously - shouldn't all hotels do this nowadays? Shouldn't they be trying to entice more customers during these lean times rather than cutting services? I'm not looking for anything fancy, just a simple, convenient, continental breakfast that you can grab as you head out to your next destination. I don't want a breakfast buffet and I don't want to pay $10 per person. Luckily, there's a Carl's Jr. across the street.

Bio:
Platinum with Marriott, Holiday Inn. Diamond with Hilton. Gold with Starwood. Average 150 nights a year. Worst year: 332 nights.

This Holiday Inn is a full service property located about 15 minuutes from the San Diego Airport. It is a V Shaped layout and is surrounded by gas stations and a Carl's Jr. Upon arrival, I had a plate with an apple, a banana, crackers with peanut butter, Andes mints, and 2 bottles of water waiting in my room. Very nice touch for Priority Club guests. There is also a nightly Happy Hour in the lobby with free beverages.

The young lady at the front desk made smiley small talk with me at check-in. There was also a bell man, although I declined his services. The lobby is inviting, and the restaurant open until 10pm. PC Local amenities included a Free Movie coupon and a 10% off restaurant coupon. All of the staff were great.

The room rocked - although it was an off zig zag floorplan. Upon entry, I had a micro-kitchen: dorm fridge, microwave, 2 burner electric range (with range hood!), and a sink. Then, the next room had a 2 person round table and chairs, a desk, a gold-colored couch, TV in armoire and an arm chair. The next room (you walk through the vanity area to get to the bedroom) was the bedroom, with a (you guessed it!) bed, and tube-tv filled armoire. The windows open slightly - enough to get fresh air. Upon inspection, the air filter was clean (maybe 10 days worth of dirt). The bedding was clean and comfortable. 2 firm pillows, 2 soft pillows.

The restaurant, Spiral, is located off of the lobby, and appears attractive. It has typical HI-restaurant food. The fitness center had a recumbent bike, stair stepper, a treadmill, a sauna, and an elliptical. The fitness center is cramped, and people walk through it en route to the outdoor jacuzzi area.

The room, including bathroom, was immaculate. The towels were thick, and only mildly abrasive. Water took awhile at 4am to get hot, though water pressure is good. The ironing board is thinly padded, but it is well constructed and sturdy. The Sunbeam iron had been drained and had minimal mineral deposits.

Internet access was disappointingly slow. This is the only negative comment I have about this property.

Air Filter factor: 8.5/10
Internet Speed: 3/10 (SLOW wireless: 287Kbps downstream, 127Kbps upstream)
Location: 7/10
Friendliness of Staff: 10/10
Restaurant: 8/10 (quality HI restaurant)
Checkin/Checkout: 10/10
Parking: 9/10
Bedding: 9/10
Furnishings: 9/10
Fitness Ctr: 7/10 (tired, but functional Life Fitness equipment)
Free Liquor Opportunities: 10/10 (happy hour every 5-7 in Spiral!)
Iron and Ironing Board: 8/10 (thinly padded, no mineral deposits)

Definitely recommend this property - it's very comortable, and the staff are great. It is a great value - especially for this market.

The room was very clean which is always top priority. The hotel was quiet and the staff was nice although we didn't need anything so I can't say how the service would have been in that aspect. The price was a good value for the room and the bed was pretty comfortable and even though the view wasn't much, the window let in lots of light so I wasn't really bothered. The only thing I was disappointed with was the continental breakfast because it wasn't free and there weren't many options for the price they charged. With as nice as the hotel was, it would be great if they served a complimentary breakfast as well. Overall it was a very good experience and I would definitely stay there again.