There is an old saying about not judging a book by its cover and never was a case clearer than our recent stay at the Town and Country in San Diego. With many hotels booked due to special events in the area; we found this locale online after many of our usual options were not in play for this trip. After a busy morning and afternoon covering SeaWorld, we made our way to the hotel eager to rest after a busy few days and to get relaxed prior to our cruise the following morning.
Our arrival was chaotic to say the least as the locale is undergoing extensive renovation which caused much of it to be enclosed and limited us to drive in and wait in a crowded area. There was a convention going on as well as an event concluding so my check in time was long as I waited upwards of 20 minutes to get served.
On top of that, parking was a nightmare as all the lot spaces were overflowing and even the parking garage was full. Considering there are multiple buildings in the compound, it was a trick navigating the tight rows and when you went into an area and found no parking it made it frustrating. After many minutes of this, I was ready to call it good and cancel our stay and take our chances finding another locale last minute. Thankfully a couple people pulled out as we were able to take their spot and made our way to the room.
It appeared as if one part was a hotel tower and the rest of the compound were converted apartments as they were clearly not new and the fact that the two pools had a layout that supported this.
Our room was small and clean but had good Wi-Fi, coffee, and numerous channels, so despite the image of an aged exterior, it was comfy and quiet.
We made our way to the local Sports Bar on site and thanks to a Steampunk convention going on; the menu was basic compared to what they usually offered. Thankfully the food and service were good and we were also informed about the grab and go options available at another location.
The hotel is also near a mall which offers plenty of dining, shopping, and entertainment options for those who do not mind a walk or a short drive.
Our check out was easy and the staff kindly made change for me so I had singles to use for our cruise later that day. I heard that Condos are being built on site around new hotel upgrades so I look forward to seeing what the completed project looks like.
While it does not look nearly as modern and fancy as many hotels in the area, the Town and Country offered and clean and comfortable stay in a setting that is different than what you may expect.
https://www.towncountry.com/hotel
