Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

"The corner room with a bay view (21st floor) was beautiful, featuring serene light blue decor and exceptional cleanliness. It offered a comfortable king bed and pillows, along with a large bathroom that included a spacious walk-in shower. Just a few tweaks would make the room perfect: a table with seating for in-room dining, a magnifying mirror for makeup application, and the option to remove the TV, as it obstructs the bay view. Housekeeping was very nice and helpful. The only real downside was the crowded pool. A better system for reserving the lounge chairs needs to be figured out. There were lounge chairs open all day, but we were unable to reserve them. I will say the pool area is really beautiful, and the big crowd was friendly."

"Overall, a great hotel with a perfect location, especially since it's within walking distance of the Gaslamp Quarter and the trolley. The M Club lounge is ideally situated overlooking the water, but (and this is a common issue with all Marriott lounges) it's not open for breakfast on weekends, which is disappointing since my kids don't eat points. The pool is fantastic, with a longer section that gradually gets deeper, plus a separate kids' pool and Jacuzzis. The seating around the pool is a challenge, though, because it's overcrowded, a problem made worse by Marriott selling day passes to non-guests and reserving basic lounge chairs that went unused during our entire stay. The seating is so tight that they've put lounge chairs in patchy grass areas around the pool, which makes it feel more like a community pool than a four-star hotel. Housekeeping was excellent and anticipated our needs, bringing extra towels and cups without us having to ask. Engineering could use some work: our sink and shower sounded like an alarm going off when running, and the grates on our air conditioner looked like they had mold. The rooms also have a beverage chiller instead of a real mini fridge, which just wastes energy, won't keep food cold, and does about as much as the ice machine down the hall. Drinks at the pool are wildly overpriced, even for a hotel, but the guacamole is a steal, with a large portion and good chips and salsa. Rooms that include self-parking are a real plus, since the convention center lot is right next door. If you're checking in on a weekend or during a convention, definitely try to use a mobile key, because the Friday check-in line was very long. All in all, it's a great hotel for families, and with the recent room updates, it seems promising for years to come, assuming some of these issues get fixed."

"It was an amazing vacation experience near the waterfront. We were on the 25th floor where we could enjoy the amazing view. One of the biggest perks was being able to go to the Rady Shell. What a pleasantly surprising gift! From the M Club treats to a $24/day food credit for each day, free daily 1-hour bike and kayak rental, daily wine, and fitness classes, they offered an amazing deal. The pool was amazing, and the location was so great for going to Coronado Island, the downtown options, and the Italian Farmers Market on Saturday. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time here."