OverviewLocated just off Interstate 8 and about an 11-minute drive from the San Diego Zoo, La Quinta Inn San Diego - Mission Valley is geared towards road travellers who require a pet-friendly hotel with a free breakfast, an outdoor pool and easy highway access.
Each of this smoke-free hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a desk, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Rooms with a sitting area and a sofabed and a separate bedroom are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms.
The hotel also offers an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a business centre, guest laundry, free parking and a free breakfast. Up to two pets per room are permitted free of charge.
SeaWorld San Diego and San Diego's city centre can both be found about 11 minutes away by car, while Mission Bay Park is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. San Diego International Airport (SAN) is roughly a 14-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, up to 2 pets/room free, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: November 20, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's location, staff, rooms and breakfast.
The hotel's location was praised by many lodgers, who described it as safe and central, and close to the highway, restaurants, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Balboa Park, shopping, public transit, the beach and the airport. One guest noted, "Location is great, 10 minutes from most attractions and downtown, easy access to freeways. Food and malls close by".
Numerous guests were pleased with the level of customer service they received during their stay. They characterized the staff as accommodating, friendly, professional and helpful with directions.
Several reviewers enjoyed the hotel's lodgings. They described their rooms as clean, quiet, well maintained and well equipped, with comfortable beds and linens. A few patrons had complaints about their rooms, however (see below).
The hotel's breakfast was the source of several compliments by travellers. They found it to be delicious, tasty and well stocked, with a great variety of hot and cold items, a spacious dining room and friendly staff. Some lodgers complained of the breakfast area being crowded on the hotel's busier days, however.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about the rooms and parking.
Although several lodgers were pleased with their clean and well-equipped rooms, a few guests criticized their accommodations. They reported small-sized rooms, musty odours, inefficient air conditioning and slow Wi-Fi.
The hotel's parking was an issues for a few reviewers. They reported the lot to be very crowded with small spots, making it difficult to park larger vehicles.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4 out of 5 with an 89% recommendation rate from 1,488 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #115 of 270 San Diego hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 311 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.6 out of 10 from 200 reviews.
The author called the hotel on November 20, 2013 to verify some information.
