SAN DIEGO/SAN DIEGO HOTELS San Diego Hotel Accommodations For Families Of Five Or More May 1, 2018 One of the most commonly asked questions to hit my inbox is from larger families looking for San Diego hotels. They d like to stay in one room or can t quite figure out how to best book two. They re looking for a boutique hotel or larger resort, not necessarily the usual chain all-suite property. The good news is that we do have San Diego hotel accommodations that can fit five, six, seven and even up to ten people in one room or a combination of rooms. Rest assured that families of four or less can stay at each of these properties, too. In fact, these same options are popular for families of four when the kids don t want to share a bed. How To Use This List The hotel options below are geared toward families traveling with children as different occupancy rules sometimes apply if only adults travel. These arrangements are always subject to change based on the hotels availability and rules (and sometimes who you talk to at the hotel). I ve done my best to list what I ve booked in the past or know to be accurate at the time of this writing. Most San Diego hotels do not guarantee connecting rooms. They try hard to honor the request, but there is always a risk of separate rooms. However, I do list two connecting room options at hotels I trust and work with frequently so if you d like connecting rooms at these places, contact me. It s possible. Rollaway beds are subject to availability at some hotels. Read the fine print if you must have one. Double rooms can t accommodate rollaway beds. Usually, a small crib or travel crib is allowed in a double room but it depends on the hotel.
Like anything in life, things are subject to change so when in doubt, it s best to call the hotel. A Note About Maximum Occupancy Our standard hotel rooms have a maximum occupancy of four people due to fire codes. Too many people, beds, and things slow down a guest s ability to exit the hotel room in case of an emergency. Then, the hotel s emergency exits need to handle the flow of all guests exiting the building quickly. A floor with 20 rooms and four guests per room will exit the building faster than a floor with 20 rooms and six guests per room. It s not uncommon for available beds to handle more people than are allowed in the room. Occupancy is a carefully-planned concept and its there for your safety. With all of the above in mind, here are some fantastic San Diego hotels for large families. Luxury Four Seasons Resort And Residences Aviara Best for: Families of up to six people Location: Carlsbad This Four Seasons property is a favorite of mine. Accommodations are fully-furnished residences that genuinely feel like a home away from home. It s a top choice for families who require more space also because the resort can price well considering the size of the residences and that it s a Four Seasons property with a spa, excellent food, swimming pools and more. One-Bedroom Premier Resort Residence: A king bedroom with sofa bed is completely closed off from a full kitchen, living room. Other features include one full bathroom, a powder room, washer/dryer, and a balcony or terrace. (1330 square feet/maximum six people; four adults or four adults and two children) Two-Bedroom Resort Residence: An excellent option for families with kids who don t want to share a bed, this residence has two king bedrooms, two sofa beds, two full bathrooms, one powder room, washer/dryer, and three terraces or balconies. (1670 square feet/maximum six people; four adults or four adults and two children)
They are also pet-friendly up to a generous 75 lbs and offer extended stay rates. Pricing for the two residences mentioned above is typically not available online but I can get it for you and include some benefits. Hotel Del Coronado Best for: Families of up to six people Location: Coronado Hotel Del Coronado is the San Diego hotel with the most demand. Families of five or more do have options to stay together in some suites. The junior suites sell out quickly, so I advise you to book them (and really any accommodation here) ASAP. The king suites with sofa beds sleep for four adults maximum, but if the fifth person is a child, he or she can stay in a crib (free) or rollaway bed ($25/night plus tax). Connecting Rooms: Connecting rooms can be requested but they are not guaranteed. This is a busy hotel that is almost always sold-out, so if you must have to have connecting rooms, the risk they can t honor the request is higher here than at other hotels. However, the rooms that do connect are double queen rooms to king rooms in any view category. (rooms sizes vary but this would be approximately 700 square feet and a maximum of seven people with a rollaway in the king) Victorian Building: Victorian Double Queen Junior Suite: This option is also popular with families of four when the kids do not like to share a bed. It also prices well and comes with a resort view or ocean view. The junior suite has two queen beds, a queen sofa bed, one bathroom and a seating area that is open to the bedroom. (500 square feet/maximum six people) Victorian Suite: Stay here with one king bedroom that closes off from a living area with a queen sofa bed. If the fifth person is a child he or she can stay in a crib or rollaway bed. (600 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway bed) Two-Bedroom Octopus Suite: This adorable suite has one king bed, one bunk bed, one trundle bed, one sofa bed in the living room, and two bathrooms. (750 square feet/maximum seven people but only kids in the bunks and trundle) Tower/Cabana Buildings
Tower Resort Suites: Choose an ocean view or a coastal view Resort Suite in the Tower Building that has a king bedroom closed off from a living room with a queen sofa bed. If the fifth person is a child, he or she can stay in a crib or rollaway bed. (900 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway bed) Tower Resort Parlor Suite: A suite with loads of space, it has a king bedroom, queen sofa bed in a separate living room, and a wet bar with large dining table. If the fifth person is a child he or she can stay in a crib or rollaway bed. (1200 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway bed) Two-Bedroom Dolphin Suite: Another adorable family suite, this one has one king bed, one bunk bed, one trundle bed, one sofa bed in the living room and two bathrooms. (750 square feet/maximum seven people but only kids in the bunks and trundle) Two-Bedroom Victorian Crown Suite: A unique suite, one bedroom has a king bed and a queen sofa bed while the other bedroom has two queen beds. Find yet another queen sofa bed in the living room in addition to two bathrooms, large dining table, and a gorgeous Glorietta Bay view. Only one of these unique suites is available. I haven t booked it yet, but I m going to guess that a few extra kids would be O.K. always call to check. (1200 square feet /maximum six people) If you are considering Hotel Del Coronado, please read my short guide to Hotel Del Coronado which explains the various buildings and what you need to know. When booking the Hotel Del Coronado, you usually come out ahead with a Virtuoso rate. If you d like to first quickly get a feel for pricing to see if it fits into your budget (as it does radically vary here depending on dates, check here. You ll usually come out ahead with the Virtuoso rate because of the added amenities that I can secure for you (most people at breakfast on property and that is one thing that is included with my rates). Please note that it is a four-star property but our best beachfront option. Beach Village At The Del Best for: Families up to eight people Location: Coronado The most luxurious San Diego beachfront vacation is at Beach Village at the Del. It s the exclusive, private enclave in the Hotel Del Coronado that offers an elevated experience and amenities only accessible to Beach Village guests. The residential-style rooms and suites boast designer kitchens and decor up to three bedrooms. They have a wide variety of rooms and suites available for families with either partial ocean view or full ocean view, so here is the gist.
Cottage Rooms: Here s a rare situation where double queen rooms will allow up to five people as these rooms also have a sofa bed. (550 650 square feet/maximum 5 people) Two Bedroom Suites: These come with one king bedroom and either another king bedroom or a double queen bedroom in addition to a sofa bed, full kitchen, living room, terraces, outdoor soaking tubs in some suites, marble bathrooms and more. (1100 1450 square feet/maximum 8 people) Three Bedroom Suites: These come with a king master bedroom, additional king bedroom and double queen bedroom. Some have an additional three sofa sleepers. (1635 2035 square feet/maximum 8 people though I d imagine a few extra kids may work on the sofa sleepers) You may also want to read why Beach Village is San Diego s most luxurious beach vacation. Cribs are complimentary and rollaway beds have a fee of $25/night. As you may know, I think it s best to book Beach Village at the Del using the Hilton HHonors discount. Saving a small percentage off of these rates (which typically start at $999/night depending on the season) equals noteworthy savings. Fairmont Grand Del Mar Best for: Families of up to eleven people in connecting rooms and suites Location: East Del Mar This the best San Diego luxury hotel. Its located in East Del Mar on the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. It s quiet with loads to do on site from its awesome main pool with a sandy area for the kids to an equestrian center. I love booking it because I never worry about the guest experience. There are lots of family activities happening daily during summer as well. The best way for larger families to stay there is in connecting rooms or a connecting suite to a room(s). Cribs and rollaway beds are complimentary. Fairmont King to a Fairmont Queen/Queen: This is the combination that I book most. These gorgeous, comfortable rooms have golf course or Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve views, marble bathrooms with soaking tubs, comfortable beds, and luxe amenities. (1000-1100 square feet in total/two adults and one child in a crib or rollaway in the king room and four people in the double queen = seven people)
Deluxe King to Deluxe Queen/Queen: These rooms are located on the second and third floors of the resort which means that they have private balconies for alfresco relaxation. (1100 square feet in total/two adults and one child in a crib or rollaway in the king room and four people in the double queen = seven people) Two Bedroom Suite: Connect a one-bedroom Toscana Suite with a separate living room (sofa bed) to a Fairmont Queen/Queen. (roughly 1500 square feet/maximum eight people) Three Bedroom Suite: Connect a one-bedroom Palazzo Suite with a separate living room, fireplace, dining table for 8, kitchenette, terrace, and more to a Fairmont Queen/Queen and a Fairmont King. (roughly 2500 square feet/maximum eleven people) Need even more space? Fairmont Grand Del Mar also has 4000-5000 square foot luxury villas. To arrange connecting rooms, send me your dates. I love this hotel and you won t regret staying here. Pendry San Diego Best for: Families of up to seven people in connecting rooms Location: Downtown Families seeking a downtown San Diego luxury hotel should look no further than Pendry San Diego. This boutique hotel offers stunning restaurants with delicious food, pretty rooms and a rooftop pool with cabanas. Kids receive little amenities, they have a stroller rental program and rooms here do connect. The suites do not connect to rooms to create larger rooms, nor do their suites have sofa beds. Connect a king and double queen in the same view type. Superior, Deluxe, Premier and Grand rooms are all the same size (350 square feet) but their views range from non-view to full bay. (700 square feet total / maximum seven people) I do like to point out that while the giant showers are fantastic, Pendy San Diego does not have bath tubs in its rooms. Park Hyatt Aviara Best for: Families up to nine in connecting rooms and suites Location: Carlsbad
Park Hyatt Aviara is another great choice for luxury Carlsbad hotels near LEGOLAND. There are quite a few connecting room and suite options at this luxury hotel for larger families so I ve outlined a few below. This is another hotel that does an excellent job behind the scenes to cater to special requests. We like the game room, family pool and spa. Connect king rooms to double rooms: Pool and courtyard view types. (1080 square feet total/maximum seven people with a rollaway in the king) Pool View King to Pool View King: A cool option for couples or families of three traveling together who would like this arrangment. (1080 square feet total/maximum six people with a rollaway in each room) Suites (these are very reasonably priced for San Diego) Park Suites: (855 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway) Park Deluxe Suites: (1140 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway) Luxury Suites: (1160 square feet/maximum five people with a rollaway) Connecting Rooms to Suites Park Deluxe Suite to a Panoramic Double, Panoramic King or Park Double: (1680 square feet total/maximum eight nine people with a rollaway in king or suite) Luxury Suite to a Panoramic King or Park King: (1700 square feet/maximum eight people with a rollaway in the king) Hyatt recently introduced a Hyatt Privé program available exclusively through travel agents which offers benefits such as connecting rooms and room upgrades confirmed within 24 hours and more. It s awesome so definitely use the link below. Moderate La Jolla Beach And Tennis Club Best for: Families of up to eight people Location: La Jolla
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club is one of our most popular spots for multigenerational travel mostly because they do have space for big families. It s as close to the beach as you can get in San Diego with special activities like s mores in the evening, food and drink service to the sand, a pitch-andputt golf course and more. There are only 99 accommodations so you re likely to be close to extended family in most places on the property anyway. It s a mellow family-owned and operated property that is part of an exclusive members-only club. If you need a rollaway bed in a one bedroom suite, they can put one in and try to figure out how to place you all together if traveling in a large group. Deluxe Beachfront Suite (top pick): Two bedrooms a living room with sofa bed and optional rollaway bed with 270-degree panoramic views. (1350 square feet/maximum six people) One-, Two-, and Three-Bedroom Oceanfront Suites: I always encourage people to choose one of these if not the Deluxe Beachfront Suite as they are literally just a few steps from the sand. If you re traveling off-peak, they can also be excellent pricing for what you get. (650 1300 square feet/maximum five people with rollaway in a one-bedroom suite to 8 people in a three-bedroom suite) Cottages: Rarely available, these two, two-bedroom (king and twin rooms or queen and twin rooms) cottages near the golf course have barbecues, washer/dryers, dedicated parking spaces, and feel a bit more residential but the pricing is excellent. (maximum six people) I don t have any extra amenities to add to a room here but I book it a lot and am happy to coordinate it for you if you like.
Manchester Grand Hyatt Best for: Families of up to nine people Location: Downtown Manchester Grand Hyatt's outdoor pool makes it a perfect downtown San Diego hotel for families. Manchester Grand Hyatt houses nearly 1700 rooms and suites so needless to say a variety of connecting room options exist. It s a big, corporate hotel with a lot of activities including a family pool, onsite bike rentals, basketball courts and a seasonal kids club. The location within walking distance to lots of restaurants, shops and sights in downtown is perhaps what makes it most appealing in addition to its pricing. Again, these are just a handful of their connecting room and suite options because they have even larger. Grand Club Kings to Grand Club Doubles: (680 square feet total/maximum seven people with a rollaway bed in king) Bay View King to Bay View Double: (680 square feet total/maximum seven people with a rollaway bed in king) City View King to City View Double: (680 square feet total/maximum seven people with a rollaway bed in king) Standard King to Standard Double: (680 square feet total/maximum seven people with a rollway bed in king) Standard Double to Standard Double: (680 square feet total/maximum eight people) Standard King to Standard King: (680 square feet total/maximum six people with rollaway beds in each room) Connecting Rooms to Suites Grand Suites to Bay View Double: (1480 square feet total/maximum nine people wth rollaway in the suite) Signature Suites to Standard Double: (1480 square feet total/maximum nine people wth rollaway in the suite) With the new Hyatt Prive program I have access to, they will guarantee connecting rooms and suites within 24 hours.
Omni La Costa Resort And Spa Best for: Families of up to eight people Location: Carlsbad Omni La Costa Resort and Spa offers big families a number of solutions. In addition to connecting rooms, families in need of more space should consider their villas which are furnished like comfortable homes. Amenities include designer kitchens with Viking appliances, washer-dryers, gas fireplaces and more. Families stay here because of the kids pool and splash pad (check pool hours for seasonal times) and kids club. It s also a great San Diego hotel near LEGOLAND. Connecting Rooms: King rooms can connect to double queen rooms in the Plaza, Signature and La Costa categories. Junior Villa Suites: These one- and two-bedroom options have kitchenettes, one king bedroom and bathroom per room in addition to a queen-sized living room sofa bed. (1200 1800 square feet/maximum five to seven people with a rollaway) One-, Two-, and Three-Bedroom Villas: These have a full kitchen, separate living rooms with queensized sofa beds and dining areas for six people. Villas have king bedrooms though the threebedroom has one double queen bedroom. There is a rarely available two-bedroom villa with a king bedroom and a double queen bedroom, however. (1200 1800 square feet/maximum five people in one-bedroom with rollaway up to eight people in the three-bedroom, they can likely add in a crib or rollaway here, too.) I have a special arrangement with the property where I can add on some amenities like daily complimentary breakfast for two and valet parking. Pantai Inn Best for: Families of up to six people Location: La Jolla
The oceanfront Balinese-inspired inn ranks as San Diego s best hotel on TripAdvisor. Accommodations run up to three bedrooms with breakfast, WiFi and parking included in the rate. Note that amenities are limited. There isn t an onsite restaurant though they do offer a simple continental breakfast in the courtyard. Rooms are simple and comfortable, views can be spectacular and some do have full kitchens. My advice for big families is to pay attention to the room occupancy notes as some two-bedrooms only sleep four though it s likely O.K to bring your own travel crib (no rollaway beds are available). There are only 30 rooms so book quickly. Two Bedroom Cottage: Each bedroom has a queen bed in addition to a double-sized sofa bed in the living room. (maximum six people) Three Bedroom Suite: Each bedroom has a queen bed. (950 square feet/maximum six people) LEGOLAND Hotel And LEGOLAND Castle Hotel Best for: Families of up to seven people Location: Carlsbad San Diego hotels for large families: LEGOLAND Hotel Those who want to immerse in all things LEGO can choose between these two on-property hotels. Each has themed rooms, and you ll book depending on whether your child is into LEGO Friends, Pirate them and more. Both hotels have the same room policies. One major benefit of staying in a
LEGOLAND California Resort hotel is that you ll receive early admission about 30 minutes before the park opens to the public (check their calendar for details). Fully Themed Rooms: These larger rooms have a king bed, bunk beds and a trundle bed. (maximum two adults and three kids or one adult and four kids) Suites: Suites sleep maximum four adults across one king bed and one sofa bed and three kids on a bunk bed and trundle bed. I would, however, suggest that two nights up here is plenty unless you have a diehard LEGO fan. Budget The Lafayette Hotel Best for: Families of up to six people Location: North Park If you like funky, historic boutique hotels, The Lafayette Hotel is a great choice in San Diego s hipster North Park neighborhood (close to the San Diego Zoo and downtown). Aside from their Olympicsized Weismueller pool (designed by former Tarzan and Olympian, Johnny Weismueller) with cabanas, the bungalows in the back and Suze Suites are great for families. Free cribs are available but they do not have rollaway beds. Suze Suites (pictured above): It s a two-bedroom suite with a king bed in one room and a full-sized bed with a twin bunk on top in the other. There are also two bedrooms. (maximum five people) Three Bedroom Bungalow: The best way to describe this is like a mini house equipped with funky decor that will take you back several decades. The queen bedroom is on the ground near the kitchen and living room while a full-sized bedroom and another bedroom with two twin beds are both upstairs. (maximum six people) Marriott Vacation Club Pulse Best for: Families of up to ten people Location: Downtown
Marriott Vacation Club Pulse tends to price really well for an all-suite vacation property in the heart of Downtown. I think it is somewhat of a hidden gem as amenities include a pool, fitness center, activity center, bar and lounge, and a small marketplace. Rooms and some common areas have been refreshed. All rooms have kitchenettes. Two Bedroom Connecting Suites: These are a two double bed suite connected to a king suite. Each suite has a sofa bed. (844 square feet/maximum ten people) Double/Double Suites: These have two double beds in the main bedroom and a sofa bed. (430 square feet/maximum six people)